COVID-19 Resource Center

Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys are working around the clock to help clients address the critical employment, finance, production, marketing, real estate, transactional and litigation issues arising from the pandemic. We are up-to-the-minute on federal, state and local developments that affect your businesses and families. Please take advantage of the COVID-19 resources below and contact us if you need help. We are here for you.

Updates

Videos

Can You Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines? Tricia Legittino speaks with Mark Piazza, SVP - Business Intelligence & Insight Group of the 4A’s, about COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in the workplace.

Advertising, Marketing, & Public Relations Updates

NYAG Settles With New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts Over Pandemic-Related Cancellation Charges

FDA Cracks Down on Supplement Makers Selling Mental Health Relief

Oregon Pulls Commercial Promoting COVID-19 Safety Measures, Over Sensitivity Concerns

No Injury-No Access: A Federal Judge Closes The Door on ADA Claims Over COVID Shopping Hours

JPC Issues FAQs on Production Pause in SoCal

SAG-AFTRA, JPC and PGA Recommend a Temporary Pause on In-Person Production in SoCal

When You Can't Provide Services as Advertised Due to COVID-19, is it False Advertising?

FTC Sends More Warning Letters Over COVID-19 Claims

Facebook Bans Ads That Discourage People From Getting Vaccinated

New York Court Dismisses NYAG Price Gouging Lawsuit

Lessons in Media Buying for a Post-Covid World: Super Bowl Edition

FDA Warns Consumers About Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Packaged Like Normal Food and Drinks, and Encourages Retailers to Stop Selling These Products

FTC Warns Another Marketer About Making False COVID-19 Relief Claims

FTC Sends Another Round of COVID-19 Warning Letters

ICAS and EASA Release Report on Advertising Self-Regulation During COVID-19

Google Strengthens Clickbait Advertising Policy

SAG-AFTRA Issues COVID Safety Guidelines

GALA Releases Report on Global COVID-19 Advertising Law Developments

Cuomo Signs New Price Gouging Law, Expanding Coverage Beyond Consumer Goods

Contact: Terri Seligman

Charitable Organizations Updates

Sued If You Do, Sued if You Don’t: School Reopening Decisions Create Legal Exposure

Contact: J.J. Harwayne Leitner

Corporate, Finance & Tax Updates

Pandemic Relief: Take Advantage of New PPP and Entertainment Industry Grant Programs

Do Telecommuters Working in Another State Owe New York State Income Taxes?

Questions to Consider Before Deferring Employee Social Security Tax Payments

IRS Reminds Taxpayers About “Home Office” Deduction Eligibility

PPP Application Process Will Close and Certain Borrower Information Will Be Disclosed

Small and Midsize Business Relief: New “Main Street Lending Program" Is on the Way

PPP Loan Program Updates: Enactment of Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act Brings Forgiveness Period, Payroll Cost Threshold, Loan Maturity and Other Changes

PPP Loan Program Update: The New SBA Loan Forgiveness Application

PPP Loan Program Updates: Additional Funding and Valuable “Safe Harbors”

IRS: Forgiven Paycheck Protection Program Loan Expenses Are Not Deductible           

PPP Loan Program Updates: Additional Funding and Additional Guidance

CARES Act: Calculating Employee Headcount Under SBA “Affiliation Rules”

CARES Act Provisions

Contacts: Jeffrey Marks, Jay Rand & Deborah Wolfe

Employment Law Updates

Vac to Work: EEOC Provides New Guidance on Vaccine Requirements, Incentives, and Documentation Requests

New York HERO Act Imposes New Health and Safety Rules on Employers

What Employers Need to Know About the American Rescue Plan Act

California Enacts COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave 2021

AICP and Unions Agree on Updated COVID-19 Commercial Production Guidelines

Can Employers Require Employees to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccination?

