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Page 14 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021 Baker-Polito Administration Announces Extension of Capacity and Gathering Limits, New Guidance for Hospital ICU Staffing, Elective Surgeries Capacity Limits for Most Industries, Gathering Limits Extended Until at Least January 24 BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration announced Thursday the extension of further restrictions and new hospital guidance to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. Industry restrictions for capacity limits and reduced gathering limits went into eff ect on Saturday, December 26th , and will now be extended for at least two more weeks to January 24th . INDUSTRY RESTRICTIONS & GATHERING LIMITS Capacity Limits: Under the current restrictions that are being extended today, most industries in Massachusetts remain subject to a 25% capacity limit: • Restaurants (based on permitted seating capacity) • Close Contact Personal Services • Theaters and Performance Venues • Casinos • Offi ce Spaces • Places of Worship • Retail Businesses • Driving and Flight Schools • Golf Facilities (for indoor spaces) • Libraries • Lodging (for common areas) • Arcades and Indoor Recreation Businesses • Fitness Centers and Health Clubs • Museums, Cultural Facilities and Guided Tours • Workers and staff will not count towards the occupancy count for restaurants, places of worship, close contact personal services, and retail businesses. All other rules and restrictions in each sector-specifi c guidance will continue to remain in eff ect. Gatherings Limit: The current gathering limits in place since December 26 are also being extended. Indoor gatherings will remain limited to 10 people. Outdoor gatherings will remain limited to 25 people outside. The gatherings limit applies to private homes, event venues and public spaces. NEW HOSPITAL GUIDANCE: Hospital Tier Escalation: The Department of Public Health’s hospital guidance, issued in early November, establishes a regional tiering system for hospitals to support continued collaboration among hospitals and sustain capacity. Since early December, all regions across the Commonwealth have been in Tier 3 status, which established a framework for greater coordination to balance patient load and ensure capacity. Today, in response to the continued rise in hospitalizations, all regions across the state will be escalated to Tier 4 status. In Tier 4, the hospitals in each region will meet at least daily, and will continue to collaborate across regions where necessary, to address growing capacity constraints and continue to load balance as needed. ICU Nurse Staffi ng Ratios: To support the health care system’s continued response to the surge in cases and hospitalizations, the Commonwealth is allowing the deployment of acute nursing staffi ng under certain circumstances. Starting today, hospitals with severe capacity constraints may request a temporary exemption from the mandated nurse-to-patient ratios in the ICU. This option will only be available to hospitals with capacity of less than 20% who first attest to DPH that they have suspended all nonessential elective invasive procedures, including those conducted in an outpatient setting under the hospital’s license. Additionally, hospitals must take every reasonable step to expand capacity prior to requesting a temporary exemption. If a hospital’s bed capacity increases, or if the hospital re-starts nonessential elective invasive procedures, the hospital must resume compliance with the ICU staffi ng requirements. Baker-Polito Administration Re-Files Unemployment Legislation to Provide Employer Relief, Ensure Trust Fund Solvency BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration this week re-fi led unemployment insurance legislation initially filed last month. The Governor’s legislation aims to sustain unemployment benefi ts and provide an estimated $1.3 billion in unemployment insurance relief to the Commonwealth’s employers over two years. In addition to a two-year unemployment insurance tax schedule freeze, the legislation also proposes fi - nancing measures designed to ensure the solvency of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and that federal borrowing that has occurred is repaid in a responsible and aff ordable manner. The main provisions of this legislation include: 1. Short Term Employer Tax Relief through a two-year tax schedule freeze. Current Massachusetts unemployment legislative statute requires the employer tax schedule to increase from schedule E to schedule G. This would cause an average per employee tax increase from $539 to $866 – a nearly 60% increase over the previous year. Remaining on schedule E for 2021 and 2022 slows annual employer contribution growth from $539 average per employee costs in 2020 to $635 in 2021 and $665 in 2022. 2. Authorization for the issuance of special obligation bonds for the purposes of repaying federal advances. In order to fund the unprecedented increases in demand on the unemployment system in Massachusetts as a result of COVID-19, the Commonwealth has received federal cash advances. Through the issuance of bonds, the Commonwealth will be able to ensure positive trust fund solvency to enable the continued payment of benefi ts. The utilization of capital markets also allows Massachusetts to avoid paying punitive federal tax increases on employers regardless of their experience rating if federal advances are not repaid by November of 2022. Bonds issued will be supported by an unemployment obligation assessment and will not be general obligations of the Commonwealth. 3. Establishes an employer surcharge on contributory employers. In 2020 all federal advances taken to pay benefi ts are interest free. However, interest on federal advances will begin to be charged beginning in January of 2021. The fi rst interest payment is due in the Fall of 2021 and it cannot be paid from the state unemployment trust fund, per federal law. To fund interest payments on repayable advances, the legislation also establishes a separate fund to house surcharge proceeds. The passage of this provision authorizes the Department of Unemployment Assistance to make this assessment but does not require the surcharge if interest is waived through future federal legislation. SHOWCASE CINEMAS SUPPORTS NATIONAL POPCORN DAY ON JAN. 19 BY MAKING ‘MOVIE POPCORN’ FREE Showcase is offering a Free Small Popcorn for Ticket Holders & Guests Attending Private Screenings At All Open Theater Locations in MA, NY, OH and RI Norwood, MA, January 11, 2021 - Showcase Cinemas, a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry, is supporting National Popcorn Day on Tuesday, January 19th , by off ering one free small popcorn to ticket holders and private screening attendees at all of its open locations in Massachusetts, New York State, Ohio and Rhode Island. Additionally, Showcase Cinemas is off ering a special $5 National Popcorn Day deal on a limited-edition Wonder Woman 1984 170 oz souvenir tub. Making the deal even better for those missing “movie popcorn” during the pandemic, National Popcorn Day this year falls on a Tuesday, meaning moviegoers will also enjoy great deals on ticket prices with Showcase Cinemas’ Bargain Tuesdays. It’s the perfect time to ditch the couch and watch recent releases including Wonder Woman 1984, Monster Hunter and News of the World on the big screen. Members of Showcase’s Starpass loyalty program may purchase tickets at an even more reduced Bargain Tuesday price. Registering for Starpass is free and easy, and members earn a 10% reward on virtually all purchases. Starpass is available at all Showcase Cinemas locations; Bargain Tuesday pricing is available at all locations excluding Showcase SuperLux in Chestnut Hill, MA. Moviegoers will also enjoy free popcorn when they attend a private screening at Showcase Cinemas on National Popcorn Day. Customers may reserve a private screening for up to 20 guests, starting at just $99 for “Bring Back” fi lms and $199 for new releases at participating Showcase Cinemas locations; at Showcase SuperLux, “Bring Back” pricing starts at $199 with new releases starting at $299. Private screenings must be booked a minimum of three business days in advance. “We know many of our customers have missed movie popcorn during the pandemic, that’s why we want to support National Popcorn Day with free freshly-popped, buttery popcorn and the opportunity to watch a movie like Wonder Woman 1984 the way it was meant to be seen: on the big screen,” said Mark Malinowski, Vice President of Global Marketing. “National Popcorn Day is one of our favorite holCINEMA | FROM Page 15

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