In our latest installment of our series “Bankruptcy On Ice”, we tackle temporary suspension of bankruptcy proceedings in response to the closure of “non-essential businesses” and other critical protective measures being imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Several lawsuits have emerged in the last week involving the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.”1 The listed criteria for eligibility is very broad. Companies that have 500 employees or less, pay salaries or payroll taxes and were in operation on Feb. 15, 2020, are eligible to apply.2
The Small Business Administration (SBA) violated federal law by imposing conditions for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that were not enacted in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748, P.L. 115-136 (CARES Act), Judge David Thuma has held.
The daily news reminds us of the growing grim economic toll wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. As discussed in some of our prior Alerts, federal, state and local governments have adopted various measures to moderate some of these effects, including offering stimulus payments and loans, and restraining certain types of creditors’ collection activities. Despite the latter restraints, there still are some things creditors can do to try to enhance the collectability of past-due commercial payment obligations.
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Businesses large and small have been affected by the coronavirus crisis. It seems that no industry has been spared economic hardship. As many states prepare to reopen their economies, there are some businesses that will not be able to resume operations—it is too little, too late. Even with massive spending by the federal government to counteract the economic downturn, it appears that a large number of business bankruptcies may be on the horizon.
The Federal bank regulators which supervise banks have made a statement encouraging workouts necessitated by the coronavirus. Loans which would otherwise be classified as TDRs (Troubled Loan Restructurings) will not have to be classified as such under certain conditions. For example, if the workout was necessitated by the pandemic and if the loan was otherwise in good standing as of December 31, 2019. The government’s intent is clear: Everyone gains more by a workout or restructuring than by liquidation or litigation. Value is often severely diminished in bankruptcy or in a liquidation.
In Shameeka Ien v. TransCare Corp., et al. (In re TransCareCorp.), Case No. 16-10407, Adv. P. No. 16-01033 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. May 7, 2020) [D.I. 157], the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York recently refused to dismiss WARN Act claims against Patriarch Partners, LLC, private equity firm (“PE Firm“), and its owner, Lynn Tilton (“PE Owner“), resulting from the staggered chapter 7 bankruptcies of several portfolio companies, TransCare Corporation and its affiliates (collectively, the “Debtors“).
The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic and falling oil prices have resulted in a surge of US bankruptcy petitions. Although the nation’s ports remain open for business, many retail and energy businesses have been unable to overcome the volatile economic climate and are seeking relief in US Bankruptcy Courts.
The Small Business Reorganization Act (“SBRA”) was signed into law in August 2019 and became effective in February 2020. The SBRA makes Chapter 11 bankruptcy more accessible and less expensive for small businesses by establishing a process for small business debtors under Chapter 11 that is similar to the bankruptcy process under Chapter 12 for family farmers and Chapter 13 for individuals.