New Southern California “Stay at Home” Order: What You Need to Know

Cal/OSHA Requires Employers to Have a Written COVID-19 Prevention Plan

Uncompensated COVID-19 Safety Protocols Prompt Class Action Wage and Hour Claim

New CDC “Close Contact” Definition Establishes Lower Threshold for Required Quarantine

Deadline: New York Sick Leave Law Takes Effect September 30th

EEOC Again Updates Key Guidance for Employers Reopening Workplaces

California Codifies When COVID-19 Illness Will Be Presumed Job-Related for Workers’ Compensation Purposes

New York Court Strikes Key Provisions of the US Dol’s Rule Regarding FFCRA Paid Sick and Expanded FMLA Leave

5 Tips for When COVID-19 Comes to Your Media Production

Reopening: Can an Employer Require Antibody Testing For Returning Employees?

EEOC Updates Key Guidance for Employers Reopening Workplaces

California Employees Who Refuse to Return to Work Risk Loss of Unemployment Benefits

California Courts Lift Certain COVID-19 Restrictions and Begin Preparations to Fully Reopen

OSHA Issues New Guidance on Reporting “Work-related” COVID-19 Cases

Checklist: Eleven Policies to Consider Before Reopening Your Business

California Sues Uber and Lyft for Worker Misclassification

California Workers’ Compensation Order Creates Rebuttable Presumption that COVID-19-related Illness Came From Work

SBA Clarifies Key Loan Forgiveness Issue for Employers

EEOC Permits Employers to Test for COVID-19

Families First Coronavirus Act - How to Get into Compliance

Aid for Small Business and Employees Affected by COVID-19

Updates to Federal and State Employee Leave and Sick Leave Laws

California WARN Act Requirements Suspended by Governor

Contacts: Tricia Legittino, Gavin McElroy & Wendy Stryker

Entertainment Law Updates

Major Studios and Guilds Forge New COVID-19 Production Safety Agreement

Entertainment and Force Majeure: Can You Be "Ready, Willing, and Able to Perform" If a Pandemic and Related Government Orders Prevent Performance?

New York City Reopens for Film and Television Production

Los Angeles County Authorizes Television, Film, and Music Production Resume on June 12, 2020 With Strict Regulations

California Will Permit Television, Film, and Music Production to Resume on June 12, 2020 Subject to County Public Health Approvals

Federal Bill Would Increase Availability of Key Insurance Coverages

The Show Must Go On: Production During the Pandemic

Contacts: Richard Heller & Michael Williams

Estate Planning & Administration Updates

How COVID-19 Affects Estate Planning Today 

New York State Surrogate’s Courts Continue to Reopen

Estate Planning Opportunities During the Pandemic

Contacts: Barbara Shiers & Linda Wank

Intellectual Property Updates

USPTO Wades Into Flood Of 'COVID' Trademark Applications

KFC Presses Pause on IT'S FINGER LICKIN' GOOD Slogan

The Terrible Towel Is A Formidable Foe: Steelers' Licensor Sues Maker of Terrible Masks

Another USPTO Update – Prioritized Examination of COVID-19-Related Applications

USPTO Grants Further COVID-19-Related Relief

The USPTO’s COVID-19 Extensions of Time: What Trademark Attorneys and Brand Owners Need to Know

The USPTO Further Extends Trademark Deadlines

The CARES Act Provides Relief for Intellectual Property Owners

Contacts: Catherine Farrelly & Edward Rosenthal

Legal Ethics & Professional Responsibility Updates

New Ethics Opinion Addresses Lawyers' Obligations When Required To Return To Court In-Person During a Pandemic

New York Lifts Toll On Statute of Limitations For Civil Claims

New York Will Hold Remote Bar Exam In February; Limits First Wave of Registration

NY Courts Hit Brakes On New Jury Trials

Want To Be Admitted Without Taking an Exam? Not So Fast

NYC Resumes Limited Number of Civil Jury Trials

NY Courts Release Online Tools To Encourage Mediation to Resolve Civil Cases

NY Courts Announce Uniform Scheduling Order For Civil Cases Against NYC

D.C.'s Temporary Practice Opinion Should Be the Model for Other Jurisdictions During the Pandemic

Executive Order Statutory Extensions, New Rules in Arizona, and Protecting Escrow Accounts.

