Governments in the EU, UK and US are all working on disaster relief packages to help struggling workers and businesses manage the global Coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus is causing mass disruption to lives and the economy on a global scale. Currently there is a lot of focus on solutions for employees and traditional small businesses, but not the self-employed microbusinesses who make up the majority of Etsy sellers.
In the US:
US Etsy are encouraging Congress to include their community in the relief packages. Etsy are asking US Etsy sellers to contact them directly by email through this form they have set up.
“As sole proprietors, Etsy sellers rarely qualify for unemployment insurance, paid leave, or the small business loans and disaster relief programs run by the Small Business Administration. There is a real risk that despite $1 trillion in stimulus on the table, Etsy sellers will fall through the cracks.
That’s why we’re urging Congress to make sure that any COVID-19 stimulus package includes comprehensive supports for the self-employed and microbusinesses, including direct cash assistance, expanded unemployment protection, protection of business-critical services like shipping, payments, and internet connectivity, debt deferral, among others.”
– Etsy
In the EU & UK:
Chief Executive Officer at Etsy, Josh Silverman has brought to light the same issue, European governments are working hard on national economic recovery measures that help struggling workers and businesses with little focus on self-employed microbusinesses within the EU and UK. For this reason Etsy is urging EU and UK lawmakers to include microbusinesses in the help they are providing. Josh has written a letter to President of the European Commission, von der Leyen hoping to highlight how vulnerable microbusinesses and the self-employed are at this time and how important it is that they receive the support they need without being forgotten about.
