With variations of the original virus strain on the rise, including the Delta variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges those who are still unvaccinated to get vaccinated as soon as possible. For more information on the benefits of vaccinations and what new variants are spreading, please refer to the links below.

• (NEW) COVID-19 Testing Sites (BioReference Laboratories) - In response to the latest Omicron variant uptick, NYS has made available 13 new free testing sites statewide. 
• COVID-19 Vaccine: Get the Facts (NYS Department of Health) - Get regular updates on the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker (NYS Department of Health) - Track the progress of the vaccine program in your region. 
  • Vaccination availability has expanded to include more populations.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provides direct economic assistance for American workers and families. 

The Treasury Department is Delivering COVID-19 Relief for All Americans (U.S. Treasury Department) - Find specific information about:

• Assistance to workers and their families;
• Small businesses;
• State, local and tribal governments assistance;
• Preserving jobs; and
• Emergency rental assistance program.

The COVID-19 outbreak has had a devastating effect on many of New York’s working families. If you have been laid off, are ill or taking care of a sick family member, you may be eligible for assistance. Check out the links below to find out about unemployment, sick leave, and family sick leave benefits.

• NYS Department of Labor Website | 1-888-209-8124
  • Federal Unemployment and Pandemic Benefits (New York State Department of Labor) - On September 5, 2021, several federal unemployment benefit programs, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Extended Benefits (EB), $300 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and $100 Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), expired across the country, per federal law. Unemployment benefits are still available for those who qualify.  
  • Excluded Workers' Fund (EWF): A $2.1 billion fund was created to support New Yorkers who could not get unemployment, pandemic, or other federal relief benefits. Applications for the EWF are now being accepted. It is the first entirely state-run and state-funded program in the country to support workers who did not qualify for government-issued economic relief.
  • Benefit Extension Information - If you are currently receiving unemployment insurance, you may be eligible to an additional 20 weeks of benefits.  
• New Paid Leave for COVID-19 (Office of the NYS Governor)
• Unemployment Insurance Relief (NYS Bar Association) - If your unemployment insurance claim has been denied and you need legal assistance, the NYS Bar Association has set up a pro-bono referral service to help.

If you believe you have been a victim of unemployment benefit fraud, here are some helpful resources: 

• Beware of identity theft scam involving unemployment benefits (Journal of Accountancy)
• Identity theft guidance regarding unemployment compensation reporting (Internal Revenue Service)
• Report Unemployment Insurance Fraud (NYS Department of Labor)
• IdentityTheft.gov (Federal Trade Commission)

The COVID-19 outbreak has created a financial hardship for many people. Help may be available for those who are having trouble paying their bills at this time. Check the appropriate resources for your particular situation.

• Mortgage Relief 
  • (NEW) New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund (NYS Homes and Community Renewal) - Beginning on January 3, 2022, New York State residents who are at risk of losing their homes due to financial hardship caused by COVID-19 can apply for federal aid through the Homeowner Assistance Fund. Residents can submit applications for funds that can be used for mortgage, tax, insurance or homeowner’s association bills and other housing costs. New York State will be distributing the $539 million in federal aid. Qualified homeowners can submit applications through the website. Applications will be processed in the order they are received, and submission does not guarantee you will receive financial assistance. The maximum award is $50,000 and payments will be structured as noninterest-bearing, forgivable loans. 
  • Coronavirus: Information for Consumers and Businesses (NYS Department of Financial Services)
• Evictions
  • Governor Hochul Signs New Moratorium on COVID-related Residential and Commercial Evictions into Law (NY Governor's Office) - On September 2, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a new mortarium on COVID-related residential and commercial evictions for New York State, which is in effect until January 15, 2022. Under the new law, all protections of the Tenant Safe Harbor Act for residential tenants who are suffering financial hardship as a result of the pandemic will remain in place, along with new protections on commercial evictions. Additionally, the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program provides economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears assistance. For more information, please visit: Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) or phone 844-691-7368.
  • What the new CDC eviction moratorium means for you (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) - The CDC issued a new eviction moratorium on August 3, 2021 to temporarily halt evictions in counties where COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. If you are struggling to pay rent, the new pause in evictions may help you stay in your home, but you may need to take action.  
  • Emergency Rental Assistance Program (Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance) - The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is accepting applications for the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which provides economic relief to low and moderate income households for rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears payments. Applications for all eligible households will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds remain available. New York State residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet certain criteria, including income limits that vary by county and household size. Refer to OTDA’s website for more detailed eligibility requirements.
  • Landlord Rental Assistance Program (LRAP) (Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance) - Starting Thursday, October 7, 2021, applications are being accepted for LRAP, which provides rental assistance for landlords whose tenants are unwilling to apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), including where the tenant has left the rental property. Assistance may be provided for households with rent up to 150 percent of the Fair Market rent (FMR) for the county where the property is located.
• Funeral Assistance - COVID-19 Funeral Assistance (Federal Emergency Management Agency) - As part of the federal stimulus package, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse certain funeral expenses up to $9,000 for individuals who died as a result of COVID-19 after January 20, 2020. 
• Utilities - Department of Public Service Website | 1-800-342-3377
  • Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Extending Moratorium that Prevents Utility Companies from Disconnecting Utilities - Under legislation signed by the governor, a moratorium has been extended that prevents utility companies from disconnecting service to residential households and small businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Credit Cards, Debt, Mortgages and other bills - Coping with Debt (Federal Trade Commission)
• Student Loans

