Health Care

On March 30, 2020, Kentucky Senate Bill 150 became effective which addresses numerous issues arising from the COVID-19 state of emergency. Included in that new statute is a provision that for any health care provider who, in good faith, renders care or treatment of a COVID-19 patient during the state of emergency, those health care providers shall have a defense to civil liability for ordinary negligence for any personal injury resulting from that care or treatment or failure to provide or arrange further medical treatment.

Last night, the U.S. Small Business Administration extended the safe harbor deadline for the repayment of Paycheck Protection Program loans from May 14, 2020 to May 18, 2020.

Against a backdrop of considerable anxiety in the business community regarding many aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) today issued its promised guidance on how it will review a borrower’s good-faith certification of economic need in connection with a PPP loan.

In a time when more than $650 billion in stimulus funds are being pumped through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the potential for bad actors to create havoc for business owners reliant upon these mostly forgivable loans is almost guaranteed.

As businesses configure their workplaces to include new safety measures such as providing temperature checks, supplying necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees, or installing hand sanitation stations, they must also be cautious of suspicious activities from fake suppliers, vendors, and other scammers attempting to exploit the current COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 8, 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) provided updated guidance for COVID-19 exposed employees for essential businesses, such as groceries, hospitals, and first responders.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, on March 30, 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued nationwide blanket waivers of sanctions under the federal physician self-referral law (Stark Law) for “COVID-19 Purposes” (Blanket Waivers).

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Benchmark Litigation recently named Stites & Harbison, PLLC as Litigation Firm of the Year for Kentucky at its 2020 Annual Awards Gala.

Provisions of the Paycheck Protection Program of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 economic relief legislation remain subject to change. On Thursday, April 2, 2020, the SBA issued a 31-page interim final rules to update and clarify the existing requirements. The content of this article is current as of Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

Please join us for a WEBINAR discussing the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. You can join the webinar at any time and attend whichever presentation(s) that are of interest to you.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, effective April 1, 2020, requires certain public employers and private employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide E-FMLA and Emergency Paid Sick Leave to eligible employees. Employers must notify current employees of these benefits by circulating the official Notice of Employee Rights published by the Department of Labor.

As the country takes action to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, sporting events, concerts, and business conferences are being cancelled at an astounding rate. Each day that passes since the outbreak brings new cancellations, government containment efforts, and complex legal questions. The initial visible impact in the United States has been predominantly to the hospitality and entertainment industries, with cancellations significantly affecting venues, attendees, hotels, and caterers; however, the impact of the coronavirus is sure to touch contractual agreements across all industries moving forward. How exactly will the coronavirus affect contracts? The answer: it’s complicated.

In response to the unprecedented public health emergency presented by COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), responsible for enforcing the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, issued a notification of enforcement discretion for telehealth remote communications effective immediately.

Employers are now dealing with the very real possibility of a coronavirus pandemic in the United States. When an “epidemic” becomes global, it becomes a “pandemic.” Employers need to develop plans now for effectively responding to employee concerns in the event of a pandemic.

COVINGTON, Ky.—The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has announced that Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Allyson True Cook is the recipient of the seventh annual Debbie Simpson Spirit of Achievement Award.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—BTI Consulting Group recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC as a standout in two key areas: investing in client relationships and client-facing communication in the prestigious BTI Client Service A-Team 2020: Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance.