Author name: dshipps

This is a sample Coronavirus Action Plan. It is not meant to be exhaustive or construed as legal advice. Consult additional insurance and/or legal counsel for professional advice. Please modify this action plan to meet your business needs, taking all relevant federal, state and local compliance requirements into account. The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has impacted […]

The coronavirus pandemic has upended nearly every industry and has every employer wondering, “When will it be safe to bring employees back to work?” Government guidance can shift rapidly, sometimes within the same week. Shelter-in-place orders have been extended by some officials, with others questioning why restrictions are still in place. With all this uncertainty,

As the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies, employers around the United States are looking for ways to provide relief from the outbreak’s financial burden on employees. One option available for employers from Section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) is the Qualified Disaster Relief Payment program. In general, payments made by an

Employers are responsible for withholding Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes from their employees’ paychecks and paying these taxes along with the employer’s share to the IRS each month.  The Social Security tax is 12.4% total, with 6.2% withheld from the employee’s wages and the employer paying 6.2%.  The Medicare tax is 2.9%, with 1.45%

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has interrupted many businesses across the country. While it’s unclear how long COVID-19 will continue to affect organizations, many employers are looking to the future of employees returning to work. Echoing the sentiments of public health officials, a return to normalcy won’t be like flipping a switch, but rather a gradual

After observing a 30-day nonenforcement period to help employers come into compliance with new paid leave rules, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that it is fully enforcing all provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).    The FFCRA requires private employers with fewer than 500 employees and certain government employers

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was supposed to provide forgivable loans to small businesses so they can pay their payroll, rent, and utilities for 2 months.  About 10 days ago, the PPP loan program ran out of money, so the US Small Business Administration stopped accepting PPP loan applications. Last Thursday, Congress approved an additional

On April 23, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued additional answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about how employers should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while also observing all applicable emergency workplace safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. The new FAQs were added to guidance that the EEOC previously issued

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. In addition to providing direct financial assistance to Americans, the CARES Act repeals the Medicine Cabinet Tax provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), expanding the list of qualifying expenses that can be purchased with health savings