Virginia First State to Adopt Workplace Safety Standards Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
On July 15, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board approved temporary emergency standards to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Virginia workplaces. Expected to go into effect during the week of July 27, the new workplace safety standards are the first of their kind in the country. The regulations will impose large monetary penalties on companies that fail to implement various COVID-19 safety measures. Virginia state officials, under the direction of Governor Ralph Northam, purportedly spearheaded implementation of the . . . Read More
STARS III: Simultaneous Bidding as Prime Contractor and Managing Member of JV, or Bidding as Managing Member Under Multiple JVs
PilieroMazza has received a flood of questions related to STARS III and Cy Alba gave a presentation ( link ) earlier today walking through a number of keys issues and our interpretation of key requirements in the RFP. As a part of that, one key question being asked is whether clients are able to bid themselves as a prime contractor and also as the managing member of a joint venture? While there is nothing in the STARS III RFP that expressly disallows submitting an offer . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – July 7, 2020
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . COVID-19 Client Resource Center: To access resources for businesses navigating the COVID-19 crisis, we invite you to visit PilieroMazza’s “ COVID-19 Client Resource Center .” Please contact covid19@pilieromazza.com for immediate assistance. LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW DC Launches Paid Family Leave Program July 1—What Employers Need to Know, July 1, 2020, Nichole Atallah , Sarah Nash , and Sara Nasseri Employees in DC are now eligible for paid family leave pursuant to the DC Paid Family Leave Act. Below is our brief primer on what . . . Read More
Doing Business with the Government and the Impact of COVID-19
The July 2020 issue of Lawyer Monthly features an article by PilieroMazza ‘s Managing Partner Pam Mazza on “ Doing Business with the Government and the Impact of COVID-19 .” In the article, Pam explores why companies should consider doing business with the government and the possible pitfalls they should be aware of. Pam also discuses the challenges COVID-19 has presented for government contractors and changes we should be on the lookout for. Please visit this link to view the full article.
Senate Passes PPP Loan Application Deadline Extension, More Than $130 Billion Still Unclaimed
Last night, the Senate unanimously passed a bill that would extend the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application deadline through August 8, 2020. The bill is now set to be taken up by the House. The PPP provides forgivable loans to cover payroll and overhead expenses for small businesses. On June 27, 2020, SBA reported that over $134 billion in unclaimed funds remained of the $669 billion program. Unless Congress repurposes them, leftover funds will be returned to the . . . Read More
DC Launches Paid Family Leave Program July 1—What Employers Need to Know
Effective today, employees in DC are eligible for paid family leave pursuant to the DC Paid Family Leave Act (the Act). Below is our brief primer on what employers need to know and what to expect when administering paid family leave. The Act is an insurance program. It does not govern whether an employee is eligible for the leave itself but whether an employee will be eligible for paid leave benefits. Whether an employee is entitled to leave itself is . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – June 23, 2020
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Juneteenth: A National Day of Reflection, June 19, 2020 The PilieroMazza family paused to reflect and take a collective breath in remembrance of this day in our country’s history. Working with PilieroMazza’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, we are using this time to listen, learn, and engage in discourse, and work to do better as individuals and as a team. We are honored to have an incredible team . . . Read More
Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – June 23, 2020
If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . Juneteenth: A National Day of Reflection, June 19, 2020 The PilieroMazza family paused to reflect and take a collective breath in remembrance of this day in our country’s history. Working with PilieroMazza’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, we are using this time to listen, learn, and engage in discourse, and work to do better as individuals and as a team. We are honored to have an incredible team . . . Read More
SBA and Treasury Release New PPP Application Forms
As we reported in our previous alert , President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (“Flexibility Act”) into law. The bill makes numerous changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) aimed at improving loan forgiveness procedures and loosening restrictions on PPP funds. In accordance with the Flexibility Act, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) released revised application forms for businesses participating in the PPP. The new PPP application forms differ substantially from their previous . . . Read More
Landmark SCOTUS Decision Holds Title VII Prohibits Discrimination on Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that employers who discriminate against gay and transgender workers violate Title VII. The Court’s 6-3 decision resolves a longstanding circuit split on this issue and extends Title VII protections to LGBTQ+ employees across the country. Justice Gorsuch drafted the majority opinion for the Court, and was joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Ginsberg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan. For employers, we examine the ruling below and offer key takeaways. In its long-awaited and hotly-debated decision, the . . . Read More