The Covid-19 outbreak is not only a huge challenge for health care, but also has enormous consequences for the economy. Different sectors (such as the hospitality, tourism and transport sectors and many others) will not be able to overcome the difficult times that we are currently facing without public support. Many Member States have already adopted exceptional aid measures and many more will follow, but public support for undertakings must still comply with the EU State aid rules ...
The Commission for the Financial Market (“CMF”), issued the General Rule No. 443, dated June 15, 2020 (the “NCG 443”), in order to establish the requirements to temporarily exempt from the presentation of certain documentation in the applications for registration of public offers of securities, and to permanently amend the General Rule No ...
The U.S. Copyright Office has issued a final regulation (37 CFR §202.4) permitting a single, “group” registration for “Short Online Literary Works.” To be eligible, each of the works included in the registration “must be published as part of a website or online platform, including online newspapers, social media websites, and social networking platforms ...
On June 11, 2020, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Economy and the National Consumer Service ("Sernac") announced the implementation of the "I want to exit" platform, in order to enable telecommunications users to terminate contracts with telecommunications service providers in an expeditious manner ...
Effective June 24, 2020, a new executive order from President Donald Trump will go into effect, limiting the entry of certain categories of foreign nationals to the U.S. through December 31, 2020 ostensibly to protect the U.S. labor market as it recovers from COVID-19. The order focuses on suspending and limiting entry of foreign nationals who are currently outside of the U.S ...
In response to the financial impact of COVID-19 on local governments within the State of Ohio (State), the Ohio Office of the Treasurer has introduced the COVID-19 Response Initiative (Initiative). The purpose of the Initiative is to provide liquidity to local governments by accelerating fiscal year cash flows and easing revenue shortfalls as a result of COVID-19 ...
Free way to different sports disciplines, among them, the practice of Golf. The Ministry of Sports issued Resolution 632 of 2020, approving the specific biosafety protocol for playing Golf that was presented by the Colombian Golf Federation. The protocol describes the measures that the clubs must implement on the golf courses for their reopening, for recreational practice, and exclusively covers the complex of facilities inherent in a standard golf course ...
Key Points IRS guidance expands the definition of “qualified individual” for receiving a tax-favored coronavirus-related distribution (“CRD”) from a retirement plan and other plan changes under the CARES Act. The guidance confirms that plan changes under the CARES Act are optional, including the loan repayment delay, and provides a safe harbor method for implementing the loan repayment delay ...
Five months into its Covid-19 pandemic period, Hong Kong seems to have settled into a new “normal” mode of operating, while many other regions still face devastating challenges and live in fear of a “second peak”. Remote regulatory inspections The SFC is busy again conducting routine inspections, even though they are not actually “knocking at your door” this time round ...
On June 10, 2020, the NASAA Franchise and Business Opportunity Project Group (“NASAA Franchise Project Group”) issued a statement on the importance of accurately disclosing financial performance representations amidst the worldwide impact of COVID-19 ...
Key Points Title VII prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The holding does not change currently-existing legal obligations for California employers as discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited under the FEHA. California employers should ensure they are complying with FEHA’s posting and training requirements. On Monday, June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court published a long-awaited opinion, Bostock v ...
Key Points Before undertaking a stock option repricing program, consider the tax impact on employees holding incentive stock options (ISOs) Additionally, consider the corporate and securities laws that govern repricing programs Introduction Stock options are a vital form of compensation at a wide range of privately-held companies.1 Stock options are intended to motivate employees to drive stockholder value and are used as an employee retention tool ...
This 12th edition of Unprecedented, our weekly update on COVID-19-related litigation brings new developments in labor and employment cases, consumer protection cases, and civil rights litigation. Price gouging and fraud for personal protective equipment (particularly N95 masks) remain major focuses, with manufacturers, retailers, and governments all taking action ...
On June 20th., it was published Law N°21.240, bill which was approved last Wednesday 17th by the Congress. The New Law increases sanctions for the infringement of quarantines and sets forth responsibility for Employees and Legal Entities. Article 318 of the Criminal Code punishes anyone who “jeopardizes public health by the infringement of hygienic and sanitary norms properly published by the authority, in the context of a catastrophe, pandemic or contagion ...
Following up on Dykema’s alert from June 18, 2020, President Trump signed a Proclamation that extends his April 22, 2020, 60-day ban on immigrant workers entering the United States until December 31, 2020. In addition, it also added those with H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and J-1 visas and any foreign national accompanying them to this ban. The Proclamation states this was done to address, in part, high unemployment levels due to the coronavirus pandemic ...
On June 16, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced a Temporary Conditional Exemption for municipal advisors (MAs), which provides an exemption from certain broker registration requirements under Section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This order is in response to the disruption in the municipal securities markets resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic ...
Contracts and force majeure during a pandemic was published recently in the Indian Business Law Journal authored by Chandrasekhar Tampi, senior partner and Ankur Khandelwal, partner, Kochhar & Co. Overview- The spread of COVID-19 has raised multiple questions with respect to performance of commercial contracts, across the globe. While some contracts have witnessed the erosion of their foundation, others have been rendered difficult, even possible, to be performed ...
To implement the changes to the PPP program contained in the recently enacted PPP Flexibility Act, Treasury has issued a new Interim Final Rule (IFR). It has also issued a revised forgiveness application form, worksheet and instructions, and a new expedited (EZ) forgiveness application form and instructions that can be used by certain borrowers. Links to those documents can be found below ...
Key Points IRS proposed new regulations for like-kind exchanges under section 1031. The guidance provides the definition of real property and treatment of incidental personal property in the section 1031 context. On June 11, 2020, the IRS released proposed regulations for like-kind exchanges under Internal Revenue Code (the "Code") section 1031 to incorporate the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") changes ...
Several reports, including one by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, indicate President Trump may issue a Proclamation limiting or prohibiting the entry into the United States of foreign nationals holding H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and J-1 visas. H-1Bs are used to employ foreign nationals in specialty occupations (those positions normally requiring at least a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent for entry into the field). H-2Bs are for temporary, non-agricultural workers ...
What are trademark scams? Many scam artists attempt to solicit money from trademark owners by sending notices that appear to be authentic but are meant to mislead or fraudulently induce payment for unnecessary or nonexistent services. Unfortunately, because trademark filings are a matter of public record, many bad actors utilize the filing information to prey upon the owners by seeming legitimate. An example of a widely -known scam is shown below ...
The UAE has introduced Cabinet Resolution 31 of 2019 (as amended) (the Economic Substance Regulations) which apply to UAE onshore and free zone entities that undertake, and earn an income from, any of the Relevant Activities (listed below): Banking Business Insurance Business Investment Fund Management Business Shipping Business Holding Company Business Lease-Finance Business Distribution & Service Centre Business Headquarters Business Intellectual Property Business The Re
