Employment Feed

COVID-19 / Coronavirus

We are closely tracking and providing information on developments facing companies and organizations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the latest alerts, our lawyers offer guidance on financial and tax relief provisions in Illinois; share observations of how landlords and real estate lenders are Noun_virus_1772453responding to defaulting tenants and borrowers; consider the effects of the crisis on M&A transactions; explore how social distancing affects ongoing environmental investigations and mediation; analyze how state and federal legislation may combat insurance coverage denials for COVID-19; and examine the Department of Labor’s guidance regarding expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. These alerts and others are available in the library of our COVID-19 / Coronavirus Resource Center

 


COVID-19 / Coronavirus Resources

We continue our efforts to do everything we can to support our clients as they navigate these times.  Our lawyers have provided practical insight into the legal and strategic challenges companies are facing.  To stay abreast of the quickly changing landscape, Jenner & Block has assembled a multi-disciplinary team, drawn from a variety of our practice areas and sector gro Noun_virus_1772453ups, to support clients as they navigate these uncharted waters.  We also continue to update our COVID-19 / Coronavirus Resource Center.  It provides helpful and timely information on the legal and strategic challenges companies are facing. Following is a list of some of those pieces.


First COVID-19 Securities Class Action Lawsuits Hit Cruise Line and Pharmaceutical Company

The rapid developments in the spread and economic impact of COVID-19 present particular challenges for officers and directors of public companies trying to manage their businesses while providing timely and truthful information to shareholders.  Over the last few days, shareholders have filed the first suits alleging that public companies materially misrepresented the impact of COVID-19 on their operations.  If history is any guide, derivative litigation alleging director and officer mismanagement is likely to follow.  Directors and officers of public companies should exercise great care in any public statements regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses, and carefully consider and document the steps they are taking to oversee and respond to COVID-19 developments.

To read more, please click here.

COVID-19: "Employer Guidance for Addressing Possible Layoffs and Closures"

As employers grapple with staffing while dealing with the current COVID-19 crisis, they need to be mindful of their obligations under federal and state legislation addressing certain closures and layoffs.

Under the federal Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, 29 U.S.C. §2101, covered employers must provide at 60 calendar days written notice of a covered “plant closing” or “mass layoff.”  WARN contains various definitions that establish:

  • Which employers must give notice;
  • When such notice must be given;
  • Who must receive notice;
  • What must the notice contain; and
  • When notice may be excused.

To read more, please click here.

COVID-19: Issues Facing the Airline Industry

As the novel coronavirus / COVID-19 continues to cause economic and social turmoil across the globe, the airline industry is suffering particularly acute hardships.  US carriers, including Delta, American, United and Southwest, have announced plans to cut their international routes by as much as 80% to 90% over the next several months, and domestic capacity is now being reduced by 20%-40%.  Foreign carriers have been impacted even more harshly.  Ryanair has announced it may have to ground its entire fleet, Air France has announced cuts into its flight schedule of up to 90% and British Airways has made similar cuts of up to 75%.  Furthermore, the aircraft that continue to fly are far from full.  Along with these flight reductions, airlines have grounded fleets of their larger aircraft, instituted hiring freezes and in some cases commenced layoffs, and US airlines are actively seeking ways to preserve cash on hand and obtain relief from the federal government.

To read more, please click here.

To stay abreast of developments through this unprecedented situation, continue to monitor the Consumer Law Round-Up blog and visit the resource library for helpful reference materials.


COVID-19 / Coronavirus Resources

When we read the daily news, we see uncharted waters. Industries are being impacted overnight. We continue to do everything we can to support clients as they navigate these times. Our lawyers have provided practical insight into the legal and strategic challenges companies are facing. Jenner & Block has assembled a multi-disciplinary team, drawn from a variety of our practice areas and sector groups, to support clients as they navigate these uncharted waters. We also continue to update our COVID-19 / Coronavirus Resource Center.  It provides helpful and timely information on the legal and strategic challenges companies are facing.  Noun_virus_1772453Following is a list of some of those pieces.

Evaluating Force Majeure Clauses in Connection with the COVID-19 Outbreak

As governments and businesses take action to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, companies must consider whether and to what extent their existing contractual agreements oblige parties to perform while events related to COVID-19 are impacting the performance under those contracts. Many contracts contain force majeure clauses that may excuse performance in the face of COVID-19. These provisions are not uniform, and the scope of relief they afford may vary considerably based upon the language used, the jurisdictions involved, and the unique facts and circumstances of each case. We provide a brief overview here of how a force majeure clause may excuse performance with respect to COVID-19-related events. To read more, please click here.

SEC Reacts to COVID-19 Crisis and Issues Relief Relevant to Public Companies and Regulated Entities

On Friday, March 13, 2020, and over the subsequent weekend, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its staff made announcements with guidance and/or relief for public companies and firms experiencing challenges because of COVID-19 / coronavirus. The SEC and its staff appear to have calibrated the guidance and relief to balance investors’ need for information with the practical realities of an unprecedented public health event. The SEC also emphasized that it is continuing to “assess impacts relating to the coronavirus on investors and market participants, and will consider additional relief from other regulatory requirements.” To read more, please click here.

Cybersecurity Concerns with Regard to Work-From-Home Policies

The COVID-19 outbreak is causing many companies to consider work-from-home programs for many of their employees. Any arrangement where employees are permitted to work from home poses a unique set of cybersecurity risks and challenges, but those risks are heightened when a majority of the work force are away from offices that are controlled. Ensuring that appropriate technical and administrative safeguards are in place prior to launching wide-scale work-from-home programs is critical to ensuring the safety of your network and data.  For considerations that businesses should take into account when implementing work from home programs, please click here.

To stay abreast of developments through this unprecedented situation, continue to monitor the Consumer Law Round-Up blog and visit the resource library for helpful reference materials.