Returning to Work in Tennessee
While many workers were placed on temporary layoff from concerns related to COVID-19, Governor Bill Lee is working to restart the economy in Tennessee after social distancing measures were in effect for several weeks. During the period of the shutdown, many workers utilized Tennessee Unemployment Compensation (TUC) to receive income. Now that businesses are calling their workers back, many are refusing to return out of fears of unsafety in the workplace. The state has said that employees utilizing the TUC must be “willing and able to work” in order to receive the unemployment benefits. This means that as the state
Extension of Remote Notarization and Witnessing Through June 30, 2020
In Executive Order No. 37, Governor Bill Lee extended the temporary use of remote notarization and witnessing of documents in Tennessee through June 30, 2020. The previous order, Executive Order No. 26, was set to expire on May 17. The order allows for remote notarization and witnessing of a will, deed, and power of attorney, among other legal documents, to be done through an audio and visual communication like Zoom or Skype. This order also permits the extension of terms of any notaries public and online notaries which were set to expire between March 12, 2020 and June 15, 2020. These
Opportunity for Remote Notarization and Witnessing During COVID-19
In an effort to reduce the spread of the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order No. 26 (“the Order”) authorizing the use of remote notarization and remote witnessing through May 17, 2020. In relevant part the Order allows all Documents which require the physical presence of a notary and/or witnesses to now be executed through the use of remote notarization and remote witnessing. An applicable Document for this Order includes a will, trust, living will, durable power of attorney, deed, or other legal document requiring witness or notary presence. The new guidelines allow for execution to