Press Release: 2020-03-31

COVID-19 News and Updates

COVID-19 News and Updates

ECONOMY HEALTH CARE COSTS HR & EMPLOYMENT LAW NEWS | March 13, 2020
By: Chris Geehern

State and federal governments continue to pass measures and issue orders to address the medical and economic fallout from the COVID-19 issue.

Here is a summary for employers.

March 31, 2020

Governor Permits Virtual Shareholder Meetings 

Governor Charlie Baker today issued an order adjusting the requirement that public companies hold a meeting in a physical space by permitting public companies to hold annual or special shareholder meetings completely by means of remote communication, until 60 days after the end of the state of emergency.

Governor Urges Self-Employed and 1099 Workers to wait for State Alert through Massachusetts COVID-19 Unemployment Resource Page 

Governor Baker urged that certain individuals wait for a state alert before applying for unemployment insurance.

Since the passage of the federal CARES act, self-employed and 1099 workers, in addition to individuals who have exhausted their original state unemployment insurance benefits, will be able to apply for unemployment insurance. Governor Baker indicated that individuals should apply when Massachusetts receives federal guidance and subsequently notifies the public that the claims can be made.

States must await federal guidance before they can update their state unemployment benefits system to accept new individuals who have previously never been eligible for unemployment payments.

Government Issues Updated Advisory on Essential Workers

The advisory document updates the original March 16 advisory regarding “Essential Workers.”

Governor Baker indicated that additional state guidance on essential business and updated social distancing guidelines will be coming Tuesday.

State Order Provides Financial Relief to Care Providers

Governor Baker today issued an order providing the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) administrative flexibility to extend financial relief to providers of critical health care and social services who serve EOHHS clients, including members of MassHealth. These measures will be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. This will allow EOHHS to extend critical financial support to:

  • providers facing extraordinary demand due to the COVID-19 emergency while having lost significant revenue because they have had to cancel other procedures and appointments.
  • providers who are necessary to keep vulnerable individuals safe in their homes.
  • Human-service providers who have been forced to respond to the unanticipated circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic by altering the hours, delivery and scope of these services.

U.S. Department of Labor Adds to Guidance on Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Benefits Under Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Questions and Answers addressing critical issues such as the definition of a “healt- care provider,” and the scope of the small business exemption/exclusion from the provisions of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, as well as whether public sector employees may take paid family and medical leave.

Small Business Provisions of Importance/ Resources for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID19 via Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA)

CDC Provides Helpful Resources for Employers

The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains a helpful checklist for employees and individuals preparing their households for COVID-19.  The checklist covers various things that Human Resource departments and individuals can use as a starting point.

March 30, 2020

List of all Massachusetts state orders by Governor Baker.

Small Business Relief Resources

Join AIM on Thursday, April 2 to learn more about SBA Economic Injury Loan Information and private institutional loan offerings. Register Here

US Chamber of Commerce – Click here for 4 page summary and the U.S. Chamber’s Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist.  Resources to help small businesses understand recently approved legislation and resulting financial relief opportunities.by Congress to respond to the ongoing pandemic.

Small Business Administration – The Disaster Loan Assistance portal has been revamped and the process has been more simplified.  You are now required to upload only two (2) forms to initiate the process:

If you already submitted an application and want to check on status, please call customer service at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Blood Shortage

Governor Baker and First Lady Lauren Baker visited the American Red Cross of Massachusetts headquarters in Dedham on Saturday to urge residents to donate blood. The Red Cross is facing a critical shortage of blood products due to cancellations of blood drives during the COVID-19 outbreak. The governor has deemed blood and plasma donors and the employees of the organizations that operate and manage related activities as an essential service. Those who are healthy, feeling well and eligible to give blood or platelets are urged to make an appointment to donate as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To schedule a new blood drive contact Bill Forsyth at (617) 699-3808 or email William.Forsyth@redcross.org.

Baker Administration launches online portal for personal protective equipment and volunteer efforts

The portal allows individuals and companies to donate or sell personal protective equipment (PPE). It also provides volunteers an opportunity to support the COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts. The effort will ensure that front-line responders get the protective equipment they need to stay and push for more trained volunteers to join the response.  Details are here: COVID-19 PPE Procurement and Donation Program

PPE and donations needed include:

  • N95/N99 masks (respirators)
  • Facemasks with integrated shields
  • Goggles
  • Protective suits/gowns
  • Headcovers
  • Sanitizing wipes
  • Surgical/procedure masks
  • Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR)
  • Gloves
  • Booties/shoe covers
  • Hand sanitizer

Call for volunteers:  There is an immediate need for respiratory therapists and public health nurses, and the administration is asking health care professionals interested in volunteering to sign up by clicking here. Since launching the initiative, more than 1,000 people have already registered.

March 27, 2020

President Signs $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill after It Is Approved by the US House.

