Publications
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama recently issued a decision criticizing the University of Alabama at Huntsville’s (“UAH”) handling of a 2013 sexual assault. The case is a good warning that schools that become too focused on the due process rights of the accused may fail to adequately protect the […]
On April 5, 2020 Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order No. 7U, providing certain financial protections to hospital patients during the COVID-19 crisis. Hospitals and insurance carriers should familiarize themselves with these new hospital billing and insurance coverage requirements and take steps to ensure compliance. The Executive Order provides the following effective immediately and […]
Partners Tahlia Townsend and David Hall have authored, “Navigating the new CFIUS landscape for foreign investment in the US,” which appears in Issue 87 of WorldECR. A subscription is required to read the full article.
On March 17, 2020, the federal government published a Declaration in the Federal Register providing immunity from liability under state and federal law to certain individuals and entities using medical countermeasures in the fight against COVID-19. However, as we explained in our earlier alert, the scope of the Declaration was ambiguous. Several individual states, especially […]
On Monday April 6th, the Department of Labor again updated the series of Questions and Answers it has released to provide guidance regarding the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (“FFCRA”). The updated guidance includes 20 new questions and […]
Today, the Court issued a press release postponing oral arguments currently set for April (the last scheduled sitting of OT19). Though the Court left open the door to rescheduling some cases from the March and April sessions before the end of the Term, it seems more likely that most of them will either be rescheduled […]
The Justice Department recently filed a brief opposing the participation of transgender athletes in women’s high school sports. In Soule et al. v. Connecticut Association of Schools, Inc., et al., No. 3:20-cv-00201-RNC (D. Conn.), the Department of Justice said that Title IX’s prohibition of “sex” discrimination does not prohibit discrimination based on transgender status. In […]
We want to share with you some important updates that have occurred since our last Client Alert on March 26, 2020. The following additional guidance has been issued at both the state and federal levels: Federal Gift Tax Return Due Date Relief. The Internal Revenue Service has expanded the federal tax return and payment relief […]
Telehealth has emerged as an important tool in the battle against COVID-19. By allowing health care providers to care for patients so that neither provider nor patient must leave their homes, telehealth facilitates the provision of essential health care services without risking further community spread of the virus. The Trump administration has made significant changes […]
In a continuing effort to combat the COVID-19 crisis, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act) into law on March 27, 2020. Building on the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, the CARES Act notably contains several sections affecting Medicare coverage of telehealth services, which have seen a […]
On April 2, 2020, the President again invoked the authority of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA) in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, by issuing a “Memorandum for the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security.” This Memorandum, like the previous Presidential Memorandum regarding General Motors, relates to […]
Wiggin and Dana Partners Tahlia Townsend and David Hall’s previous firm advisory has been featured in TerraLex‘s latest edition of TerraLex Connections. Their article includes an update on a dramatic recent expansion of restrictions on foreign investment in the U.S. To read their article, please click here.
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stimulus Act of 2020 (the “CARES Act”). Title I of the CARES Act establishes, among other things, the Paycheck Protection Program (the “Paycheck Program”) providing for up to $349,000,000,000 in forgivable loans to business concerns which are backed by the United States […]
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has published its own Q&A regarding the tax credits for paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Click here to see the Q&A. Do not hesitate to continue to reach out to your Wiggin and Dana attorney with questions or concerns. Visit Wiggin and Dana’s COVID-19 Resource […]
COVID-19’s impact has extended to intellectual property cases in the courts, US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and patent and trademark offices abroad. In the IP licensing context, it has brought to the fore certain key issues in agreements that may need to be considered in the near term. The purpose of this Alert is […]
Greetings, Court Fans! Things seem a bit . . . different since our last Update, no? As we round out our second week of remote lawyering (which, for some of us, seems to involve a lot more long division than we’re used to), the Court itself is in a state of social-distance flux. On March […]
Partner Carolyn Reers provides an examination of new legislation that came into effect on January, 1 2020 in Connecticut, which significantly modernizes the state’s trust law. Read more in Trust Quarterly Review‘s current issue. [subscription required]
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, H.R. 748) (the “CARES Act”) signed into law on March 27 contains a number of tax provisions that will have a significant impact on certain taxpayers. A summary of the most significant tax provisions included in the CARES Act is set forth below: Individual Individual […]
Last week, the Department of Labor released a series of Questions and Answers to provide guidance regarding employer obligations under two key provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (“FFCRA”), the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act. The guidance has been updated since to address more questions, […]
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt businesses across the U.S., many employers must make the difficult decision to suspend workers, reduce hours, and/or initiate layoffs. If H-1B sponsorship is being utilized by an employer, then visa compliance obligations must be carefully reviewed prior to taking any personnel actions that impact employees working pursuant to H-1B visa status […]
ICE continues to release guidance documents, including broadcast messages, and FAQ updates to assist educational institutions with F-1 visa compliance as campuses close and classroom instruction transitions to online forums. A summary of the latest flexible, modified, or waived requirements is provided below. I-20 Issuance During the COVID-19 emergency, a Designated School Official (“DSO”) may sign […]
H-1B Fiscal Year 2021 Lottery Selection Complete USCIS announced that as of March 27, 2020 selections for the Fiscal Year 2021 H-1B quota-subject visa lottery have been made. Notification will be provided by March 31, 2020 to successful lottery entrants who are eligible to submit a quota-subject H-1B petition starting April 1, 2020. USCIS will also provide […]
A variety of governmental orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused nearly all industry sectors to evaluate how and to what extent compliance with environmental statutory, regulatory and permit requirements will be achieved. For non-essential businesses that have been required to cease operations, the regulated community is faced with whether otherwise applicable environmental requirements […]
On March 18, 2020, the President issued Executive Order (EO) 13909, entitled “Prioritizing and Allocating Health and Medical Resources to Respond to the Spread of COVID-19,” thereby invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950 (“DPA”) in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In a nutshell, EO 13909 delegated to the Secretary of Health and Human […]
During this difficult time of physical distancing and remote working, Connecticut’s Governor has suspended statutory deadlines applicable to judicial proceedings. Many in the legal profession welcome this development as they and their clients cope with changes that affect both their work and personal lives. Yet, while the suspensions are intended to be helpful, the question […]
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Connecticut has established the Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program (the “Program”). This $25 million short-term emergency loan program will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The Program will be administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development (“DECD”) and expedited with the administrative and underwriting support […]
On March 17, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a Declaration in the Federal Register providing immunity from liability under state and federal law to certain individuals and entities using medical countermeasures in the fight against COVID-19. The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (the “PREP Act”) of 2005 […]
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) have provided updated guidance via questions and answers in the attached link here. Do not hesitate to continue to reach out to your Wiggin and Dana attorney with questions or concerns. Visit Wiggin and Dana’s COVID-19 Resource Center here for additional publications and helpful links on multi-disciplinary topics that are relevant […]
On only March 24, 2020, we released an advisory discussing the newly available Subchapter V of Chapter 11 and how it can facilitate in- and out-of-court restructurings for companies under the approximately $2.7 million threshold currently in effect without requiring a change of ownership. Yesterday, March 25, 2020, the Senate passed the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, […]
We understand that during these difficult and uncertain times, many of our clients are thinking of their health and well-being more than ever and, as a result, may re-evaluate their estate planning. We want to reassure you that your Wiggin and Dana attorneys remain available to discuss and address all of your estate planning needs and […]