At Polaris Inc., making great products is not just a job, it is a way of life. This way of life is alive and well in our hometown of Roseau, MN and you have the opportunity to join us for the ride.

Since our founding in 1954, Polaris has worked to make a positive impact — from helping people find possibilities to work and play outside, to being a great place to work, to being stewards of the communities where we do business. Part of how we do this is through the Polaris Geared for Good framework. This framework is everything from the policies we have in place for our employees to the good we try to do during and after our work is done.

If you or someone you know is looking for a summer job, click here to learn more about opportunities at Polaris.

 

Employer Preparedness Plan Requirements Checklist

Employers must develop and implement a plan that addresses the following components and post it publicly.

If workers can work from home, they must be allowed to work from home.

MAKE SURE SICK WORKERS STAY HOME

1. Establish health screening protocols for workers at the start of each shift, such as temperature taking or a health screening survey.
2. Identify and isolate workers with COVID-19 symptoms and those who have been exposed, and send them home.
3. Establish communication protocols when workers have been potentially exposed.
4. Establish worker sickness reporting protocols.
5. Evaluate and adjust sick leave policies to reflect the need for isolation and incentivize workers who are sick to stay home.
6. Provide accommodations for vulnerable populations.
7. Clearly communicate sick leave policies to all workers.

INCREASE SOCIAL DISTANCING: Workers should be at least six feet away from each other

1. Maximize the use of telecommuting.
2. Stagger shifts and breaks; create additional shifts.
3. Evaluate traffic patterns to reduce crowding at entrances, in hallways, etc.
4. Limit gatherings of workers.
5. Ensure physical distancing in workplaces, including at workstations, production lines, etc.
6. Limit non-essential worker interaction across floors, buildings, campuses, worksites, etc.
7. Increase physical space between workers and customers, such as using a drive-thru or partitions.

WORKER HYGIENE & SOURCE CONTROL

1. Ensure workers regularly wash their hands. Ensure handwashing and/or hand-sanitizer facilities are readily available and stocked.
2. Provide recommended protective supplies, such as non-medical cloth masks, gloves, disinfectants, guards, shields, etc.
3. Post handwashing and “cover your cough”
4. Encourage the use of source control masks, such as non-medical cloth masks.
5. Prohibit on-site food preparation and sharing.

CLEANING & DISINFECTION PROTOCOLS

1. Routinely clean and disinfect all areas, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment, machinery, tools, controls, etc.
2. At least daily, clean all high touch items like doorknobs, handles, light switches, surfaces, etc.
3. Ensure availability of hand sanitizer and approved cleaning products.
4. Decontaminate the workplace if a worker becomes ill with COVID-19.

All workers – management and employees – must be trained in these protocols.

 

CLICK HERE  to print a copy.

Executive Order 20-40, issued by Gov. Tim Walz on April 23, 2020, requires each business in operation during the peacetime emergency to establish a “COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.”

A business’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan shall establish and explain the necessary policies, practices and conditions to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines for COVID-19 and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards related to worker exposure to COVID-19. The plan should have a strong commitment to management and be developed and implemented with the participation of workers. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, in consultation with MDH, has the authority to determine whether a plan is adequate.

Your COVID-19 Preparedness Plan must include and describe how your business will implement at a minimum the following:

1. infection prevention measures;
2. prompt identification and isolation of sick persons;
3. engineering and administrative controls for social distancing;
4. housekeeping, including cleaning, disinfecting and decontamination;
5. communications and training for managers and workers necessary to implement the plan; and
6. provision of management and supervision necessary to ensure effective ongoing implementation of the plan.

This document includes a sample COVID-19 Preparedness Plan that meets the criteria listed above. No business is required to use this model. If you choose to use this model, you must adapt it to fit the specific needs of your business. Please CLICK HERE to view the model.

As we carefully prepare for the planned opening of certain sectors of Minnesota business on May 4, 2020 we need you to conscientiously read and follow the guidelines for preparing your own business.

Please study the documents below for all the details.

*PLEASE NOTE:  These are the guidelines we know as of today (4/28/2020). Please stay tuned to Governor Walz’ website or his daily updates online. He is the ultimate decision-maker regarding this situation.

Let’s do this carefully and respectfully for the best possible outcome.

PLEASE CLICK BELOW TO REVIEW EACH PLAN:

COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Template and Instructions

Employer Preparedness Plan Requirements Checklist

 

OTHER INFORMATION:

Employers and Workers – Preparing for the Return to Work

 

Photo credit: AmericInn Roseau

Looking for a way to support local businesses while being home. Challenge your family & friends to play RINGO, the Roseau C&C version of BINGO (Roseau + bINGO = RINGO)!

Click here to print the Roseau C&C Ringo card at home.

 

Originally posted March 18, 2020 | Updated March 25, 2020

Governor Walz has mandated restaurants & bars in Minnesota to temporarily stop offering eat-in dining services as of 5pm Tuesday, March 17, 2020. “The measure allows businesses to continue takeout and delivery services. It does not cover grocery stores, convenience stores or pharmacies,” the governor said.

To help support our local restaurants we have created a list with each restaurant’s hours and phone number for placing orders to go or for delivery.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in our economy, but we know small businesses have been particularly hard hit. That’s why Governor Walz requested an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration from the SBA earlier this week.

Now, online applications for these loans are open to Minnesota businesses at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/  

A few more details: 
• This program can provide low-interest loans of up to $2 million to small businesses and private non-profits.
• These loans can go toward working capital to meet needs including payroll, accounts payable, and fixed debt payments that can’t be paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The current interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The non-profit rate is 2.75%.
• These loans have long-term repayment options, up to a maximum of 30 years.

