Tag: Social Distancing

COVID-19

Public Spaces = Covered Faces

Written by Susan Kohn Ross

On Friday, April 2, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) came out with a recommendation that anyone who goes out in public should wear a face covering.  The CDC took action based on recent studies which are said to show that “a significant portion” of individuals have the COVID-19 virus but are displaying no symptoms, and so are unknowingly infecting others. Speaking is cited as one of the situations by which asymptomatic individuals are spreading the virus. Therefore, CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public settings, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, where social distancing may be difficult to maintain. Continue reading “Public Spaces = Covered Faces”

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COVID-19, Shelter in Place

Bay Area Narrows SIP Orders

Written by Susan Kohn Ross and Matthew S. Beasley

On March 31, 2020, six Bay Area counties in Northern California adopted amended “shelter in place” orders in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). These orders are important to all businesses in the Bay Area, but also to everyone else as they could be a preview of what is to come.

Like the prior orders adopted during the week of March 16, 2020, the March 31, 2020 orders each generally require that residents stay home unless they are engaged in work which the orders define as “essential.” Importantly, the March 31, 2020 orders significantly restrict and reduce the definitions of “essential” work. For instance, under the San Francisco order, most construction is now prohibited. Exceptions are made for healthcare facility construction directly related to the COVID-19 response, affordable housing; public works projects when designated as essential by the lead governmental agency, shelters and temporary housing, projects necessary to provide critical services to certain vulnerable individuals, construction necessary to secure an existing construction site, and limited essential residential or business repairs. In other words, the March 31, 2020 orders ban most residential and commercial construction. As another example, businesses that supply products needed to work from home are no longer “essential,” and must cease operations. Continue reading “Bay Area Narrows SIP Orders”

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Corporate, COVID-19

Big Apple, Small Business

New York City Helps Small Businesses Survive

Written by Arina Shulga

With the recent “social distancing” measures that include the closure of schools, bars and restaurants, gyms, libraries, Broadway theaters, large retailers, and other businesses, many companies operating in New York City are being seriously impacted.  Although some bigger companies may survive this economic crisis, small businesses likely face a grim future. Continue reading “Big Apple, Small Business”

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Corporate, COVID-19

Shareholder Distancing

Shareholder Meetings in the Age of “Social Distancing” and COVID-19

Written by Blake Baron

Background

On March 13, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) published guidance to assist public companies, investment companies, shareholders and other market participants affected by COVID-19 in connection with their upcoming shareholder meetings. The SEC explained that this guidance was designed to allow these companies to continue to hold their meetings, including through the use of technology, and engage with shareholders under social distancing circumstances, while still complying with the federal securities laws.

Shareholder Meetings – The Impact of COVID-19 and the Natural Transition to Virtual Meetings

Generally, public companies and investment companies are required to hold annual meetings of security holders, with the federal securities laws requiring the delivery of proxy materials to the voting shareholders.  Over the past few years, more and more companies have been transitioning to either complete “virtual” shareholder meetings or “hybrid” meetings, which avoid the need for in-person shareholder attendance. Continue reading “Shareholder Distancing”

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