COVID-19 – current questions and answers at a glance – now

Now

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) as a pandemic. The number of new infections with SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) is increasing daily. However, not only the health consequences of the infectious disease weigh heavily but also the economic consequences are already clearly visible.
Every day we receive inquiries from clients who are affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 in various constellations and are confronted with different legal issues.
We are happy to provide you with the most frequent constellations with respect to the relevant legal questions and our legal assessment and we update our compilation regularly to provide you with the best possible support during this time. Please note that our legal assessment is restricted to German law.

Current legal developments – the Act to Mitigate the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Act to Mitigate the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic makes significant changes to civil law, insolvency law and the law of criminal procedure.

Current legal development – welfare system package

Apart from various provisions to improve social security, an option is to be created to secure the earnings of parents with caregiving duties in the case of school and daycare closures.

government support measures

Your company suffers a loss of revenue because of COVID-19 and you are wondering which government support measures your company can access?

Home Working

Are you an employer and do you wish to know what data protection provisions you need to consider when ordering or permitting home working and what precautions you must take to protect your business secrets?

bank liabilities

Are you wondering what your company has to consider with regard to bank liabilities as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak?

force majeure

You would like to know what “force majeure” means in connection with the coronavirus for your contracts?

short-time work

You want to protect your company’s liquidity and are considering introducing short-time work?

employers

You are an employer and want to know what measures you may and must take in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak?

property developer

You are a building owner, property developer or construction company and your construction project is affected by COVID-19?

measures for business manager

You are a business manager and want to know what measures you must and may take in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak?

events

Are you planning to cancel an event or are you attending an event?

supply chain

Is your supply chain at risk or even already disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak?

visitors to your premises

You would like to know whether you are permitted to collect and process data from your employees or from visitors to your premises in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak?

large number of claims against your company

You suddenly find yourself exposed to a large number of claims against your company due to incidents related to COVID-19, such as supply chain disruptions or cancellations of events or trips organized by you. What should you do?

insurance policies

You would like to know whether and to what extent your company’s damage and losses caused by or in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak are covered by your company’s insurance policies?

hospital operator

You are a hospital operator and are wondering what you need to consider in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak?

official general order of the public health authority concerning events

You as the organizer are affected by an official general order of the public health authority (Gesundheitsamt) instructing you to cancel your event. Is that legal and can you refuse? On what basis can the public health authority make the decision?

considerations about setting prices and terms of business

You purchase or distribute a product for which demand is currently increased and you are wondering whether and how you can defend yourself against excessive prices or other unfavorable conditions, or what you have to consider when setting prices and terms of business?

cooperating with a competitor

You are contemplating cooperating with a competitor in a crisis situation and are won-dering what needs to be considered?

Visa

A foreign employee from a risk area currently is on site at your company in Germany, e.g. as part of a business trip, or a foreign employee is about to arrive. You wonder what the implications of the outbreak of COVID-19 may be in this regard?