With an additional $310 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) signed into law, energy companies should consider applying for PPP loans in order to maintain daily operations during the COVID-19 crisis. Generally speaking, companies may receive a maximum loan amount of the lesser of two-and-a-half times their average monthly payroll costs, or $10 million ...
A recent decision by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania concerning a challenge to Governor Tom Wolf’s executive order relating to COVID-19 could impact disputes nationwide that arise out of the pandemic and involve a determination of whether COVID-19 constitutes a “natural disaster” or other like term within the context of force majeure clauses. In its April 13, 2020, decision inFriends of Devito v ...
Guidance Focuses on Concurrent Leave Issues, Hours to be Paid During Leaves, and Regular Rates of Pay Applicable Now that covered employers are providing paid leaves under the Families First Coronavirus Act (the “FFCRA”), more questions about the FFCRA’s nuances are surfacing ...
After stating he planned on issuing an Executive Order earlier this week, President Trump yesterday issued a proclamation barring intending immigrants from the United States for 60 days beginning at 11:50 p.m. on April 23, 2020. It states it is intended to help U.S. workers facing high levels of unemployment due to the Coronavirus ...
Following up on his recent tweet to temporarily halt all immigration to the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, President Trump announced his upcoming Executive Order would be limited to those people seeking permanent resident status in the United States (“green cards”) and would last for 60 days. This will apparently not apply to those seeking to enter the United States on non-immigrant visas ...
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has announced the Tech Startup Stabilization Fund—a $3 million fund that will provide capital and support for Michigan tech startups impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. ID Ventures is administering the fund and accepting applications from tech startups across the state at TSSFund.com ...
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is sponsoring the Save Small Business Fund—a grantmaking initiative offering short-term relief for small employers who are struggling during the COVID-19 outbreak. The fund will provide $5,000 grants to small employers in the United States and its territories that must be applied toward business expenses ...
The COVID-19 crisis has triggered an unprecedented response of federal and state relief programs to provide health care resources and economic relief. Once the country moves past the immediate crisis, the government will take a hard look at emergency payments. Along with $2 trillion in relief, the CARES Act established a new law enforcement authority within the Treasury Department: the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (the SIGPR) ...
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have made it clear that they will act to protect employees on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19. On the one hand, as we explained in a prior client alert, they previously announced pre-clearance procedures and other guidelines intended to make it easier for companies to collaborate in legitimate, pro-competitive ways ...
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor J.B. Pritzker has provided relief to Illinois consumers’ pocketbooks. On April 14, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order in Response to COVID-19 No. 23 (“Executive Order 23”). The stated purpose of Executive Order 23 is to ensure that Illinois residents have funds for essential items such as food, medicine, housing, and transportation by temporarily suspending certain consumer debt collection measures ...
On Thursday, April 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued Notice 2020-23 (the “Notice”), updating and expanding the relief granted by Notices 2020-18 and 2020-20. Notice 2020-23 postpones tax filing and payment deadlines until July 15, 2020, for many taxpayers in order to grant some amount of relief to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations and trusts/estates amid the coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis ...
On April 10, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued Revenue Procedure 2020-22 to provide guidance related to business interest expense limitations and elections available for certain real property trade and farming businesses under Section 163(j)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) ...
On Wednesday, April 8, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-41 (the “Order”), which relaxes the witness and notary requirements for documents that would otherwise require in-person witnessing and/or notarization, such as Michigan estate planning documents, executed during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic ...
On April 8, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued Revenue Procedure 2020-23, which allows eligible partnerships to file amended partnership returns for taxable years beginning in 2018 and 2019 in order to take advantage of the various tax incentives provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) ...
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748 (the “CARES Act”), signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020, provides considerable relief for individuals and businesses in the form of financial assistance and tax-related benefits. Below is a short description of the tax benefits available for businesses, including employers and self-employed individuals under the CARES Act ...
Nursing homes have been on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as they care for the persons most at risk. In an effort to improve safety and curb the spread of COVID-19, federal and state authorities are relaxing certain compliance obligations. Despite this regulatory latitude, nursing facilities should remain aware that federal and state agencies continue to closely monitor nursing home compliance ...
On Saturday, April 4, 2020, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued a business review letter to a number of providers of Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) and pharmaceutical products, stating that the DOJ “presently does not intend to challenge” their efforts to expedite and increase manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution of PPE and medications in connection with Project Airbridge ...
On March 27, 2019, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “Act”) was signed by President Trump. The Act provides significant relief for employee benefit plan participants and includes both required and discretionary changes. Plan sponsors should immediately review their benefit plans to ensure that amendments are properly and timely implemented to ensure that their plans continue to operate in accordance with applicable law ...
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director may modify certain patent and trademark-related deadlines where the COVID-19 outbreak has either prejudiced applicants’ rights or interfered with the filing of a document or fee payment. The Acting Register of the Copyright Office is also granted expanded authority under the CARES Act for modifying certain copyright-related deadlines ...
As employers try to comply with the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s (FFCRA) paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave requirements, the Department of Labor has thrown them a curveball by quietly changing the answers to some of its Guidance about the FFCRA as well as adding 19 more FAQs to its prior compendium ...
In an apparent attempt to further reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan, on Friday, April 3, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-36, which provides protection to all employees who stay home when they are at “particular risk” of infecting others with COVID-19 ...
