Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we find ourselves in challenging times and understand that our current circumstances are unique and filled with uncertainty. Overcoming this challenge requires preparation, strategy, decision-making and execution.
Bowditch stands ready to fully support our clients in a collective effort to confront and overcome this crisis. Towards that end, we have established a multi-disciplinary Task Force that is equipped to handle the myriad of challenges faced by our clients in these difficult times.
We are counseling our clients on crisis management and legal issues across a multitude of industries and disciplines, including, labor and employment; hotel, restaurant and hospitality; workplace safety and OSHA compliance; corporate governance; supply chain disruptions; force majeure and other contract clauses; privacy and cybersecurity; real estate, construction and landlord/tenant issues; insurance coverage and recovery; bankruptcy; and regulatory compliance.
Should you have any questions or need guidance on COVID-19 and its impact on your business, please contact your Bowditch attorney or one of the attorneys listed below. We encourage you to visit this page regularly for new content.
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR
Contacts: Robert Young, Chelsie Vokes
- CDC Relaxes COVID-19 Safety Recommendations in Updated Guidance (August 16, 2022)
- EEOC Issues Updated COVID-19 Workplace Guidance (July 18, 2022)
- Employment Law Updates for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Employers (May 31, 2022)
- Department of Homeland Security Announces Extension of the Form I-9 Flexibilities Until October 31, 2022 (April 29, 2022)
- Department of Homeland Security Announces End to COVID-19 Temporary Policy for Expired List B Identity Documents (March 28, 2022)
- EEOC Issues Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Caregiver Discrimination (March 24, 2022)
- EEOC Issues Updated Guidance Regarding Religious Objections to COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements (March 9, 2022)
- Massachusetts Emergency Paid Sick Leave to End March 15 (March 3, 2022)
- City of Boston Lifts Mask Mandate, Effective March 5th (March 3, 2022)
- Webinar: 13th Annual Employment Law Update (February 1 & 3, 2022)
- OSHA Withdraws its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (January 27, 2022)
- Supreme Court Rules on COVID-19 Vaccine/Testing Requirements – Big Business Mandate Blocked, Health Care Mandate Revived (January 14, 2022)
- Updates Relating to OSHA’s Emergency Vaccination/Testing Requirements for Employers with 100 or More Employees and the CDC’s New Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines (January 3, 2022)
- The City of Boston, Rhode Island, and Connecticut Issue New Vaccine Policies Impacting Businesses & Employers (December 21, 2021)
- Sixth Circuit Breathes New Life into OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard Mandating Vaccination or Testing for Private Employers with 100 or More Employees (December 20, 2021)
- Massachusetts AG Releases Guidance for Employers Regarding Costs of COVID-19 Testing and Face Masks (December 17, 2021)
- EEOC Issues Guidance on COVID-19 and Disability Protections Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (December 15, 2021)
- Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Temporarily Blocked Nationwide (December 9, 2021)
- Webinar – OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard: What Employers Must Know (November 12, 2021)
- OSHA Issues Emergency Temporary Standard Mandating Vaccination or Testing for Private Employers with 100 or More Employees (November 5, 2021)
- New CMS Regulations Mandating Vaccination of Health Care Facility Staff (November 5, 2021)
- Updated Employer Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates Issued by Both the EEOC and Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (October 27, 2021)
- A Busy Week – Massachusetts Extends Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Makes Changes to Paid Family and Medical Leave Contribution Rates and Benefits (October 4, 2021)
- Biden Administration Issues Guidance to Federal Contractors for Compliance with Vaccine Mandate (September 27, 2021)
- Biden Administration Announces New Vaccine Mandate for Employers (September 10, 2021)
