Recent Updates
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Vaccination and Testing ETS is Dead! Next Up – a Permanent Rule? (January 26, 2022)
With so much information, so many decisions and so little time to address issues raised by the coronavirus pandemic, you need help at your fingertips. Below are our most recent updates and a directory of Pierce Atwood COVID-19 attorneys who are knowledgeable on the various questions and challenges you may be confronting.
We will continue to add information about specific topics so please check back when you can.
Please contact your principal attorney at Pierce Atwood or one of the attorneys in the directory for immediate assistance.
Pierce Atwood Resources
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated June 11, 2021)
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Massachusetts Relaxes Outdoor Mask Requirement and Announces Future Rollback and Lifting of Business Restrictions (April 30, 2021)
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Crossing State Lines: Interstate Travel in New England During the COVID-19 Pandemic (last updated April 30, 2021)
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Governor Mills Eases Restrictions in Preparation for Maine’s Tourism Season, Maintains Public Health Measures (March 5, 2021)
Pierce Atwood Resources
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Vaccination and Testing ETS is Dead! Next Up – a Permanent Rule? (January 26, 2022)
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What Does the Supreme Court’s Vaccine Mandate Decision Mean for Your Business? (January 14, 2022)
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Breaking: Supreme Court Blocks Vaccine or Test Mandate; Health Care Vaccine Mandate Upheld (January 13, 2022)
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The Wild ETS Ride Continues: The Stay Was Lifted, Now What? (December 20, 2021)
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OSHA Announces COVID-19 ETS Mandating Employee Vaccinations or Weekly Testing (November 5, 2021)
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Webinar on ETS Mandate (November 10, 2021)
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OSHA Updates COVID-19 Guidance Based on Recent CDC Recommendations (August 17, 2021)
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OSHA Releases Long-Awaited COVID-19 Emergency Standard for Healthcare, and Guidance for All Employers (June 14, 2021)
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More Paid Leave in Massachusetts: Emergency Paid Sick Leave Goes Into Effect on June 7, 2021 (June 4, 2021)
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Congress Extends FFCRA Payroll Tax Credit through September, With Some New Wrinkles (March 18, 2021)
Pierce Atwood Resources
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Real Estate Permitting Update: Massachusetts (June 16, 2021)
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Real Estate Permitting Update: Massachusetts (May 19, 2021)
Pierce Atwood Resources
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Maine Tax Changes Following End of COVID-19 State of Emergency (July 2, 2021)
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Maine Revenue Issues Additional COVID-19 Income and Sales Tax Guidance (February 15, 2021)
Maine
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated June 30, 2021)
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated May 28, 2021)
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Crossing State Lines: Interstate Travel in New England During the COVID-19 Pandemic (last updated April 30, 2021)
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Maine Governor Janet Mills Extends State of Emergency (March 18, 2021)
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Governor Mills Eases Restrictions in Preparation for Maine’s Tourism Season, Maintains Public Health Measures (March 5, 2021)
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Maine Revenue Issues Additional COVID-19 Income and Sales Tax Guidance (February 15, 2021)
Massachusetts
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated June 30, 2021)
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Real Estate Permitting Update: Massachusetts (June 16, 2021)
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More Paid Leave in Massachusetts: Emergency Paid Sick Leave Goes Into Effect on June 7, 2021 (June 4, 2021)
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated May 28, 2021)
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Massachusetts Relaxes Outdoor Mask Requirement and Announces Future Rollback and Lifting of Business Restrictions (April 30, 2021)
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Crossing State Lines: Interstate Travel in New England During the COVID-19 Pandemic (last updated April 30, 2021)
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Massachusetts Advancing to Final Reopening Phase (February 26, 2021)
New Hampshire
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated June 30, 2021)
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated May 28, 2021)
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Crossing State Lines: Interstate Travel in New England During the COVID-19 Pandemic (last updated April 30, 2021)
Rhode Island
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated June 30, 2021)
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Comfort Zones - Overview of Business and Social Restrictions in New England (last updated May 28, 2021)
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Crossing State Lines: Interstate Travel in New England During the COVID-19 Pandemic (last updated April 30, 2021)
Key Contacts
Please click on an attorney name to be directed to their bio which includes full contact information.
