House Passes Ppp Bill That Gives Restaurants More Flexibility

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The House passed a bill Thursday that will give restaurants more flexibility in how they use funding from Payment Protection Program loans, according to CNBC. The Senate has created a similar plan, but will not meet again until next week.

The bill would reduce the percentage of PPP funds restaurants are required to spend on payroll from 75% to 60%; extend the time period businesses have to use the funds from two months to six months; extend the time restaurants have to pay back their loans; allow restaurants that receive loan forgiveness to defer payroll taxes; and delay a June 30 deadline to rehire employees.

"We have expressed, since the beginning of the COVID crisis, that our industry’s unique operations require a flexible recovery program. ... While the PPP program can be a critical tool for helping restaurants and small businesses, changes to the program are needed so it can be utilized as intended." Sean Kennedy, the National Restaurant Association's EVP of public affairs, said in a statement. "Our focus will now shift toward achieving similar bipartisan results in the Senate because enacting these PPP changes will help restaurants get the relief they need to get employees back to work and the industry on the path to recovery."

The House's bill addresses the restaurant industry's biggest concern with PPP requirements, which is that operators in this industry need money to cover expenses like rent and utilities more than they need to hire back their entire workforce.

Because most restaurants are operating skeleton crews under dining room closures, many business owners and industry experts argue that the PPP's current requirement to spend 75% of loan funds on staff is at odds with the industry's needs. And even though some restaurants have found creative ways to keep employees on the payroll, either through workshare programs or by training them to be delivery drivers, operators are worried that a high margin for error comes with this requirement — one that could put them on the hook for the loan amount if they allocate funds incorrectly.

But industry concerns remain. Earlier this month, 24 attorneys general pushed Congress to amend PPP so that lenders wouldn't be able to favor certain applicants over others — an issue that many independent restaurants have complained about — and to provide better digital support for applicants and better lender guidance. These demands also reflect the Independent Restaurant Coalition's and NRA's past requests for PPP change.

By Emma Liem Beckett
May 29, 2020
Source: Restaurantsdive.com