Blogs

Business and Financial Services

President’s Memorandum to the Secretary of Treasury Defers Payroll Tax Obligations for Four Months

On August 8, President Donald J. Trump, signed the memorandum (the President’s Memorandum) directing the Secretary of Treasury to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of the 6.2 percent payroll tax during the period of September 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 for wages less than $4,000 during any bi-weekly pay period (i.e., $104,000 annually)…

August 11, 2020

Business and Financial Services

Beyond PPP – Financing Options for the Restaurant Industry

The Small Business Administration administered Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), designed to incentivize small businesses to keep their workers on payroll, will stop receiving new applications on August 8, 2020. Franchisees and independent restaurant operators would be well advised to now consider financing alternatives in light of the impending PPP application deadline. Most readily available options…

July 27, 2020

Business and Financial Services

New Employee Protections for Non-Payment of Wages Go Into Effect in Virginia

In April 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed into law nearly two dozen bills that provide significant new rights for Virginia employees, including new legal protections to combat wage theft. The law became effective on July 1, 2020. We have published additional updates on other new Virginia employment laws that prohibit non-compete covenants for low-wage workers, expand the scope of the ban on workplace discrimination, and provide enhanced employee whistleblower protections against…

July 21, 2020

Business and Financial Services

New Enhanced Whistleblower Protections for Virginia Employees Now in Effect

In April 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed into law nearly two dozen bills that provide significant new rights for Virginia employees, including enhanced employee whistleblower protections against retaliation for reporting suspected violations of state law or cooperating with law enforcement, as discussed below. We have also published updates on other new Virginia employment laws that combat wage theft, prohibit non-compete covenants for low-wage workers and expand the scope of the…

July 21, 2020

Business and Financial Services

New Protections against Workplace Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pregnancy Now in Effect in Virginia

In April 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed into law nearly two dozen bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly that provide significant new rights for Virginia employees, including legislation that expanded the scope of the ban on workplace discrimination, as discussed below, which became effective on July 1, 2020. We have published additional updates on other new Virginia employment laws that combat wage theft, prohibit non-compete covenants for low-wage workers, and provide…

July 21, 2020

Business and Financial Services

Virginia Law Now Prohibits Non-Compete Restrictions for Low-Wage Employees

Virginia has always viewed restrictive covenants, including non-compete agreements, skeptically as unfair restraints on trade. However, employers have widely relied on well-drafted restrictions on competition as a means of protecting against employee misuse of client relationships and opportunities to start a competing business, for example. Now, however, with Governor Ralph Northam’s signature on House Bill 330 and Senate Bill 480 , Virginia employers will not be able to enter, enforce, or…

July 21, 2020

Business and Financial Services

COVID Impact on GovCon Deals in 2020

This year has been fraught with global health concerns for everyone and financial burdens on businesses and individuals. But, has the government contracting space been impacted as well or is it business as usual? According to data reported on mergr.com, the number of closed mergers and acquisitions deals in the government contracting industry in the…

July 20, 2020

Business and Financial Services

Virginia Joins Lawsuit to Block Implementation of New Title IX Final Rule

Eighteen states, including Virginia, and the District of Columbia, filed suit on June 4, 2020, in federal district court in the District of Columbia, seeking to block the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) from implementing its recently published final rule (New Title IX Rule or Rule) effectuating sweeping changes to Title IX, the federal law which forbids discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded K-12 and postsecondary education. The State of New York has filed a separate law…

June 15, 2020

Business and Financial Services

4 Tips for Pursuing Principal Forgiveness of a PPP Loan

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) has been a highly popular relief program for small businesses passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP allows small businesses to obtain government-backed loans from private lenders which, if spent properly on payroll, rent, utilities and/or mortgage interest, can be all or partially forgiven. Over the last month,…

May 4, 2020

Business and Financial Services

COVID-19 Economic Relief Investigations: They Will Expose Some Businesses to Civil Liability

The initial rounds of COVID-19 economic relief have largely been depleted. More rounds of relief are expected soon. Further out, there will be investigations and follow-on civil (and criminal) proceedings surrounding this largest-ever economic stimulus package in U.S. history, with almost $350 billion going to small businesses. Federal and state authorities, and even some companies,…

April 22, 2020