Subject Matter |
Attorney(s) |
COVID-19 Financing Programs and Capital Access |
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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) |
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Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) |
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| Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) | |
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Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans |
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Employment |
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Communications to employees |
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ERISA/Employment Benefits |
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Family Medical Leave |
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Furloughing employees |
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Notification of employees, patients, clients, public of positive test results |
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Paid and unpaid leave for employees |
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Pay during work at home |
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| Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) | |
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Payroll tax credits |
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Alternative Dispute Resolution |
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Alternative dispute resolution in construction/commercial contracts |
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Strategies for arbitration and mediation without in-person proceedings |
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Benefits/Charities |
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Benefits fraud |
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Due diligence on charities/charitable giving fraud |
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Business Litigation |
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Investor suits, breach of fiduciary duty allegations, and company disclosure obligations; litigation concerning mergers & acquisitions and financing transactions; commercial disputes based on business torts and statutory or contractual obligations |
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Consumer Litigation |
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Consumer demands under unfair and deceptive trade practices statutes, including for event cancellation and service disruptions |
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Debt collection and consumer finance litigation, especially with temporary collection suspensions by state governments and debt forgiveness proposals |
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Evaluating the applicability and enforceability of arbitration and class action waiver provisions |
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Contracts |
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Alternative dispute resolution in construction/commercial contracts |
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Construction contracts; force majeure; supply chains; payment issues - getting paid; mechanic's liens; government job shutdown; delay claims; material escalation |
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Energy contracts; force majeure; offtake agreement; financings; NAESB; ISDA; other major agreements |
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ERISA/Employment Benefits |
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Excuse of performance including force majeure, frustration of purpose, impracticability and/or impossibility, and responding to notices from counterparties seeking excuse of performance |
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False Claims Act; procurement fraud |
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Material adverse change/material adverse effect and related provisions in merger, acquisition, and financing agreements |
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Criminal |
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Bond and bail for prisons/jails with outbreaks |
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Court closures and speedy trial rights |
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Fraud (including false claims/procurement) |
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Cybersecurity |
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Evaluating heightened cybersecurity risks and preparing for incident response, including reporting obligations and litigation |
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Digital Accessibility |
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Litigation under the ADA and other laws concerning whether ditigal services, goods, and resources are accessible to persons with disabilities |
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Education |
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Contract issues |
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Duty of care to students and other stakeholders |
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Employment issues |
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Health services; public health duties |
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Impact on educational and physical/mental disability accommodations; impact on Title IX and student conduct investigations |
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Insurance issues |
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Potential liability arising from campus and residence hall closures; mandatory switch to online/distance modalities; impact on ability to meet accreditation standards |
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Status of tuition, room, board, fees |
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Travel restrictions; quarantines; study abroad |
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Energy/Utilities |
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Energy trading and transportation issues |
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Force majeure; offtake agreement; Financings/NAESB/ISDA/Other Major Agreements |
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Utility customer disruptions; billing |
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Environmental |
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Advertising pesticides/germ killing claims |
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| Environmental compliance and force majeure | |
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FTC green guides for product statements |
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Public hearings and other proceedings by municipal and administrative boards |
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Food |
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FDA rules for food safety |
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Immigration |
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Immigration issues for large employers |
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IRCA/Form I-9 Compliance |
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Status protection, compliance, and pending/new processes with USCIS and USDOL |
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Travel restrictions |
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US/CAN cross border business travel, port of entry issues and changes in POE operations and procedure |
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US Embassy consular closures and changes in consular operations |
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Insurance |
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Business interruption |
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ERISA/Employment Benefits |
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Health insurance |
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Insurance coverage for losses due to coronavirus |
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International |
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Cross-border issues and quarantine |
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Currency transfers |
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Trade controls and movement restrictions |
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Patent/Trademark |
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Patent office facilities closed to public |
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US Patent Office relief available to patent and trademark applicants, patentees and trademark owners affected by the coronavirus outbreak |
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Privacy |
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GDPR and transnational movement of health data |
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Laws governing the collection, processing, use, and disclosure of sensitive information from employees customers, vendors, and others (including HIPAA, FERPA, ADA, CCPA, and BIPA), guidance from regulators, and enforcement and litigation risks |
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Quarantine |
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Unlawful detention and violation of emergency restrictions |
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Sales/Pricing |
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Bid rigging/price fixing/government procurement |
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Unfair trade practices/price gouging and market manipulation |
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Taxation |
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Federal and state taxation |
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Payroll tax credits |
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Tax filing deadlines |
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Please click on an attorney name to be directed to their bio which includes full contact information.
Jurisdiction |
Attorney(s) |
Federal |
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Maine |
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Massachusetts |
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New Hampshire |
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Rhode Island |