-
Planning For Business Owner Incapacity
COVID-19 has stunned the country. At the start of 2020, who imagined the dramatic shift the virus would bring to our world, our work, and our daily lives? People find themselves in changing circumstances. Some are on the front lines, caring for those who are ill. Some are home in an effort to slow the progression of the virus. Some are operating or employed in essential businesses, some are unemployed or taking a break until business improves. No matter what the situation, it is a good time to focus on planning.
Read MoreRead More - Planning For Business Owner Incapacity -
Phyllis Karasov and Dan Ballintine Discuss Difficult Questions Facing Employers Under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act
Larkin Hoffman employment law specialists Phyllis Karasov and Dan Ballintine answer some of the tough questions employers face under the new Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (“FFCRA”) in our latest COVID-19 Briefing series podcast.
Read MoreRead More - Phyllis Karasov and Dan Ballintine Discuss Difficult Questions Facing Employers Under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act -
Todd Freeman and Dan Kadlec Provide Guidance on Managing PPP Proceeds to Maximize Loan Forgiveness
Your business has successfully applied for a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program. You either have received the loan proceeds or are awaiting receipt of the proceeds. This podcast addresses the management of the proceeds to ensure proper use of them and maximize the amount of proceeds that may be forgiven. Given the complex interplay among the various sets of rules for use, forgiveness, reduction in forgiveness and relief from reduction in forgiveness, compiling pertinent information to develop a game plan for these proceeds will not only allow you to maximize use and forgiveness, but also provide guidance on the support that you may provide to your workforce funded by this government program.
Read MoreRead More - Todd Freeman and Dan Kadlec Provide Guidance on Managing PPP Proceeds to Maximize Loan Forgiveness -
COVID-19 Briefing Podcast Series
Introducing a new series of podcasts discussing issues affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Our senior attorneys will address corporate, employment, real estate, construction, franchise, bankruptcy, insurance, litigation, and other matters in this series. The podcasts are 15 minutes long and can be heard at your convenience. Over the next few weeks, there will be several podcasts on developing matters.
Read MoreRead More - COVID-19 Briefing Podcast Series -
What Happens to Minnesota’s Zoning Shot-Clock During a Peacetime Emergency?
Like many states, Minnesota has an automatic approval statute, or “shot clock,” to protect applicants for zoning and land use applications. Minnesota Statutes section 15.99 requires that local land use authorities must act within 60 days of receiving a completed zoning application. If the government fails to act within that time frame, the application is automatically approved. But what happens during a global pandemic when government employees (and everyone else) must shelter in place for two weeks, six weeks, or even longer?
Read MoreRead More - What Happens to Minnesota’s Zoning Shot-Clock During a Peacetime Emergency? -
COVID-19 Unemployment Compensation Updates
The unemployment compensation landscape is constantly evolving during this COVID-19 pandemic. The United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) and Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (“DEED”) are frequently issuing new guidance and updates as they work to implement emergency orders and legislation and to try to respond to the mass layoffs stemming from COVID-19 shutdowns. While DEED’s unemployment website provides useful information, its call center is closed to customer service calls as the office focusses on processing the flood of applications and implementing the new policies. This article seeks to distill the current unemployment compensation landscape to address the most frequently asked questions we receive from employers considering layoffs and employees facing layoff.
Read MoreRead More - COVID-19 Unemployment Compensation Updates -
Privacy and Compliance Considerations for Health Care Providers during the COVID-19 Emergency
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thrown economic and health care systems into disarray across the globe. In the United States, hospital systems and departments of health have scrambled to identify ways to decrease the spread of the infection while preparing the health care system for the onslaught of patients that overwhelmed hospitals in other counties. As part of that effort, significant attention has been devoted to the ongoing role of existing privacy regulations and various adaptations that could support the remote provision of health care services.
Read MoreRead More - Privacy and Compliance Considerations for Health Care Providers during the COVID-19 Emergency -
What the Paycheck Protection Program Offers Nonprofit Organizations and Small Businesses
The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) provides important public funding to small businesses. The following are some of the highlights of the Paycheck Protection Program (the “Program”) which is part of the CARES Act. This Program is an expansion of the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) 7(a) loan program. The available pool for these loans is $349 billion. Loans will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis, so businesses should apply as soon as possible. The information below is based on the Interim Final Rule promulgated by the SBA on April 2, 2020.
Read MoreRead More - What the Paycheck Protection Program Offers Nonprofit Organizations and Small Businesses -
Paycheck Protection Program: Q&As For Small Businesses
On March 25, the U.S. Senate passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) to keep American workers paid and employed. The CARES Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide loan guarantees for up to $349 billion in loan commitments under the SBA’s 7(a) program (the SBA’s primary program for providing financial assistance to small businesses), funding a new forgivable loan program: Paycheck Protection Program. The below information will help small and mid-sized businesses to better understand loan eligibility, benefits, and the application for the SBA loan under the Program. We will continue providing further updates as the SBA issues guidance interpreting the Program.
