Seyfarth Synopsis: The COVID-19 pandemic thrust remote working upon many employers without notice or adequate time to prepare. Now that employees are settling into longer-term remote working arrangements, employers are...more
Governor Wolf and Health Secretary Levine issued temporary mitigation measures to curb the rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths across Pennsylvania. The measures took effect as of Saturday, December 12 and will remain in effect...more
Effective November 11, 2020, New York amended its Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (“NY WARN Act”) by expanding the government entities that must receive notice of a NY WARN Act triggering event, such as a...more
11/20/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Layoff Notices ,
Layoffs ,
Notice Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
WARN Act
As COVID-19 cases surge across the country, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced additional mitigation orders on November 17, 2020 relating to interstate travel and mask wearing. These...more
11/20/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
Masks ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Quarantine ,
Risk Mitigation ,
School Closures ,
Screening Procedures ,
State and Local Government ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Traveling Employee ,
Virus Testing
On Monday, September 14, 2020, a federal judge in the Western District of Pennsylvania held that significant portions of Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 related shutdown orders were unconstitutional. Importantly, the Court’s ruling...more
9/16/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Shelter-In-Place
Governor Wolf announced on July 16, 2020 the creation of the COVID-19 Pennsylvania Hazard Pay Grant Program which provides employer funding for frontline worker pay premiums of businesses in eligible industries. ...more
On July 15, 2020, the Wolf Administration announced an executive order imposing various restrictions that are set to go into effect as of 12:01 a.m. on July 16, 2020....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have updated the list of states subject to 14-day quarantine provisions, and New York has begun implementing enforcement measures. ...more
After a sustained period of decreasing cases and a phased reopening plan now nearly complete, Pennsylvania has begun to see a rise in COVID-19 cases in certain regions of the state. The Wolf Administration has responded by...more
On June 19, Governor Wolf announced that 12 of the remaining 13 counties in the Commonwealth’s Yellow phase of reopening will be eligible to move into the Green phase this coming Friday, June 26....more
6/24/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Retailers ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Seating ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
Despite some concern over the large protests over the past week, local and state officials have confirmed that the City of Philadelphia will enter the “Yellow” phase of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. ...more
As previously discussed, 18 counties were moved into the “Green” phase of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan this past Friday, May 29, 2020. On that same day, the Wolf administration announced that 16 additional...more
As previously discussed, 18 counties will be moving to the “Green” phase of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan this coming Friday, May 29, 2020. ...more
On Friday, May 22, 2020, Governor Wolf made several significant announcements regarding additional counties set to reopen in Pennsylvania in the next few weeks. ...more
Another industry may begin reopening throughout Pennsylvania, irrespective of location. On May 19, 2020, Governor Wolf announced that the real estate industry may immediately begin conducting certain business transactions...more
On the same day that many businesses in 13 Pennsylvania counties were permitted to partially reopen under the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan, Governor Wolf announced that 12 additional counties, mostly in South Central...more
On the same day that businesses in 24 Pennsylvania counties were permitted to reopen under the Commonwealth’s phased reopening plan, Governor Wolf announced this afternoon that 13 additional counties, all in Western...more
After a 7-hour hearing on May 6, 2020, at which it heard from a wide variety of interested stakeholders, the New York City Council’s Committee on Civil Service and Labor has a lot to consider regarding the proposed NYC...more
On Friday, May 1, 2020, the Wolf Administration announced that it would permit 24 largely rural counties in Northwest and Northcentral Pennsylvania to open up under the first stage of the Commonwealth’s phased reopening...more
As promised, the Governor of Pennsylvania released yesterday evening extensive guidance for businesses in “Yellow” counties that are permitted to reopen beginning May 8, 2020. This guidance will likely also serve as...more
Major reopening developments are brewing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On April 22, 2020, Governor Wolf announced his general plan to reopen Pennsylvania beginning May 8, 2020 following his various business shutdown...more
4/24/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Wolf ,
Guidance Update ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Policy Updates ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Shelter-In-Place ,
Small Business
During its first-ever remote session, members of the New York City Council have introduced a series of bills aimed at providing relief for individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis....more
4/23/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
City of New York ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Executive Orders ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Guidance Update ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Occupancy ,
Public Benefits ,
Public Health ,
Public Housing ,
State and Local Government ,
State of Emergency
Secretary of the Department of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an order on April 15, 2020, later approved by Governor Wolf, that significantly increased worker safety measures that must be employed by life-sustaining...more
4/20/2020
/ Construction Industry ,
Contractors ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Wolf ,
Health and Safety ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Subcontractors ,
Workplace Safety