- Masks Required in Certain Boston Workplaces Effective August 27, 2021 (August 26, 2021)
- 10 Things I know about … Employer vaccine mandates (August 16, 2021)
- Webinar: Un-Masking the Future: Reopening Post-COVID (June 15, 2021)
- How to counter the Shecession (June 7, 2021)
- New Law Mandates Paid COVID-19 Leave for Massachusetts Employees (June 1, 2021)
- Bob Young Featured in MetroWest Daily News’ “Can employers demand employees get vaccinated against COVID-19?” (May 24, 2021)
- Can Massachusetts Employers Offer Vaccination Incentives to Employees? (May 6, 2021)
- Can Massachusetts Employers Collect COVID-19 Vaccination Cards From Employees? (May 5, 2021)
- Massachusetts Employers Face Hike In Q1 Unemployment Tax Rates (May 4, 2021)
- Webinar: COVID-19 + Working Women: How to Reverse the Shecession (April 20, 2021)
- Voluntary FFCRA Leave Expanded and Extended Through September 2021 (March 18, 2021)
- OSHA Releases New Guidance for Employers (February 3, 2021)
- Tax Credits Available for Voluntary FFCRA Leave Granted Through March 2021 (January 25, 2021)
- Webinar: 12th Annual Employment Law Update (January 19 & 21, 2021)
- What do employees and employers in Massachusetts need to know about the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act? (January 5, 2021)
- EEOC Releases New Guidance Regarding COVID-19 Vaccinations For Employees (December 21, 2020)
- FFCRA Leave – What Employers Need to Know For The End of 2020 (December 9, 2020)
- Winter is Coming – Workplace Vaccine Mandates (November 16, 2020)
- New Mask Mandate Affords Employers a Right of Inquiry For Employees Who Ask For Exemption (November 5, 2020)
- New DOL Regulations Narrow The FFCRA’s “Health Care Provider” Exemption (September 15, 2020)
- Legal aspects of returning high-risk employees to work in Massachusetts (September 15, 2020)
- Broader state authorization, municipal flexibility needed to help businesses survive (June 8. 2020)
- Webinar: Reopening Your Business in the Age of Coronavirus (May 20, 2020)
- How Does My Offer of Work Affect My Employees’ Unemployment Claims? (May 18, 2020)
- Mandatory Self-Certification and Industry-Specific Guidance For Massachusetts Essential and Phase One Businesses (May 18, 2020)
- Massachusetts’ Four-Phase Reopening Plan and Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards: Here’s What You Need To Know (May 12, 2020)
- What Massachusetts Businesses Need to Know about Masks in the Workplace (May 7, 2020)
- Lockdown Breakthrough? Remote Fulfillment Guidelines Permit Partial Re-Opening of Retail Establishments (May 5, 2020)
- Is a Business Liable if an Employee or Customer Gets Sick? (April 30, 2020)
- CDC Releases Reopening Guidance (April 29, 2020)
- National Emergency Enables Tax-Free Employee Relief Fund (April 28, 2020)
- Webinar: HR Strategy: Contingency Planning During COVID-19 (April 30, 2020)
- EEOC Releases “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws” (April 24, 2020)
- IRS Moving Quickly to Help Employers Get Advanced Payments (April 8, 2020)
- CARES Act Temporary Rule for Paid Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA (April 6, 2020)
- Labor Conditions Tied To CARES Act Loans To Employers With 500 to 10,0000 Employees (April 5, 2020)
- Employee Documentation for FFCRA Leave – IRS Guidance (April 3, 2020)
- CARES Act Retirement Plans – What Employers Need to Know (April 2, 2020)
- Expanded Unemployment Benefits Through the Federal CARES Act (April 1, 2020)
- Webinar: Cybersecurity Threats and Employment Law in a Remote World (April 1, 2020)
- Webinar: Worcester Chamber HR Roundtable: Employment Legal Issues in a COVID-19 Remote World (March 30, 2020)
- Businesses face these urgent coronavirus legal issues (March 30, 2020)
- Health Insurance Enrollment Rules Eased Because of COVID-19 (March 25, 2020)
- New DOL Guidance Regarding COVID-19 and the Workplace (March 25, 2020)
- DHS Relaxes Form I-9 Verification Requirements for Remote Employers (March 23, 2020)
- New COVID-19 Paid Leave Laws – Here’s What You Need To Know (March 19, 2020)
- DUA Updates Website with COVID-19 Information (March 19, 2020)
BUSINESS & FINANCE (INCLUDING NONPROFITS & TAX)
Contacts: Rory Fazendeiro, Peter Martin, Aastha Sharma
- Webinar: COVID and Beyond: Nonprofit Innovation (August 24, 2021)
- How a Remote Workforce Changes State and Local Tax Requirements (May 26, 2021)
