Across the country, construction projects of every nature are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation and governmental response to the pandemic continue to evolve, and owners must keep abreast of these changes to ensure they manage their construction projects appropriately. There are a litany of issues, legal and practical, that owners need to assess when deciding how to manage ongoing projects and those in the pipeline ...
In passing the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), Congress provided much-needed relief to project owners by making it easier to modify construction loans. Under the Act, an owner may qualify for a forbearance arrangement, an interest rate modification, or a repayment plan, among other options, and the modification does not adversely impact the credit of the borrower ...
In this Informative Guide you will find important information about the following: tourist stays, visas and residence permits, work permits, traveling, and mobility inside the country including curfews, circulation permits (Salvoconductos), and driver’s licenses. Tourist stays Panamanian authorities have informed that tourist who have expired stays from 13 March 2020, as a consequence of the Covid-19, will not be fined. And they will be able to circulate ...
On April 8th, 2020, it was published on the Official Gazette Ruling No.88 (issued by the Undersecretary of Treasury), required by law No.21,227 on employment protection (hereinafter, the "Law"), for purposes of accessing to the unemployment insurance benefits established in the Law ...
On April 3rd, 2020, Law No.21,218 (the “Law”), which creates a monthly subsidy (the “Subsidy”) borne by the State of Chile, in order for employees to reach a minimum guaranteed income, was published on the Official Gazette. I. Requirements that employees must fulfill in order to be eligible for the Subsidy Having a valid employment contract, pursuant to the Labor Code. Their regular working schedule must exceed 30 hours a week ...
On Monday, 30th March 2020, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable K. Peter Turnquest addressed the House of Assembly to provide an overview of the expected economic fallout in The Bahamas from the Covid-19 pandemic along with some details as to the Government’s proposed stimulus measures to support citizens and businesses alike during this time of uncertainty ...
1. Force Majeure - Meaning. The term ‘force majeure’ translates literally from French assuperior force. It is also generally defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary as ‘an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled’ ...
OSHA requires that covered employers record certain work-related injuries and illnesses on their OSHA 300 log. Under OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, COVID-19 is a recordable illness, and employers are responsible for recording cases of COVID-19, if all of the following are met: The case is a confirmed case of COVID-19; The case is work-related, as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5; and The case involves one or more of the general recording criteria set forth in 29 CFR 1904 ...
Does the COVID-19 pandemic (or actions taken to counter the spread of COVID-19) constitute Force Majeure and is there any implied remedy (e.g. implied force majeure relief) arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Under English law, unlike civil law systems, force majeure is neither defined nor automatically applicable to commercial contracts ...
In recent weeks, and especially in recent days, we have seen the serious repercussions of the spread of COVID-19 on Quebec businesses and SMEs. Government authorities are planning financial assistance measures for businesses, and some chambers of commerce have already announced that new services will soon be offered to businesses to help them deal with the crisis. We are as yet unaware of the details of this assistance and how it will be allocated ...
Many states now have Executive Orders in place either requesting or requiring employers to allow employees to work from home to the maximum extent possible. Allowing employees to work from home is new ground for many employers, so here are a few tips an employer should keep in mind and traps to avoid in order to make the adjustment easier for all involved: 1 ...
This newsletter explains the consequences of the texts adopted by the government on the withdrawal period granted to the non-professional buyer (i), the fulfilment of the conditions precedent provided for in the sale commitment (ii) and the notarial deed of sale (iii). (i) THE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD When the legal withdrawal period of 10 days which the non-professional purchaser has following the signature of a sale commitment (Article L ...
On April 6, 2020, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) promulgated a temporary rule (“Rule”) interpreting and giving further guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (“FFCRA”). The FFCRA includes the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act (“EFMLA”) and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“EPSL”). The Rule clarifies a number of important threshold questions in the wake of the FFCRA’s enactment ...
Mortgage servicers are currently being inundated with requests from borrowers impacted by COVID-19 for forbearance and other types of payment relief. Tracking, making sense of, and then complying with the guidance and requirements that are being issued and then modified – seemingly on a daily basis – by the federal government, the GSEs, and various states is proving to be a challenge for many, especially at a time when resources may already be limited or stretched thin ...
Minister of Public Works and Housing recently issued Instruction No. 02/IN/M/2020 on the Protocol for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in Construction Works (“MPW Instruction 02/2020”). This instruction is a follow up to President Joko Widodo's instructions related to COVID-19 prevention efforts and the emergency status in Indonesia due to the COVID-19 pandemic up until 29 May 2020 declared under Head of the National Disaster Management Agency Decree No ...
As a result of the COVID-19, employers are being forced to reduce the size of their workforces in order to keep costs down for the duration of the pandemic and perhaps beyond. Employers can choose to either furlough employees or lay them off; however, deciding which route is best requires an analysis of the employer’s situation, as well as the needs of the employees ...
With the surge of coronavirus cases across the United States, and in West Virginia, questions arise concerning compensability of work exposures. Are coronavirus claims compensable under West Virginia workers’ compensation law? The answer depends on whether the coronavirus is considered an occupational disease under West Virginia law ...
A recent COVID-19 outbreak at a King County, Washington state long-term care skilled nursing facility led to numerous cases and deaths among residents and visitors. Most likely as a result of continued and growing cases of COVID-19 at skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, on April 5, 2020, Cal/OSHA published Interim Guidance for Protecting Workers at Skilled Nursing and Long-term Care Facilities from Exposure to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) ...
An increasing number of California cities are adopting expanded paid sick leave ordinances – or expanded application of local paid sick leave ordinances – aimed at providing paid sick leave benefits to employees affected by COVID-19 who may not be entitled to benefits under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). These cities include San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose ...
On April 8, 2020, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) provided additional guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) through an update to the Frequently Asked Questions document (“FAQs”) originally published on April 2, 2020 and subsequently updated on April 6th and 7th ...
