Coronavirus (COVID-19)

April 15, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Small Business Administration Updates Interim Regulatory Guidelines to Help Certain Gaming Companies

On April 14, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued revised interim regulatory guidelines for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The revisions provide, in relevant part, that certain companies which derive revenues from legal gaming activities are eligible for PPP loans and are not automatically ineligible as previously thought pursuant to the interim regulatory guidelines released on April 2, 2020, and discussed in our previous Alert.

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

April 15, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

New Jersey and New York Governors Mandate Masks and Other Measures to Protect Workers and Citizens

Governors Cuomo and Murphy announced additional measures intended to protect workers and citizens in New York and New Jersey.

On April 12, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.16, which will require employees of essential businesses who are present in the workplace to wear face coverings when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. This order goes into effect April 15, 2020, at 8:00 p.m.

On April 8, 2020, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order 122, which created new restrictions and requirements applicable to certain employers across the state, specifically those involved in warehousing, manufacturing, essential retail businesses and construction. In addition to closing all nonessential construction, the order mandates various new requirements employers must implement such as policies for employees to wear cloth face coverings and gloves. Executive Order 122 went into effect on April 10 at 8:00 p.m.

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

April 15, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Update to Various State Construction Closure Orders Related to COVID-19

This list is current as of April 14, 2020 (4:00 p.m. EST) and is and Update to an earlier Alert we posted on April 3rd. Please note that these closure orders are changing almost daily so please make sure you are checking the applicable state in question when considering a closure question.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris partner Brad Molotsky, please visit the Duane Morris Project Development/Infrastructure/P3 Blog.

April 15, 2020April 15, 2020 by Duane Morris

Equity Fundraising Options for Listed Companies in Asia Impacted by COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to overwhelm economies, a number of listed companies globally have already recapitalized through equity fundraising in the capital markets. New equity has helped these companies shore up their balance sheets and obtain liquidity. This Alert discusses equity fundraising options for listed companies in Asia and complements our prior Alert that discussed options for Asian companies to manage their outstanding bond liabilities.

To read the full text, please visit the Duane Morris and Selvam COVID-19 Resource Blog.

April 15, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 Impact on Commercial Contracts and Employment in Myanmar

The coronavirus outbreak is having a significant impact on the global economy and markets. As the coronavirus sweeps around the world, emerging and frontier countries like Myanmar face more challenges.

To read the full text of this post, please visit the Duane Morris & Selvam COVID-19 Resource Blog.

April 14, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Efforts by Lawmakers Continuing to Compel Coronavirus Business Interruption Insurance

The potential cost of business continuity losses is enormous. The Congressional Research Service issued a report to Congress on the financial impact to insurers for the cost of covering business interruption claims. The report explains that some industry sources estimate that the cost of covering business interruption claims ranges from $110 billion to $290 billion per month. In a more recent letter, insurance industry leaders explained, “recent estimates show that business continuity losses just for small businesses of 100 or fewer employees could amount to between $220 billion to $383 billion per month. Meanwhile, the total surplus for all of the U.S. home, auto, and business insurers combined to pay all future losses is only $800 billion.”

To read the full text of this post by Dominica Anderson, Philip Matthews and Daniel Heidtke, please visit the Duane Morris Insurance Law Blog.

April 14, 2020 by Duane Morris

Navigating California’s Local Paid Sick Leave Ordinances in Light of COVID-19

Several cities in California have swiftly enacted emergency ordinances requiring private employers to provide public health emergency leave consistent with the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The ordinances follow state and local proclamations of a public emergency and the increasingly robust shelter-in-place orders affecting businesses and individuals in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. We analyzed the San Francisco Public Health Emergency Leave ordinance and the FFCRA in recent Alerts. This Alert identifies developments in other California cities like San Jose, Los Angeles and Emeryville, as well as permissible uses of paid sick leave under the existing laws in Oakland, San Diego and Santa Monica for work absences that are related to COVID-19.

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

April 14, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Update: Small Business Administration Expands Its FAQs on Paycheck Protection Program

Note: This is an update to our previous Alert on this subject.

The SBA continues to clarify aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program. Effective on April 13, the SBA updated the original FAQs from April 3 to add question numbers 19 to 25.

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

April 14, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

Guidance on Disability Rights and Distance Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic from OCR

On April 3, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights continued its guidance on how institutions can implement distance learning while complying with federal civil rights laws. This guidance is timely because distance learning due to COVID-19 is redefining how most educational institutions operate. When all levels of academic institutions had to close their doors due to stay-at-home orders, many of them opened the proverbial window by turning to online education. Despite its increasing popularity over the past decade or so, distance learning remains an emerging landscape for many institutions as they navigate purchasing/installing new technology, implementing new methods of teaching, and ensuring connectivity with students. OCR’s guidance provides a roadmap to this new territory.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Bryce Young, please visit the Duane Morris UpdatED Blog.

April 14, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

The FRA Provides Guidance on Best Practices and Reporting Cases of COVID-19 Among Railroad Employees

By Sharon L. Caffrey, Jeffrey S. Pollack and Matthew Decker

The Federal Railroad Administration (the “FRA”) has recently issued regulatory guidance regarding safety precautions related to COVID-19 and whether employee illnesses must be reported under 49 C.F.R. Part 225. Continue reading “The FRA Provides Guidance on Best Practices and Reporting Cases of COVID-19 Among Railroad Employees”