Insights on Hospitality

Although the emergence of virtual “real” estate in the metaverse presents a unique opportunity for the commercial real estate industry, there are risks associated with virtual real property.

The Federal Reserve will likely raise its target federal funds rate by another 0.75 percentage point as early as next week, according to news reports. Fed officials have already raised benchmark short-term borrowing rates 1.5 percentage points this year.

Partner Ann MacDonald, Vice Chair of DRI’s Retail and Hospitality Committee, is presenting at the organization’s 2022 Retail and Hospitality Litigation Seminar on June 24, 2022 in Atlanta.

The 2022 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 66 ArentFox Schiff attorneys as leaders in their field.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been named to BTI’s Client Service All-Stars 2022 for delivering superior client service: Partners Paula Morency, Caroline Turner English, Ann MacDonald, and Matthew Prewitt.

If yours is one of the many companies considering new employment incentives, enhanced benefits, and retention bonuses, you should also consider taking another look at your non-compete covenants at the same time. They might already be outdated and unenforceable.

The metaverse, regarded by many as the next frontier in digital commerce, does not, on its surface, appear to offer many benefits to an industry with a core mission of providing a physical space for guests to use and occupy. However, there are many opportunities that the metaverse may offer.

Directors owe fiduciary duties to the company. To make informed decisions and satisfy those fiduciary duties, directors generally have broad access to the company’s books and records, with a few exceptions.

In the six months since Facebook, Inc. rebranded to Meta Platforms, Inc., the idea of the “metaverse” has catapulted from a little-known science fiction fantasy to the forefront of popular culture. This year, digital real estate sales in the metaverse are expected to double and reach $1 Billion.[1]

The Department of Energy (DOE) has adopted two new rules for commonly-used light bulbs which are intended to phase out most incandescent bulbs in favor of LED lightbulbs, which use less energy and last significantly longer.

Under California law, employers generally must provide employees working more than five hours in a day with a meal period. These meal periods must be at least 30 minutes, duty-free, and uninterrupted. California courts and the Labor Commissioner have recognized that employers liable for premium pay.

Download Our Summary of the Most Important Cases.

On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its long-awaited emergency temporary standard (ETS) mandating that large employers require employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or obtain weekly tests and wear face coverings in the workplace.  

On October 13, 2021, the EEOC once again issued updated FAQs concerning the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, among others, to issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sixty-nine Arent Fox LLP attorneys have been rated as leaders in their profession by The Best Lawyers in America 2022.

In April, Houston Methodist Hospital announced its decision to mandate the COVID-19 vaccination for all employees. One hundred seventeen employees sued to block the mandate.

Last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission expanded its technical assistance to address COVID-19 vaccinations. Here are some of the highlights.

As the world looks to move forward with employees either returning to the workplace or staying remote, there are a host of new laws and regulations that need to be understood and complied with. This timely webinar is co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Black Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Secti

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 42 Arent Fox LLP attorneys as leaders in their field.

In March, following the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, President Biden announced the American Jobs Plan, an infrastructure spending plan, and the Made in America Tax Plan, a tax reform plan that seeks to raise corporate income taxes.

With COVID-19 vaccinations increasing, interest has grown in developing COVID-19 passports, digitized verification that the bearer has been fully inoculated against the virus. Last week, however, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order banning them in his state.

Employers should be mindful of this new leave law understanding that they may not take any adverse action, discriminate, or retaliate against an employee for requesting leave to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Plan sponsors should review their plan documents to determine whether the Act’s relief can be applied to their retirement plans.

Why Achieving Consensus is the Best Path to Preserving the Flag

Both practical and legal issues will need to be resolved, but as of today, the EEOC has signaled that mandatory COVID vaccinations are lawful for the vast majority of employees.