In harmony with the rising need for institutional integrity, businesses worldwide are seeking methods to foster a culture of compliance within their organizations. Legal professionals need to understand the six core principles for compliance incentives to inspire ethical business practices among their employees. Based on a piece by Thomas Fox, the Compliance Evangelist, these principles…
Renowned Hollywood producer Larry Kasanoff recently made an appearance on the Sunday Book Review, the Authors Podcast, to discuss his upcoming book, A Touch of The Madness. The episode provided key insights into crucial creative, as well as business, aspects within the film producing sector. The discussion, led by Tom Fox, covered an array of…
In today’s intricate business landscape, keeping up with continuously evolving compliance programs can be quite a challenge. As these complexities rise, so does the need for the use of advanced technologies. As reflected in a recent episode of the award-winning podcast ‘Data Driven Compliance‘, hosted by Tom Fox, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are…
On August 1, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the first set of product and service categories that were selected for the expansion of its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. The announcement plays a role in a more extensive effort that was previously declared last year to widen the…
In a move indicative of the ever-increasing importance of digital security, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has adopted final rules necessitating public companies to disclose substantial cybersecurity incidents. The rules also require these companies to provide pertinent information regarding their cybersecurity risk management strategy and governance structures. This development applies to firms that are…
In light of the escalating temperatures across large sections of the United States, employer obligations regarding workplace safety become a matter of urgent importance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers striking figures on the health risks related to these climatic conditions. Since 2011, over 400 workers in the US have lost their lives due to…
The landscape of international law is continually adapting, such as the recent shift towards a paperless listing regime in the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“the Stock Exchange”). This development has been met with enthusiasm for its push to introduce modern efficiency in response to the growing need for sustainable practices across multiple industries,…
In a landmark scenario that could set precedent for future environmental legal cases, California witnessed the first appellate case in the country regarding the matter of the state versus the federal environmental regulation. A ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday requires San Francisco city and county to adhere to limits set…
In the realm of international trade, the role of customs brokers is essential, and maintaining their competency through formal accreditation has been historically significant. Recently, changes to U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) regulations have made this even more critical. The CBP published the Final Rule on continuing education for individual customs broker license holders…
The legal landscape relating to asbestos cases continues to evolve, with significant changes to filings throughout 2023. The data compiled by KCIC in their recent 2023 Mid-Year Asbestos Filings Update provides a succinct snapshot of the current situation. This mid-year update provides insights derived from information collected up to July 31. By analyzing this data,…
In FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) violation cases, lawyers representing the plaintiff often assert that every single alleged wage-hour violation is ‘willful’. This strategy can be viewed as a negotiation tactic or a misunderstanding of the concept of ‘willfulness’. The argument implies that any violation extends the statute of limitations for the offence by an…
On July 21, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule set to impact the way sources maneuver around liability for permit violations via an “emergency” under Title V of the Clean Air Act. This new regulation is anticipated to make it more difficult for such situations to be considered, constraining the…
On July 10, Governor Gavin Newsom enacted an expansive streamlining plan that serves to reform the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) immensely. The plan includes the signing of five CEQA reform bills—SB 145, 146, 147, 149, and 150—an act that the Governor’s office has synonymously characterized as “the state’s most ambitious permitting and project review…
The Wall Street Journal, known for its primary focus on business and financial news, is shining a spotlight on social issues that impact businesses globally. Among the front runners is Post Partum Depression (PPD), a maternal health condition that has significant implications within society and, more specifically, in the corporate landscape. Traditionally, the Wall Street…
As employers are increasingly calling their employees back to the office, a case from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Oross v. Kutztown University, sheds light on the need for individualized assessments when considering requests for remote work accommodations. The case implies that any policies categorically denying requests for remote work…
In a recent turn of events anticipated by many GovCon news followers, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced a “temporary suspension” of new 8(a) application submissions. A development of significant judicial and business implications. For individuals who haven’t been closely tracking related news, this crucial development might appear slightly disorienting. To understand this better,…
In a recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the rights of employers to discipline employees exhibiting abusive conduct while engaged in protected concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act have been significantly narrowed. The case was Lion Elastomers LLC, 372 NLRB No. 82. Examples of the kind of conduct falling under…
In an announcement on July 21, 2023, the US White House disclosed that seven prominent companies working in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) technology have voluntarily pledged to manage the risks posed by applications of AI. The seven companies assuming these responsibilities include Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI. The voluntary commitment…
In an attempt to regulate governance and risk management framework requirements within the insurance industry, the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) is holding a virtual rulemaking hearing on August 31, 2023. As reported, this hearing pertains to the proposed regulation on life insurers making use of external consumer data and information sources, as well as…
In a noteworthy development for managed care payors and claims administrators, the California Court of Appeal affirmed a lower court ruling giving the summary judgment in favor of United Healthcare (United). The judgment held that United had not entered into a binding agreement with an out-of-network health care provider at the time of pre-service verification…
In a dramatic development last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) posed a significant change to existing conventions. The Board stated that a facially neutral work rule could become presumptively unlawful if a reasonable employee, predisposed to participating in protected concerted activity, could interpret it as coercive. This decision marks a surprising shift in…
In recent times, the question of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) constitutional legitimacy has gained increased attention. The hinge point of the discussions is a crucial Fifth Circuit case currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. This dispute has bred a plethora of misconceptions. We’re going to debunk three of the most rampant…
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently announced plans to host two public listening sessions on September 12 and 13, 2023. The purpose of these sessions is to gather further input on the practice of telemedicine, with an emphasis on the remote prescribing of controlled substances without an in-person evaluation of patients beforehand. The meetings will…
In recent developments, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued proposed regulations for website accessibility. These proposed rules are specifically aimed at state and local governments and are set under the umbrella of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II. The interpretation and execution of these regulations will undoubtedly be of interest to legal…
In an era when cybersecurity has become a priority concern for most organizations, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) just raised the bar with its most recent announcement. On July 26, the SEC formally unveiled its new rules governing cybersecurity disclosures for public companies following a lengthy comment period. These new regulation changes have set…