Blogs

Congress is moving quickly to provide relief to employees who are impacted by COVID-19, and the legislation will also have a big impact on most employers.

On March 10, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued guidelines that address many Fair Labor Standards Act issues that have arisen due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This Alert identifies some of the highlights.

Congressional leaders in Washington are halfway towards passing a second comprehensive spending package in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Important information for brand protection, including recent Arent Fox News on advertising and marketing issues, as well as headlines that matter for privacy and data security.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

In order to deal with the tremendous recent market disruptions and related liquidity needs, the Federal Reserve System, through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (New York Fed), on March 12 offered $500 billion in 3-month term repos to settle on March 13.

The spread of the coronavirus COVID-19—recently declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization—has created a myriad of practical and legal issues for employers seeking to prioritize employee health and wellness while continuing to meet business and customer needs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a voluntary model within the Medicare Part D program that would allow certain Part D plans to cap Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a memo to Medicare Advantage Organizations and Part D Sponsors to inform them of their obligations and permissible flexibilities related to disasters and emergencies resulting from COVID-19.

Last week, most observers focused on the more than 11% drop in the stock market due to public health and related supply concerns. In response, the Federal Reserve made an aggressive 50 basis point interest rate cut on March 4, 2020.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound derived from the hemp plant, a member of the cannabis family. Because CBD is also found in the marijuana plant (a cousin of hemp), its use fell into a legal gray area until recently.

Last year, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a judgment holding that a landlord’s constructive knowledge of its tenant’s trademark infringement is enough to hold the landlord liable.

Vehicle manufacturers say they haven’t yet had to close factories in Europe. But a decline in global sales is likely to be worse than expected.

Lawmakers remain in negotiations among the three key committees in the House of Representatives: Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Education & Labor, along with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), about the best way to address surprise medical bills.

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment recently added Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and “cannabis (marijuana) smoke” to the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause reproductive toxicity, with an effective date of January 3, 2020.   

In March 2020, Health Care Partner Anne Murphy published an article in AHLA Weekly on compliance considerations when closing a hospital.

Companies across the country are canceling meetings and events over travel concerns because of the coronavirus.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code to be used by laboratories for the testing and tracking of new cases of the 2019-Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

CMS published the Contract Year 2021 and 2022 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicaid Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Proposed Rule (the Proposed Rule).

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an order that grants conditional regulatory relief for certain publicly traded company filing obligations in light of the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic.

In a recent opinion, the Fairfax Circuit Court deemed unenforceable the non-compete and employee non-solicitation provisions of two doctors who had performed work for the United States Army on behalf of a government contractor.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in two letters to State Survey Agencies new guidance for infection control and prevention concerning coronavirus 2019.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra recently released proposed modifications to his initial California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulation adjustments.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is suspending non-emergency inspections in order to allow inspectors to focus on the most serious health and safety threats.