- What You Should Know About the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (May 13, 2021)
- Update on Revised DOR Income Tax Pandemic Regulations for Telecommuters (March 26, 2021)
- American Rescue Plan Act Extends Employee Retention Credit Through 2021 (March 18, 2021)
- Your Clients Could Be Getting a Jump Start (March 1, 2021)
- New PPP Funding Hits the Streets – A Primer on What Businesses Should Know (February 16, 2021)
- More Key Tax Provisions from the Consolidated Appropriations Act (January 21, 2021)
- Consolidated Appropriations Act Clarifies CARES Act Tax Measures and Adds New Provisions (January 19, 2021)
- Webinar: Paycheck Protection Program: What Businesses Need to Know (January 12, 2021)
- Uncertainty Ahead: Rethinking Business Tax Planning (December 21, 2020)
- PPP Update – Handling the Necessity Questionnaire for PPP Loans of $2m or More (December 9, 2020)
- Webinar: PPP Updates and Year End Tax & Financial Planning (December 1, 2020)
- IRS and Treasury Updated Guidance on Deductibility of Expenses Paid for with PPP Loan Proceeds (November 23, 2020)
- Part-Time Employees May Be Eligible for 401(k) Plans (November 4, 2020)
- Massachusetts Adopts Emergency Withholding Rules for Out-of-State Telecommuters During COVID-19 Pandemic (September 24, 2020)
- A Trap for the Unwary – IRS Denies Deductions for Expenses Paid with Forgiven PPP Loans (September 3, 2020)
- IRS issues guidance on Social Security tax deferral (September 1, 2020)
- Social Security Taxes Could Be Deferred for the Rest of 2020 (August 20, 2020)
- Campus Safety and COVID-19: Clery Act Requirements in 2020 (August 10, 2020)
- Further Changes to Paycheck Protection Program Necessary to Avoid Catastrophic Consequences at Forgiveness Stage (July 31, 2020)
- Main Street Lending Program – Expanded Assistance to Nonprofit Organizations (July 23, 2020)
- IRS Provides More Flexibility for Qualified Opportunity Funds in the Wake of COVID Crisis (June 22, 2020)
- Home Office Deductions During Coronavirus (June 15, 2020)
- PPP Flexibility Act of 2020 (June 9, 2020)
- Bowditch Legal Podcasts: Business Planning and Investment Changes Due to COVID-19 (June 8, 2020)
- First Look at the Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application (May 15, 2020)
- New Guidance on the PPP Necessity Certification Provides Automatic Safe Harbor for Borrowers with Loan Amounts Under $2 Million (May 14, 2020)
- Webinar: Strategy for COVID-19 Financial Relief: Restructuring Your Business Loans (May 7, 2020)
- PPP Loan Safe Harbor Date Extended One Week to May 14 (May 6, 2020)
- PPP Loan Applicants Directed to Assess (or Reassess) the Necessity for Loan Funds; SBA Imposes May 7th Deadline to Return Loans for Borrowers that Cannot Meet the New Standard (May 4, 2020)
- A Checklist for Loan Forgiveness Under the Payroll Protection Program (April 21, 2020)
- New CMS Regulations: Harbingers of the New Normal? (April 10, 2020)
- CARES Act Business Tax Provisions (April 3, 2020)
- CARES Act Payroll Protection Loan Program – US Treasury Issues Updated Guidance (April 2, 2020)
- CARES Act Provisions Assisting Health Care Providers’ Response to the Pandemic (April 1, 2020)
- CARES Act – Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Loan Program Explained (March 31, 2020)
- Mass. Joins Fed – Personal Income Tax Filing Deadline Now July 15 (March 27, 2020)
- Key Provisions in the Proposed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (March 25, 2020)
- What Massachusetts Tax Relief is Available During the Coronavirus Outbreak? (March 25, 2020)
- Expanded Medicare Telehealth Benefits During the Public Health Emergency (March 25, 2020)
- How to Close Restaurant and Retail Businesses During Coronavirus and Plan for a Successful Reopen (March 22, 2020)
- Financial Support for Qualifying Small Business and Non-Profits Impacted by the Coronavirus Outbreak (March 19, 2020)
- Tax Relief to Mitigate COVID-19 Economic Costs (March 19, 2020)
CONTRACTS & SUPPLY CHAIN
Contacts: Rory Fazendeiro
- Webinar: New Contracts – Pandemic Impact on Contract and Transaction Due Diligence (October 27, 2020)
- Webinar: Contract Review – Identifying Weaknesses, Strengths and Gray Areas to Get Ahead of Future Disruptions (October 20, 2020)
- “Did Your Contract Anticipate the Arrival of Coronavirus?” published on CFO (March 5, 2020)
