The City of Owensboro announced Monday a new program dedicated to providing additional income to restaurant and bar employees. The OBKY Restaurant/Bar Supplemental Payroll Program will make $750,000 available to eligible establishments.
According to City Manager Nate Pagan, qualifying restaurants and bars include any and all that are located within City limits. Businesses can use 10% of the funding they receive on administration costs, while 90% must go toward supplemental payroll.
Pagan said the amount of funding each restaurant and bar qualifies for will depend on the number of employees they currently have on their payroll. Employees who lost their jobs due to the pandemic and/or currently receive unemployment will not be eligible for the supplemental income.
The OBKY Restaurant/Bar Supplemental Payroll Program was intended to be “as easy as possible” to apply for, Pagan said. Letters were sent to all restaurants on Monday regarding the details, and those that want or need the assistance have until Jan. 15 to apply.
Guidelines and forms are also available via the City’s website by clicking here.
Pagan said the program is similar to the federal Payment Protection Program.
“Our commissioners were concerned about the impacts [affecting restaurant and bar employees] caused by COVID and closures,” he said. “We wanted to provide a supplemental income program for those who have been disproportionately affected by those closures.”
Restaurants and bars faced varying degrees of closures and limitations throughout 2020 and are still not at full capacity, negatively affecting their income for an extended period.
In a statement announcing the program, City officials said: “Recognizing this continued impact the pandemic is having on this specific segment of our local economy, this program is targeted to benefit restaurant and bar employees.”
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