Alerts

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that reporting companies are not required to describe their products as “DRC conflict free,” having “not been found to be ‘DRC conflict free,’” or “DRC conflict undeterminable,” as originally required in the Conflict Minerals Rule (CMR).

Fourth Circuit Allows Hostile Work Environment Claim to Proceed Against Employer Based on Third-Party’s Actions.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a press release yesterday (available here) touting its continued focus on trade associations’ compliance with the antitrust laws.

This round includes US export control sanctions on trade in controlled products and technology.

On April 14, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit stuck down portions of the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Final Rule on Conflict Minerals (Final Rule) as unconstitutional.

Working conditions of interns have been the focus of a series of unpaid wage actions in New York City and elsewhere.

It is unlikely that any ruling by a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ever sparked such nationwide commentary as that of Region 13 Regional Director Peter Sung Ohr in ruling that Northwestern University scholarship football players are “employees” of the University.

Following his recent controversial decision that scholarship football athletes at Northwestern University are employees who can unionize.

By a 2-1 vote, a three-member panel of the National Labor Relations Board (the NLRB or Board) ordered a California hospital found to have bargained in bad faith to reimburse the Union for its negotiating expenses and extended the certification year by another 12 month period.

The Federal Trade Commission alleged that a 2014 promotional contest on Pinterest violated Section 5 of the FTC Act.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia recently dismissed a former university employee’s claims under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act (the DCHRA) that she was wrongfully discharged for opposing gay marriage.

On April 3, 2014, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order sanctioning those responsible for the conflict in South Sudan. The Executive Order blocks the property and entry of designated entities and individuals.

On April 13, 2014, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) signed a law (S.B. 365) that will limit exposure for employers who hire employees with a criminal conviction history.

In 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which, among other things, extended the statute of limitations for claims against an employer accused of paying an employee less based on her sex.

On April 7, 2014, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Maryland Minimum Wage Act of 2014 (the Act), increasing the state’s minimum wage rate to $10.10 per hour by July 1, 2018.

On February 26, 2014, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) petitioned the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to allow the National Security Agency (NSA) to maintain its database of telephone records that would otherwise need to be purged pursuant to its existing data-collection.

Yesterday, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a public notice seeking comment on TextMe, Inc.’s petition for expedited declaratory ruling and clarification filed on March 18, 2014. Comments are due May 7, 2014.

On April 2, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau released the Lifeline Biennial Audit Plan, which establishes a uniform set of audit procedures by which certain Lifeline service providers must be reviewed.

The Amalgamated Transit Union sought to organize the bus mechanics at the Respondent First Transit’s Phoenix facility in February 2010. The Union already represented the Respondent’s bus drivers, fuelers, and cleaners at the facility.

By an 8-1 vote in Brandt v. United States, the Court preserved the certainty and predictability in land titles and upheld one of the fundamental policies of the country’s property law system.

Earlier today, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act, which would resurrect roughly 50 expired tax incentive provisions that lapsed on December 31, 2013.

Activity levels involving Russia and Ukraine continue at a torrid pace, with daily developments. In the past few days, there have been diplomatic overtures, a suspension of export licenses to Russia, legislative action, and further sanction releases.

On March 27, 2014, the Maryland House of Delegates passed the Fairness to all Marylanders Act of 2014 (the Act), which expands upon Maryland’s already broad anti-discrimination law.

Continuing its run of incremental, common-sense clarifications on the reach of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has held that delivery notifications for which consumers are not charged do not subject the delivery company to TCPA liability.

Tariffs filed on 15 days’ notice must be filed June 16, 2014. Petitions to suspend or reject these tariffs are due by June 23, 2014, with replies due by 12:00pm EDT on June 26, 2014.