Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker was within his constitutional authority to issue broad executive orders shutting down most of the state in an effort to restrict the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Supreme Judicial Court’s most recent opinion. The...
Covid-19
Liability Protection Legislation Offers A Preview of Who’s In and Who’s Out
As states across the nation begin lifting or modifying executive orders shuttering all but essential businesses, uncertainty remains as to how businesses might safely reopen, and to what extent they may be liable for COVID-19 related injuries sustained by clients,...
Attorney General Healey Continues to Urge COVID-19 Health and Safety Compliance
In response to concerns about the safety of returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey launched a new website last month to provide individuals and small businesses with resources to help them navigate this uncertain...
PFAS EU Companies Facing COVID-19 Supply Impact
On June 15, 2020, the EU published Regulation (EU) 2020/784 that amends current EU legislation restricting the use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The new regulation specifically restricts the use perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related...
CMBG3 Attends MIT Event on Development of a COVID-19 Vaccine
Members of CMBG3’s Government Affairs and Public Relations Practice Group recently attended a presentation hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Collective Intelligence, which featured a virtual panel of vaccine and scientific experts that...
COVID-19 in the Workplace: Employers Caught Between Duty of Privacy and Duty to Warn
Sara goes in for her shift at ABC Delivery Services, Inc, where she helps with package handling in the warehouse and managing administrative work in the office. Unbeknownst to Sara, her co-worker Tom, has not been feeling well for the past few days and after seeking...
Employees and Families Sue Amazon, Highlighting Risk Employers Face From COVID-19
As one of the first of its kind, a lawsuit has been filed against Amazon in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging that Amazon breached its duty to protect the health and safety of employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The...
COVID-19 Pandemic Places Business Insurance Coverage Under the Microscope
Efforts by the business community and government to protect employees and the public from the COVID-19 virus have led to a tsunami of business closures and massive losses in income, estimated in the billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. It remains to be seen whether...
Fight Over COVID-19 Business Interruption Claims Being Fought on Multiple Fronts
As business interruption claims continue to pile up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, questions are beginning to arise over how to best resolve the mass influx of expected claims. As courts across the country weigh various proposals including multidistrict...
Two Recent Rulings Highlight Challenges For Policyholders in Business Interruption Coverage Litigation
As business interruption lawsuits continue to fill up court dockets, we are beginning to see the first wave come crashing down on policyholders. Whether this is a sign of things to come is still an open question for both policyholders and insurers. At present, there...