Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, the DOL and IRS recognize that it may be difficult for plan sponsors to comply with various pre-established deadlines imposed under ERISA and the Code, and that it may be difficult for participants and beneficiaries to timely exercise their rights.
On April 30, 2020, the Federal Reserve announced that it is expanding the scope and eligibility for its Main Street Lending Program, a lending program designed to ensure credit flows to small and mid-sized businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has again extended the time to file certain patent and trademark-related documents and to pay certain fees.
What are some best practices for conducting employee screening in response to COVID-19?
How does Minnesota’s Second Return to Work Order for Non-Critical Sectors (Executive Order 20-48) issued on April 30, 2020, affect my business?
- On April 20, 2020, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped to a historic low of negative $37 per barrel.
- On April 27, 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filed a motion asking a Montana federal court to partially stay its April 15, 2020, decision vacating Nationwide Permit 12, pending a Corps appeal of that decision.
Please explain the intersection of FFCRA and the FLSA, which sets the federal wage and hour rules for employers. Specifically, does reducing an eligible exempt employee's salary to two-thirds their daily rate of pay, capped at $200, as allowed under FFCRA, put the employee’s exempt status at risk under the FLSA?
Under U.S. law, a brand cannot advertise that its products prevent, treat or cure human disease unless the brand possesses competent and reliable scientific evidence substantiating that the claim is true.
What kind of litigation will arise out of COVID-19, and what can employers do now to prepare?
President Trump recently signed into law a bill providing additional funding for the SBA’s 7(a) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) after the initial PPP funding of $350 billion under the CARES Act was exhausted on April 16.
How does Minnesota’s Return to Work Order for Non-Critical Sectors (Executive Order 20-40) issued on April 23, 2020, affect my business?
Can employers provide tax-free financial assistance to their employees during the COVID-19 outbreak?
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing employers to make changes to the terms and working conditions of their workforce. This Q&A assists employers in navigating changes in business practices during this challenging time.
As social distancing methods and shelter-in-place orders during the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted many across the country to work from home, businesses have begun to wonder about the nexus ramifications of their newly-expanded telecommuting arrangements.
Mexico’s Ministry of Health extended the suspension of all non-essential activities through May 30, 2020.
What are best practices when you are ready to recall furloughed employees?
Can a furloughed employee refuse to come back to work when recalled?
President Trump has tweeted his intention to issue an executive order banning immigration into the U.S. The key words here are “into the U.S.”
How can your company’s actions impact your nonimmigrant employees?
Many taxpayers are asking, “Has the deadline to pay Minnesota property taxes been extended in light of the COVID-19 pandemic?”
We have all heard that “possession is nine-tenths of the law,” but is that true?
My company was either ineligible for, or did not receive, a loan under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Is there other financial relief we may be overlooking under the CARES Act?
- On April 15, 2020, a Montana federal district court issued a decision in litigation arising from the Keystone XL pipeline that vacated Nationwide Permit 12.
How do your PTO policies interact with furloughs, Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and expanded FMLA (EFMLEA) under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)?
How will the post-COVID workplace be affected by current work situations, and what should I do now to prepare?
Copyright law plays an important role in the sharing of creative content. Whether you are an employer, an educator or a creative professional, legal guidance can help you avoid unintentionally violating copyright law.
On April 9, 2020, the IRS issued IRS Notice 2020-23, amplifying the relief for taxpayers affected by COVID-19 previously set forth in IRS Notice 2020-2018 and IRS Notice 2020-20.
While we are still waiting for Treasury to issue additional guidance on loan forgiveness terms under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), here is what we know now.
- Petitioners must submit a printed copy of the electronic final determination form granting temporary labor certification under the H-2A or H-2B programs through the DOL's FLAG system with the corresponding H-2A or H-2B petition.
Two recent cases concern USCIS interpretations of qualifications for H-1B specialty occupations.
- Employers may use the 07/17/2017 edition through April 30, 2020. Starting May 1, 2020, employers can use only the new form with a 10/21/2019 edition date. A revised Spanish edition is available for Puerto Rico only.
- USCIS announced the temporary suspension of premium processing service for FY 2021 cap-subject H-1B petitions due to the pandemic.
- AILA filed a complaint against USCIS to seek necessary measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- USCIS said it will begin to reopen its offices on May 4 "unless the public closures are extended further." Employees "are continuing to perform mission-essential services that do not require face-to-face contact with the public," including limited emergency services.
Under what circumstances do I need to include a COVID-19 case as a recordable event for purposes of OSHA’s record-keeping requirements?
Many Minnesotans know that “maximum load per axle” signs have something to do with road restrictions, but most Minnesotans don’t have an understanding of what the phrase actually means.
Does a loan under the CARES Act loan program limit an employer’s right to oppose a union?
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to disrupt business operations, the Minnesota Department of Revenue on April 10, 2020, offered additional relief to those businesses with upcoming MinnesotaCare tax payment obligations.
The Main Street Lending Program Summary Chart details the key terms of the New Loan Facility and the Expanded Loan Facility, as described on the term sheets provided by the Federal Reserve on April 9, 2020.
Should I consider a short-time compensation or voluntary shared work program as an alternative to layoffs?
On April 9, 2020, in its latest response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minnesota Department of Revenue offered expanded relief for businesses impacted by Emergency Executive Order 20-04. The expanded relief measures extend the payment deadline associated with these returns to May 20, 2020.
- In the 1955 Western film “Man Without a Star,” Kirk Douglas’ character risked his life to preserve the barbed-wire fences he installed across the open prairie of the American West. It seems hard for many of us to believe now, but in the late 19th Century, the fencing of open range was a matter of paramount importance. Even today, North Dakota’s laws reflect the tension between allowing livestock to roam freely and keeping them confined to their owner’s property.
If an employee contracts COVID-19, is he or she entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits?
Minnesota’s Governor issued a stay-at-home Order on March 25, 2020, and then extended this order on April 8, 2020. How do I know if my employees are exempt from travel restrictions as critical sector employees under the stay-at-home Order?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Notice under the CARES Act to waive certain upcoming deadlines to keep applications pending until the COVID-19 disruption passes and applicants can resume normal commercial activities.
Since the passage of the Act, the Treasury Department and the SBA have issued some, albeit limited, guidance for lenders in the PPP application process. This article outlines general requirements for lenders under the CARES ACT with respect to PPP loans and addresses frequently asked questions.
SBA and the Department of the Treasury have published FAQs on the PPP, which they intend to update on a regular basis. Here are some key clarifications for borrowers as of April 7, 2020.
Can I deduct from, or reduce, the salary of an exempt employee without losing exempt status during these uncertain and unprecedented times?
How do the FFCRA Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Family Medical Leave Act provisions work together?
