Client Alerts

On March 18, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) temporarily suspended in-person appointments at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs) due to  coronavirus (COVID-19).

These are turbulent, unprecented times. To curtail the spread of COVID-19, Governor Gretchen Whitmer first signed Executive Order 2020-21 on March 23rd, and extended the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” directive with Executive Order 2020-42 on April 9th.

Despite the fact that many courts are working remotely and under strain to handle priority cases amid the lockdown, as reported by Law360, there continue to be proportionately large numbers of copyright cases being filed. 

Today, Governor Whitmer Issued Executive Order 2020-59 (the “Order”), which includes several changes to the Michigan “Stay Home, Stay Safe” requirements. 

On April 22, 2020, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation suspending certain persons from entering the United States as immigrants. 

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the guidance being issued by federal and states officials has continued to evolve and change. The issue of testing is no exception. 

Whether you’re a new manufacturer to the personal protective or healthcare equipment space or you’re shifting gears to ramp up production for COVID-19 specific products, it’s likely that you’re thinking about what happens if something goes wrong with a product.

COVID-19 has led to rapid changes in the way Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) forums operate.

Factory closures in Mexico due to COVID-19 are hurting U.S. defense firms. The Pentagon is urging Mexico to reopen critical suppliers. 

On Monday, April 13, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) released its Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (the “April 13 Memorandum”), the full text of which can be found here.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has released guidance that answers employers’ questions about whether and when employees can be required to use accrued employer-provided paid time off (“PTO”) concurrently with leave taken under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). 

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will not enforce recordkeeping requirements for COVID-19 in most industries in places where there is ongoing community transmission, according to a memo released April 10th.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act,” also referred to as the “Phase 3.5” relief bill.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act (Pub.L.116-136) has resulted in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announcing the new COVID-19 Telehealth Program which will provide $200 Million in funding to both rural and non-rural health care providers offering telehealth services to patients in response to the pandemic. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to document “confirmed” cases of COVID-19 that are “work-related” and involve one or more of the following

U.S. Importers who are able to demonstrate they suffered a significant hardship caused by COVID-19 can benefit from President Trump’s Executive Order extending the payment deadline on certain duties.  This Order is similar to an earlier announcement proposed by U.S Customs and Border Protection, which was later withdrawn due to opposition from some domestic companies.

Many employers are finding employee scheduling a challenge as they struggle with unpredictable employee attendance during the COVID-19 emergency. Some employees who are able to work are choosing not to for a variety of reasons, from fear of being exposed to the virus, to frustration that some of their co-workers earn as much money on unemployment as they earn working.

The COVID-19 virus has shaken employers and employees to their core. Unemployment is at the highest level since the Great Depression and as reported in the press, thousands of individuals gathered in Lansing to protest the April 9, 2020, executive orders that increased restrictions and extended the stay-at-home mandate to midnight, April 30, 2020.      

On April 16, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened the Portal for attestation and acceptance of the funding as required by the CARES Act and the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program.

On Monday, April 13, 2020, Oakland County announced that businesses and operations remaining open under the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-42 must take additional precautions to protect employees, effective Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at 12:01am.