Today’s major change is that Kentucky’s Governor has announced a stay at home order similar to the one in Michigan, beginning Thursday at 8pm. We will fully comply with the Governor’s order.
Driving around Ludington today, I have noticed a number of businesses that appear to be in full operation. Great Lakes Castings, a foundry, for example, seems to be in full operation. Certain businesses are considered essential and are exempt from the stay at home order. Grocery stores, gas stations, trucking companies and pharmacies are examples of clearly essential businesses. Whether auto manufacturing is considered exempt is not so clear. Some of our automotive customers are telling us that we are essential and we need to keep making their parts. At this point, we are considering ourselves to be a non-essential operation and are complying with the governor’s orders in Michigan and Kentucky. Clearly warehousing and shipping are exempt, so we can load inventory onto trucks for shipment, and we will be doing this when necessary.
The HR department has completed this week’s very complicated and time consuming payroll entry, including bonuses. You should be able to see this week’s pay information in the ADP system as of now.
There is a lot going on in Congress with a giant stimulus package, but we are still awaiting the final details. Undoubtedly it will involve enhanced and extended unemployment benefits.
In Kentucky, your supervisor and/or HR will be asking you if you would like to use any vacation before seeking unemployment benefits. Health insurance coverage will continue during the stay at home period with no premiums. This is expected to last three weeks in Michigan and at least 10 days in Kentucky.
David Cooper
President & COO
Comments are closed