April 2, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Today, Howard County government launched a new dashboard tracking COVID-19 in the county, including active cases, recovered cases, and deaths. The information is sourced from the Howard County Health Department and updates daily, it may differ from the Maryland Department of health due to the timing of data collection.
“This tool will allow Howard County to track cases of COVID-19, and ultimately measures our progress at limiting the spread of the virus,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “We’ve taken extreme measures to implement social distancing and other mitigation efforts, and this data should show that impact over time. It is critical that we continue to adhere to the stay-at-home order and limit our interactions with others to keep our rate manageable.”
As with jurisdictions across Maryland, Howard County is also seeing an increase in unemployment over the past weeks and is consolidating many resources for residents and businesses on www.howardcountymd.gov/coronavirus, including those listed below.
Unemployment Resources
The Howard County Office of Workforce Development has compiled answers to frequently asked questions available online. Including:
How do I file for unemployment insurance?
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For information about Unemployment Insurance, visit https://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/uicovidaswfaqs.shtml.
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If you are laid off from work temporarily or if your hours are reduced due to COVID-19, you may be able to receive unemployment benefits. You can apply for unemployment insurance benefits online at https://secure-2.dllr.state.md.us/NetClaims/Welcome.aspx. or by phone between 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 410-949-0022 or 800-827-4839.
For answers specifically related to Unemployment Insurance and Covid-19, visit https://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/uicovidaswfaqs.shtml.
Rent & Eviction Guidance
Residents of rental properties in Howard County are reminded that Governor Hogan has temporarily prohibited evictions of tenants suffering substantial loss of income due to COVID-19, effective March 16. This Executive Order applies to you, if you have experienced any of the following significant losses:
- job loss
- reduction in hours
- closure of place of employment
- loss of child care
We ask all residents to retain any documentation to verify your loss, should you find yourself in a position of facing eviction from your landlord. For additional information on the Executive Order or Howard County’s guidance, you may call the County’s Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420.
Business Resources
The County Executive’s Office, Howard County Economic Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Howard County have created a business portal with information about keeping your employees safe during COVID-19, and economic resources from State and Federal programs, including:
- Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund is being administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce and offers $50 Million of working capital to assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations with less than 50 full- and part-time employees that are experiencing disrupted operations due to COVID-19. Eligible uses include working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses related to the ordinary course of business operations.
- Maryland Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Loan Fund is being administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. It offers $75 Million of working capital to assist for-profit small businesses with less than 50 full- and part-time employees that are experiencing disrupted operations due to COVID-19. Eligible uses include working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses related to the ordinary course of business operations.
- SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
World Autism Day
To observe World Autism Awareness Day, Howard County Government will be partially lighting the George Howard Building blue to raise awareness and support the Howard County Autism Society. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball encouraged residents to speak out against discrimination, celebrate our diversity, and strengthen our commitment to inclusion, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more, visit the Howard County Autism Society’s website here: https://howard-autism.org/