Thank you for attending our Coronavirus: a contractual domino effect webinar held on 25 March 2020.

Our on-line workshop was intended as a platform for discussion of the Anti-Crisis Shield measures and of how the COVID-19 epidemic may affect contractual liability, employee rights and duties, and state aid.

Webinar materials

Click here to download the presentation slides (Polish only)

Agenda

Coronavirus as a source of extraordinary events and force majeure

• The epidemic and its economic and regulatory effects as extraordinary events.
• Test for and typical cases of force majeure under Polish law.
• Legal impact and significance of coronavirus-related legislation (enacted or contemplated).
• Contractual definitions of force majeure and how they affect contractual liability.
• Case studies.

Coronavirus: its impact on the rights and duties of contracting parties

• Extraordinary change of circumstances (rebus sic stantibus).
• Right to rescind or withdraw and right to withhold contractual performance.
• Subsequent impossibility of performance.
• Typical contractual clauses that modify the distribution of business risk between parties.
• Case studies.

Contractual liability in time of coronavirus – practical aspects

• Causal link between the epidemic and the parties' legal position.
• Impact of regulatory intervention on the parties' obligations and liability.
• Business interruption and similar insurance – rights and liability of the insurer.
• Litigation-related aspects: applicable law and venue; costs and timing; evidentiary requirements.
• Impact of the epidemic on the running of various periods under substantive or procedural law.

Extraordinary circumstances vs. employee rights and duties

• Remote work, forced leave, time off as compensation for overtime .
• Idle time (definition, costs for employer).
• Health and safety at work requirements.
• Benefits and allowances during mandatory quarantine.
• Expatriate workers in Poland: entering the country, formal requirements, ramifications.
• Planned governmental support for employers.
• Agreement to suspend all or some of internal company workplace and employment rules and policies.

Crisis-related governmental support and tax measures

• Anti-Crisis Shield tax measures.
• Pandemic-related state aid.
• Tax measures to increase liquidity in time of crisis.
• Changes in requirements applicable to EU funds.

Speakers

• Magdalena Wątroba
• Radosław Góral
• Wojciech Kozłowski
• Aleksandra Minkowicz-Flanek
• dr Michał Bernat
• Cezary Przygodzki

Questions

Please contact Lidia Adamczyk at: lidia.adamczyk@dentons.com or +48 501 569 263.

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