Appellate Division First Department Issues New Guidance for Operations During Fall Term

NY Reaches Reciprocity Agreement with Other States for Transfer of Remote Bar Exam Scores

Florida Seeks to Solve the "Butt-In-Seat" Problem

I'm working from a state where I'm not admitted to practice law during the COVID crisis. Am I engaged in UPL?

How Important is Physical Presence in the Practice of Law?

Public Defenders' Lawsuit Over Court Reopenings Dismissed

COVID-19 Shows Why New York's Physical Law Office Requirement Should Be Repealed, Says NY City Bar Committee

Public Defenders Sue to Stop In-Court Appearances During COVID

Law Graduates Can Now Apply to Practice Law in New York

New York Bar Exam Moves Online

New York Cancels September Bar Exam; Amends Rules to Permit Limited Practice by Law Graduates

More Re-Opening Updates: More Courts Move to Phase 4; Grand Juries Return Outside NYC

Courts Announce Screening Procedures for All Courthouse Visitors

FTC Permits Telephone or Livestream Access to Administrative Hearings

Top Five Tips for Ethically Marketing Your Legal Practice Online

COVID-19 Resources for New York Lawyers

Courts, NYSBA Form Pro Bono Network to Help People Impacted by Coronavirus

Practicing Law in a Pandemic: The Ethics of Remote Lawyering in the Age of COVID-19

What the Families First Coronavirus Act Means for Law Firms

COVID-19 Executive Orders and What They Mean for Your Practice

Contacts: Nicole Hyland & Ronald C. Minkoff

Litigation Updates

California Business Interruption Coverage Plaintiff Seeks Expedited Supreme Court Review

Los Angeles Superior Court Delays Resumption of Most Civil Jury Trials Due to COVID-19

Four COVID-19 Litigation Trends That Are Affecting Businesses and Individuals

Take Five Steps to Ensure Better Remote Mediations

Are You Liable When Employees or Customers Contract COVID-19?

COVID-19 Surge Postpones or Delays Los Angeles Civil Jury Trials

First “Win” for Businesses Against Insurers in COVID-19 Coverage Lawsuits

Force Majeure: Court Will Decide Whether COVID-19 Excused Developer’s Failure to Close

Contacts: Tricia Legittino & Edward Rosenthal

Privacy & Data Security Updates

Technical Woes at the SBA Cause Data Breach and Continue to Cause Delays

Contact: Daniel M. Goldberg

Real Estate Updates

New York State Reopens—and Increases Capacity for—Restaurants and Entertainment Venues

New York Places New Restrictions on Residential Evictions and Foreclosures

New York Extends Commercial Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium and Reopens Movie Theaters

New York Permits Gyms, “Low-Risk” Arts & Entertainment, Amusement Parks, Gaming Sites, Malls and Restaurants to Reopen With Restrictions

New York Extends Restrictions on Evictions, Foreclosures, and Enforcement of Personal Liability Provisions 

CDC Issues Residential Eviction Moratorium

New York Extends COVID-Related Real Estate Laws

New York Revises Real Estate Foreclosure Procedures

New York Updates Pandemic Foreclosure Procedures

New York Empowers Businesses and Commercial Building Owners to Require Masks and Temperature Checks

NYC COVID-19 Relief Package Will Help Restaurants and Certain Small Commercial Tenants

New York Real Estate and COVID-19: New Relief for Landlords and Tenants

COVID-19 and Commercial Leasing: What New York Landlords and Tenants Need to Know

Contact: Larry A. Welch

Sports

How the Pandemic Has Affected Sports Marketing Contracts

Contact: Christopher Chase