California Currents NEWSLETTER FOR THE CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN MASSAGE THERAPY ASSOCIATION SPECIAL ISSUE Inside this Special Issue: President’s Message 2 Governor Newsom’s Special Issue Directive 3 This Special Issue of the California Currents is to provide some Off the Cuff Update 4 thoughts, strategies, options, resources and hope. Financial Resources 7 During this time of Social Distancing, our profession has been Education Resources 19 put on hold for the safety of those we touch. This time has Online Courses • Business & Marketing made a huge impact on us as individuals, sole practitioners, • Ethics business owners, primary providers for our families. This has • Facial Therapy Specialty changed how we can do business or have to consider closing • General Massage Course • Master the Classroom our practices forever and return to a secular work force. • Research • Self Care The information provided in this special issue is by no means • Sports Massage Specialty covers all issues, answers every question, but It is our hope Business Resources 18, 24 that the information within this issue will be a resource you can use now. Information is changing on a daily basis, so Community Outreach please, to keep up with resources, keep checking National’s Opportunities 27 and our own Facebook pages. Those keep updating as trusted Calendar 30 information is provided. Current Contact 31 We ask that you weather the storm that we are currently in, AND if you have some resources we have not provided within this issue, please share those with us on our Facebook page. We are looking forward to brighter days with opportunities to come together again. From all of us on your Chapter Board! Be Safe! Stay Home! and Stay Healthy! American Massage Therapy Association, California Chapter www.ca.amtamassage.org President’s Message I did not expect to be writing this message. A month ago, our annual business meeting was planned with 2 amazing instructors presenting and it all came to a halt. Right now, this is bigger than us. Eventually things will pass. We will go back to the way things were, but just a bit cleaner. Until then we have to abide by the oath of do no harm. Receiving calls and emails from or members has been eye opening in this period of time. The difficult part of receiving those calls and emails is that the situation and methods change daily. Look to your state and local government first for the most up to date information. This is the moment to contact your local elected officials and let them know how your business is affected. Expect a virtual business meeting soon to announce election results. It has been a pleasure to serve you as president the last 2 years. We will survive and when this is over, we will thrive. Be patient and stay healthy. John Lambert , CMT #278 Page 2 Special Issue 2020 American Massage Therapy Association, California Chapter www.ca.amtamassage.org Governor Gavin Newsom Executive Order N-33-20 (link) On March 4, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a Stay at Home Order to shelter the state in an attempt to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus). The Stay at Home Order requires Californians to stay at home unless they are engaged in essential functions. Massage has not be identified as an essential function. CAMTC urges you to comply with the Governor’s Order. AMTA has informed members that if you have chosen to still practice, your professional liability insurance will not cover you at this time, as to continue to work is against the California State Governor’s orders. From Bob Jantsch at National, “The policy through HPSO requires that covered AMTA members are appropriately licensed to provide professional services and that they comply with state, federal and facility guidelines relative to scope of practice and practice setting. If there is a government order that mandates non-essential businesses close, and massage therapy is not considered essential in that governmental jurisdiction, then the therapist would be practicing outside of the governmental order, guidance, law or regulation; and coverage would be excluded in the event of a claim.” Call HPSO with specific questions about AMTA's coverage: 1-888-253-1474 More so, ethically, to continue to touch/massage, which is deemed as not essential at this time, you are putting yourself, those you touch and their loved ones at risk. Please, suspend all of your touch services at this time until the shelter order has been lifted. Please keep this in mind … Do not change your behavior to avoid being infected, rather assume you are infected, and change your behavior to avoid transmitting to others. Remember the basis of “Do no harm!” Page 3 Special Issue 2020 American Massage Therapy Association, California Chapter www.ca.amtamassage.org Financial Perspective: Edited: Off the Cuff: Suggestions for You and Your Business During These Times Collected by Michael Roberson Take a deep breath and slowly let it out. Clear your head of the chaos. Now, let’s look at some hard financial questions. What is your household income? This can be different for those who work solo from those who have a spouse/partner. These times may be having an impact on their income as well. Consider that in your household income. What are your monthly expenses? Take a real look at all of your expenses. Rent/Mortgage (home and business), Automobile(s), Groceries, Utilities (gas, electricity, water, phone, internet, cable, etc.), Subscription services: music, movies, others, Credit Cards/Loans, Insurance (Health, Home, Auto), Medication, Child/Elder care, and Streaming services as a list. Anything else you spend money on? Make sure you have everything listed for your grand total of expenses. What expenses can you reduce or eliminate? This may give you a bit more breathing room. Now that you have a REAL number of what you need to have that covers everything each month and with a base to work wit, will your current household income cover your household and business expenses? If not, here some suggestion to make use of. (This is not everything, but what I was able to get through speaking with a financial advisor and some on line re- sources.) Landlords/Lease Holders – speak with them NOW before your rent/payment is due. Let them know of your financial situation is and see what can be done. Trust me, they are experiencing this financial hardship as well. Being up front with them will reduce the stress for all parties involved. This may provide an opportunity to get out of a lease, if that is what is needed. You may need to close up shop and release your space until such a time you can get back to our business, BUT you will not know until you have honest communication with your landlord/ lease holder. Hope for the best. This could prepare you for the worst. Do not allow things to go to a point of eviction when a conversation could avoid the stress. This applies to home owners as well. Speak to your lenders now. (Off the Cuff continues on page 5) Page 4 Special Issue 2020 American Massage Therapy Association, California Chapter www.ca.amtamassage.org (Off the Cuff continues from page 4) Loans and Credit Cards – speak with your lenders NOW. Let them know of your financial situa- tion and see what can be done to reduce or postpone your payments without hurting your credit. Deferments can be made to include interests. Student loans – you can ask for deferment (forbearance) of 3 months. Speak to your lender. Many utilities offer hardship programs. Go to each of their websites to apply and see if you qualify. If you do not qualify, speak with them about deferment of payment. Apply for a Small Business Loan through US Small Business Administration. This Disaster Loan Assistance could help you carry over at a lower interest rate (3.75%) Here is where you can apply: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ If you make use of Square, they also offer a Small Business Loan (look at the details on re- payment before committing to this option). (www.squareup.com) Apply for Unemployment if you are eligible (https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/ Filing_a_Claim.htm) (job title is under masseuse/masseur—yeah, I know!) Some new information: • If you are temporarily out of work and plan to return to the same employer, you do not need to meet the usual requirement of looking for work while you are collecting unemployment benefits. The EDD will inform you if you are not required to look for work each week. • If you are not connected to a certain employer with a job to return to, you are required to look for work while collecting benefits. Looking for work can be done from home including using online channels, mailing job applications, calling about job openings, registering in CalJOBSSM (the state’s online labor exchange system), etc. The EDD will inform you if you are required to look for work each week. When filing for your UI claim, you will be asked for your last employer. • If you own your business or are self-employed, you should list yourself as your last employer. • If you are an independent contractor, you should list yourself as your last employer. • If you believe you are misclassified as an independent contractor instead of an employee, you should list the business you contract with as your last employer. Be sure to include: • The employer name, phone number, and address. • Type of work performed. • Dates worked. • Your gross wages and how you were paid (such as hourly or weekly).