Many employers have been considering workforce changes to address the economic downturn and cash flow issues caused by COVID-19. Yesterday's announcement by the Federal Government about wage subsidies (known as 'JobKeeper Payments') has been welcomed by employers and unions, and should be closely considered by employers before implementing any changes. It has been reported that 8,000 businesses lodged an application for the subsidy in the 50 minutes that followed the announcement ...
The COVID-19 pandemic is indisputably the most serious public health emergency of our times, and at the same time, a shock to the global economy. Being a field of law largely influenced by economics, it would seem inevitable that the application of competition law would not be affected by the current economic realities brought about by the coronavirus pandemic ...
As some businesses are reopening while COVID-19 plateaus, many employees are splitting time between working from home and working in the office. Those same employees are often using their own devices (phones, tablets, laptops etc.) in both places. The use of personal devices in a work setting can increase risk of a data breach ...
On May 5, 2020, the Small Business Administration extended the time in which certain borrowers of Paycheck Protection Program loans may take advantage of the certification safe harbor SBA announced on April 24, 2020. The SBA also issued guidance on applying the affiliation rules to businesses with U.S. and foreign affiliates ...
Our COVID-19 Task Force stands ready to assist with developing your customized "playbook" for helping your business return to the new normal. Below are a few recent articles Spilman has published, along with a link to a recent webinar ...
Fiscal Support Schemes Full suspension of operations Companies the operations of which were mandatorily suspended, pursuant to the pertinent Decisions of the Council of Ministers and decrees of the Minister of Health, includinginter aliashopping centres, department stores, cafes, coffeehouses, bars and all catering businesses (excluding delivery services), entertainment venues, cinemas, theatres, performance venues, libraries, museums, archaeological and historical sites, bookies, cas
On April 30, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued Notice 2020-32, 2020-21 I.R.B. 1, providing guidance on the deductibility of certain expenses incurred pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. No. 116-135 (“CARES Act”) ...
The National Immigration Authority and the Ministry of Labor extend the measures taken as a result of the State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residence permits are extended up to May 15th. This extension is in force since March 13th. Reference is made to all permits and tourist stays that expire within the aforementioned period and will not give rise to fines due to expiration ...
The fight against COVID-19 has had a serious impact on businesses across the nation, and the construction industry is no exception. May 1, 2020, marked a step toward a new normal as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-70 easing restrictions on construction projects. The Governor’s office also issued a press release explaining how the Order applies to work on construction projects ...
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection issued Resolution 682 adopting the biosecurity protocol for the control and management of COVID-19 in the building construction sector. This protocol is complementary to the general biosecurity protocol adopted through Resolution 666 of 2020 and to other measures implemented by each company. This biosecurity protocol includes the following measures: 1. General biosecurity measures 2. Additional measures 2.1 ...
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, pension regulators across Canada have been announcing special measures to help protect the interests of pension plan members, assist pension plan administrators and ensure the ongoing financial health of pension plans, particularly given the negative impact that current financial market conditions have had on the funded status of pension plans. This bulletin summarizes the measures that have been announced to date ...
Governor Wolf announced that 24 Pennsylvania counties will move from the red phase to the yellow phase of the reopening plan beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 8. The 24 counties announced today are: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren ...
On April 23, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued new guidance clarifying that employers may conduct mandatory testing of employees for COVID-19 before they enter the workplace so long as the testing is “job related and consistent with business necessity ...
Covid-19 is upending capitalism as we know it. Amid the pandemic, how can businesses rewrite their rule books so as to emerge stronger? Americans have allegedly outbid the French for masks “right on the tarmac” just as the goods were to be flown off to their destination. From Amazon to Rakuten to Carousell, traders exploited fears by price-gouging on masks and hand sanitisers ...
WHAT'S NEW COVID-19 Business Strategies Hub Since the news first broke about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy, Dinsmore has worked diligently to create the COVID-19 Business Strategies Hub. The Hub features attorney insights and complementary webinars to help you prepare and respond to legal, regulatory, and commercial implications related to the crisis ...
On April 30, 2020, WorkSafeBC announced it is moving forward with adding COVID-19 to the list of diseases for which there is a presumption of it being work-related. Employers will now have to rebut the presumption that a worker caught COVID-19 at work to have the claim denied. Addition to the list typically takes between 18-24 months, but WorkSafeBC is hoping to expedite and complete the process in 6 months ...
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of March 27, 2020, (“CARES Act”) amended Section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) with respect to net operating losses (“NOL”) arising in 2018, 2019 and 2020 by restoring some of the favorable provisions applicable to NOLs prior to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) ...
Dykema would like to remind U.S. employers that they must use the October 21, 2019, version of the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form beginning May 1, 2020. Since January 31, 2020, employers were allowed to use either the July 17, 2017, or October 21, 2019, version of the form. These dates are indicated in mm/dd/yy format in its bottom left corner. The Form I-9 is used to confirm the identity and employment authorization of people hired as employees by U.S. employers ...
Due to the health emergency triggered by COVID-19, various measures that affect the normal operation of the courts of law, have been decreed and adopted by each of the Courts: The Chilean Supreme Court has issued various instructions, all of which may be checked at https://www.pjud.cl/noticias-emergencia-sanitaria, underscoring, among others: Favoring teleworking for judges, court officials and attorneys-at-law. Suspending customer service ...
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection issued Resolutions 677, 679 and 681 adopting the biosecurity protocols for the control and management of COVID-19 risk in the transportation, transportation infrastructure and games of luck and chance sectors. These protocols are complementary to the general biosecurity protocol adopted through Resolution 666 of 2020 and to other measures implemented by corresponding companies ...
INFARMED and the DGS have published a set of guidelines for manufacturers and wholesale distributors of medicinal products for human use. The aim of these guidelines is to ensure supply to the domestic market and, at the same time, to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and protect the employees of these operators ...
As the contagion rate and death toll caused by the Covid-19 emergency (“Covid-19”) continues to decrease, on 26 April 2020 the Prime Minister announced in a press conference the measures adopted to ease the lockdown during the so-called “phase 2”. The new measures are reflected in the Prime Minister Decree dated 26 April 20201 (the “26 April 2020 Decree”) ...