  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Limited Waiver Opportunity (U.S. Department of Education) - Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is temporarily expanded through October 31, 2022, so that it now includes borrowers who have older loans that didn't originally qualify, as well as those who were in the wrong repayment plan but met the other requirements. 

  • On Aug. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced a final extension of the student loan payment pause until Jan. 31, 2022. The pause includes the following relief measures for eligible loans:

    For more information, visit: Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents (U.S. Department of Education). 

    • suspension of loan payments;
    • 0% interest rate; and
    • stopped collections on defaulted loans.

  • There is broad relief for federal student loan borrowers under the CARES Act. Generally, borrowers may temporarily stop making federal student loan payments from March 13, 2020 to September 30, 2021. For more information, visit: Coronavirus and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents (U.S. Department of Education).

  • New York State has collaborated with many commercial and private student loan lenders to offer help to those facing financial hardship due to COVID-19. For more information, visit: Coronavirus: Information for Student Borrowers (NYS Department of Financial Services). 
• Loan Program - The Hebrew Free Loan Society is offering a COVID-19 Financial Impact Loan Program for those impacted by the pandemic due to job losses, child care or medical costs, and small business losses. This is a non-sectarian program for moderate and lower income residents of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. For more information and to check eligibility, visit: Coronavirus Financial Impact Loan (Hebrew Free Loan Society).
• Debt Collection - For those facing debt collection, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act provides certain rights and protections. For more information, please visit: Debt Collection FAQs (Federal Trade Commission).

Resources for Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of New York’s economy and our nonprofits help countless individuals and families in communities across our State. Both types of entities have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but financial assistance may be available for those small businesses and nonprofits that qualify. To learn more, please check these links:

NYS Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program 

• Business Pandemic Recovery Initiative (Empire State Development) - Find out more about our Business Pandemic Recovery Initiative programs. Find a statewide network of centers staffed by people who can walk you through how to apply. 
• Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program (Empire State Development) - The $800 million COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program provides grant funding to small and micro businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations impacted by the pandemic. Grants range from $5,000-$50,000. Applications are available starting on Thursday, June 10, 2021.
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
  • New York Forward Loan Fund - Due to a recent rule change, small business in NYS that received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans of $50,000 or less are now eligible for a NYS loan program.
  • Implementation of Paycheck Protection Program Loans - FAQs (Small Business Administration)
  • SBA and Treasury Announce Simpler PPP Forgiveness for Loans of $50,000 or Less (U.S. Treasury Department) - The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, announced a simpler loan forgiveness process for businesses with outstanding PPP loans of $50,000 or less. The application has been streamlined.
• NYS Directory of Small Business Programs (NYS Department of Economic Development)
• ESD Covid-19-Related Resources (Empire State Development)

Resources for Local Governments, including School Districts

The Office of the State Comptroller’s Division of Local Government and School Accountability has created a financial toolkit to offer guidance to municipalities in these challenging times. For more information, please see: Financial Toolkit for Local Officials in 2020 and Beyond.

