Blogs

On March 19, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order requiring all non-life-sustaining business in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations as of 8 PM to slow the spread of COVID-19 (ORder of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Regarding the Closure of All Businesses

To address COVID-19’s rapid spread in Washington, DC and across the region and the nation, Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued a stay-at-home order for the District of Columbia. The Order, which goes into effect on April 1, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., parallels orders that Maryland and Virginia issued yesterday.

Historically, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has relied upon advisory committees comprising members from the scientific community to advise the EPA on the development and implementation of regulations.

As part of its effort to address the shortage of medical equipment needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic, FDA has issued a new Enforcement Policy announcing flexibility in some of the regulatory requirements for ventilators, accessories, and other respiratory devices.

On March 16, 2020, United States Attorney General William Barr issued a memo directing all U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of COVID-19-related fraud, amid reports of scams, malware, and other fraudulent efforts designed to capitalize on the pandemic. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic, dealers are handling complicated health and business issues. We talked with Aaron Jacoby about the impact of FMLA amendments and how they are designed to provide relief for employees and employers. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread reports of price gouging on hand sanitizer, protective masks, gloves, and other essential supplies.

Stay at home orders. Social distancing measures. We talked with Mark Bloom and Andrew Ross about the impact state and local orders are having on the construction industry. The top question on everyone’s mind: can projects move forward right now?

Over the past weekend, the FDA issued yet another Final Guidance to relax the rules governing medical devices.

Governor Ralph Northam, like his Maryland counterpart, today issued an Order that requires people in Virginia to remain at home. 

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact employers’ business operations, employers with unionized workforces are faced with making business decisions while fulfilling their obligation to bargain with their employees’ collective bargaining representatives.   

Today, Governor Larry Hogan has taken his most aggressive measure yet to protect public safety and prevent COVID-19’s spread. Effective at 8:00 p.m., today, he has ordered everyone who resides in Maryland to remain at home.

As part of its ongoing effort to address the critical shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic, FDA has issued an Enforcement Policy to help expand the availability of surgical apparel for healthcare professionals, including gowns and gloves.

In some of our previous Legal Alerts concerning insurance coverage for coronavirus related issues, we have highlighted some of the types of coverage that could apply to a COVID-19 related loss, such as business interruption, contingent business interruption, civil authority, and event cancellation.

On March 24th, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued its first round of guidance regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, estimated to cost more than $2 trillion dollars, contains multiple tax-related provisions intended to offer relief to both businesses and individuals. Here we outline key provisions of which businesses and individuals should be aware.

If history is any guide, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will provide many opportunities for fraudsters to separate the desperate and vulnerable from their money and personal information.

In recognition of the impact the COVID-19 outbreak is having on every facet of life, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a temporary enforcement discretion policy to excuse certain civil violations occurring during and due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Cuomo directed the Empire State Development Corporation (ESD) on March 27, 2020 to update New York State’s Guidance for various businesses, including construction, under the Governor’s New York State on “PAUSE” Executive Orders (EO 202.6 and thereafter).

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a Senate bill passed just days earlier in response to the public health crisis that has emerged from the spread of COVID-19.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

Under the CARES Act, a $500 billion pool of money was created to make loans, loan guarantees, and other investments for distressed businesses that do not qualify for the small business relief, including airlines, large nonprofit companies, states, and municipalities.

Teva Pharmaceuticals filed suit against the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alleging that its glatiramer (Copaxone) falls under the revised definition of a “biological product” and should be transitioned to the system established by the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCIA).

After initially accepting requests from importers in light of the novel coronavirus (COVID–19) pandemic to defer payment of duties—a means of relief that the Trump Administration had reportedly been considering—US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued guidance withdrawing this option.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act appropriates $150 billion toward COVID-19 relief for fiscal year 2020. The vast majority of this amount will go to the states, although $3 billion is reserved for distribution to the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and $8 billion will go to Tribal governments.