On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus, a pandemic. In the midst of this evolving health crisis, legal issues are emerging across all industries from banking to manufacturing. Our COVID-19 attorney response team is here to answer all questions related to COVID-19 from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to new OSHA guidelines and more. In addition, our firm is launching a #StandApartTogether campaign to help the restaurants and businesses impacted by this pandemic in our communities and to support organizations that are doing the same.
Voting:
- Absentee Voting in Wisconsin (August 19, 2020)
Return to Work:
- At the End of the Rainbow (April 7, 2021)
- Tips for Tackling Income Tax Issues Triggered by Remote Employees (March 12, 2021)
- Terminating Employee with COVID-19 for Exposing Coworkers (January 4, 2021)
- A Vaccinated Workplace is a Happy Workplace, Right? Not Always. (December 23, 2020)
- Wisconsin Employers Must Pay Employees for Donning and Doffing PPE (November 17, 2020)
- DOL Issues Guidance on Tracking, Compensating Telework (November 13, 2020)
- EEOC Issues Guidance for Teleworking Requests as Reasonable Accommodations (October 28th, 2020)
- Notifying Employees About a Coworker’s COVID-19 Infection (October 13, 2020)
- What Businesses Should Know About OSHA’s Supplemental Reopening Guidance (September 22, 2020)
- Balancing ‘Work From Home’ and Family (September 22, 2020)
- Recording Zoom Calls: Know Your Rights & Responsibilities (September 8, 2020)
- Wisconsin’s Mask Mandate: What Your Business Needs to Know (July 31, 2020)
- What Does the Face Covering Order Mean for Home Builders? (July 31, 2020)
- Milwaukee’s Mask Ordinance (July 23, 2020)
- Coming Out of Hibernation: A Few Things to Consider When Reopening Your Business (July 14, 2020)
- Wrestling with Paid Sick Leave for Both Parents When Schools Close for Pandemic (July 9, 2020)
- Does Workers’ Comp Cover Injuries While Working From Home? (July 8, 2020)
- An Employers Guide to Screening/Testing for COVID-19 (June 26, 2020)
- Design Professionals’ Standard of Care in Light of COVID-19 (June 3, 2020)
- Can an Employer Restrict Employee Travel (May 29, 2020)
- Potential Employer Liability for Employee Claims Related to COVID-19 (May 28, 2020)
- OSHA Updates Enforcement Guidance for Employer Reporting of COVID-19 Cases (May 20, 2020)
- More Preference Claims Expected During COVID Economy (May 19, 2020)
- Reopening Wisconsin Safely – Guidelines for Your Business (May 14, 2020)
- Open for Business in Wisconsin. Now What? (May 14, 2020)
- What Are Your Responsibilities When an Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19 (May 13, 2020)
CARES Act:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Robert Procter, Greg Collins, Mary Parmeter, Laura Peck, Emily Selner, Jonathan Schuster
- What the Most Recent PPP Announcement Means for Your Small Business (December 10, 2020)
- PPP Loan Forgiveness Application & Instructions Released (May 18, 2020)
- New SBA PPP Guidance on Necessity Certification (May 13, 2020)
- Guidance on Payroll Protection Program Affiliation Rules (April 6, 2020)
- Payroll Protection Program Application Now Available (April 1, 2020)
- Provisions Related to Civil Tort Liability (March 30, 2020)
- SBA Loan Programs Under the CARES Act (March 30, 2020)
- CARES Act to Provide Loans to Struggling Small Businesses (March 27, 2020)
Wisconsin:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Robert Procter, Greg Collins, Dave McCormack
- Dane County to Lift All Public Health Orders on June 2, 2021 (May 19, 2021)
- Dane County and Madison Public Health Issues Emergency Order #16, Continues to Ease Restrictions (May 3, 2021)
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down Governor Evers’ Successive Executive Orders & Statewide Mask Mandate (March 31, 2021)
- Covid Immunity Bill (March 17, 2021)
- Governor Evers Introduces 2021-23 Biennial Budget Proposal (February 24, 2021)
- Wisconsin’s Mask Mandate: Uncovering the Latest Details (February 5, 2021)
- Dane County and Madison Public Health Emergency Order #12 Eases Previous Restrictions (January 14, 2021)
- Dane and Madison Public Health Lift Restrictions from Order #10 (December 16, 2020)
- Amended Emergency Order #10 and Your Business (November 24, 2020)
- Circuit Court Reinstates Emergency Order #3’s Limits on Public Gatherings – What it Means to You (October 19, 2020)
- Circuit Court Issues Temporary Injunction Blocking Emergency Order #3’s Limits on Public Gatherings (October 14, 2020)
- Emergency Order #3 Limiting Public Gatherings (October 7, 2020)
- CDC Issues Far-Reaching Temporary Eviction Moratorium (September 15, 2020)
- End of the Federal Eviction Moratorium (July 24, 2020)
- Effect of Supreme Court Ruling on Emergency Order 15 (Temporarily Limiting Foreclosures & Evictions) (May 14, 2020)
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Invalidates Safer at Home Order (May 14, 2020)
- DATCP Issues Emergency Rule Prohibiting Late Fees and Penalties Against Residential Tenants (April 30, 2020)
- Governor Evers Extends Safer at Home Order Until May 26 (April 17, 2020)
- How to Respond to Law Enforcement When My Business is an Essential Business (March 31, 2020)
