Nearly every non-essential business in Pennsylvania has been shut down, using a greatly reduced workforce, or telecommuting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of revenue and profits is staggering. Customers across the United States and around the world are either shuttered entirely themselves or buying at greatly reduced levels. Many companies carry […]
COVID-19 Produces Its First Wrongful Death Suit in Pennsylvania
As we predicted in a recent blog, the pandemic is likely to prompt a flood of wrongful death lawsuits against private sector and municipal employers. On May 7, 2020, Pennsylvania’s first Covid-19 related wrongful death suit was filed in a Philadelphia Common Pleas court. It alleges that a worker at the JBS meatpacking plant in […]
Do Act of God Clauses Include COVID-19?
Following the SARS outbreak in 2002, many business interruption insurance policies started including an exemption for pandemics caused by a viral or bacterial outbreak. But even those that do not specifically reference a pandemic are likely to have a catch-all “Act of God” clause, possibly with some exceptions listed or covered in a separate policy. […]
Pennsylvania Municipal Governments Can Prepare to Defend Against Possible Wrongful Death Lawsuits from COVID-19
As of May 6, 2020, in the state of Pennsylvania, there have been nearly 52,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 3,000 deaths. First responders, healthcare workers and other essential people employed by municipal governments are getting sick and some are dying of COVID-19. Those that become ill are likely to have their salaries covered by […]
Are WARN Notices Required for COVID-19 Layoffs in Pennsylvania?
As a result of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order, many businesses are having employees telecommute – some for the first time. But others have had to terminate or furlough all or some of their workforce, whether employees wear white or blue collars. As efforts intensify to flatten and squash the curve of COVID-19, businesses and non-profits […]