COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is responding to COVID-19 and Friday they discussed how they can continue to fight for businesses in the state.
"Ultimately we are hopeful the state can get through this as quickly as possible and businesses can return to normal," SC Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ted Pitts said.
Many business across the state are taking their operations day by day. Pitts said they are working to educate and inform businesses across the state with reliable resources as they navigate through this time.
"One of the biggest concerns we hear from businesses right now is just so much moving, so fast, keeping up with all the changes and that is one thing we are trying to make sure is that they get the information," Pitts said.
Other chamber members like Kim Wilkerson, the State President for Bank of America said they are doing what they can to keep giving their employees steady pay checks.
"We are at the $20 minimum wage and we also in situations where we might have to cut someones hours, we have told them that we are going to pay them as if they were working their full hours. So we absolutely are very focused on making sure our employees are taken care of during this crisis," Wilkerson said.
Other members like Roger Schrum, Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs for Sonoco Products also trying to their best to keep the company up and running.
"Our primary focus is to keep them employed, not all of them are seeing spurts and growth in their businesses, so we are working very hard to keep manufacturing operations and jobs open right now," Schrum said.
Pitts said they are going to continue to provide businesses in the state with updated information on how to keep workplaces safe, plus any new laws or changes that businesses to need to be aware in regards to COVID-19.