US Department of Justice Announces That It Will Not Challenge Collaborative Effort to Manufacture and Distribute COVID-19-Related Medical Supplies
Fed Opens Registration Process for Commercial Paper Funding Facility
The Federal Reserve yesterday announced the opening of the registration process, and issued registration instructions and revised FAQs, for its Commercial Paper Funding Facility (CPFF), originally announced on March 17, 2020, expanded on March 23, 2020 and further detailed in initial FAQs on March 25, 2020. The CPFF materials, and materials for other Federal Reserve and legislative programs, are available through our Government Support for Businesses landing page. The CPFF registration information and…
Origination in the Era of COVID-19: the GSEs, FHA, and VA Issue Guidance for Appraisals and Income Verification
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs have announced guidance regarding changes to their normal origination guidelines during the COVID-19 emergency. This guidance includes temporarily-relaxed standards with respect to appraisals and employment/income verification requirements to accommodate social distancing guidelines and the fact that many employers are temporarily closed or employees are working from home. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also tighten certain underwriting requirements to ensure borrowers have…
COVID-19: Considerations for 2020 Incentive Compensation Programs
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ensuing market uncertainty, as well as recently enacted legislation, have upended the compensation and benefit programs of many companies. These two memos are the first in a series of memos that will discuss considerations for companies to keep in mind in connection with their short- and long-term incentive compensation programs.
The first memo highlights key issues for companies that have yet to finalize their 2020 incentive compensation programs. In…
AG Barr: Prosecutors, BOP Should Consider COVID-19 Crisis in Determining Bail, Early Release
Several current and former federal officials recently sent letters to the President and the Attorney General urging action to protect persons in custody or facing arrest and detention during the COVID-19 crisis. In response, Attorney General Barr has issued separate directives to all U.S. Attorneys and DOJ Department Heads and to the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). This guidance comes as justice systems across the United States are dealing with an increasing rate…
DHS: Extra H-2B Visas on Hold Because of High Unemployment Due to COVID-19
Extra H-2B visas have been put “on hold” and would not be released “until further notice,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced.
Shortfalls of H-2B visas have been a perennial problem. Used for temporary, seasonal, non-agricultural workers, these visas are relied on heavily by the tourist, hospitality, landscaping, and constructions industries. The statutory limit on the number of H-2B visas available each year is 66,000: 33,000 for the spring/summer period (which starts on…
DOJ Antitrust Division Approves COVID-related Competitor Collaboration Under Expedited Procedures
The Department of Justice Antitrust Division (the “Antitrust Division”) has granted its approval to a plan by a group of medical supply manufacturers to collaborate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a business review letter issued on April 4, the Antitrust Division stated that McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health, Owens & Minor, Medline Industries and Henry Schein Inc. could work together to speed up the manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 supplies. The business review is…
Real Life: Virtually Bring Your Pet to Work Lunch – Mayer Brown Northern California Edition
US Federal Payments to Hospitals For Treating Uninsured COVID-19 Patients
UK Health & Safety Executive Introduces New Criminal Penalties for Businesses Failing to Report COVID-19 Cases
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”) has introduced new guidance which requires employers to make a report of new cases of COVID-19. The consequences of failing to report can be very severe: an unlimited fine or even a custodial sentence in the most serious cases.
Read more on MayerBrown.com.
***
If you wish to receive periodic updates on this or other topics related to the pandemic, you can be added to our COVID-19 “Special Interest”…