Mayer Brown’s COVID-19 Global Response Team has launched two new tools on its COVID-19 portal, the Back to Business Navigator and the Global Stimulus Navigator, to help companies navigate the myriad legal issues across jurisdictions that most affect their business.
The gradual process of reopening the economy and businesses by lifting government-mandated stay-at-home
The 50 states and the District of Columbia have issued orders and directives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although common approaches have been taken by many states, each state’s order is different and must be analyzed relative to the work being performed. In most circumstances, contractors that are part of the Defense Industrial Base
It was late December when the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in China. Since then, the disease has spread across the world in a global pandemic. In response, countries have instituted various measures in an effort to slow its spread. One common measure has been to order non-essential businesses to suspend operations. Another common measure has been to limit domestic and foreign travel. But as the economic toll increases and the pandemic begins to abate in certain regions, governments are starting to think about how they will restart their economies.
Yesterday, April 15, 2020, for example, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a plan to begin reopening the shuttered portions of Germany’s economy starting next week. The day before, US President Donald Trump signaled his desire to reopen American businesses by May 1 if not earlier.
Although the process of reopening businesses is still in its early stages even where the pandemic’s apex has apparently passed, this much is clear already: the process will be gradual, vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and confront business with myriad issues.
With infections rising in various parts of the country and the annual extended holiday break coming up, the Japanese government announced that it will be expanding the declaration of emergency, which was first in effect on April 8 for seven prefectures (including Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures), to now all of Japan. The declaration of emergency will be effective until May 6 for all prefectures but may be extended at the discretion of the Japanese government depending on how the infection spreads.
Continue Reading Japan Expands the State of Emergency to All Prefectures
On April 13, 2020, the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued the “Joint Antitrust Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Competition in Labor Markets” (the Joint Statement).[1] The Joint Statement reinforces, and is consistent with, prior statements that collaborative efforts aimed at improving the nation’s ability to combat COVID-19 and to protect the health of the US population will be given substantial latitude under the antitrust laws. But the Agencies also are keen to remind businesses that antitrust enforcement remains a high priority when it comes to collusion or information sharing that may harm workers.[2] The ongoing pandemic is not a justification for coordination on hiring, wages, benefits, layoffs, or other terms and conditions of employment.
Continue Reading US Antitrust Agencies Remind Parties That Collusion in Labor Markets Remains a Top Enforcement Priority
In Mexico, the first case of COVID-19 appeared on February 27, 2020. Since that time, its transmission through community spread has grown exponentially. If the virus continues to spread at the current rate, the available medical facilities in Mexico will be stressed and eventually overloaded with critical patients.
Considering that the risk of community spread of COVID-19 through person-to-person contact is magnified when people congregate together, the Mexican government, like many of its global counterparts, implemented measures in order to protect, preserve, and promote the general health, safety, and welfare of the people in Mexico.
On April 9, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-42 (Executive Order), which directs Michigan residents to “remain at home or in their place of residence to the maximum extent feasible” until 11:59 pm on April 30, 2020, unless exempted under the Executive Order. Subject to certain exceptions, the Executive Order limits in-person business and governmental operations, requires Michigan residents to remain in their homes, and prohibits “all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons not part of a single household.” Willful violation of the Executive Order is a misdemeanor. Below is a summary of the restrictions that apply to businesses:
Continue Reading What is “Essential” in Michigan?