+++UPDATE: USA/UK: Petitions for Event Industry Aid

“the economic fallout from [the event industry’s] collapse can potentially dwarf that of the 2008 recession and mortgage market collapse.  We are an industry almost 2.5 times the size of GM [General Motors] with total yearly revenues of in excess of $337 Billion in 2016.” —change.org

At least two petitions are circulating in the USA and UK requesting event-industry support from the federal government. Cumulatively, the two have nearly 400,000 signatures as of this writing. The UK Parliament and Government will be responding to the UK petition in the next 3-5 days; stay tuned here for updates.

From the US petition (see the petition for further details):

“The aid package should include, but not be limited to:

• Emergency Medicaid Health insurance – to cover our uninsured business owners,  contractors and laid off employees
• An additional $200 Billion in low interest federally backed business liquidity loans – the initial $50 Bill has already been surpassed in current sustained losses just to our industry.
• $100 Billion in Employee Retention Grants
• The ability to submit canceled contracts as loss of income on our 2020 taxes.
• The Families First Coronavirus Response Act to include 1099 self-employed individuals 
• The ability to apply for unemployment insurance to cover lost income.
• The ability to get disability sick pay for missed work. “

—Covid-19 Federal Aid Package for Events Industry | Change.org

Petition: Government to offer economic assistance to the events industry during COVID-19 | UK Government and Parliament Petitions