Steps Companies Should Take to Protect Themselves from the Legal Fallout of the Coronavirus
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has spread to dozens of countries, infecting tens of thousands of people and causing a mounting number of fatalities. In addition to the humanitarian and public health dimensions of the outbreak, the coronavirus crisis presents complex legal issues for companies, including employment-law, tort, contract, insurance, disclosure, and other considerations.
Companies should consider how to protect their employees and their productivity without running afoul of employment regulations, while at the same time making required disclosures, evaluating the extent to which insurance can mitigate losses, and protecting themselves from potential liability risks. Further, companies should consider whether disruptions to their or their counterparties' ability to fulfill contractual obligations are sufficient to trigger force majeure.
Jones Day publications should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general information purposes only and may not be quoted or referred to in any other publication or proceeding without the prior written consent of the Firm, to be given or withheld at our discretion. To request reprint permission for any of our publications, please use our “Contact Us” form, which can be found on our website at www.jonesday.com. The mailing of this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. The views set forth herein are the personal views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Firm.
