Kang Haggerty News
Although originally slated for May 8, the construction industry in Pennsylvania re-opened a week early on Friday, May 1st, with guidelines imposed by the Commonwealth. All construction businesses authorized to conduct in-person operations in the Commonwealth must adhere to requirements of the guidance, as well as all applicable business and building safety orders issued by the Secretary of Health, though localities may elect to impose more stringent requirements.
The guidance, developed with the assistance of the General Contractors Association of Pennsylvania, includes an array of distancing and cleaning mandates such as:
- Require social distancing (6-feet minimum distance between workers) unless the safety of the public or workers require deviation (e.g. drywalling, team lifting).
In New Jersey, Executive Order 128 addresses landlord and tenant issues due to COVID-19. Finding that the earlier EO106 provides some protection to tenants by staying enforcement of all judgments for possession, warrants of removal, and writs of possession while in effect (unless the court determines otherwise), EO128 suggests that there are other consequences in addition to evictions, such as interest and late fees and negative credit reports. 
In Delaware, Governor John C. Carney issued a Declaration of State of Emergency in connection with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This month, the Declaration was modified (the Tenth Modification) to address the numerous shareholder meetings to be noticed for Delaware companies. The Tenth Modification, acknowledging that physical gatherings are explicitly discouraged, advise that shareholder meetings be held remotely for the “safety, health and wellbeing of participants”.
On April 22, 2020 the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania executed a Continuation of Judicial Emergency Order, extending the terms issued March 16, 2020 and extended April 1, 2020 by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Order. Under yesterday’s order, the Judicial Emergency in Philadelphia is extended through close of business on May 29, 2020. A summary of the April 1st Order can be found on Kang Haggerty’s blog 
It has been about a month since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was passed, yet the allocated funds, particularly for small business forgivable loans, were quickly exhausted. To that end, Congress drafted the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement (“PPPHCE”) Act, which passed in the Senate on April 21st, and is scheduled for a House vote tomorrow, Thursday, April 23rd.
Two recent Executive Orders by Governor Murphy create effective moratorium for termination of insurance and cancellation of cable services during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Additional Executive Orders geared towards limiting the spread of COVID-19 implemented by Governor Phil Murphy over the weekend including EO122 and 125, providing further restrictions on essential-business (retail stores and construction operations) to ensure the safety of their employees and consumers. Notably, the orders also provide for safety measures required to be taken consumers.