Here's what you should know.

On August 3, 2020, a federal court in New York struck four key Department of Labor (DOL) employer-friendly rules implementing the Families Firsts Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Pursuant to the court’s ruling, more employees will be able to take…

On Friday, August 28, Treasury released Notice 2020-65, which provides guidance to employers that wish to implement President Trump’s Executive Order allowing a temporary deferral of employee-side Social Security taxes.

On August 8, 2020, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to allow employers a temporary deferral on withholding, collecting, and remitting certain employment taxes. This is not a tax forgiveness, at least at…

On August 17, 2020, Oregon OSHA released its draft temporary rules aimed at addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Oregon OSHA will accept public comment on the proposed rules through Monday, September 7, and will implement the temporary rules – which…

Companies across the state, and around the country, have suffered significant loss of income due to interruptions to their business caused by the spread of COVID-19 and the ensuing government-ordered closures. These companies have been disappointed…

It's a sad fact that many parents with school-aged children are living in a state of anxiety, whether they are preparing for a fall of remote learning or bracing themselves to send their children back to in-person school. A supportive and safe…

During this time when we are seeing protests related to Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, and as political campaigns start to heat up, it can be expected that employers will start to hear more discussion of a political nature in the workplace…

On June 17, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) published an abbreviated “EZ” forgiveness application and accompanying instructions (“EZ Forgiveness Application”) for certain eligible borrowers under the Paycheck Protection Program…

On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation temporarily suspending entry into the United States of foreign nationals seeking certain nonimmigrant (temporary) work visas.

On Wednesday, June 3, the Senate passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (“Flexibility Act”), a bill that loosens the restrictions for obtaining loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The bill passed by…

With Governors Brown and Inslee announcing their respective phased approaches to reopening the Oregon and Washington economies, employers need to start planning for how they will resume operations in a safe and legally-compliant manner given the…

In its continuously updated FAQ Guidance, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has advised that it will review the individual loan files for businesses that have received a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan of more than $2 million (see…

On May 13, 2020, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) published an interim final rule (“IFR”) allowing certain partnerships that applied for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans but did not include partner income in “payroll costs” to amend…

Over the past few weeks, many of our clients who have received Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans have expressed concern about whether they had adequate basis to certify that their PPP loan request was necessary to support ongoing business…

The Department of Labor released new Q&A guidance regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Among other things, the guidance provides new insight on various coverage issues relating to whether domestic service workers are covered…

Reducing Employee Headcount – If the average number of a borrower’s full-time equivalent (FTE) employees during the eight-week period following origination is reduced compared to a pre-crisis comparison period, then the forgivable amount of your loan…

On May 7, 2020, Governor Brown and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released a series of guidelines and resources concerning the prerequisites to “Reopen Oregon.” Among the guidelines, and of immediate interest to many Oregon employers, is the…

1. Designate a PPP Point Person: Someone internal to your organization should have a good handle on the rules for forgiveness. The rules are complicated, and they could shift before you apply for forgiveness, so it’s a good idea to have a specific…

Over the past week, many clients who have received Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans have inquired about whether (a) they satisfy the PPP loan certification requirements following provision of additional guidance from the Small Business…

Often, the parties in a business sale will designate a portion of the purchase price to be paid out over time or otherwise made contingent on the performance of the business after the transaction is complete. An earn-out can be one of the most…