COVID-19 Resources

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Due to the rapidly developing situation concering the Coronavirus or COVID-19, the City of Abbeville has created this page as a business information platform to update the business community on current efforts to minimize the impact of and outline resources available to businesses within the City of Abbeville.

These current efforts include:

  • Working with State and Federal Officials to identify available resources for Small Businesses
  • Communicating the needs of our business community to State and Federal Officials
  • Exploring creative ways to offset the burden of COVID-19 on Abbeville’s Business Community
  • Offering guidance, when appropriate, concerning best business practices
  • If you are a business owner with questions or concerns please reach out to the City’s Community Development Department

Current Mandates:

  • Effective March 18th the dine in are of all restaurants must remain closed and all restaurants must operate on a carryout basis only.

Statement from Abbeville County on Operations

Current Resources:

  • SC Department of Commerce
  • Small Business Loans through the Small Business Administration
    • The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering the loans through funding provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act recently signed by President Donald Trump.  A state must submit documented business losses for at least five businesses per county to qualify for the program.  SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration will make disaster loans of up to $2 million available to small businesses and private, nonprofit organizations in states that are approved for the program.
    • Due to the newness of this program, no state has currently submitted  the required documentation to qualify.  The City will be communicating and monitoring South Carolina’s eligibility for the program and will communicate any change in our SC’s eligibility. 
    • Three Step SBA Loan Process
      • Businesses are encouraged to begin gathering the required documentation if they plan to apply for an SBA Loan as South Carolina will likely be designated a disaster area in the coming weeks. Abbeville County has already been designated as eligible due to being a border county with Georgia.
    • For more information please visit: Small Business Administration
  • SC Department of Revenue
    •  Offering additional time to file and pay to assist taxpayers during the COVID-19 outbreak, as announced on March 17. Tax returns and payments due April 1 – June 1 will now be due June 1, 2020. Penalty and interest will not be charged if payment is made by June 1. This includes South Carolina Individual Income Taxes, Corporate Income Taxes, Sales and Use Tax, Admissions Tax, Withholding Tax, and other taxes administered by the SCDOR. Automatically applying this tax relief for all applicable returns and payments; you don’t need to take any additional action.  
    • SCDOR Emergency Information
  • IRS Tax Credit
    • The IRS is offering a Tax Credit which will be able to help  Small Businesses free up working capital during this time.
    • The Treasury Department and IRS just announced a three-month delay for any tax payments owed up to $1 million. You’ll still need to file your returns by April 15, 2020 but will have until July 15 to pay. This will apply to individual tax returns but should also cover many pass-through entities and small businesses.
    • For more information please contact the IRS directly and visit the link below:
  • City of Abbeville
    • Temporary 45 Day Suspension of Utility Disconnects
      • Late fees still apply for non-payment.
    • Hospitality Tax Payments for 2020 are now Available Online
    • The City is working to move business payments online as well
      • Contractor Business Licenses are currently available online
    • Statement of Economic Impact. Answers to the following questions will be used to help gauge the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the City of Abbeville.  Participation in filling out this form is completely voluntary and not required.  Please note that the information may be shared with state and federal agencies. 
    • Online Form  /  Downloadable Version
  • Abbeville First Bank
    • To help alleviate the stress, upon request AFB will defer the loan payments on any small business loans for the month of April and May. If you have a consumer or mortgage loan and you have had a significant loss of income due to the virus crisis, AFB will defer your April and May payments upon request. .
  • Abbeville County/ Economic Development Partnership
  • SC Emergency Management Division Small Business Resources
  • SC Chamber of Commerce Resources
  • Google for Small Businesses Resources
  • United Way of Greenwood and Abbeville Counties
  • USA Chamber of Commerce
  • Facebook
    • The social media company announced $100 million in grants for small businesses in a blog post on March 17. Details have yet to be announced for what businesses are eligible for the grants. There is a sign-up link in the blog post to stay updated when details are released.
    • Facebook Grants
  • Card Issuers:
    • American Express Financial Hardship — Amex is evaluating accounts on a case-by-case basis under its Financial Hardship Relief program to provide support for cardholders impacted by COVID-19. If approved, your interest rate may be lowered to rates as low as 0%, and you may receive a waiver on late and other account fees. Just note that if you accept the relief, your accounts may be frozen, and you won’t be able to use them until paid off. Your Membership Rewards balance will also be frozen, and the issuer may notify the credit bureaus that your account limits were lowered.

      American Express Working Capital — Amex business cardholders can enroll with no credit check and get ongoing access to funds used for vendor payments between $500 and $150,000 with repayment terms of 30, 60 or 90 days. These charge a fixed fee between 0.6% and 5.25%.

      Chase — You can call the number on the back of your card and ask to speak with an account representative about the possibility of relief from fees and interest. Multiple readers have reported success in having interest and late fees waived due to hardship related to COVID-19.

Current Guidance from the Small Business Administration

Current Guidance from the CDC

Current Guidance from the Governor’s Office

For Employers:

Employers who have a temporary shutdown, are experiencing a slow or smaller workload than normal, or have temporary/seasonal work can request permission to file claims on their workers’ behalf.  You are allowed to file up to six weeks for your affected employees.  Your employees are exempt from work search requirements during those six weeks.  

For Employees:

If your work is affected by COVID-19, you can apply for Unemployment Insurance. This process and these benefits are the same as applying for benefits if you lose your job through no fault of your own. Below you can click through instructions that walk you through the registration and application portal. 

Job Openings

For Residents

The S.C. Supreme Court on Thursday (March 19) ordered a statewide halt on foreclosures, its latest measure aimed at ensuring people don’t lose their homes during the coronavirus outbreak. 

The edict from Chief Justice Donald Beatty called for an indefinite moratorium on any foreclosure hearings, sale of foreclosed property or other court orders mandating people leave their homes. 

Beatty also ordered a freeze on all evictions until May 1st.

For Service Workers

The United States Bartenders Guild Foundation is offering assistance through grants to those who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and are having trouble providing for their daily necessities. Please share with any of our local bartenders or others who serve/prepare alcoholic beverages.

USBG Foundation