Blogs

Business and Financial Services

Emergency Paid Leave Laws: DOL Issues Additional FAQs to Answer Employer Questions

By all accounts, the coronavirus public health crisis continues to worsen, affecting the health of many of your workers. On March 30, 2020, the governors of Maryland and Virginia both issued expansive stay-at-home orders. The District of Columbia was already under similar restrictions. Most employees of non-essential businesses on both sides of the Potomac will be forced to stay away from work, as a result of yesterday’s executive orders. Schools and day care facilities for the children of…

April 2, 2020

Divorce and Family Law

COVID-19: Daycare is Closed. Does My Child Support Obligation Change?

Due to the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, many childcare providers are closed. One of the factors considered by a court in determining the appropriate amount of child support is the cost of work-related childcare. If there is no work-related childcare cost, or it has materially changed, a parent can petition the court for the modification of child support to reflect the child’s current actual financial needs. You should consider, however, whether seeking to modify child support based…

April 1, 2020

Divorce and Family Law

COVID-19: I Lost My Job and/or am Furloughed. Can I stop paying child support while I am unemployed?

The short answer is no. Many people are facing job loss, furloughs, and economic uncertainty during this COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. If you lose your job and/or are furloughed, the amount of child support you pay or receive typically does not automatically change, however, this may constitute a material change of circumstances that would allow you to modify child support. To modify a child support order, the party requesting the modification must show there has been a “material change in…

April 1, 2020

Business and Financial Services

Paycheck Protection Loans under the CARES Act: What Do Lenders Need to Know?

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) became law in the United States. Among other things, the CARES Act provides relief to certain businesses in the form of “paycheck protection loans” through what the Act calls the Paycheck Protection Program (the “Program”). These loans are to be…

March 30, 2020

Employment Law

Government Enacts Stimulus Package with Extensive Benefits for Employers and Employees

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is the third major piece of legislation to address the coronavirus crisis. The unprecedented $2 trillion relief bill provides, among other things, stimulus payments to individuals, expanded unemployment insurance, student loan and retirement account rule changes, and massive…

March 30, 2020

Business and Financial Services

DOL Issues Second FAQs: Provides More Guidance to Employers on Paid Leave Laws

On March 26, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a second set of FAQs to address some of the fundamentally important questions that employers have been asking about new paid sick and FMLA leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which goes into effect on April 1, 2020 . The second FAQs elaborate in some areas on the first set of FAQs issued by the DOL and in other areas provide a first look at the agency’s thinking about how the new paid leave laws are intended…

March 30, 2020

Divorce and Family Law

Coronavirus and Custody: What You Need to Know During the Crisis

The recent pandemic has fundamentally changed virtually every aspect of our society. On the health, education, business, and economic levels, COVID-19 is dramatically impacting us in many ways. Family law attorneys and their clients are also confronted with novel and different challenges. Parents have many questions about how COVID-19 impacts existing custody agreements and whether and how to account for these challenges in the future. The following are some of the frequently asked questions…

March 29, 2020

Construction

Updates and Suggestions: Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance is insurance to cover losses when businesses are unable to operate for reasons outside of their control. Typically, in the commercial real estate context, landlords obligate tenants to carry this insurance and landlords normally carry their own policies as well. The tenant’s policy would protect their business revenue and the landlord’s policy…

March 26, 2020

Business and Financial Services

4 Tips for Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus

Small businesses across the United States are currently faced with the very real and extreme effects of the Coronavirus on their continued business operations. This unprecedented illness and the resulting drop in substantial revenue of many companies will place great strain on businesses and forcing quick analysis and decision-making about how they are to deal with payment of their current financial obligations considering such falling revenue. While the answer may differ for each business and…

March 24, 2020

Business and Financial Services

Maryland COVID-19 Small Business and Nonprofit Assistance

Maryland has announced a Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Loan Relief Fund (“Loan Relief Fund”) and Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Grant Relief Fund (“Grant Relief Fund”) to support small businesses and nonprofits during the COVID-19 crisis. The Funds assist businesses or nonprofits that can demonstrate financial stress or disrupted operations. Maryland also created a COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund (“Layoff Aversion Fund”) to assist small businesses and nonprofits to create remote work…

March 24, 2020