What’s New

Following weeks of negotiation, Congress passed the 5,593 page Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”) in the late hours December 21, 2020, that, in part, allocates approximately $900 billion towards emergency coronavirus relief and effectively extends and expands the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) and existing unemployment assistance programs.  A copy of the Act can…

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Over the last week, the United States saw a heartening advancement in the COVID-19 situation: the distribution and administration of a vaccine.  This exciting development suggests a return to “normal” may, in fact, be on the horizon.  At the same time, many questions remain concerning the COVID-19 vaccination in the employment context.  Can an employer…

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Earlier this year, we reported that House Bill 4617 effectively stayed the expiration of local approvals and permitting deadlines as of March 10, 2020 in response to COVID-19. Governor Baker also issued COVID-19 Executive Order No. 17, which stayed permitting activity before state agencies. Both the state and local orders were originally set to expire,…

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The ProVisors Business Advisory Group is hosting a weekly webinar series called “Surviving, Thriving and Growing Your Business Through the Pandemic” from September 29, 2020, to November 10, 2020. RIW employment law attorney David Robinson will be a panelist on the webinar Hiring and Managing in the Workplace in the “New Normal” taking place on…

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On September 29, 2020, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that effective Monday, October 5th, lower risk communities* will be permitted to move into Step II of Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan with the following restrictions:     Indoor performance venues will be permitted to open with 50% capacity with a maximum of 250 people….

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On September 15, 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced an extension of state tax deferral measures aimed at easing COVID-19 related financial burdens for the retail and hospitality sectors.   The tax deferral extension will include the following measures:   Extended Time Period for Deferral. Sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes will be…

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We thought you’d be interested in this summary put together by Restaurant Trends Seminar partner, the Boston Restaurant Group: In the past a “good” lease was always considered the most valuable asset of a restaurant. Post COVID-19, it has become the restaurant’s greatest liability. I realize how difficult the past few months have been for everyone in the…

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Thank you to everyone who was able to participate in the Re-Opening Guidance for the Massachusetts Restaurant Industry webinar last Wednesday. These are challenging times and we hope it was useful. As many people requested, we are enclosing a recording of the webinar in the link below for those who would like to review what was covered….

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On Tuesday, June 16, 2020, the Small Business Administration (the “SBA”) quietly released the revised Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application (the “Long Form Application”) and the new Paycheck Protection Program PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Form 3508EZ (the “EZ Application”). The instructions included as part of the Applications provide borrowers with much needed guidance on…

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The RIW Hospitality Practice Group will host the Re-Opening Guidance for the Massachusetts Restaurant Industry Webinar on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. WEBINAR INFO: Restaurant operators face a host of business and legal hurdles as the industry re-opens under Phase 2 of Governor Baker’s Re-Opening Plan. Please join restaurant industry professionals, regulators,…

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