Perspectives on Consumer Products

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

GroupMe does not need to obtain a message recipient’s consent directly, but can instead rely on intermediaries to obtain the necessary consent.

Website Changes and New ACE Deployment C

Google Defeats Class Certification in Gmail Privacy Case Because Enough Users Understand How It Works

OFAC Adds 19 Individuals and a Bank to SDN List; President Obama Signs New Executive Order Authorizing Sanctions to Against Key Sectors of Russian Economy; EU and Australia Sanctions Also Keeping Pace.

The Supreme Court held that “factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level,” and “labels and conclusions or a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.”

Finds Unlawful Coercion and Impression of Surveillance in Nonunion Workplace.

President Obama signs Second Executive Order Expanding Sanctions to Cover Wide Range of Potential Russian Targets; OFAC adds names to SDN List; Senate and House Propose Bills; EU Sanctions Also Keeping Pace.

A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia recently ruled that Reynolds had not abandoned its federal trademark registrations for its distinctive packaging designs, despite making several alterations to its packaging since obtaining the registrations in 1977.

The United States (US) Supreme Court’s recent ruling in BG Group v. Argentina generally reflects a pro-investor approach to interpreting preconditions in investment treaties.

In a recent case of first impression, the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a decision that is a valuable example of how US courts often resolve cross-border discovery issues arising when a party relies on a foreign blocking statute.