- CISA Confirms Landscapers as Essential Business (March 30, 2020)
- Governor Evers Issues Order Banning Foreclosures and Evictions For Failure to Pay (March 27, 2020)
- Private Campgrounds May Remain Open Under Safer at Home Order (March 27, 2020)
- Requirements for Essential Businesses & Operations to Remain Open (March 26, 2020)
- Governor Evers Issues FAQs for Safer at Home Order (March 25, 2020)
- What Does it Mean for Your Business? (March 24, 2020)
- What Does it Mean for Home Builders? (March 24, 2020)
Families First Coronavirus Response Act:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Michael Modl, Leslie Sammon, Troy Thompson, Michael Westcott, Dave McCormack
- FFCRA Leave Benefits End but Tax Credits Extended (December 30, 2020)
- Department of Labor Issues New Poster for Required Posting by April 1 (March 26, 2020)
- Tax Credits for Employers Under FFCRA (March 25, 2020)
- FFCRA Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (March 20, 2020)
- FFCRA Emergency Family & Medical Leave Act Expansion Act (March 20, 2020)
OSHA & Manufacturing:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Dave McCormack and Troy Thompson
- OSHA Issues New Guidance for COVID-19 in the Workplace (February 5th, 2021)
- OSHA Guidelines (March 16, 2020)
- WI Manufacturers & COVID-19 (March 20, 2020)
Banking, Lending & Finance:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Laura Peck and David Pelletier
- Chapter 128 is a Valuable, Though Frequently Overlooked, Tool for Creditors & Debtors (July 27, 2020)
- Small Business Administration Announces Loan Program for Struggling Businesses (March 25, 2020)
- What Every Lender Needs to Know About Forbearance Agreements (March 24, 2020)
- The Economy & Commercial Loans (March 21, 2020)
Business:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Robert Procter, Heath Straka, Judd Genda
- Insurance Coverage for Delivery Drivers During Covid-19 (March 26, 2020)
- Federal & State Income Tax Payment & Filing Deadlines Extended to July 15 (March 25, 2020)
Environmental:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Don Gallo, Buck Sweeney
- DNR Announced COVID-19 Environmental Compliance Process (April 6, 2020)
- COVID-19 Impacting Environmental Regulation (April 3, 2020)
Family Law:
COVID-19 Attorney Contacts: Kathryn Grigg, Elizabeth Lanzhammer, Art Kurtz
- Divorce, Custody & COVID-19 (April 9, 2020)
COVID-19 Timeline
June 2, 2021 – Dane County to Lift All Public Health Orders
May 13, 2020 – Wisconsin Supreme Court Invalidates Safer at Home Order
May 11, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Executive Order #36, Allowing Retailers to Open with Restrictions
May 3, 2021 – Dane County and Madison Public Health Issues Emergency Order #16, Continues to Ease Restrictions
April 20, 2020 – Governor Evers Announces Badger Bounce Back Plan with Guidance for Reopening Economy
April 16, 2020 – Governor Evers Extends “Safer at Home” Order Until May 26
March 27, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Order Temporarily Banning Evictions and Foreclosures
March 24, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues “Safer at Home” Order – Closing Non-Essential Business
March 22, 2020 – Wisconsin Governor Evers Suspends Utility Rules and Allows for Additional Consumer Protections
March 21, 2020 – The Wisconsin Department of Revenue Extends Tax Filing Deadline to July 15, 2020
March 20, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Updated Mass Gathering Ban Limiting Gatherings to 10 People
March 20, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Closure of Hair Salons, Barbershops, Spas, Tattoo Parlors, and Tanning Facilities
March 20, 2020 – The U.S. Small Business Administration Approves Governor Evers Request for Disaster Loan Assistance
March 18, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Order to Workforce Development Regarding Unemployment Insurance
March 18, 2020 – Governor Evers Issues Emergency Order Restricting Size of Child Care Settings
March 17, 2020 – Governor Evers Limits Gatherings to 10 or Less People, Bars to Close, and Restaurants Take Out Only
March 16, 2020 – Governor Evers Directs DHS to Limit Gatherings of 50 or More
March 13, 2020 – Governor Evers Directs DHS to Close Public & Private K-12 Schools
March 12, 2020 – Governor Evers Declares Public Health Emergency
March 11, 2020 – World Health Organization Declares COVID-19, commonly called Coronavirus, a Pandemic
January 30, 2020 – World Health Organization Declares COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
Resources
Safer at Home FAQ: https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/Safer%20at%20Home%20FAQ%203.24.20.pdf
Symptoms & Protection: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm
COVID-19 Guidance for Employers & Long Term Care Facilities: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/employers.htm
Executive Orders from Governor Evers: https://evers.wi.gov/Pages/Newsroom/Executive-Orders.aspx
FDIC FAQs for Financial Institutions: https://www.fdic.gov/coronavirus/faq-fi.pdf
FDIC FAQs for Bank Customers: https://www.fdic.gov/coronavirus/faq-customer.pdf
WEDC Essential Business Declaration: https://wedc.org/essentialbusiness/
John Hopkins Coronavirus Map: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html