In A Tussle

I finally caved today and participated in a webinar to learn more about the new CARES Act, which is basically a small business debt relief bill from the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. I’ve read about different provisions of the act on various websites, but it is no joke when I say that right now there are about 800,000 different interpretations of the new legislation. (And basically of all COVID related legislation, from small business to new FMLA regulations and beyond.)

All the old lawyer parts of me came roaring back once I cracked into the actual CARES Act language…and then I immediately regretted it, because while the goals of the legislation are clear, the language is dense. And even on the webinar today, a lawyer and a banker got into a tussle in the comments about the procedural implications of applying for relief funds. And if anything says pandemic in 2020, it is a lawyer and a banker in a tussle in the comments section of a live webinar, right?

And yet, here we are.

So, I don’t have answers - and no one really doesn’t yet - but I did feel a little hope that some relief may be insight for those of us that continue to stay open under legal provisions and continue to keep payroll on a regular cycle. (As a side note, I did receive an email from our landlord reminding us that there would be no rent abatement, forbearance, or delay on monthly rent payments during the pandemic. Please raise your hand if you are surprised.)

On another bright side, I did some checking to the idea of PJP delivery services. We were inundated with requests from Grub Hub, Postmates, and all the other delivery companies on a regular pre-pandemic basis. But honestly, I’m not interested in giving a cut of the sale to someone we don’t know and who likely won’t give a PJP purchase the love it deserves…especially when there are Team PJP members anxious for more hours and tips. So for $113 additional per year, our insurance now covers up to five people at PJP to deliver items (though, there are only eight of us currently, so let’s not get crazy.

I have no idea how long it takes to put a policy into effect, so they could email me tomorrow and say we are good to go…or it could take two weeks. These are things about insurance that I don’t know, and frankly, I’m ok with that. As soon as we get the go-ahead, we will take to social media and announce the unleashing of PJP within the City of Columbia. PJP Door Delivery? PJP Door-to-Door? PJP@Home? #PJPOnTheWay? Clearly, I have some branding decisions to make.