COVID-19 Resource Guide

Updated 10/12/2020

We have all had to adjust to the ‘new normal’ brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Below we have summarized some changes and resources now available to assist during these challenging and unprecedented times. We will continue to update this page as the rules and regulations change.

Unemployment

Massachusetts

  • Information to provide
    • Date the work would start
    • Full-time / part-time
    • Rate of pay
    • Type of work performed
    • Reason for employee’s refusal (if given)
    • Is the employee being recalled to the same type of work previously performed? If not, describe the former working conditions.
    • Method the job offer was communicated to the employee
    • Paying employees back pay
      • If you pay your employees for back weeks and they also filed for unemployment benefits for those same weeks, they will need to notify the department that they have received back pay.
      • Failure to correctly report work and earnings may result in overpayments or possibly imposition of a penalty and prosecution.
    • Part-time
      • If they return to part-time work, they may continue filing weekly claims. The system will adjust their weekly unemployment benefit payment based on the gross wages reported.
      • Failure to correctly report work and earnings may result in overpayments and  possibly the imposition of a penalty.
      • Remember, once work returns to full-time, or your employee begins to consistently earn over their weekly benefit amount, they are no longer eligible for benefits and can simply stop filing the weekly certification. 

Federal

  • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
  • General Information Needed:
    • Your social security number
    • If you are not a citizen of the United States, your A Number (USCIS Number)
    • Your residential address
    • Your mailing address (if different from residential address)
    • Your telephone number
    • Your email address
    • Your birth date
    • Wage records for 2019 (see below)
    • The social security number(s) and date(s) of birth for your dependent child(ren)
    • If you want to use direct deposit for payment, your bank account and routing numbers
    • Documents needed to show 2019 wage records (just one):
      • W2s
      • 1099s
      • K-1 related to partnerships
      • Pay stubs
      • Bank Statements
  • Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation

COVID19 Testing

  • Types of COVID19 Tests
    • RT PCR (nasal swab) – this test will detect if you are actively infected with COVID-19. Test is sent to our commercial lab partner for analysis which uses the Abbot Architect platform. 
      • This test is FDA Emergency Use Authorization approved.
      • If you are travelling and are required proof of a covid test this is often the most accepted type of test.
      • Results are now taking between 10-14 days for the labs to turn around.
    • SARS Antigen FIA (nasal swab) – a rapid test (15 minute results) performed with a nasal swab to detect if you are actively infected with Covid-19. (only detects a fraction of the virus)
      • Test results are provided by CareWell using the new Sofia 2 analyzer by Quidel which is FDA Emergency Use Authorization approved.
      • Results in 15 minutes
    • Serum Antibody IgG (blood test) – this test will detect if you have had previous exposure Covid-19 and if your body is building antibodies. 
      • Test is sent to our commercial lab partner for analysis which uses the Abbot Architect platform. 
      • This test is FDA Emergency Use Authorization approved.
      • Results in 48 hours
  • Communities and Risk-Level
    • Color key
      • White: less than 5 total cases had been reported in the most recent 14 days
      • Green: less than 4 per 100,000
      • Yellow: 4 to 8 per 100,000
        • Includes: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield
      • Red: more than 8 coronavirus cases per 100,000
        • Communities that are red: Chelsea, Lynn, Everett, Revere
        • Eligibility for COVID19 Testing
    • All symptomatic individuals in Massachusetts, even those with mild symptoms, should be tested. There should be a low threshold for determining if someone is symptomatic.
    • Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
      • Fever, chills or shaking chills
      • Signs of a lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath, lowered oxygen saturation)
      • Fatigue, sore throat, headache, body aches/myalgia, or new loss of sense of taste or smell
      • Other less common symptoms can include gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), rash, and inflammatory conditions such as “COVID toes”
        • In elderly, chronically ill, or debilitated individuals such as residents of a long-term care facility, symptoms of COVID-19 may be subtle such as alterations in mental status or in blood glucose control
      • All individuals in Massachusetts identified as a close contact by a Local Board of Health, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Community Tracing Collaborative, or a healthcare provider should be tested.
        • Close contact is defined as:
          • Being less than 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for at least 10-15 minutes. Close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case while the case was symptomatic or within the 48 hours before symptom onset.
          • OR
          • Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment or PPE (e.g., gown, gloves, facemask, eye protection).
        • Close contacts may present a letter or a text from the MA COVID Team or a letter from a local Board of Health indicating the need for testing.
      • If you are asymptomatic, it is at the discretion of the health care provider, state agency or employer to be tested AND you will have to check with your insurance provider on whether the test will be covered.
        • Testing Sites
    • Many sites may require pre-screening, a referral and/or an appointment.Antibody Testing
  • MA Testing Interactive Map
    • Enter zip code to find closest testing site
      • Contact site before going