Resources for Nonprofits

For nonprofit organizations, these links are useful:

• Child Care Stabilization Grants (New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS)) - OCFS is accepting applications for the Child Care Stabilization Grant. The goal of this grant is to provide financial relief to child care providers to help cover unexpected business costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and to help stabilize their operations. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 30, 2021. Visit their website for more information and to check eligibility. 
• Nonprofits and Coronavirus, COVID-19 (Council of Nonprofits)
  • What's in the New COVID Relief Relief Law for Nonprofits? (Council of Nonprofits) - A summary of the December 2020 COVID relief law for nonprofits.
• General COVID-19 Resources (Robin Hood)
• COVID-19 Tools and Resources for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Finance Fund)
   

Now more than ever it’s important for all of us to take greater control of our own personal finances and teach our children about sound financial practices. Except where expressly indicated, none of these materials necessarily represent the views of the Office of the New York State Comptroller. Here are several resources that provide a wide range of personal finance information that could help you now and in the future:

• Protecting your finances during the Coronavirus Pandemic (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) | 1-855-411-2372
• Financial Counseling and Credit Protection (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)
• Saving and Investment Options (USA.gov) | 1-844-872-4681
• Money Smart for Young People (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) | 1-800-877-8339
• Make a Monthly Budget (Federal Trade Commission)

During this time of crisis, it’s important to be on alert for those who would attempt to defraud you or your family. To learn how to protect yourself from scams, refer to the following sites:

• Report Unemployment Insurance Fraud (NYS Department of Labor) - If you have been the victim of suspected unemployment fraud, the NYS Department of Labor has set up an online reporting tool to open an investigation.
• Report Identity Theft and Get a Recovery Plan (Federal Trade Commission) - If you believe you’ve been the victim of unemployment fraud or any other identity theft, please visit this website for assistance.
• FTC COVID-19 and Stimulus Reports (Federal Trade Commission) - COVID-related fraud is on the rise nationwide and the Federal Trade Commission is tracking these cases. In New York State, there were more than 11,000 cases reported.
• Report Government Fraud (Office of the New York State Comptroller) | 1-888-672-4555 - You can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money on our website.

Military

• Military OneSource is dedicated to providing timely resources, information and answers to address the health and financial impact of COVID-19 on the military community. For more information, please visit: Military OneSource (U.S. Department of Defense) or call 1-800-342-9647.
• The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which was enacted in 2003, is designed to ease financial burdens on servicemembers during periods of military service. For more information, please visit: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (U.S. Department of Defense)
• The Department of Defense has launched an initiative to assist military spouses with financial readiness. For more information, please visit: MilSpouse Money Mission (U.S. Department of Defense) - Note: the reference to this website does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation of the Office of the State Comptroller and is provided for informational purposes only.

Veterans

For those Veterans affected by COVID-19, please check with Federal and State resources:

• Federal: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 1-844-698-2311
• State: NYS Division of Veterans' Services | 1-888-838-7697
• New York City: NYC Veterans Alliance

Seniors

• COVID-19 Resource Center (National Council on Aging)
• Meals on Wheels America - For seniors who need food assistance. 
• For help in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, seniors can contact the NYS Office for the Aging by visiting: NYS Office of the Aging or calling 1-844-697-6321

People with Disabilities

To find resources for those with disabilities affected by COVID-19, please visit:

• The Arc - Resources for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Office for People with Developmental Disabilities or call 1-866-946-9733 or (TTY 1-866-933-4889)
• Social Security & Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) (Social Security Administration) or call 1-800-772-1213 or (TTY 1-800-325-0778)
• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) or call 1-800-232-4636
• For People with Disabilities living in NYC, please visit: COVID-19 Resources for People with Disabilities (NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities) or call 1-212-788-2830 (voice phone) or 1-646-396-5830 (video phone)