Montana just got a shelter in place order

[MontanaMama]

starting at midnight tomorrow night. It’s the right thing to do but I am still worried about making ends meet.

We’re a self employed family...we just had a staff meeting to tell our employees that they have to stay home. We have let them know they’ll still get paid. I’m not sure how that’s going to get it done...we have a little savings for emergencies...and I called the bank to make sure we would have access to a line of credit should we need it. Here we go...

[brer cat]

1. I hope it works out ok for you.

You are trying to help your employees and that matters.

[MontanaMama]

2. They're like family to us.

I want them healthy and safe and well cared for.

[cilla4progress]

3. They should sign up for unemployment?

Benefits are expanded.

[MontanaMama]

4. We are weighing the options.

They won’t get their full pay on unemployment...our accountant says we should be able to file a claim for federal reimbursement of wages lost for business interruption due to the virus since we are a very small business...we only have 8 employees. I am banking on that so that they can receive their full wages....they deserve it. We pay their health insurance so they all should be covered there.

[cilla4progress]

8. I thought the legislation

ended with full salary replacement, or close. Thanks to Sen. Sanders. I'll see what I can find.

My daughter is a Montessori teacher in Bozeman. Her school plum closed down. At least temporarily.

[2naSalit]

5. Yikes! I thought we were already there.

All the restaurants and bars closed down in my county over a week ago. We don't want to be Gallatin county right now.

I had to go get water today and all they had was distilled. Means I have to go again tomorrow to a different place where I can get some out of a machine... not sure I like that idea over sealed containers. It felt scary being in the store. I ran into a friend and we kept our distance, all the folks in the store seemed to be doing so. All the workers wore gloves, some had masks. The first time it wasn't crowded, though. The shelves with real food were half stocked, a clerk said they ordered everything, it just hasn't come yet. Rural life.

Are the trophy home folks all snuggled in up there?

[MontanaMama]

6. I read the Gallatin got 13 new cases today!

Yep...the trophy home folks coming and going on their private jets aren’t going to help that shit show out any...the Yellowstone Club...yikes.

Missoula is SO quiet. People really are playing by the rules for the most part. The sad part is watching the sea of small businesses that are struggling...really struggling. The cost of living here is very high.

[2naSalit]

7. Housing is sky high here too.

Around this area, if you're within 100 miles of the park, it's unbelievable. the only places in the state where housing cost is reasonable is where there aren't any jobs.

Big Sky, ugh! That's where a lot of them are but there's a lot in the counties either side of Gallatin. And they aren't staying home, they've been out fishing a lot, I see them on the river all the time. I guess that's not so bad.

[GemDigger]

9. I just replied to this in another thread...

Apparently, I didn't look too hard.