Education

  • Guidelines
    • Desks must be front facing and at a minimum 3 feet apart, but 6 feet apart is preferable
    • Parents must do temperature checks on child before sending to school
    • Students that are in 2nd grade or above must wear a mask and all parents must wear masks
      • There will be breaks during the day to remove the mask
    • Cafeterias, gyms, libraries, and other large spaces should be set up to promote social distancing
    • Students will eat meals in the class wear
    • School nurses must wear extra protection when treating students
      • Students suspected of having COVID19 should be isolated
    • Surveys should be sent out to parents to find out which students should return to school in-person, who needs internet or computers or bus transportation
  • School Flu Vaccination Requirement
    • Deadline to receive vaccine is December 31 for fall semester, and March 31 for spring semester
    • Unimmunized students will not be admitted to a school
    • Exemptions: Medical exemption, religious exemption, Homeless children and foster children that are protected by McKinney-Vento Act, those who are homeschools and higher education students who are completed off-campus and engaged in remote learning only

Information from MA Dept of Public Health: https://www.mass.gov/doc/vaccine-preventable-disease-exclusion-guidelines-in-school-settings/download

RMV

  • On Wednesdays, starting in October, the RMV will be for drivers aged 75 or older to renew their license in person
  • A reservation is required
    • Link: www.mass.gov/rmv
  • Dedicated for license renewals for those licenses that expire in October
    • Centers that are participating: Brockton, Danvers, Fall River, Greenfield, Lawrence, Leominster, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Adams, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Revere, South Yarmouth, Springfield, Watertown, Worcester
    • Transactions available for drop off
      • Register and title a vehicle
      • Transfer plate to a new vehicle
      • Reinstate a registration
      • Apply for registration only
      • Transfer a plate between two vehicles
      • Register previously titled vehicle
      • Transfer vehicle to surviving spouse
      • Registration amendments
      • Plate cancellations
    • Procedure
      • Complete all paperwork and gather supporting documents
        • May include contacting insurance to obtain a completed Registration & Title application
      • Customers must drop off the required paperwork within 30 days of obtaining their Registration and title application
        • If paperwork is incomplete or inaccurate, the paperwork will NOT be processed
      • An RMV door advocate will review the paperwork to determine if it’s correctly completed and ask customers to fill out a coversheet (coversheet contains: name, email, and phone number)
      • Customers can expect a phone call from the RMV within a few days after the paperwork is complete
      • Customers will return to RMV and pick up registration and/or plates
        • Expect wait times, everything is first come, first serve
      • Alternatively: customers may continue to book appointment-only reservations for these services
         
CredentialCurrent Expiration Date (on credential)New Expiration Date
Driver’s Licenses and ID Cards
Class D, M, and DM Licenses & Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs)
Mass ID Cards		March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020		September 2020
September 2020
September 2020
October 2020
November 2020
December 2020
Learner’s Permits
Class D, M, and DM Permits & Commercial Learner’s Permits (CLPs)March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020		December 2020
December 2020
December 2020
December 2020
December 2020
December 2020
CDL Medical Certificates
CDL Medical CertificatesMarch 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020		June 30, 2020
June 30, 2020
June 30, 2020
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2020
Registrations
Passenger Plate RegistrationsMarch 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020		July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020
School Bus, School Pupil, and Bus RegistrationsJune 2020July 31, 2020
Inspection Stickers
Commercial and Non-Commercial Inspection StickersMarch 2020
April 2020
May 2020		July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020
July 31, 2020
All Motorcycle Inspection StickersMay 2020June 30, 2020
Professional Credentials
School Bus Certificates
School Pupil Transport Licenses (7D)
Inspector Licenses
Inspection Station Licenses
Driving Instructor Licenses
Driving School Licenses		March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020		90 days after State of Emergency is lifted
  • RMV Learner’s Permit Testing
    • Beginning June 10, eligible customers will be able to take their permit exam online for either a passenger (permit for cars, SUVS, etc.) or motorcycle permit.
    • Process
      • First you must schedule an appointment and go to a service center
        • Link: www.mass.gov/myrmv
      • If you meet all existing requirements you may take the exam online
        • Priority: Those who turned 16 between March and April 2020
    • Languages available: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin
  • Real IDs
    • REAL IDs will not be issued until at least September 2020
  • Elderly Hours
    • RMV will offer service hours for customers who are 75 or older who are required to renew their license in person
    • The new service hours will be on WEDNESDAYs through the month of September at certain locations

Travel

  • Those arriving in Massachusetts will need to fill out a form summarizing their travel, then either self-isolate for 14 days or provide negative COVID-19 test results that are at most 72 hours old
    • Will largely be based on an “honor system”
  • Local public health agencies will have the power to issue penalties of up to $500 per day, and anyone who is concerned about a potential violation can notify authorities
  • Exempt from quarantine or test policies
    • Travel from states considered low-risk — defined as having a daily case rate of less than six people per 100,000 and a positive test rate below 5 percent, each on a rolling seven-day average
    • Applies to residents and visitors
      • Does not apply to:
        • Those passing through Massachusetts
        • Commuters heading to work or school
        • Patients traveling for medical treatment
        • Workers on “critical infrastructure services”