Legal Alerts

New York State Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) recently published a fact sheet—entitled COVID-19 & Workers’ Compensation Q&A—which suggests that many COVID-19 claims are likely to be approved.  The key take-aways from the fact sheet and best practices for employers are summarized in this alert.

As of June 4, 2020, outdoor and patio dining have re-opened in WNY as part of Phase 2 of the State’s re-opening plan. How should employers go about re-opening their outdoor dining spaces, and what should they know about the NYS Department of Labor Interim Guidance on outdoor dining? 

The rules for how an IRA account balance is treated upon the death of the account owner have changed significantly, and those changes could impact many families.

More than 350 Business Interruption lawsuits have been filed by policy holders against insurers in response to the pandemic. Attorneys Lee S. Siegel and Ryan P. Maxwell talked to Buffalo Business First in the June 5, 2020 edition on what could happen next.

Hurwitz & Fine Insurance Coverage Attorneys Dan D. Kohane, Steven E. Peiper, Agnieszka E. Wilewicz and Charles J. Englert III were featured in the American Bar Association's Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Spring 2020 newsletter for their excess insurance case summaries.

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 was signed into law on June 5th, making the program's lending terms more favorable to small businesses.

This alert summarizes some of the key issues that businesses must consider as they make plans to reopen, including putting together a workplace safety plan.

Private business and store owners/operators now can use the “no mask-no entry” rule to deny individuals entry into their businesses if they have no mask on or refuse to wear a mask or other face-covering.

The Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor has issued a non-COVID-19-related final rule that service and retail industry employers should not overlook.

Hurwitz & Fine announces attorney promotions of Marc A. Schulz and Amber E. Storr.

On May 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it is increasing in-person inspections at all types of workplaces, and it will now enforce the recordkeeping requirements for employee coronavirus illnesses for all employers.

As the nation’s COVID-19 hotspot, NY has issued several Executive Orders and Department of Health Directives implementing various healthcare directives to combat the virus pandemic. However, NY is not alone in introducing legislative efforts to both assist and regulate healthcare facilities and providers in response to COVID-19. Many states have enacted similar such provisions, or already had such provisions in place, and we aim to provide a succinct summary of each of these in this alert.

Hurwitz & Fine details out the businesses included in Phase 1, and the "Business Safety Precautions" plan they must to develop in order to reopen.

Hurwitz & Fine, P.C. is pleased to announce its new leadership team, effective as of May 1, 2020.

The initial flurry of requests for Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) leave may have passed, but as New York businesses make plans to reopen, we are likely to see new situations where parents with school-aged children may request leave under the FFCRA. 

In addition to compiling and updating a survey of known COVID-19 business interruption complaints filed to date, Attorneys Lee S. Siegel and Ryan P. Maxwell have published an article in Law360, which analyzes these lawsuits for trends.

We’re two months into working from home, and two weeks into our new leadership. Jody Briandi, Managing Partner, details how Hurwitz & Fine is handling the challenges and staying the course during COVID-19.

Attorneys Lee S. Siegel and Joseph S. Brown were interviewed in the May 14, 2020 NPR news segment.

This update provides information on the defense of claims, filing and serving papers, pending motions, and trials.