Read MoreRead More - Paycheck Protection Program: Q&As For Small Businesses -
FAQs on Minnesota's Small Business Emergency Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs
Both state and federal governments have taken swift action to enact quick and innovative programs to aid small businesses struggling with the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. To understand new options available to small businesses and how the various loan programs interact with one another, the FAQs below provides a summary of Minnesota loan program and the SBA disaster loan program.
Read MoreRead More - FAQs on Minnesota's Small Business Emergency Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs -
Lawmakers Pass $330 Million COVID-19 Package
Late yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota Senate unanimously passed a $331.5 million relief package aimed at combating the growing spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on a 67-0 vote. The House of Representatives had passed H.F. 4531 earlier in the afternoon on a 99-4 vote. Both bodies utilized unique voting practices that included members voting remotely, from the gallery or entering the chamber one at a time to vote. Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign the bill later today.
Read MoreRead More - Lawmakers Pass $330 Million COVID-19 Package -
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) Model Notice, New Effective Date and Amnesty
The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has published the model notice which employers must post as required by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The notice must be posted in conspicuous places on the premises of the employer where notices to employees are customarily posted. An employer can satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to employees, or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website. An employer is not required to post the notice in multiple languages, but the DOL will be publishing the notice in the near future in several additional languages. The requirements in the notice apply only to current employees. Employers can order notices free of charge from the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, or download and print the notice here.
Read MoreRead More - Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) Model Notice, New Effective Date and Amnesty -
Governor Walz Directs Minnesotans to Stay at Home (Effective March 27, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.)
On March 25, 2020, Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-20, directing all individuals within the State of Minnesota to stay at home as a result of the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Individuals are instructed to stay at their place of residence and all non-essential businesses are ordered to close or transition all operations to remote work. Exec. Order 20-20 is similar to several “shelter-in-place” orders that have been issued in other states.
Read MoreRead More - Governor Walz Directs Minnesotans to Stay at Home (Effective March 27, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.) -
An Update on the Minnesota Governor’s Stay at Home Executive Order
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has issued an Executive Order which directs Minnesotans to stay home. The “Stay at Home” order takes effect beginning this Friday, March 27th at 11:59 p.m. and ends on Friday, April 10th at 5:00 p.m. The order limits activity for all those not engaged in “Critical Sector” work.
Read MoreRead More - An Update on the Minnesota Governor’s Stay at Home Executive Order -
Urgent Message from Gov Walz to Minnesota Companies: PPE Inventory Deadline 7 p.m. Today
All Minnesota businesses, nonprofits, or non-hospital health care facilities who possess personal protective equipment (“PPE”), ventilators, respirators, or anesthesia machines (including any consumable accessories to these devices) that are not required for the provision of critical health care services or essential services must undertake an inventory of such supplies no later than 7:00 p.m. CT on March 25, 2020.
Read MoreRead More - Urgent Message from Gov Walz to Minnesota Companies: PPE Inventory Deadline 7 p.m. Today -
We May Soon Find Out What “Force Majeure” Means
I had been pondering a new post to my law firm’s blog, focused on a traditional real estate topic. Now, of course, we are way beyond “traditional” as governments, companies and the public at large struggle to respond in a coherent way to a relentless viral invasion.
Read MoreRead More - We May Soon Find Out What “Force Majeure” Means -
Small Business Emergency Loan Program
On March 23, 2020, Emergency Executive Order 20-15 was released by Governor Walz establishing a “Small Business Emergency Loan Program”. The executive order will go into effect immediately upon approval of the Executive Council.
Read MoreRead More - Small Business Emergency Loan Program -
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans Now Available in Minnesota
The SBA has added the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as a disaster for which small business loan assistance may be available to small businesses. The loans are limited to territories of the United States for which a disaster has been declared on the recommendation of the Governor. Currently, the states which have areas covered by the disaster relief fund include California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.
Read MoreRead More - U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans Now Available in Minnesota -
Non-Essential/Elective Surgeries and Medical Procedures in Minnesota Indefinitely Postponed
On March 19, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed Executive Order 20-09 ordering the indefinite postponement of all non-essential or elective surgeries and procedures that utilize personal protective equipment (PPE) or ventilators. This includes all non-emergent or elective dental care.
Read MoreRead More - Non-Essential/Elective Surgeries and Medical Procedures in Minnesota Indefinitely Postponed -
How Will COVID-19 Affect Real Estate Values?
Those of us in the real estate practice—and particularly in areas concerning real estate valuation such as eminent domain and property tax appeals—are obviously quite concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our clients’ property values as we all proceed through these very uncertain times.
Read MoreRead More - How Will COVID-19 Affect Real Estate Values?
Showing all news