Fact Sheet prepared by the House Small Business Committee

Fact Sheets prepared by the House Ways and Means Committee

Massachusetts Announces State Income Tax Filing Deadline Being Extended to July 15

Today’s announcement will move the state income tax filing deadline to match the July 15 deadline for filing federal individual income taxes. Legislation will be filed in the near future to finance the extension and accompanying administrative changes will be implemented through the Department of Revenue. The legislation will authorize the Commonwealth borrowing flexibility to manage deferred revenue this fiscal year and repay it in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2020.

Individuals with questions or concerns regarding taxes may contact the Massachusetts Department of Revenue at (617) 887-6367 or send a secure e-message through MassTaxConnect.

Telehealth – Buoy Digital Platform

Buoy has entered a partnership with Massachusetts to promote telehealth services and provide residents with additional tools to assess their risks for COVID-19. The Baker Administration announced the launch of Buoy Health’s new online resource for residents to check their symptoms and connect with the appropriate health-care resource. The tool does not replace emergency medical care, but may be used as a support for residents during the COVID-19 outbreak to connect them. Buoy Health’s online 24/7 tool is free for Massachusetts residents and uses current COVID-19 guidance from the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Visit Buoy.com/mass to learn more and use the tool.

Travelers Coming into Massachusetts Advised to Self-Quarantine for 14 Days

Beginning March 27, all travelers arriving to Massachusetts are instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days. The guidance will be displayed as posters at service plazas along I-90 eastbound, distributed as flyers at major transportation hubs and on posted on highway message boards. Visitors are instructed not to travel to Massachusetts if they are displaying symptoms. Health- care workers, public health workers, public safety workers, transportation workers and designated essential workers are exempt from this requirement.

Early Medical School Graduation

Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and DPH Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel have coordinated with Massachusetts medical schools to facilitate early graduation of their qualified fourth-year students to allow graduates to support the health care workforce during the COVID-19 response.

This coordinated effort includes Boston University School of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

Emergency Limited Medical Licenses

The Board of Registration in Medicine will provide medical school graduates who have matched as an intern, resident or fellow with a board-approved Massachusetts health-care facility or training program with Emergency 90-Day Limited Licenses to practice medicine during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

To qualify, medical residents must fill out an application to be approved by the program or facility. Once approved, residents will receive the emergency license and be able to start when their program begins. This Emergency Limited License will allow medical staff to provide support while the regular screening progresses, and it is not a substitute for the regular Limited License process.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs):

The administration has issued a public health order to provide Advanced Practice Registered (APRNs) in good standing with greater flexibility in their prescribing practices. This order includes the following updates:

  • Certified nurse midwives will be allowed to continue to prescribe as already authorized.
  • Authorized APRNs who have at least two years of supervised practice experience will be able to prescribe without physician supervision.
  • Authorizes APRNs with fewer than two years of supervised practice experience to prescribe with physician supervision, but without the normally required written guidelines.
  • Read the order here.

MassHealth Waiver:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved, in part, the Baker-Polito Administration’s 1135 waiver to fast-track MassHealth enrollment, streamline administrative requirements for providers and better deliver critically needed health care services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS has approved the following items of the waiver.

  • Enrollment of out-of-state providers and easing other provider requirements when enrolling in MassHealth.
  • Allowing providers to be reimbursed for care in alternative, unlicensed settings.
  • Suspension of prior authorization requirements and extending pre-existing prior authorizations through the emergency.

Office of the Attorney General (AG) Issues Emergency Debt Collection Regulations

Effective March 26, a new emergency regulation became effective upon the filing of the regulation by the Office of the Attorney General to address debt collection.  The emergency regulation will remain in effect for 90 days or until the state of emergency ends, whichever comes first.

The new regulation, 940 CMR 35.00 contains protections that apply to all creditors and prohibits them from deceptive practices in pursuing the payment of a debt during the COVID-19 emergency, including:

  • filing any new collection lawsuit
  • garnishing wages, earnings, properties or funds
  • repossessing vehicles
  • applying for or serving a capias warrant
  • visiting or threatening to visit the household of a debtor
  • visiting or threatening to visit the place of employment of a debtor
  • confronting or communicating in person with a debtor regarding the collection of a debt in any public place.

The AG’s emergency debt collection regulation also prohibits debt collection agencies and debt buyers from making unsolicited debt collection telephone calls to Massachusetts consumers for the next 90 days, unless the state of emergency ends before that time.

AG Resource Page – COVID-19 resources page for information about how the office can assist you during this crisis.

SBA Announces Express Bridge Loan Program to Bridge Long-Term Financing

Click here for The Small Business Administration’s Express Bridge Loan Program to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The program authorizes SBA Express Lenders to provide expedited SBA-guaranteed bridge loan financing on an emergency basis in amounts up to $25,000 for disaster-related purposes to small businesses who have applied for and await long-term financing (including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program)

US Department of Labor (DOL) Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for DOL FAQs that went live March 26 to provide answers to a lot of common employer/employee questions including intermittent leave.

REAL ID Deadline Moved

Americans will now have until Oct. 1 to get the Real ID Act compliant identification needed to board commercial flights, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Thursday. The original deadline was October 2020.