Thursday, April 2, 2020
By Mark Opara, John Vering, and Shannon JohnsonApril 2, 2020 On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued temporary regulations and guidance (124 pages) to help carry out the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The temporary regulations, which are effective April 1, 2020, provide employers with much needed guidance on many […]
Thursday, April 2, 2020
April 2, 2020By Lori Beam On March 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued 18 nationwide blanket waivers to sanctions under the physician-self referral law known as the Stark Law, providing greater flexibility to hospitals and physicians as they urgently collaborate to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. CMS also compiled into […]
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
April 1, 2020By Mark Thompson and Emily Crane On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) into law, allocating $2 trillion in funding for various programs, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A large portion of the CARES Act is geared towards providing funding […]
Monday, March 30, 2020
March 30, 2020By Mark Opara, John Vering, and John Neyens On March 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published new guidance establishing broad exceptions for certain employers from the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (herein Act). Under the Act, the Secretary of the DOL was authorized to issue regulations for good cause […]
Monday, March 30, 2020
March 30, 2020By John Vering, John Neyens, and Mark Opara As part of the CARES Act, Congress broadly expanded unemployment compensation benefits and allocated substantial federal funds to support state-based Short-Time Compensation (STC) or “work sharing” compensation programs which allow employers to make an agreement with state Unemployment Compensation offices to reduce hours, instead of […]
Saturday, March 28, 2020
March 28, 2020Please see notice from the City of Kansas City, Missouri: The City of Kansas City, Missouri, is extending the 2019 Earnings Tax filing and payment deadline to July 15, 2020, mirroring the guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Missouri Department of Revenue. The hope is that this extension […]
Saturday, March 28, 2020
By Brenda Hamilton, Christopher Tillery, and Curry Sexton Fallout from the coronavirus crisis has caused many businesses to experience devastating financial consequences. The operations of businesses large and small have been seriously disrupted or have ceased as a result of the “Shelter-in-Place” or “Stay-at-Home” orders issued by many states, counties, and cities throughout the United […]
Friday, March 27, 2020
March 27, 2020By Lori Beam Telehealth systems are ideal for outbreak responses because they help triage low-acuity patients, mitigate overcrowding of hospitals and clinics, prevent unnecessary human exposure, and deliver timely quality care. In response to calls for broadening access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 outbreak, several federal agencies began taking action in the […]
Friday, March 27, 2020
March 27, 2020By: Mark Opara, Christopher Tillery, and Curry Sexton On Tuesday, March 24, 2020 Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued two executive orders, including Executive Order #20-14, which reduces the mass gathering limit in Kansas from 50 to 10, and Executive Order #20-15, which provides an “essential functions framework” that must be used by counties […]
Thursday, March 26, 2020
March 26, 2020 By Curry Sexton The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently issued guidance to DOT-Regulated Employers concerning DOT drug-and-alcohol testing requirements considering concerns related to COVID-19. DOT acknowledged that COVID-19 is straining medical resources and altering aspects of day-to-day life, including within the transportation industry. Accordingly, DOT is committed to providing “maximum flexibility […]