The Paycheck Protection Program under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“PPP2”) debuted this week as the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) opened its portal as part of a staggered rollout for businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) has released an updated PPP Loan Forgiveness Application (and related instructions) and a shorter EZ Form application for certain qualified borrowers and related instructions with respect to the Paycheck Protection Program (“”). These releases followed the enactment of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (“PPPFA”) which amended the previously enacted CARES Act. The SBA has also released Interim Final Rule as to PPP loan forgiveness, which has been revised by Revisions-to-First-Interim-Final-Rule (as revised, “IFR”) and the PPPFA will guide PPP borrowers as to use of loan funds and applications for forgiveness. Below we discuss some key considerations to keep in mind as you review the application, IFR, and PPPFA in relation to the PPP loan forgiveness process.
As states begin to their introduce plans to reopen their economies, employers are understandably anxious about bringing employees back to the physical workplace. While returning to work will look different for each employer, there are several global considerations that all employers should keep in mind.
The goal for those with Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans is to have the amount borrowed forgiven. Borrowers that can turn a PPP loan into a grant can defray lost revenues during the COVID-19 crisis. Meeting the requirements for forgiveness is key, but can be thwarted if the employer had to lay off or furlough staff. (For more information on the PPP, browse our various articles on the subject).
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, five recreational (adult-use) marijuana companies and one individual, a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, filed suit against Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief that would, if successful, nullify the Governor’s executive orders to classify recreational marijuana establishments as “non-essential”, which has forced them to close shop. On March 23, 2020, in light of the COVID-19 crisis, Governor Baker issued an executive order that all “non-essential” businesses close their physical (brick-and-mortar) facilities until April 7, 2020 (extended to May 4, 2020 by a subsequent executive order). While medical marijuana establishments were deemed “essential” and therefore able to remain open, recreational marijuana facilities were not. The following are some of the key takeaways from the complaint filed in connection with the suit and related issues impacting the recreational marijuana industry as a result of their forced cessation of operations.
We previously issued an advisory providing guidance on a number of federal, state and private funding relief alternatives to provide capital to small businesses during the COVID-19 disaster recovery process, including as to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was recently passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide much-needed economic relief to individuals and businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is now offering the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and federal disaster loans for working capital via the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to small businesses and non-profits to help small businesses in the U.S. stay afloat during this historic emergency. Although these programs are not available to state licensed cannabis related businesses, it is available for hemp producers and manufacturers. Here are 5 take-aways about the SBA’s EIDL and PPP programs:
This article originally appeared on Citybizlist as part of a series featuring Burns & Levinson attorneys helping businesses and individuals navigate the many challenges that COVID-19 presents.
Who may be disqualified from aid? Many venture capital-backed and most private equity-backed companies will be ineligible to qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program and enhanced Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the recently adopted CARES Act unless regulations for determining whether a company qualifies as a “small business” are waived or modified.