For more information visit the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan web page by clicking here.

Additional Resources 
• SBA disaster loan information at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/Index 
•  Information for small businesses affected by coronavirus at www.sba.gov/coronavirus 
• All coronavirus-related federal government resources: www.usa.gov/coronavirus
•  DEED’S COVID-19 information and resources for businesses COVID-19 update page: https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/covid/employers/

Below is a list of resources from Main Street America.

The Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses. Learn more.

Thousands of businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 could be helped

Press Release: March 23, 2020
Contact: Rita Beatty
Rita.Beatty@state.mn.us

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is creating an emergency loan program to help Minnesota small business owners who need immediate assistance to meet their families’ basic needs during COVID-19 closures.

The loan program was created under the Small Business Assistance Executive Order 20-15 announced by Governor Tim Walz on March 23. The loan program is intended to help businesses temporarily closed under Executive Order 20-04, later clarified by Executive Order 20-08, which stopped onsite customer dining at restaurants and bars and closed an extensive list of other small businesses whose owners may not have adequate cash flow to withstand temporary closure.

“Over the last week, we’ve heard from many of Minnesota’s small businesses who are facing significant hardships because of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Governor Tim Walz. “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and now more than ever, we’re looking to creative solutions like DEED’s emergency loan program to help them weather these extraordinarily difficult times.”

“We know that this emergency loan program is just one tool businesses will need to leverage to stay afloat,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “ It’s an important one because it will get cash flowing quickly to the small Minnesota businesses that need it most.”

Executive Order 20-15 directs DEED to create a Small Business Emergency Loan Program by making available $30 million from special revenue funds. These dollars will be used by DEED’s lender network to make loans of between $2,500 and $35,000 for qualifying small businesses. The loans will be 50% forgivable, and offered at a 0% interest rate. If other financing becomes available to small businesses that received an emergency loan, such as federal funding, the emergency loan must be repaid. These emergency loans will be made by an existing network of lenders DEED works with across the state. Depending on the size of the loans offered to businesses, DEED estimates this emergency loan program will provide needed resources to between 1,200 and 5,000 businesses. DEED expects loan applications will available later this week through our lender network.

Minnesota small businesses should send questions about this emergency loan program to ELP@state.mn.us.  The DEED approved lender for NW Minnesota is:
Northwest Minnesota Foundation
www.nwmf.org
Phone:  (218) 759-2057
Email:  info@nwmf.org
201 3rd Street NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

The executive order also allows local units of government or lending partners which have a revolving loan fund to use those funds to issue loans to retail and service providers for the next 90 days. DEED estimates that up to $28 million in capital could be accessible through local revolving loan funds and local governments through this action. Local partners will be looking at ways to deploy these resources to support their local businesses.

For the latest information from DEED for employers and businesses and workers, visit the DEED COVID-19 Information page on the DEED website.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website or follow DEED on Twitter.

CLICK HERE for the small business emergency loan program

As you all know, Health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) are monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness, called corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In recent days, COVID-19 has been identified in Minnesota, and while no cases have been identified in Roseau County at this time, the City of Roseau is following the recommendations of Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the U.S. CDC officials in guiding us on important decisions for planning and managing this disease in our community if, and when, it arrives. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has declared and State of Emergency in Minnesota regarding the COVID- 19 pandemic and the MDH has issued recommendations to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID- 19. Individuals can obtain more information on these recommendations at www.health.state.mn.us, and these guidelines from the State fall in line with the recommendations from the CDC, www.cdc.gov. 

In order to do our part in the containment and mitigation of the spread of COVID-19 within the City of Roseau, the Roseau City Council has also declared a State of Emergency. In addition, as this is literally a “day-to-day” situation, we strongly advise our residents regularly monitor, and adhere to, the recommendations of the MDH and CDC until further notice. 

Rest assured, the City of Roseau will do everything in our power to keep essential services, (water, sewer, electric, garbage, police & fire protection), operating as normal throughout this outbreak. However, the City is restricting access to a number of our recreational and community facilities to mitigate the possible spread of the virus. At this time,

• the Roseau Municipal Liquor Store will operate its normal hours and services; however, the City asks that patrons avoid congregating anywhere within the store.
• The Roseau City Clerk’s Office and Roseau Utility Building will remain operational, but residents are asked to use telephone (City Clerk 463-1542 & Utilities 463-2351) and e-mail correspondence (City Clerk rosoclrk@mncable.net & Utilities cityshop@mncable.net) rather than in-person visits.
• Additionally, all city bill payments should be done via online payment (available on City Website) or drop box rather than in-person.
• The City Center will close at 5:00 pm, Wednesday, March 18th for cleaning and reopen on Monday, March 23rd at 5:00 pm for a City Council meeting to determine future community facility access.
• All operations at the Roseau Public Library, Roseau County Museum and State Driver’s Training have been suspended and facilities are closed.
• The Roseau Memorial Arena and North Rink will close at the end of the day Tuesday, March 17th and ice will be removed for the season. 

The City is also concerned about local residents and businesses who’s income may be severely impacted by the mitigation efforts being imposed to fight this pandemic. The City is researching possible options to allow for the deferral of city utility payments to help those having difficulty paying bills in the next weeks and months. 

The City will continue to work closely with our State, Federal, and Local Agencies, School District, business community, and health care providers. As a community, we must remember that we are in this together and only through everyone’s cooperation can we be successful. We must also be mindful of those in our community that are vulnerable and do our part to help protect and provide for them by adhering to the MDH and CDC guidelines despite the inconveniences they might cause. MOST OF ALL, STAY SAFE & DON’T PANIC!