Overall explanation of the issues expressed in the document provided

The COVID-19 pandemic had various effects on small businesses and other related parties. The pandemic significantly impacted society, and those consequences are still evident today. For business owners, it was challenging to find qualified candidates because of the nationwide shutdowns, which included the mask mandate, the 6 feet rule, and in some instances, a mandatory curfew for non-essential workers. Given how workers conducted their activities, like standing near one another when preparing products, some small businesses, like restaurants and coffee shops, suffered the most. Additionally, small businesses that only generate a few thousand dollars in monthly profit struggled after most people were forced to remain at home. It was challenging to pay bills, and vendor invoices, particularly ensuring that employees received their pay.

The government created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to aid companies nationwide. The PPP was designed to give companies funding to assist owners in paying employees their wages so that no one had to be fired. But business owners had to apply for these loans, and that was not a simple job. Due to the pandemic's chaos, most owners likely did not have everything available when they needed it to apply. They needed all the necessary documentation. Additionally, it was difficult to get through the process and difficult even to get the money later. Larger corporations and businesses were also eligible to apply for these loans, which reduced the overall amount of funding accessible to small business owners because loans went to companies that didn't need them.

Employee effects during the pandemic were particularly severe, with many small company employees being the most negatively impacted. Large retail shop employees were less likely to be unemployed than those who worked at Starbucks, Target, and Walmart. The risk of infection among workers and customers, which caused businesses to close down, was one of the major factors contributing to unemployment in small businesses. Due to the nature of their work, which often involves direct contact with customers and prohibits working from home, employees of small businesses were more negatively impacted. Generally, the document discusses difficulties small businesses and their staff face during the pandemic, the challenges of securing government support, and the disproportionate effect on small company staff.