Small Business

With many businesses on the brink after months of scraping by through the pandemic, the Legislature struck a late-night deal Wednesday to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy in an effort to spur job growth and keep businesses afloat.

Nominations are open for WBJ's Business Leaders of the Year and Hall of Fame awards, both of which aim to honor those Central Mass. individuals who have made names for themselves in their industries and communities.

When Gov. Charlie Baker sprung a massive $668 million small business relief grant program on Massachusetts last week, he seemed sure about its potential but was vague about its funding sources, saying the plan hinged on flexibility in allocating federal funds that have poured into the state in the form of COVID-19 aid.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has extended the deadline for companies to file for pandemic disaster relief until the end of 2021, it said Wednesday.

Small businesses in Worcester County were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic like their counterparts virtually everywhere. New data shows their business is likely to end the year down almost half from where they started.

When he unveiled legislation this month to limit sharp increases in the taxes Massachusetts businesses pay to fund the unemployment system, Gov. Charlie Baker encouraged lawmakers to act soon but conceded that they could wait up to three months to make the change.

Gov. Charlie Baker is lowering capacity limits for most businesses and places of worship to a maximum of 25 percent, limiting outdoor events to 25 people and limiting indoor gatherings, including events, to 10 people for at least two weeks beginning Saturday.

Employers may bar employees from the workplace if they do not receive the COVID-19 vaccine, under updated guidance from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, potentially solidifying a question lingering in the minds of both employers and employees for months.

The nearly $49 million in grants, administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, will go to businesses that are owned by people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities, Baker said.

Massachusetts businesses would face smaller increases in taxes they pay to fund the state unemployment system over the next two years, under a new bill Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Friday.