By: Matthew R. McClean COVID-19 is causing many of us to alter expectations. Many in the construction industry are confronting this reality and need to prepare for the potential legal implications. Construction businesses are looking at three significant, interrelated issues from virus’ impact: labor (having healthy, able workers available in the...
By: Joseph E. Tierney IV Update: The Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) issued emergency guidance on remote notarizations last week. Such emergency guidance referenced certain types of estate planning documents and included citations to state statutes addressing certain types of estate planning documents. The Department has reconsidered...
By: Lawrence J. Glusman and Michael Van Someren To address temporary business interruptions, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders nationwide have authority to defer payments of principal, interest and servicing fees for up to six months. Borrowers with existing loans under the SBA 504 Loan (Certified Development Company) program and...
By: Michael Van Someren and Lawrence J. Glusman The Senate is currently considering a bill that could greatly increase the ability of employers to retain their employees. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or “CARES Act” is currently being considered by the U.S. Senate. While it has not yet passed and includes a number of...
By: Daniel A. Kaminsky and Alexander T. Kay In the coming days, weeks, and months, it is likely that we will see failures to perform under contracts that are related to COVID-19 (e.g., failures to perform arising out of the ongoing temporary closures of businesses and institutions across the State of Wisconsin, the United States of America, and...
By: Mark G. Kmiecik On March 18, 2020, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced that covered healthcare providers (“providers”) may now use Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, and Skype to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency without fear or the risk that...
By: Sherry D. Coley and Tiffany E. Woelfel On March 18, 2020, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (“DFI”) issued emergency guidance to licensed lenders and payday lenders cautioning them from increasing customary interest rates, fees, or any costs of borrowing in response to the COVID-19 crisis. DFI explicitly warned that increases...
By: Abby S. Busler, Gini L. Hendrickson and Laurie E. Meyer Late last night, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), an emergency relief package designed to assist employers and employees in the wake of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This signature is on the heels of the Senate which voted to accept...
By: Robert W. Burns and Abby S. Busler The current COVID-19 health emergency has confronted school districts with a wide variety of serious challenges. The purpose of this article is to compile useful information pertaining to several key recurring topics and serve as a reference tool. Italicized items are excerpts from the source documents...
(1) COVID-19 Student Loan Impact As many Americans throughout the country participate in self-quarantine, mortgage and rent payments, heat and electricity payments and student loans continue to weigh heavily on smaller paychecks. In response to many citizens working a reduced schedule or temporarily losing employment, during this time of...
