CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE PAGE
For the past several months, the firm has remained fully operational and continued to provide seamless, high quality legal services to our clients. As we move forward, we want our clients to know that our full-service team is available to provide you with the assistance you need in whatever format makes the most sense for you.
To learn more about the safety measures the firm has implemented in response to COVID-19, please click here.
GOVERNOR CUOMO’S WINTER PLAN: Click here to view the Governor’s plan and strategy to combat COVID-19 surge in New York State. Click here for the Governor’s COVID-19 updates.
MICRO-CLUSTER FOCUS ZONES: COVID-19 Micro-Cluster Focus Zones can be found here.
NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT CARD: Here is the COVID-19 School District Report Card as published by New York State.
ORANGE COUNTY DASHBOARD: Here is the Orange County, New York COVID-19 Dashboard as published by Orange County Government.
TRAVEL ADVISORY: New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that individuals traveling to New York from certain states seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days after entering New York State. The requirement applies to travelers from any state which has a 10% positivity rate for the total daily tests, or states that have 10 residents out of 100,000 test positive for COVID-19. Both metrics are based on a seven-day rolling average.
NEW YORK FORWARD LOANS: Click here for more information on this loan program. Click here for information on loans available to nonprofits.
FACE MASK UPDATES: Governor Cuomo issued executive orders 202.17 and 202.18 requiring all people in New York to wear masks or face coverings in public, including when taking public or private transportation or riding in for-hire vehicles.
MUNICIPAL PUBLIC MEETINGS: We released an article on holding a municipal public board meeting in compliance with Executive Order 202.1. Click here to read the article.
PAID FAMILY LEAVE: On March 18, 2020, New York State passed an emergency law that extended paid leave and additional employment protections and benefits immediately to an employee who is involuntarily quarantined in connection with COVID-19. Click here for more information on this initiative. You can also call the Paid Family Leave Helpline at (844) 337-6303.
ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN: The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an Economic Injury Disaster Loan Declaration for New York State on March 19, 2020. This program offers low-interest federal disaster loans to provide working capital for small businesses and private, non-profit organization that are suffering substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19. Click here for more information. Click here for the SBA Fact Sheet.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Paycheck Protection Program will likely be one of the more popular programs included in the federal stimulus bill that was just signed into law. Congress wants to help small business employers maintain high employment by offering loans from Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders that can be used to meet payroll costs and other expenses of staying open for business. One key provision of the Program allows loans to be forgiven if various conditions are met. Click here for more information.
An update allowing independent contractors and sole proprietors begins April 10th. Click here for update.
Click here for Guidance for Self Employed.
Congress has exteded the Paycheck Protection Program
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM: The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the publication of Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) 16-20 providing guidance to states for implementation of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Click here for more information.
ORANGE AND SULLIVAN COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND: The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan has established a fund to support services for our most vulnerable populations – and can provide necessities like food for needy families and prescription drug deliveries to homebound senior citizens and people with compromised immune systems. To learn more or click to Donate here.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING: Click here to read the Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19 dated March 10, 2020.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 202.22 IMPACTS REAL PROPERTY TAXATION ASSESSMENT AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES:
Click here to read this article.
EMPLOYERS: Click here to read Things Employers Should Consider in Dealing with COVID-19.
CHILD DAY CARE CENTERS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE ASSISTANCE: Governor Cuomo announced that $65 million in federal CARES Act funding is available for child care providers throughout New York State. The goal is to provide incentives for closed day care centers to reopen, and for centers that are still open to increase their capacity. $20 million is available to assist with reopening and expansion by helping fund more socially distant models, such as by the purchase of partitions or short term rentals of space. One-time grants range from $300 to $1,600.
NEW YORK FORWARD: Click here for the New York State Guide to Reopening.
MORTGAGES: The Department of Financial Services has issued a new directive to New York State mortgage services to provide 90-day mortgage relief to mortgage borrowers impacted by COVID-19. This directive includes: waiving mortgage payments based on financial hardship; no negative reporting to credit bureaus; grace period for loan modification; no late payment fees or online payment fees; and postponing or suspending foreclosures. For more information, click here. Here is an update: On May 8, 2020, the Governor enacted Executive Order 202.28, which extended the stay on certain evictions in the state of New York in which the tenant has been impacted by a hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor enacted a stay on all eviction proceedings through August 19. Visit our blog page for current reports. Click here for our most recent update on Landlord/Tenant Proceedings in New York.
UNEMPLOYMENT: Governor Cuomo signed the Executive Order waiving the 7-day waiting period for workers in shared work programs to claim unemployment insurance for those that have been put out of work by COVID-19. Click here to file for unemployment.
NOTARIAL ACT : On March 19, 2020 Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.7 authorizing any notarial act that is required under New York State law to be performed utilizing audio-video technology. We are offering our clients free remote notary services. Visit www.jglaw.law/blog page to see a more detailed article on this subject.
UTILITIES: Major utilities will suspend service shutoffs to households during the COVID-19 outbreak. Click here for more information.
PRICE GOUGING: New Yorkers are urged to call (800) 697-1220 or complete a consumer complaint form to report unfair price increases of products such as household cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Click here to file a complaint.
TESTING: Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider. Contact your local health departments (in Orange County (845) 291-2332, in Sullivan County (845) 794-2045 For more information, visit the Orange County Health Department website page on Coronavirus at www.orangecountygov.com; or visit the Sullivan County Health Department website page at www.sullivanhealth.org
SCHOOLS: The Governor has directed all schools in New York State to close thru June, 2020. Interim guidance for schools re-opening can be found here.
MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE FOR NEW YORKERS: For free emotional support, consultation and referral to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314.
BEWARE COVID-19 CHARITABLE DONATION FRAUD: As we all struggle through the COVID-19 health crisis, there is little doubt that in due course Americans will open their wallets to help those in need. We are a very charitable society and give billions of dollars each year to a wide range of charitable organizations. Click here for more information.
ESTATE PLANNING AND COVID-19: One thing many people are thinking about these days is estate planning. With remote capabilities, we are available to meet using telephone and video conferencing. Here is an article on this subject.
PRO’S AND CON’S OF BANKRUPTCY CHAPTER 7 DURING COVID-19: With many families already struggling to pay their bills, the Coronavirus pandemic is likely to result in a record high number of bankruptcy filings. Click here to read the pro’s and con’s.
CHILD VICTIMS ACT UPDATE: Along with many other laws, the Child Victims Act has been affected by Covid-19. The Act allows for an action to be “revived” against the perpetrator of a “sexual offense” “committed against a child less than 18 years of age”, which had otherwise been “barred” due to the running of the statute of limitations. The end date for doing so was one year and six months after the effective date of the statute, which was August 14, 2019. Because of the virus, together with the prohibition on bringing new actions unless of an emergency nature, on May 8, 2020 Gov. Cuomo extended the time to bring such actions to one year and ELEVEN months after August 14, 2019, which will be July 14, 2021. If you believe that you were abused before you turned 18 years of age, the time to talk to an attorney is NOW.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Guidelines Open Up American Again
U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19 Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources
Small Business Owner’s Guide to the Cares Act
This is not intended to be legal advice. You should contact an attorney for advice regarding your specific situation.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
J&G, LLP is a full-service law firm with 20 attorneys practicing in over 30 areas of law. We serve Orange and Sullivan Counties along with other communities throughout the Hudson Valley.
We can be reached by calling (845) 764-9656 and by email.
