The Legal Brief

Federal Court Declares That Certain Pennsylvania Covid-19 Restrictions Unconstitutional

September 14, 2020

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has set forth restrictions across the state to stop the spread of the virus. However, not everyone has believed these restrictions were appropriate or lawful. The restrictions at issue which include a stay at home order, public gathering limits, and ordering non-life sustaining businesses to shut down were challenged in…

Governor Tom Wolf Urges Legislature to Legalize Recreational Marijuana in Pennsylvania

August 25, 2020

On August 25, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf released a statement publicly endorsing the legalization of recreational marijuana sales and usage. Governor Wolf stated that the revenue earned from the legalization of the substance could be utilized to fund small business relief efforts amidst economic fallout as a result of Covid-19. Additionally, the Governor would earmark this extra revenue to…

Indiana Governor Issues Executive Order Requiring Face Masks

July 27, 2020

At 12:01 a.m. today, Governor Holcomb’s Executive Order requiring face coverings went into effect. The Order is in response to an increase in the number of cases and positivity rate of COVID-19 cases in Indiana. Specifically, the Order requires every individual within the State of Indiana to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when:

1. inside a business, public building, or other indoor…

Colorado Last Call News

July 22, 2020

Colorado state government has made significant changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From passing new laws on workplace safety and paid leave, to issuing a statewide mandate that people wear facemasks in public spaces. However, even as these changes have gone into effect the state has continued to see a rise in COVID-19 cases. The increases are not as stark as some other states, including…

Colorado Statewide Mask Order

July 21, 2020

In the midst of a resurgence of COVID-19 in the United States and in those states bordering Colorado, Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a statewide mask order on July 16, 2020. Referring to studies projecting that the resurgence in COVID has a potential to overwhelm Colorado’s ICU beds by September, Polis announced that this took effect on Friday, July 17, 2020 at midnight.

The order mandates…

Colorado Passes New Sick Leave Law

July 16, 2020

On Tuesday July 14, 2020, Colorado enacted an expansive new law regarding paid sick and family leave that will have impacts on employers across the state with both union and nonunion workforces. The law expands upon federal paid sick leave that was part of the early response from Congress to the pandemic. The law expands requirements for employers to offer paid sick leave, and the reasons…

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf Announces New Restrictions Amidst COVID-19 Cases Rising

July 15, 2020

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have been forced to adapt or close altogether under Governor Tom Wolf’s orders which have been aimed at reducing the spread of the deadly virus. However, businesses across the state have begun to reopen under social distancing guidelines in the state’s Green Phase. Nonetheless, it appears that many businesses’ operations will be disrupted…

Pennsylvania Grant Program Announced for Businesses Across PA Affected by COVID-19

June 19, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe economic damage to businesses across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Businesses were forced to adapt or close altogether under Governor Tom Wolf’s orders which were aimed at reducing the spread of the deadly virus. In response to this economic disruption, the government has offered several programs to provide stimulus to businesses across the country. On…

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC): What We Know to be Facts vs. What We Need to Find Out (Third In A Series)

June 19, 2020

As discussed in the first two entries in this series of four, while COVID-19 has many organizations focused on other priorities, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) remains to be phased into DoD contracts beginning July 1, 2020. It is important that all affected organizations continue to prepare for the requirements. The U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) released version 1.0 of…

BEWARE 6-PERSON CIVIL JURY PROPOSALS IN THE COVID-19 ERA

June 19, 2020

In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, like most jurisdictions, suspended all civil jury trials until June 1, 2020. Now that this period has expired, the Supreme Court has left it to the discretion of individual judicial districts to resume civil jury trials when they can “be conducted consistent with prevailing health and safety norms.”

The…

CALIFORNIA CONSUMER PRIVACY ACT: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE JULY 1ST ENFORCEMENT (Second In A Series)

June 11, 2020

As we discussed in this series’ first entry, the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 forced many companies to shift focus to immediate financial and operational issues to keep their businesses afloat, which may have resulted in certain initiatives (such as corporate compliance matters) being put on temporary hold. However, the pandemic did not affect the July 1, 2020 enforcement deadline for the…

What Green Phase Means for Pennsylvania Businesses

June 5, 2020

On June 5, 2020, Allegheny County is moving into the green phase, allowing for some semblance of normalcy to return, but some restrictions will remain in place. On March 19, 2020, Governor Wolf ordered that all non-life sustaining businesses close, On May 15, 2020, the Governor Wolf transitioned Allegheny County and other southwestern Pennsylvania counties to yellow phase. 

Who Can Open in Green…