Contracts and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Force Majeure and Other Considerations

Written By: Steve Lawrence & Miranda Preston In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state and local governments and health authorities have issued declarations of emergency, proclamations and orders intended to slow the spread of the virus. Many of these actions have resulted in businesses cancelling or postponing events and closing or limiting business operations…

CMS Offers Financial Relief to Healthcare Providers to Help with COVID-19 Cash Flow Challenges

In response to COVID-19, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency on January 31, 2020 (the “Public Health Emergency”).  On March 28, 2020, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it was expanding its Accelerated and Advance Payment Program (the “Program”) to a…

Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness

The recently enacted CARES Act includes forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses (PPP Loan).  While the CARES Act includes parameters for loan forgiveness, we expect more details when the Small Business Administration (SBA) issues regulations implementing the program.  The CARES Act – Paycheck Protection Program Loan article outlined the method for determining the…

CARES Act – Paycheck Protection Program Loan

On Friday, March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act includes a forgivable small business loan program: the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  Under the PPP loan program, forgivable loans of up to $10 million will be available…

The Department of Treasury, IRS and Department of Labor Announce Plan to Implement Coronavirus-Related Paid Leave for Workers and Tax Credits for Small and Midsize Businesses to Swiftly Recover the Cost of Providing Coronavirus-Related Leave

On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that employers with fewer than 500 employees can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related paid leave to their…