On Monday, May 18, 2020, Governor Baker announced his plan for Reopening Massachusetts. The plan was the result of work performed by the Reopening Advisory Board that details a four-phased strategy to reopen state businesses and activities. Phase One of the plan became immediately effective as of May 18, 2020. The specifics of the four-phase
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Many states have begun to lift the various shelter-in-place orders their governors imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, and many other states will be considering doing so in the near future. While recognizing that the workplace will not look the same, employers are preparing to bring their employees back to the workplace
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As businesses consider their options while they attempt to navigate their way through the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many will find relief in the newly-enacted Small Business Reorganization Act (“SBRA”). The SBRA, which became effective on February 19, 2020, and was expanded on a temporary basis under the CARES Act to allow
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It has now been more than one month since we, like most of you, have been asked to isolate ourselves, maintain social distancing, and essentially hunker down at home as we ride out this “storm” more formally known as the COVID-19 public health crisis. During these times each day mostly feels the exact same as
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On April 20, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law bill H. 4647, which places a moratorium on evictions for residential and small business tenants and a moratorium on residential foreclosures, for 120 days after the enactment of the law or 45 days after the State of Emergency declared by the Governor on March 10,
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On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its Temporary Rule concerning the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which the President signed into law on March 18, 2020. This Temporary Rule provides important guidance to employers concerning The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and The Emergency Family and Medical Leave
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On April 2, 2020, in response to the COVID 19 outbreak, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill, H.1279, which, if it becomes law, would grant a moratorium on evictions for both residential and commercial tenants and a moratorium on residential foreclosures, for a period starting with the effective date of the act and
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On April 3, 2020, Governor Baker signed into law An Act to Address Challenges Faced by Municipalities and State Authorities Resulting from COVID-19, which, among other things, seeks to provide relief to cities and towns that are unable to timely process and hear permitting applications due to COVID-19. The law is an effort to balance
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On March 26, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker issued an emergency order, COVID-19 Order No. 17 (“Order”), suspending state permitting deadlines and extending the validity of state permits. In particular, the Order makes the following modifications to the state permitting process during the COVID-19 state of emergency for all pending and proposed projects: No approval shall
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On March 24, 2020, Massachusetts introduced Bill S.D. 2888, aimed at forcing insurance companies to cover business interruption losses caused by COVID-19. The purpose of Massachusetts’ Bill S.D. 2888 is to require insurance companies in Massachusetts “to provide business interruption insurance coverage to their insured in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.” Bill S.D. 2888 requires
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