Archive for the ‘Employment Law’ Category

President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (H.R. 7010) .  This bill modifies several provisions regarding the forgiveness of loans to ease usage restrictions and increase the time businesses are able to utilize PPP funds. Major provisions of the bill include:   An extended forgiveness period, which gives businesses the option to extend the covered period from the original eight weeks to twenty four weeks beginning on the date of origination of a covered loan to December 31, 2020 (twenty-four weeks). An extension of the Jun 30th safe harbor for rehiring employees. A reduced payroll spending requirement from 75% to 60%. An extended… read more »

CGA Law Firm voted Best Law Firm in York County 2020 All of us at CGA Law Firm sincerely appreciate the residents of York County voting us “Best Law Firm” for 2020. The confidence you demonstrate each year with your overwhelming votes continues to warm our hearts and inspire us to do our very best. Our team of approximately 70 professionals offers depth of experience, passion and skill. Although CGA is based in York, the Firm serves clients throughout South Central PA, often as a more convenient and cost effectivealternative to “big city” firms. When you hire a CGA attorney, you… read more »

CGA offers a primer on preparing your team to return to work. CGA Law firm’s experienced team of employment attorneys will provide proactive business leaders at all levels with an engaging and interactive update of employment laws and a primer on preparing your team of employees to return to work. The featured speakers, Attorneys Zach Nahass and Christine Nentwig, are Co-Chairs of the Labor and Employment Law Department at CGA Law Firm. Join our CGA experts for an enjoyable and informative working-lunch during which hosts will encourage participants to share their insights, ask questions, and share valuable tips. We look forward to seeing you there!… read more »

COVID-19 Update: Amendment to the Closure Order of Non-Life-Sustaining Businesses One month after Governor Wolf issued an order to close all but “life sustaining” businesses, the Governor has amended his order to allow three business categories to re-open with limited operations. View Governor Wolf’s Amended Order Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine issued her own similar order. View Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine’s Order Governor Wolf and DOH Secretary Levine are authorizing the following businesses to conduct limited operations as long as they follow the state’s recommended guidance:  Limited construction activity may resume with strict compliance of… read more »

COVID-13 Update: Filing for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – Expanded Eligibility for Benefits Pursuant to the CARES Act, unemployment compensation benefits are now available for individuals in Pennsylvania who cannot work as a direct result of COVID-19, but who are not normally eligible for unemployment benefits (i.e. independent contractors, self-employed, workers with limited work history, and others). The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program has been created to extend temporary, federally-funded benefits to these previously ineligible groups. An applicant is eligible if any of the following apply: Independent contractor, self-employed, 1099 filer, or farmer and affected by COVID-19,Someone in the household… read more »

The Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, signed an order to protect critical workers employed at businesses authorized to continue in-person operations during Governor Wolf’s closure order.  The order provides protections to keep employees at life-sustaining businesses safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The order requires employers to: Provide masks for employees and mandate that they be worn at all times during work, except when taking a break to eat or drink. (Employees may wear their own masks if the employer finds them to be compliant with the Department of Health and CDC guidance.) Prevent… read more »

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: DOL Publishes Employer Notices and FAQs The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law March 18th, 2020. Section 5103 of that Act states that within 7 days of the enactment, the Department of Labor would provide model notices for employers to communicate key provisions to employees.  Those notices are now available – one for the private sector and the other for federal workers:  Employee Rights: Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Federal Employee Rights: Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical… read more »

COVID-19: What is a “life sustaining” business? In the wake of Governor Wolf’s March 19, 2020 Order mandating closures for COVID-19 mitigation, which was amended March 20, 2020, to close all but “life sustaining” businesses, many Pennsylvania companies have been left without clear guidance as to whether they are required to close or not. Some business, like hospitals and grocery stores, clearly fall in the “life sustaining” category, while others, like movie theatres and retail clothing stores, clearly do not.  For businesses that do not fall into such clear categories, the Commonwealth’s list of “life sustaining” businesses does not necessarily… read more »

On March 18, 2020, Congress passed the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” which provides free COVID-19 testing, increases Medicaid funding, and expands food security initiatives and support for those impacted by the COVID-19 public emergency.  The law also provides paid leave and enhances access to unemployment insurance for employees. The key provisions impacting employers are summarized below.   Emergency Paid Sick Leave ActThe section of the law entitled “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act,” requires employers to provide employees with paid sick leave for absences related to COVID-19 until December 31, 2020. Covered Employers: Defined as private employers with fewer than 500 employees and government… read more »

As of this writing, the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. There are nearly 1700 cases in the US and 22 cases in Pennsylvania. That number is expected to continue to rise, particularly as testing protocols improve. On a local level, Pennsylvania has experienced multiple school and business closures, Maryland and Ohio have suspended public school classes, and in nearby Montgomery County all schools, gyms, and daycare centers have closed and officials are asking all non-essential businesses to offer paid sick leave and allow employees to work from home.  Nationally, numerous resorts, theme parks and cruise lines… read more »