Employee Retention Tax Credits in the Age of Coronavirus
On Sunday, May 17, in a previous client update note on the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan forgiveness, we informed you that the Department of Treasury (USDT) had provided an alternative time frame for consideration of what would be forgiven. That change permitted both paid and incurred eligible expenses as part of what could be...
More News on the PPP Loan Forgiveness
On Sunday, May 17, we issued an update on PPP loans which discussed the change in time frame which would be considered for loan forgiveness. At the same time that this new guidance was issued, the United States Department of the Treasury (USDT) issued additional guidance which clarifies under what circumstances loan forgiveness can be...
Governor Inslee Walks Back Contact Tracing Requirement for Restaurants
On May 15, 2020, within days of announcing a requirement that all restaurants would be required to obtain and maintain contact tracing information for patrons, Governor Inslee quickly withdrew this mandate after widespread concerns that such a requirement would violate patron’s privacy rights. Now, the Governor has indicated that it is only a recommendation that...
SBA Releases New Rules on How to Apply PPP Proceeds in Order to Get Forgiveness
On Friday, May 15, the Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Treasury Department, issued new guidelines on how employers who have received PPP loan proceeds can apply those loans and still be in compliance with the regulations that will be used to assess whether an employer has met the requirements to receive loan...
PPP Loans: Saved Before the Bell
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the Treasury Department, after consultation with the Small Business Administration, issued new guidance regarding good faith certifications for businesses that received Paycheck Protection Loan (PPP) funds. After issuance of multiple statements starting in April, 2020 regarding the impact of accepting PPP funds if a business had access to other sources...
Supreme Court to Hear Washington ‘Faithless Electors’ Case
Washington, DC – On May 13, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear two cases involving states ‘faithless electors’ where there have been attempts to penalize Electoral College delegates who fail to vote for the presidential candidate they were pledged to support. Electoral College delegates are selected by each party, and under state laws, they...
The Ever-Changing Landscape of PPP Loans
On April 23, 2020, in response to the hue and cry from many members of the public that large businesses such as the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse had received PPP funds, the Small Business Administration announced that large businesses with adequate sources of liquidity would not likely be entitled to the funds through this new program.[1]...
Oregon State Bar: Construction Law Newsletter
NEW RETAINAGE REQUIREMENTS RAISE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS Recent amendments to ORS 279C.570 and ORS 701.420 create new requirements for retainage withheld on public and private construction contracts. Effective January 1, 2020, if the contract price exceeds $500,000, the contracting agency, private owner, contractor, or subcontractor must place amounts deducted as retainage into an interest-bearing...
May 6, 2020 @
The Time to Give Back is Now!
GiveBIG Washington is a fundraising event that started with early giving on April 15th and will culminate with a 48-hour public campaign starting May 5th-6th. Through GiveBIG, individuals, businesses, and organizations come together to support nonprofits providing food, shelter, health and social services to communities in Washington. Williams Kastner strongly believes in the importance of...
May 7, 2020 @ 11:00 AM
Labor & Employment and Insurance Coverage Webinar: Best Practices to Return to Work During COVID-19
Thursday, May 7th 11:00 am – 12:15 pm Register Now Join our Seattle partners, Sheryl Willert, and Jeff Wells from our Labor & Employment group along with Insurance group partner Eliot Harris in a webinar discussion on the challenges to employers and insurers as businesses return to work in the coming weeks and months. We will highlight...
New Proclamation from Washington Governor Establishes Employer Obligations to COVID-19 At-Risk Employees
On April 13, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation 20-46 High Risk Employees- Workers’ Rights amending his previous February 29, 2020 Proclamation 20-05 which declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a public disaster. According to the new Proclamation, the threat of severe illness or death caused by COVID-19 to Washington State’s public and private sector workers who...
April 13, 2020 @ 11:00 AM
Webinar: COVID-19 Impact on Labor & Employment
Speakers Sheryl Willert Jefferey Wells Bryan Churchill April 13th 11:00 am – 12:15 pm Register Now Join our Seattle partners, Sheryl Willert and Jefferey Wells along with Portland Of Counsel, Bryan Churchill from Williams Kastner in a discussion on the current impact of COVID-19. Employers face a multitude of challenges as they navigate through COVID-19 and its effect on their workforce and businesses....