A case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit highlights that, even in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing federal grant money based on race and gender will likely violate the equal...more
6/17/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Due Process ,
Equal Protection ,
Federal Grants ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Minority-Owned Businesses ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Race Discrimination ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Restraining Orders ,
SBA ,
Small Business ,
Standing ,
Veterans
R licensees should immediately STOP selling cocktails to-go and serving alcohol in outdoor areas that were temporarily licensed under the Governor’s Emergency Declaration.
In a previous article that explained new...more
I previously wrote about how the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) created a $28.6 billion dollar Restaurant Revitalization Fund to help struggling food and beverage businesses. While the fund was created in March,...more
Following is additional information regarding the Pennsylvania state grant money that is available to hospitality businesses who suffered lost profits in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Additional federal grant money will soon be...more
Allegheny County announced that its COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP) will begin accepting applications at noon on Monday, March 15 at https://alleghenycounty.us/CHIRP. The program allows businesses in...more
Restauranteurs across Pennsylvania breathed a collective sigh of relief this week as the three-week ban on indoor dining ordered by Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Rachel Levine came to an end. A struggling industry...more
1/6/2021
/ Business Closures ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Due Process ,
Equal Protection ,
First Amendment ,
Fourteenth Amendment ,
Governor Wolf ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Irreparable Harm ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Shelter-In-Place
Pennsylvania restaurants and diners alike rejoiced as Governor Wolf announced that outdoor dine-in service can resume in “yellow phase” counties, including Allegheny, beginning as soon as next Friday, June 5th. With this...more
Restaurants, bars, and hotels have experienced tough financial times since the coronavirus pandemic started. Government action forced restaurants to close dine-in service, resulting in mass layoffs and a pivot to take-out and...more
Business owners have described the moment they read the letter from their insurance company denying them coverage for business interruptions losses as “lowest point of this [COVID-19] experience.”
Business interruption...more
4/21/2020
/ Business Interruption ,
Business Losses ,
Commercial Insurance Policies ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Denial of Insurance Coverage ,
Insurance Claims ,
Insurance Industry ,
Insurance Litigation ,
Policy Exclusions ,
Policy Terms ,
Proposed Legislation
On April 14, 2020, the Pennsylvania House voted (202-0) to approve legislation to ensure municipalities can continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Governor Wolf’s March 6, 2020 emergency declaration,...more
COVID-19 has impacted every facet of our lives, including the way municipalities conduct public meetings. An amendment to House Bill 1564 cruised through the State House on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, (190-0) and is heading to...more