Alerts

As more states take steps to legalize cannabidiol (CBD) and marijuana, there are many outstanding questions for potential landlords of cannabis-related businesses.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (the Department) issued a proposed bulletin on January 26 that seeks to provide guidance to drug manufacturers regarding the Department’s interpretation of what constitutes a “new prescription drug” for purposes of price reporting.

While the latest guidance on regulating financial services for hemp businesses may feel like a turning point, current banking regulations will likely continue to inhibit hemp businesses from integrating into the mainstream financial system.

On January 9, 2020, the Federal Trade Commission held a public workshop to consider whether the FTC should issue a rule that would restrict or prohibit the use of non-competes in employment contracts.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

On January 15, 2020, President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu Hu signed the long-awaited US-China Trade Agreement after nearly two years of a trade war that has resulted in crippling tariffs on almost $500 billion worth of bilateral trade.

Our readers will be aware that the USMCA (CUSMA) is on track for US ratification and – by most accounts – will come into force possibly as early as mid-2020. This is not a lot of time for company executives to prepare. In addition, the three USMCA Partners will soon be meeting to set USMCA implement

The federal government revealed in a recent report that of the $3 billion it recovered last year from companies charged with fraud and abuse, more than $2.6 billion involved the health care industry, marking the tenth consecutive year that the Department of Justice recovered more than $2 billion fro

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

On January 13, 2020, the Treasury Department, on behalf of the full Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), released the comprehensive final regulations to implement the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA). The final regulations take effect on February 13,

Prop 65 Counsel: What To Know

Regulated entities may not be able to challenge an agency’s informal decisions if those decisions are unpublished and the entity was not a party to the decision.

On January 10, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom submitted his 2020-21 State Budget proposal, which includes key changes that would affect the cannabis industry, such as consolidating the three State licensing agencies.

Third-country companies doing business with Iran’s construction, mining, manufacturing, or textiles sectors are now at increased risk of being sanctioned.

On January 12, 2020, the US Department of Labor (Department or DOL) announced that it is issuing a Final Rule that will update and revise its regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA or the Act) that provide guidance on determining joint-employer status under the Act. 

Even though communities are likely to reap many benefits from proposed renewable energy projects, local opposition can delay – or altogether thwart – the progress of renewable energy projects.

Time is of the Essence: Effective January 7, 2020, New York employers who have an Employee Handbook must include in the Handbook a notice of employees’ rights to be free of discrimination and retaliation on the basis of their or their dependents’ reproductive health decisions.

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (the SECURE Act) was passed on December 20, 2019, with most of its provisions taking effect as of January 1, 2020. 

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

On January 7, 2020, the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued an Opinion Letter addressing calculating overtime pay for a non-discretionary lump sum bonus paid at the end of a multi-week training period. WHD Opinion Letter FLSA2020-1.

A district court judge adopted the rarely applied “constructive submission” doctrine, which could ultimately give advocacy groups leverage over states that ignore Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements.

An importer of Giorgio Armani apparel secured victory from the Court of International Trade (CIT) in its dispute with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over whether the importer was required under the US customs laws to pay duties on advertising fees and trademark royalty fees as part of the va

The USCIS has significantly changed the way it will conduct its annual H-1B lottery this year, and, although many questions remain as to the exact logistics, one detail has been confirmed. 

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling from last summer may have changed the trajectory of a high-profile pending commercial speech case. In National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, the Court modified the traditional commercial speech tests.

In welcome news to most anyone who supervises, employs, credentials, or is a physician assistant, amendments to California Business and Professions Code Section 3500 et seq., effective January 1, 2020, significantly simplify the supervision requirements for PAs in California.