Alerts

On Friday, March 20, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the “New York State on PAUSE” Executive Order (“PAUSE,” Executive Order No. 202.8: Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency).

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.

The soon to be passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act includes these key details surrounding the Health Care Industry, Not-for-Profits, and debt restructurings. 

Earlier this week, the IRS released updates on the status of its operations as the COVID-19 outbreak continues and also on the IRS’s new People First Initiative. In addition, Illinois extended its tax filing and payment deadline (but not the deadline to make estimated tax payments) to match the IRS July 15 deadline.

Like some other states, California has its own state version of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors that provides further guidance regarding survey priorities for health care facilities, providers, and clinical laboratories due to COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

The SEC extended its previously granted public company regulatory relief and issued staff guidance yesterday regarding disclosure obligations in light of the continued complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 24 and 25, the U.S. Department of Labor released guidance on the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which we wrote about here when it passed last week.

Recent state and local executive orders limit or suspend many operations of California dealers and repair facilities. This alert summarizes the effects and penalties of recent orders, which are changing daily. 

Since last week when we wrote about the “shelter in place” and “stay at home” orders issued in California, New York, and Illinois, many more states have issued similar orders. The general discussion from our prior alert still applies, but below is an up-to-date list of the states that have adopted the stay-at-home approach to fighting the spread of COVID-19.

As we reported earlier this week, in an effort to increase the domestic supply of hand sanitizer, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced policies that temporarily relax certain requirements for the production of alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

FDA has issued a new Enforcement Policy that allows manufacturers of certain FDA-cleared non-invasive devices to expand their use for healthcare professionals to monitor patients remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to “shelter-in-place” or “stay at home” orders that are in place in many jurisdictions throughout the country, government offices are generally closed to the public and public gatherings are limited.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to increase across the country, uncertainty in the construction industry about projects, including potential project risks, proliferates.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, California has taken the extraordinary action of limiting the regulatory enforcement of most licensed health facility requirements.

FDA has just published a new Guidance that will allow for the suspension of reporting of certain adverse event reports while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

On March 19, 2020, Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, issued Executive Order N-3-20, which put in place mandatory stay-at-home restrictions as part of an effort to help contain the novel coronavirus, for an indefinite period of time.

Current thinking from public health experts is that COVID-19 will affect the American economy for several months.

As more and more states order businesses to close their physical locations because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, employers are being encouraged by the federal and state governments to work remotely and not have their employees report to worksites unless they fit into the definition of essential

On Monday, March 23, Governor Inslee signed the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Executive Order, effective midnight, March 25. 

The typical path for the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice when it determines that a contemplated merger is anticompetitive is to sue in federal court to block the merger.

Arent Fox continues to monitor the latest scientific reports on COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus for issues that may be of general concern to our clients.  

On March 18, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law Senate 8091 providing for paid sick leave, family leave, and certain disability leave for employees affected by mandatory or precautionary orders to quarantine or isolate due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Yesterday, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order aimed at significantly slowing the community transmission of COVID-19. 

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued an Executive Order on Monday that closed all “non-essential businesses” across the State starting at 5 p.m. on March 23, 2020.