Coronavirus: Information and Resources

Employment and Business

  • U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): Information on Coronavirus and COVID-19 includes guidance documents on employment issues such as the kinds of health-related questions employers are allowed to ask, medical exams they are allowed to conduct, and when they may require a worker to stay home; a webinar (with transcript) answers common questions about COVID-19 in relation to the ADA, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Civil Rights Act.
  • U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): Coronavirus Resources provides information on workplace safety, wage and hour issues, unemployment insurance, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and other employment issues.
  • Small Business Administration (SBA): low-interest federal disaster loans may be available to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19.

Health, Community Living, and Civil Rights

  • The Administration for Community Living (ACL): What People with Disabilities and Older Adults Need to Know About Coronavirus provides information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases; the site also includes links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state, local, and territorial health departments and tribal and Indian organizations. The CDC also offers a series of five videos on COVID-19 presented in American Sign Language (ASL).
  • Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Bulletin: Civil Rights, HIPAA, and COVID reminds health care providers that:

    • People with disabilities should not be denied care based on stereotypes, judgments about a person's relative "worth,” or assumptions about quality of life;
    • Communicating effectively with individuals with hearing or vision disabilities, as well as others with limited English proficiency, may require the provision of aids or services such as qualified interpreters, picture boards, or other means;
    • Emergency messages should be made available in plain language, and in languages prevalent in the affected area, and in multiple formats to ensure access;
    • Emergency planning must address the needs of individuals with all types of disabilities.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Disaster Distress Helpline

    • This 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline is dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to disasters, including disease outbreaks and pandemics. Toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories.
      Connect with a trained crisis counselor:
      Telephone: 1-800-985-5990 (voice or relay; Spanish speakers press “2”); TTY 1-800-846-8517
      Text: TalkWithUs to 66746 (Spanish speakers from the 50 states text Hablanos to 66746; from Puerto Rico text Hablanos to 1-787-339-2663)

Education and Civil Rights

General

  • The Southeast ADA Center: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources includes a wide variety of information from national sources, as well as information specific to the southeastern states (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN); some information is also available in Spanish.