The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the implementation of safe distancing measures as well as the current “circuit breakers” by the Singapore government. Many companies incorporated in Singapore are statutorily required to hold their annual general meetings (AGMs) while such control measures are in place, which may prevent AGMs from taking place by the stipulated period.
To read the full text of this post, please visit the Duane Morris and Selvam COVID-19 Resource Blog.
Hospitals without walls, the USNS Comfort and FaceTime calls between patients and doctors are just some of the new and much-needed initiatives to fight the COVID-19 pandemic that are now possible because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is relaxing laws and regulations.
On March 30, 2020, CMS, in coordination with the Trump administration, announced the implementation of a sweeping array of new rules and waivers of federal requirements for hospitals and health systems to effectively manage potential surges of COVID-19 patients.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Since March 13, 2020, when President Trump declared a national state of emergency due to the COVID-19 crisis, we have been in a healthcare crisis. The United States’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been plagued by increasing shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies, beds and physicians necessary to care for COVID-19 patients. In addition, drastic patient surges, limited numbers of life-saving ventilators and healthcare providers who have been working tirelessly for weeks in a constant state of emergency all contribute to an extremely strained health system. Not only do more and more patients need care each day, healthcare providers must work quickly to diagnose, triage and treat patients, as well as make difficult decisions on how ventilators are assigned and reassigned. And we have yet to hit the anticipated spikes in COVID-19 cases.
Accordingly, states have either implemented or developed Crisis Standards of Care (CSC). A CSC is triggered when healthcare systems are so overwhelmed by a pervasive or catastrophic public health event, such as COVID-19, that it is impossible for them to provide the normal, or standard, level of care to patients. Instead of meeting the standard of care to avoid liability, providers must now meet the crisis standards of care as set-forth on a statewide basis or adapted by individual facilities.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
On March 30, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued guidance to air carriers for $32 billion in emergency relief grant aid for payroll outlined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law by the president on March 27, 2020. An additional $46 billion is authorized for loans from the Treasury under Section 4003(b) of the CARES Act. These grants and loans are dedicated to the airline industry.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
In addition to drastic changes to everyday life, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting antitrust enforcement. Companies must be prepared to address these impacts, including steering mergers and acquisitions through regulatory approvals, seizing opportunities to collaborate to solve public health issues raised by COVID-19, and avoiding use of pricing algorithms or other pricing mechanisms that could lead to allegations of price gouging. Indeed, U.S. lawmakers recently urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to act quickly to protect the public from price gouging, particularly for essential COVID-19 health products such as facemasks, disinfectants and hand sanitizers. Thirty-three state attorneys general also recently issued a letter urging the nation’s major retailers to rigorously monitor price gouging practices on their platforms during this time.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
By Tyson Hafen
From March 13, 2020 through March 30, 2020, Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court (Clark County) and the U.S. District Court of Nevada have issued 16 emergency administrative orders in response to, and in order to combat the spread of, COVID-19. The stated purpose of the orders is to continue legal proceedings to the degree possible while balancing the health and safety of attorneys, litigants, court staff, and the public.
These emergency orders follow Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s March 12, 2020 declaration of a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Nevada Courts Issue Emergency Orders to Combat the Spread of COVID-19”
Governor Murphy announced on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, a pending Executive Order that will impact business operations across the State of New Jersey, including construction, retail, manufacturing and warehouses.
To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris partner Brad Molotsky, please visit the Duane Morris Project Development/Infrastructure/P3 Blog
On April 6, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Department of Treasury, provided brief answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
To read the full text of this Alert, which highlights the further clarifications provided by the FAQs for borrowers working their way through the PPP, please visit the firm website.
During the coronavirus pandemic, employers are considering options that will enable them to match the size and structure of their workforce to their current business needs, while also retaining the flexibility to rapidly return the workforce to precrisis levels. One such option is placing employees on unpaid leave; namely, a furlough.
To read the full text of this article by Duane Morris partner Jonathan Wetchler (originally published in Law360), please visit the firm website.
Although the onus remains on company officers to comply with their filing duties notwithstanding the disruption caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Companies House have made a number of procedural changes to help keep their services running as smoothly as possible.
To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris partner Thomas Rainey, please visit the Duane Morris London Blog.
