Client Alert: Vaccine Mandate for Boston Restaurants Begins January 15

Client Alert: Vaccine Mandate for Boston Restaurants Begins January 15 Thumbnail

Beginning Saturday, January 15, 2022, certain food establishments in the City of Boston will be required to obtain proof of COVID-19 vaccination from customers and employees. The vaccine mandate, officially titled the “Temporary Order Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Indoor Entertainment, Recreation, Dining, and Fitness Settings in the City of Boston” was established by the Boston…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Hospitality Practice Group, News

Impact on Employers of the FDA Approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Impact on Employers of the FDA Approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Thumbnail

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recently approved use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of the COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age or older. Previously, all COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the United States were approved through Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”), which enables the FDA to allow for use of…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Employment Law, News

Vaccinations in the Workplace: What Can Be Required of Employees

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The “new normal” following the COVID-19 pandemic appears just across the horizon. The number of active COVID-19 cases continues to decline. Traffic is increasing. The sun is coming out and temperatures are rising (aside from Memorial Day weekend). This return to normalcy is helped in great part by the large number of people in the Bay…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Employment Law

Employment Alert: Massachusetts Enacts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave

Employment Alert: Massachusetts Enacts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Thumbnail

On May 28, 2021, Governor Baker signed into law a temporary requirement for employers to provide employees up to 40 hours of COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) and created a $75 Million fund for employers to seek reimbursement. EPSL will start on June 7, 2021 and remain in effect until September 30, 2021 or…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Employment Law, News

Client Alert: Governor Baker Announces MA Reopening

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On May 17, 2021, Governor Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts would lift the vast majority COVID-19 related restrictions effective May 29, 2021. Boston Mayor Kim Janey also announced that Boston will lift its COVID related restrictions effective May 29, 2021, thereby aligning with the state’s reopening plan. Similarly, the State of Emergency first imposed by…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, COVID-19

Client Alert: SBA Announces Registration and Application Dates for RRF

Client Alert: SBA Announces Registration and Application Dates for RRF Thumbnail

According to a recent press release from the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), registration for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (“RRF”) will begin on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 9:00 AM (Eastern Time). The RRF will also begin accepting applications on Monday, May 3, 2021, at noon (Eastern Time). As a reminder, although all applicants are free…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Hospitality Practice Group, News

Client Alert: SBA Issues Guidance for Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program

Client Alert: SBA Issues Guidance for Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program Thumbnail

On April 17, 2021, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) quietly rolled out a new website for the much-anticipated Restaurant Revitalization Fund (“RRF”) program.  The website includes, among other things, a sample Application and Program Guide.  A copy of the Program Guide can be found here and a copy of the of the sample Application can…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Hospitality Practice Group, News

Client Alert: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Establishes A $28.6 Billion “Restaurant Revitalization Fund” Within the U.S. Small Business Administration

Client Alert: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Establishes A $28.6 Billion “Restaurant Revitalization Fund” Within the U.S. Small Business Administration Thumbnail

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”) into law. The wide-ranging $1.9 trillion stimulus bill establishes a $28.6 Billion “Restaurant Revitalization Fund” (the “RRF”) within the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”). The RRF is the first package of its kind to target restaurants through…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19, Hospitality Practice Group, News

Webinar Recording: New COVID-19 Relief Bill and Round Two of PPP Loans

Webinar Recording: New COVID-19 Relief Bill and Round Two of PPP Loans Thumbnail

RIW Attorneys Michael J. Barone, Jr., and Bethany A. Grazio, together with Adam Bispham at Cambridge Savings Bank, recently hosted an MCLE New England web panel entitled “1st Look” at the New COVID-19 Relief Bill & Round Two of PPP Loans. If you would like to review the program, a link to our PowerPoint presentation…

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POSTED IN: COVID-19

The Effect of COVID-19 on Risk Allocation in Commercial Leases: Recent Superior Court Decision Provides Guidance

The Effect of COVID-19 on Risk Allocation in Commercial Leases: Recent Superior Court Decision Provides Guidance Thumbnail

In one of the first written decisions from the Massachusetts Superior Court on the practical impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had in the commercial real estate space, the Business Litigation Session in the case of UNMV 205-207 Newbury, LLC v. Caffe Nero Americas Inc. not only denied an attempt at summary judgment by the Lessor, but also…

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POSTED IN: Corporate & Business, COVID-19, Litigation, News