Here's what you should know.
4.7.2020
The CARES Act Provides Small Businesses Additional Bankruptcy Relief
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act of 2020 (“CARES Act”) was enacted on March 27, providing a suite of protections and relief for everyday Americans and the economy at large. While most coverage has focused on other provisions that…
4.3.2020
Commercial Real Estate in the Age of Coronavirus
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought a whirlwind of changes to how business is done in Oregon and across the country, and commercial real estate is no different. Enough time has passed, however, that a pattern of prominent issues has begun…
4.2.2020
DOL Announces Temporary Rules for FFCRA
On April 1, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) released a 125-page temporary rule to implement emergency leave laws under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The temporary rule, which largely reflects the DOL’s previously released…
3.31.2020
FAQ for SBA Loans for Businesses under the CARES Act
On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act, a $2 trillion stimulus package aimed at aiding individuals and businesses in the U.S. that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, was signed into law. The CARES Act includes a $349 billion allocation of funding…
3.31.2020
How to Manage Layoffs During COVID-19
Terminating swaths of employees is difficult for a number of reasons. For many, the hardest part is telling loyal, hardworking employees that the company simply cannot afford to keep paying them, knowing that these employees are suddenly facing large…
3.30.2020
DOL Releases Third Round of FFCRA Guidance, Covering Details on Exemptions, Leave Lengths, and More
On March 28, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its third round of Guidance ahead of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s (FFCRA) April 1, 2020 effective date. The new Guidance provides additional information regarding exemptions…
3.27.2020
Second Round of DOL Guidance Clarifies Intermittent Leave, Furloughs, and Other Crucial Questions about FFCRA
Late last night, March 26, 2020, the Department of Labor issued its second guidance on administering the emergency paid sick leave (“EPSL”) and emergency family medical leave (“EFML”) of the Families First Coronovirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). This new…
3.26.2020
Four Points to Keep in Mind About the New July 15 Tax Deadline
Last Friday, the Treasury Department and IRS revised their guidance from earlier in the week and issued a notice granting taxpayers an extension until July 15 to file income tax returns and make income tax payments that would normally be due on April…
3.25.2020
The Impact of COVID-19 on Business Immigration
COVID-19 is rapidly affecting business immigration in multiple ways. Below is an outline of key impacts to date. Additional current information and details can be provided by attorneys in the Immigration and Labor and Employment practice groups.
3.25.2020
Poster, New Effective Date, and Other FFCRA Guidance Released from the Department of Labor
On March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (“WHD”) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers regarding the protections and relief offered by the Families First…
3.25.2020
IRS Guidance for Employers on Refundable Credits for Covering Qualified Employee Leave
On March 18, 2020, Congress enacted the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the "Act") providing for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for coronavirus-related reasons and creating refundable credits for eligible employers…
3.25.2020
Department of Labor Releases Poster Summarizing Employee Rights under Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On March 25, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) released a poster summarizing rights afforded to qualified employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Covered employers are required to provide notice to employees of their…
3.24.2020
Is COVID-19 Force Majeure in a Commercial Contract?
We have spent the better part of the past week poring over force majeure clauses in commercial contracts. “Force Majeure,” literally translated, means “superior force.” In contracts, force majeure clauses are meant to excuse, or allow a delay in, the…
3.23.2020
Employers to Receive Special Tax Treatment for Qualified Disaster Relief Payments
The coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic was recently declared a disaster under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act. This triggers special tax treatment for qualified disaster relief payments (“QDR payments”). To the extent not covered by…
3.19.2020
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: What Employers Need to Know
On March 14, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the first version of HR 6201 (the “Families First Act”), an emergency relief bill with paid FMLA and paid sick leave benefits for employees experiencing employment loss due to the COVID-19…
3.19.2020
Oregon Employers: Remember Your Employee Leave Obligations as COVID-19 Spreads - Update
On March 18, 2020, BOLI adopted an emergency rule expanding the reasons for which an employee can take OFLA protected leave. BOLI expanded the definition of sick child leave to include “absence to care for an employee’s child whose school or place of…
3.18.2020
Treasury Relaxes Tax Payment Deadline
In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the U.S. Treasury has issued a notice providing individual and corporate taxpayers with a three-month extension to pay income taxes that are otherwise due on April 15 without penalties or interest. The extension…
3.18.2020
Oregon Employers: Remember Your Employee Leave Obligations as COVID-19 Spreads
As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Oregon continues to rise, employers must remain particularly mindful of their various statutory obligations to provide protected leave and benefits.
3.16.2020
Potential Expansion of FMLA Protection in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
We are endeavoring to keep you up-to-date on developments from COVID-19 impacting the workplace. In response to the pandemic, the U.S. House has passed a bill that would provide for paid leave and would expand protection under the Family and Medical…
3.12.2020
Will Business Interruption Insurance Cover Coronavirus-Related Disruptions?
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak was already delivering significant economic impacts across industries; now the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the outbreak a global pandemic. This will likely result in further—perhaps even…