COVID-19 closures, stay-at-home orders, and governmental restrictions are wreaking havoc on otherwise happy business relationships. Meeting monthly payment obligations is one major concern facing all parties as the calendar turns to April without an end to the pandemic crisis.
Another week has passed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we have seen the DMV governors close all non-essential businesses, schools closing for another month or even the rest of the school year, the legislatures are working to provide relief to employers and employees. The number of positive cases rise even as we wait with baited breath to see whether all the collective effort is “flattening the curve”.
Does this sound like you these days? Fresh out of bed, your day begins with a rush of COVID-19 news. Your email box pings with alerts. Memes crowd your social media feeds. And your smartphone vibrates with texts from worrying friends and family. On top of that, you have more time to think about it all a little too obsessively because you’re working at home instead of going to the office and you’re taking social distancing seriously. You ponder the uncertainties and wonder if there’s anything at all you can do about it.
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The important part for employers is it enacts temporary measures requiring employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide paid sick leave and family leave for those directly affected by COVID-19.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) is sure to quickly take its toll on commercial leasing for both Landlords and for Tenants.
Due to our current global pandemic, employers are faced with very difficult decisions as the government further restricts movement and closes businesses in an effort to contain the community spread of Covid-19. One of these questions is – should I shut my doors and temporarily lay off my employees?
From day to day, hour to hour, as our government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, our laws change. Some are relaxed, others are altered, and new ones are added.
In the last two years, businesses and professionals in Maryland and Washington, D.C., have had to quickly pivot to avoid the negative economic impacts of completely unexpected events outside of their control. First, there were tariffs and trade restrictions, followed quickly by the Coronavirus global pandemic.
By now you have been hearing a lot about the Coronavirus (Covid- 19), which has spread to the United States from other parts of the world. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that this is not yet a pandemic, it is important that you plan now on how to protect yourself, your employees, and your business from the impact of this virus. You should not panic, but you should be prepared for a potential emergency of unknown scope and length.
On December 15 2020, the D.C Council joined a growing number of other jurisdictions that have enacted legislation limiting the use of non-compete agreements. The new law, known as the “Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Amendment Act of 2020 (the “Act”), effectively prohibits employers from entering into, or enforcing, non-compete agreements. The Act will still require Congressional approval before it officially goes into effect.