“With our nation’s health care providers on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, dollars and cents shouldn’t be adding to their worries.” - CMS Administrator Seema Verma. During this Public Health Emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has expanded its accelerated and advanced payment program (“Program”) to all Medicare-enrolled providers and suppliers (“Providers”) ...
On March 31, seven Bay Area counties issued stricter shelter-in-place orders and extended their effectiveness to at least May 3 (collectively, the “Orders”). As of the morning of April 2, Napa County noted that it will be joining the other Bay Area counties. Solano County extended the effectiveness of its order, but declined to tighten restrictions ...
As a growing number of the workforce is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, governmental employers are raising benefit-related questions. The Employee Benefits Group at Hanson Bridgett will be providing updated information on possible issues arising in the benefits area through Benefits Alerts and postings on Hanson Bridgett's Online COVID-19 Resource Center ...
Like most industries, tech startups have been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As they scramble to adapt to a rapidly changing climate, tech leaders are asking if, and to what extent, their businesses can benefit from the $2 trillion stimulus package known as the CARES Act ...
On the 17thof March, we gave an overview on the options available for the governments in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to support companies being harmed by the COVID-19 crisis. At that time we noted that companies should work with the government in order to ensure that the measures taken truly help the companies survive the crisis ...
It has now been announced that from Monday, 6 April 2020 employers will be able to apply for compensation payment from the state budget for March. The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund has explained by now the technical aspects of filing applications and responded to the more frequent questions asked by employers about applying for compensation. Below you will find a brief overview of how to apply for compensation as well as some practical explanations and suggestions ...
I. Superintendence of Environment orders the extension of the terms suspension in sanctioning proceedings and other actions. On March 30, 2020 the Superintendence of Environment (“SMA”) issued Exempt Resolution No. 548 (“Res. 548”), which extended the term suspension measures ordered by means of Exempt Resolution No ...
1. The Chilean Supreme Court is vested with the powers to order the suspension of hearings whenever they cannot be carried out because no basic guarantees can be offered for due process. This is due to the restrictions imposed by the Government in the context of the constitutional exception state, such as the limitations to freedom of movement or to the entry into or exit from certain territories, or due to the consequences of the sanitary emergency ...
On April 3rd, 2020, a new Law that amends Law No. 19,983, which regulates the transfer and grants direct enforceability to the copy of invoices, on certain aspects that were recently amended by Law No. 21,131 on 30-days payment, was enacted . The most relevant modifications introduced by this Law aim to benefit small sized businesses (micro, small and medium sized businesses as per defined in Law No ...
On March 30, Decree No. 420, which contains various tax measures that seek to provide greater liquidity to companies, SMEs and employees, was published. The Decree No. 420 considers the following measures: 1. Deferral of the payment of VAT corresponding to the months of April, May and June 2020, under the following rules: to ...
Law No. 21,225 to Support Families and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises due to Covid-19 On April 2, 2020, Law No. 21,225, which materializes some of the measures of the Emergency Economic Plan announced by the Government of Chile last Thursday, March 19, was published. The measures contained in this law are the following: Family Income Support Bonus for recipients of certain family subsidies and individuals or families from the most vulnerable 60% of the population ...
On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an interim final rule, providing additional guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Click here to read the full text of the Interim Final Rule. Here are some of the highlights of new and/or clarified information from the previous guidance issued by Treasury and SBA and the text of the CARES Act: Eligibility Only U.S ...
Insight on Eligibility and Requirements for Obtaining Financial Assistance For Mid-Sized Companies and Eligible Businesses (other than Air Carriers and Businesses Critical to MaintainingNational Security) The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) provides for various loans, loan guaranties and other forms of financial assistance to U.S. businesses both small and large and in specific industries and sectors ...
On March 27, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia addressed the question of discovery costs in a long-running False Claims Act case,U.S. ex rel. Barko v. Halliburton (No. 19-7064, March 2020) (“Barko”). In Barko, a former employee claimed that an affiliate of Halliburton, Kellogg Brown & Root Services (KBR), inflated costs and received kickbacks from subcontractors during the Iraq war during the early to mid-2000s ...
The Ministry of Mines and Energy, through Resolution 40115 of 2020, extended until December 31, 2020 the delegation of the inspection function carried out by the department of Antioquia. On the other hand, the Secretary of Mines of Antioquia extended the suspension of some administrative actions until April 13, 2020 ...
Introduction: The new reality As a result of the sudden and dramatic fall in the oil price that had occurred between June 2014, when oil had been trading at prices of around US$115 per barrel of Brent crude, to January 2015 by which time it had fallen to around US$35 per barrel, I was prompted to prepare a “Guide for Contractors”. Parties in the offshore oil and gas sector, and in particular contractors in the industry, were facing turbulent and unpredictable times ...
LATEST UPDATE - April 3, 2020 In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the President signed H.R. 748, known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act on March 27, 2020. The bill provides more than $2 trillion of aid to individuals and the public and private sector ...
The Government announced on 1 April 2020 its proposal of a Program of economic measures to reduce the negative effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an attempt to support the economy of Serbia, split into four categories ...
Article 2.2.5.3.2 of Chapter 3 of Title 5 of Part 2 of Book 2 of Decree 1083 of 2015, the Sole Regulatory Body for the Public Service Sector, is amended as follows"Article 2.2.5.3.2. Order for the definitive filling of career posts. The definitive filling of career posts shall be carried out in the following order: With the person who, at the time of his retirement, held career rights and whose reinstatement has been ordered by a judicial authority ...
The participants of the primary and the secondary market, who have executed natural gas supply contracts in force and registered with the Market Manager, may modify them by mutual agreement. This measure shall be subject to the following conditions: It shall apply to all supply contracts in execution or which begin to be executed before 30 November 2020. The negotiations of quantities and prices of natural gas supply contracts, both on the Primary and Secondary Markets ...
The USCIS has announced, in a tweet, that its proposed rule that would have authorized up to 35,000 new H-2B visas has been placed on hold and no new visas will be issued due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tweet states: To clear up various misreporting – DHS’s rule on the H-2B cap is on hold pending review due to present economic circumstances. No additional H-2B visas will be released until further notice ...
On 1 April the Prime Minister adopted a new decree (the “1 April Decree”) to extend the lockdown measures previously introduced through the decrees issues on 8 March, 9 March, 11 March and 22 March 2020 ...
On March 31, 2020, the IRS issued Form 7200 Advance Payment of Employer Tax Credits Due to COVID-19 and instructions for eligible employers to claim advance payments of refundable payroll tax credits related to COVID-19 ...
On March 20, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) jointly issued guidance regarding the tax credits available to certain small employers who are required to provide new types of paid leave to employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act), enacted on March 18, 2020 ...