- The Coronavirus and the Doctrine of Force Majeure – How to Anticipate the “Known Unknowns” (February 20, 2020)
INSURANCE, DISPUTE RESOLUTION & LITIGATION
- Webinar: A Brave New World: Corporate Policies & Procedures Post-COVID (April 15, 2021)
- Extending Liability Coverage By Providing Notice of Circumstances (May 7, 2020)
- As COVID-19 Surges, So Too Should the Use of Well-Crafted Contractual Arbitration Clauses (May 6, 2020)
- Webinar: Will Traditional Business Insurance Policies Apply to Claims Related to the Coronavirus? (April 7, 2020)
- Webinar: Deciphering Business Interruption Insurance in the COVID-19 Crisis (April 3, 2020)
- Will traditional business insurance policies apply to claims related to the Coronavirus? (March 19, 2020)
REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Contacts: Brian Grossman, Samantha McDonald
- Massachusetts’ New Economic Relief Bill – What Enabling Partnerships for Growth Means for Local Zoning (January 27, 2021)
- Massachusetts Commits $171MM for Programs to Help Tenants and Landlords Impacted by COVID-19 (November 17, 2020)
- Webinar: The Great Conversion: The Science of Repurposing (November 17, 2020)
- Webinar: An A/E/C Industry COVID-19 Roundtable (November 12, 2020)
- Massachusetts Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium Expires and is Replaced by a More Limited CDC Order (October 20, 2020)
- COVID-19 Legal Impacts Far-Reaching for RE (June 8, 2020)
- Municipal Support for Local Economies in a Public Health Crisis May Include Regulatory Flexibility (May 7, 2020)
- Webinar: Re-Opening Commercial Operations: Considerations for Property Owners and Business Tenants as Massachusetts Restarts in a COVID-19 World (May 7, 2020)
- MA Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development Issues Regulations and Guidance on COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium (April 30, 2020)
- Massachusetts Pauses Residential and Commercial Evictions and Residential Foreclosures During the COVID-19 State of Emergency (April 21, 2020)
- Massachusetts Enacts Bill Including Provisions to Address Real Estate Permitting Challenges Posed by COVID-19 (April 3, 2020)
- Massachusetts Updates Essential Services List – See What Can Continue and What Must Stop (April 1, 2020)
- Governor Baker Issues Executive Order Concerning State Permits (March 27, 2020)
- Construction Projects: Preparing for Slowdowns or Project Shutdowns (March 24, 2020)
- Construction Orders in Place for Massachusetts, Boston and Cambridge (March 23, 2020)
ESTATE PLANNING & BUSINESS SUCCESSION
Contact: Katherine Dorval
- Virtual Notarization to End in Massachusetts on July 15, 2022 (May 31, 2022)
- Virtual Notarization Act Extended in Massachusetts (June 22, 2021)
- What Happens if I Die Without a Valid Will in Massachusetts? (May 12, 2021)
- COVID-19 Funeral Assistance From FEMA (April 20, 2021)
- Plan Ahead for Potential Estate and Gift Tax Changes (March 1, 2021)
- When to Take Advantage of a Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) (November 24, 2020)
- Webinar: Business Succession Planning in Tough Times: Know your Options (November 10, 2020)
- Webinar: Trust & Estate Planning in a Unique Year (October 14, 2020)
- Legal Considerations of Living Together in a Multi-Generational Home (October 13, 2020)
- Can I Withdraw Funds From My Retirement Account During COVID-19? (September 25, 2020)
- Gaining Access to Your College Student’s Records (August 31, 2020)
- Record Low Interest Rates Let You Have Your Cake and Eat It Too – Life Insurance, Investments & Intra-family Loans (August 12, 2020)
- Protecting Pets During the COVID-19 Pandemic (July 28, 2020)
- Bowditch Legal Podcasts: Overlooked Estate Planning Tools (June 22, 2020)
- Trust Funding: the Overlooked Estate Planning Tool (May 11, 2020)
- Virtual Notarization and Witnessing of Your Documents During COVID-19 Emergency (April 28, 2020)
- As I See It: Remote notarization would solve dilemma of signing a will during coronavirus crisis (April 13, 2020)
- Financial and Healthcare Decision-Making During a Crisis (April 10, 2020)
- The CARES Act Has Passed – Highlights for Individual Taxpayers (March 31, 2020)
- Planning for Incapacity: Identifying Authorized Health Care Agents for Incapacitated Patients (March 31, 2020)
- Proposed Emergency Notary Bill to Allow for Virtual Notarization (March 27, 2020)
