Best & Flanagan has an enduring commitment to the communities in which we live and practice. At the moment, we are a community in crisis. As we take a stand against systemic injustices, we share our neighbors’ pain and grieve the death of George Floyd and the compounded losses of thriving businesses, peace and security. […]
Last week, OSHA issued new guidance requiring employer recording of work-related COVID-19 cases. These requirements went into effect on May 26, 2020. While OSHA’s guidance memo acknowledges that it may be difficult for employers to determine whether a COVID-19 illness is “work-related,” the memo still requires employers to make good faith determinations as to whether the virus […]
On Wednesday, May 13, the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (“PTAB”) issued an important Inter Partes Review decision in favor of our client, Sorna Corporation, a worldwide leader in medical information sharing solutions. After several years of litigation history, a competitor again tried to invalidate our client’s innovative, industry-leading patents. The decision by the PTAB upheld each of […]
On May 13, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Treasury (Treasury) updated the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) FAQs to address SBA’s review of the good faith certification of borrowers who received PPP loans. Recommended Borrower Good Faith Certification ReviewTreasury and SBA recommend that all borrowers who received PPP loans review the good faith […]
Best & Flanagan is pleased to announce that three attorneys from the firm have been recognized in the 2020 Chambers USA rankings. As a result of client and peer interviews and recent case assessments, Timothy Sullivan and Mary Shearen have been assessed the highest possible rankings as individuals in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA […]
Beginning April 27, 2020, employers in non-critical manufacturing, industrial and office-based businesses may return to work if they complete the requirements of the Executive Order. Who does EO 20-40 apply to? Executive Order 20-40 allows limited return to work for these categories of employers: Importantly, these categories do not include customer-facing retail environments. What is required to […]
Craig Kepler will be presenting “Charter School Board and Leader Training,” a symposium for charter school board members and leaders regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Open Meeting Law requirements and conducting school board elections. Hosted by NEST, an organization that assists charter schools in sourcing ancillary services, this webinar will discuss the […]
The IRS has now provided guidance to employers on claiming tax credit and reimbursement for employer-paid COVID-19 related sick leave and FMLA leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). Detailed guidance is available here. The FFCRA requires employers to provide paid leave time for some COVID-19 related absences, as described in our previous alerts. Businesses and […]
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The CARES Act contains several provisions designed to give individuals affected by COVID-19 greater access to their retirement plan funds and expand health plan coverage and benefits, supplementing changes made by the recent Families First Coronavirus Response Act […]
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recently announced that it will work with regulated businesses to devise alternative means of complying with environmental regulations, where necessary in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing the operational challenges you currently face, we have summarized below the process for requesting relief from the MPCA if COVID-19 is […]