Marijuana’s legal status has flummoxed industry observers for more than a decade. Several current proposals could provide clarity at the federal level. And Alabama appeared to be on the brink of implementing a medical marijuana regime just before the COVID-19 pandemic ground the legislative process to a halt ...
Among the many extraordinary measures taken by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is the issuance of blanket waivers of certain provisions of the federal self-referral prohibition commonly known as the Stark Law. The waivers loosen significant restrictions on physician financial relationships in an effort to provide health care providers with greater flexibility to meet the challenges of the pandemic ...
In addition to proceeds from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) Payment Protection Program and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (“CMS”) Accelerated and Advance Payment Program, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (“HHS”) recently deposited $80 billion into health care providers’ bank accounts as part of its Provider Relief Fund ...
On 30 April 2020, the European Commission adopted three implementing regulations allowing temporary derogations from the strict cartel prohibition provided for by EU competition law in three specific agricultural sectors: dairy, potato and live plants and flowers. The latter sector is said to broadly cover “live trees and other plants, bulbs, roots and the like, cut flowers and ornamental foliage” ...
To limit the spread of Covid-19, all indoor and outdoor private and public cultural, festive, recreational, leisure and sport activities /events are prohibited until at least 10 May 2020 (included). Sport activities without physical contact and with a maximum of three persons are already allowed from 4 May 2020. Museums might be allowed to re-open from 18 May 2020 under strict conditions ...
The global spread of COVID-19 coronavirus infection has led to significant changes in social, political and economic processes in Russia and around the world. Government authorities are responding and introducing measures to combat the spread of coronavirus infection to ensure sustainable economic development and support to citizens in the face of the pandemic ...
On April 28, 2020, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of the Treasury (the “Agencies”) signed a joint notification of relief, which was published in the Federal Register on May 4, 2020 (the “Notice”) ...
Key Points Cupertino Vallco Mall Project clears major hurdle thanks to California court's denial of writ of mandate petition from anti-housing group. Another favorable SB 35 ruling may embolden further use of the procedure for streamlining housing development in California ...
Key Points Facilities will have until the week ending June 7, 2020 to report specific COVID-19 data to the CDC or face the assessment of deficiencies and CMPs. Facilities are now required to notify residents, their representatives, and families when the facility has a confirmed COVID-19 infection or 3 instances of new onset respiratory symptoms within 72 hours ...
On referral from Justice Alito to the full court, the Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday denied an application to halt the enforcement of Pennsylvania Governor Wolf’s shutdown order ...
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) is delaying data collection for their annual EEO-1 Report filing. The EEO-1 Employer Information Report, is a survey that is required annually for larger employers and government contractors. The survey collects employment data organized by race, ethnicity, gender, and job category ...
The landmark CARES Act provides many Alabama employers with several options to increase liquidity and cash flow during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. And only nine days before that legislation was enacted, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) also created two other payroll tax-related incentives for certain employers, and self-employed individuals ...
Now that it appears the COVID-19 quarantine may be on the verge of ending, there are issues to consider before re-starting collection operations. When is too soon? Are there any special notices that could or should be sent? What about voluntary surrender of collateral during shelter in place? We will address these issues as well as lien priority and credit reporting ...
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 ...
In the context of the Covid-19 legislative process, entities representing the social economy or what is often known as the third sector have already benefited from some consideration by the legislature. Certain legal arrangements have been drawn up to identify the needs and protect against the weaknesses of this charitable / socially supportive economic cluster ...
On 5 March, the CMVM published Regulation 2/2020 on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, to provide the regulations under Law 83/2017 of 18 August. The CMVM did this as the sector regulator responsible for supervising financial entities including investment companies, investment fund management companies, venturecapital companies, and securitisation companies ...
To contain the spread of COVID-19, the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas (“the Competent Authority”) has extended the state of public emergency to the 31st May, 2020. New regulations have been introduced to minimize spread of the virus while allowing for a phased re-opening of the economy. This update summarizes those measures to date ...
While the coronavirus has sent shockwaves through every service sector, the impact on the transportation industry has been especially severe. Automotive plants have shut down, new car sales have plummeted, and Uber and Lyft have reduced their workforce as social distancing has drastically reduced the demand for ride-hailing. In a world where stay-at-home orders are the norm, all forms of mobility have seen an abrupt decline and the entire transportation economy has suffered ...
In light of the restrictions on gatherings imposed in many states due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2020-21, which will temporarily allow public hearings to be held by teleconference. For the purposes of IRS rules, teleconference hearings will be permitted in all jurisdictions, regardless of any state or local orders or guidance on public gatherings ...
The Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 28, 2020 signed a Notice of Extended Waiver for certain deadlines associated with patent-related filings, if the missed deadline resulted from situations relating to COVID-19. Due dates between March 27 and May 31, 2020 are extended until June 1, 2020 ...
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 ...
Governor Wolf has selected 24 counties for movement from the red phase to the yellow phase of the reopening plan. Once a business is permitted to open in-person operations, they must comply with certain requirements that are set forth in a guidance document available here. The Guidance references certain orders and documents issued by the PA Department of Health, PA Department of State and Governor's Office ...
Key Points: Bay Area counties issued new Shelter Orders on April 29, 2020 allowing all construction to resume. The new Shelter Orders include detailed Construction Safety Protocols that construction jobsites must comply with. There is one Construction Safety Protocol for “small” construction projects, and a more rigorous Construction Safety Protocol for “large” construction projects ...
In the midst of a global pandemic, much attention and praise are rightfully being showered on healthcare and pharmaceutical providers. While the world watches with awe at the sacrifices that pharmaceutical and healthcare providers are making during this difficult time, government prosecutors too are watching—albeit for a different reason ...
