A local business owner who was denied unemployment has found herself in a familiar, yet frustrating place.
Rebecca Kiener, owner and sole employee of This and That, a home cleaning service business, said she was denied unemployment and doesn't qualify for the Federal Paycheck Protection Program Loan.
"I don't have any employees. I haven't worked in two months and now I'm kind of stuck," said Kiener. "I don't want to go and get myself in debt with a big loan that I may not be able to pay off. "
Kiener said she doesn't qualify for the PPP loan because one of the requirements for loan forgiveness is to hire an employee back; however, she does not have any employees.
Scott Roefols, a Financial Advisor for RCG Valuation, said it is common for a small business owner to believe they don't have any employees, but filling out an application is more about answering questions technically in their own favor.
"This is all new to everybody and it takes some work to get into this," said Roefols. "on a technical level."
"You are the employee of your own business," he told Kiener during a Zoom call. "Make sure that you're spending enough time on the research on how to make yourself look in the best light."
Roefols encouraged Kiener and other small business owners to research the application questions as well as applying for Federal Loans and unemployment just in case one falls through.