- Coronavirus / COVID-19 and Estate Planning (March 13, 2020)
BANKRUPTCY & RESTRUCTURING
- The Impact of Recent Amendments to the United States Bankruptcy Code on Lenders (May 5, 2021)
- The COVID-19 Stimulus Bill and Pension Liability (May 5, 2021)
- ARPA Aid – What Cities and Towns Can Expect (May 3, 2021)
- Five Things to Know About PPP Loan Audits (April 20, 2021)
- How the Consolidated Appropriations Act helps companies in bankruptcy (March 18, 2021)
- Rent Abatement, PPP Loans (Maybe), and Other Bankruptcy Relief in the Appropriations Act (January 27, 2021)
- Webinar: How to Handle Small Business Bankruptcies (January 26, 2021)
- Delaying the Inevitable? Pier 1, Chuck E. Cheese, and Rent Abatement in Bankruptcy (December 21, 2020)
- Six Questions About Involuntary Bankruptcy (September 15, 2020)
- Getting Paid in Bankruptcy – Part IV, Employees (September 3, 2020)
- Getting Paid in Bankruptcy – Part III, Landlords, Leases, and Licenses (September 1, 2020)
- Getting Paid in Bankruptcy – Part II, Goods and Services (August 27, 2020)
- Getting Paid in Bankruptcy – Part I, Lender Claims (August 20, 2020)
- Webinar: 2020 Bankruptcy Bench Meets Bar: Part 2 (June 25, 2020)
- Understanding Landlord and Tenant Rights in Bankruptcy (May 28, 2020)
- Webinar: Lender Liability During COVID-19 (May 12, 2020)
- Paying the Rent in Bankruptcy – An Overview of Chapter 11 for Commercial Tenants and Their Landlords (May 5, 2020)
- Lender Liability During COVID-19 (April 29, 2020)
- Webinar: “1st Look” at the Impact of COVID-19 on Business Bankruptcy Practice (April 27, 2020)
FAMILY LAW
Contact: Lynette Paczkowski
- When Divorced Parents Feud About Vaccinating Children (October 20, 2021)
- To vaccinate or not to vaccinate: What happens when parents can’t agree to vaccinate their child? (September 27, 2021)
- What Happens When Couples Can’t Agree on Vaccinating Their Child? (September 13, 2021)
- Love it or List it: What to do with the marital home in case of divorce (March 23, 2021)
- Tis’ the Season: Holiday Co-Parenting During a Pandemic (December 2, 2020)
- What’s Love Got to do With It: When Unmarried Couples Live Like Married Couples (November 23, 2020)
- What’s Fair in Love and War: Divorce in a Volatile Market (October 7, 2020)
- Keeping Your Business Viable in the Event of a Divorce (September 8, 2020)
- Preparing for a Divorce During COVID-19 (May 18, 2020)
- Your Best Foot Forward – How to Prepare for Virtual Court Hearings and DCF Visits (May 7, 2020)
- Divorcing During COVID-19 (May 4, 2020)
- Child Support in Times of Uncertainty (April 1, 2020)
- Co-Parenting During the COVID-19 Pandemic (March 30, 2020)
Partners
Publications
Events + Recordings
-
Brigid Harrington Served on the Boston Bar Association’s “Higher Education Legal Conference” Advisory Committee
-
13th Annual Employment Law Update
-
Tracy Thomas Boland Spoke on “OSHA and Vaccine Mandates” for MetroWest HRMA (Webinar)
-
OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard: What Employers Must Know (Webinar)
News
-
Ben Hinks Quoted in The Wall Street Journal’s “Colleges, Parents Fight in Court Over Tuition Charged During Pandemic Closures”
-
Chelsie Vokes Quoted in MetroWest Daily News’ “Mask mandates dropping could mean more customers, but mixed messages”
-
Bob Young Quoted in Worcester Telegram’s “Businesses optimistic about new era of pandemic with end of mask mandate”
-
Tracy Thomas Boland Quoted in Boston Globe’s “How the OSHA vaccine and testing mandate might play out for local businesses”
Commercial Real Estate Insight & News
Client Alert: Supreme Court Rules on COVID-19 Vaccine/Testing Requirements – Big Business Mandate Blocked, Health Care Mandate Revived
Client Alert: Updates Relating to OSHA’s Emergency Vaccination/Testing Requirements for Employers with 100 or More Employees and the CDC’s New Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines
Client Alert: Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Temporarily Blocked Nationwide
The Case for Inclusion
AiVi Nguyen and Chelsie Vokes Write “How to counter the Shecession” for the Worcester Business Journal
AiVi Nguyen Quoted in Worcester Business Journal’s “Experts: Retaining women during and after the pandemic requires communication and empathy”
COVID-19 + Working Women: How to Reverse the Shecession (Webinar)