General – Page 66 – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

March 18, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Declaration Provides Immunity for Certain COVID-19 Pandemic Medical Countermeasure Activities

In an effort to encourage development of drugs, devices and biologics useful for the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of COVID-19 respiratory illness, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has issued a declaration providing statutory immunity under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. This declaration is separate from the Public Health Emergency declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act on January 31, 2020, and is a part of the continued effort by the federal government to expedite development and distribution of medical products that can address the COVID-19 pandemic.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

March 17, 2020 by Duane Morris

Consider a Virtual Shareholder Annual Meeting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

t may be time for your company to reconsider your usual plans for the annual meeting. We don’t know how long the COVID-19 situation may last or how severe it may get, but with some careful advance planning, you may be able to proceed without putting you or your shareholders at risk.

On March 13, the SEC staff issued their “Staff Guidance for Conducting Annual Meetings in Light of COVID-19 Concerns.” The staff noted that some issuers are considering delaying their annual meetings. They encouraged those issuers to promptly notify shareholders of any proposed delays, also noting that issuers must comply with state law and any applicable securities exchange requirements. Clearly, it may make sense to consider delaying your annual meeting, especially if you anticipate (or want) a large turnout.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

March 17, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 Immigration Resources

The Duane Morris Immigration Team is dedicated to providing the most up to date information and zealous advocacy on behalf of our clients during the COVID-19 emergency. We have compiled information from various U.S. agencies on all aspects of travel, USCIS appointments, ICE activities and Removal Proceedings. This post will be updated as changes develop.

To read the full text of this post by Valentine A. Brown, please visit the Duane Morris Immigration Blog.

March 16, 2020March 20, 2020 by Duane Morris

Navigating Supply Chain Issues in Light of the Coronavirus Pandemic

This podcast is the first in a series that will focus on legal issues critical to responding to and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic for healthcare facilities. In the podcast, Delphine O’Rourke, Partner at Duane Morris LLP, and Michelle Johnson Tidjani, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Henry Ford Health System, talk about how hospitals can secure their supply chains in these uncertain times. In addition, O’Rourke and Tidjani discuss contract management issues and give practical pointers on establishing an incident command center to ensure clinical and business issues are addressed.

To listen to the podcast, please visit the AHLA Podcasts website.

March 16, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

Employee Benefits in the Time of COVID-19

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, presents a potentially serious risk to the safety and welfare of employees and the financial health of companies. With employers facing the prospect of government-mandated business closures and employees who need time off to care for children unexpectedly home for multiple weeks due to school closures, COVID-19 presents numerous employee benefit-related questions and challenges. This Alert will provide employers with a roadmap for addressing COVID-19 concerns that affect health insurance plans (including potential HIPAA privacy obligations thereunder), welfare benefit plans and retirement plans.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

March 16, 2020March 17, 2020 by Duane Morris

BOP and State Prison Officials Release COVID-19 Guidance

Federal and state prison officials have started releasing their action plans in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The BOP and some states have suspended legal and/or social visits and inter-facility transfers for 30 days or more, among other changes in policy.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Jovalin Dedaj, please visit the Duane Morris White-Collar Criminal Law Blog.

March 16, 2020March 17, 2020 by Duane Morris

Remote Work and Best Practices: The Coronavirus Workplace Series

(This is the second in a series on the impacts of the coronavirus on employment and the workplace. Read the first part.)

In the old economy (three weeks ago), remote work was a growing but still limited part of the workforce. Only around 5.3% of American employees worked primarily from home in 2018.

Within the past three weeks companies have moved at Mach-2 speed to restructure workplaces, with the emphasis on remote work. The major tech employers (Facebook, Google, Twitter) were the high-profile early adapters in the first days of March, and other employers, in a range of sectors outside of tech, have followed.

It’s too early to say whether the current spike will lead to greater remote work following COVID-19. Many of the new remote workers say they miss the creativity, ideas and collaboration of the congregate workplace, as well as the social connections. At the same time, they may celebrate the absence of a time-consuming and draining commute, or travel-required meetings outside the office. We’ll see over the next few years. Continue reading “Remote Work and Best Practices: The Coronavirus Workplace Series”

March 16, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

States Shutting Casinos Down to Combat COVID-19

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, casinos and racetracks have become the next domino to fall. Ohio, Indiana, Massachusetts, Illinois, Rhode Island, and parts of Pennsylvania have been required to shut down their facilities or keep the total number of individuals present under a designated limit. These announcements came late Friday afternoon after many of the states enforced limiting the number of public gatherings.

To read the full text of this article by Duane Morris attorney Joseph Caputi, please visit the Duane Morris Gaming Law Blog.

March 16, 2020September 4, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 Based Contractual Rows Not Inevitable, Claim Lawyers

Contractors should take steps that are suitably appropriate to manage the spread of Covid-19 first and foremost.

They are being urged to achieve between themselves and their employers an approach to coronavirus-related issues that is fair to both parties and avoids disputes down the line.

Guidance on NEC contractual matters came from UK-based lawyers working for the American legal firm Duane Morris. Continue reading “COVID-19 Based Contractual Rows Not Inevitable, Claim Lawyers”

March 13, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

In Wake of Coronavirus (COVID-19), USTR Implements New Section 301 Exclusions for Certain Medical Products

As concerns surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) escalate, U.S. trade policy is aligning with the country’s medical needs. On March 10, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced new Section 301 exclusions for certain kinds of Chinese-origin medical products. Although the USTR previously levied Section 301 duties as high as 15 percent against these products, the announced exclusions exempt them from Section 301 duties until September 1, 2020. Significantly, the new exclusions are retroactive in nature so that entities can seek refunds of the Section 301 duties that they have paid on the excluded products dating back to September 1, 2019. Assuming the USTR continues prior procedures, it is expected that the importing community will be allowed to submit written comments to support extensions of the exclusions.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.