Guidance Issued on Contraception and Other Medical Services Under Health Plans

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Hush Naidoo Jade Photography, Unsplash Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS recently published two notices which describe the tax treatment of amounts paid for condoms and expand the list of preventive care benefits permitted to be provided by a high deductible health plan (HDHP) without payment of a deductible. Notice 2024-71 – This…

The NYC Safe Hotels Act Creates More Challenges For Non-Union Hotels

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

By: Paul Galligan On November 4, 2024, Mayor Adams signed Intro 0991-2024, also known as the Safe Hotels Act.  The Act will become effective 180 days after November 4th.  Initially proposed at the NYC Assembly in July 2024, the Safe Hotels Act created a lot of controversy with several hotel…

Massachusetts PFML Update: DFML Releases New 2025 Rate Sheets, Poster and Employee Notices

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers must provide current employees with written notice of the 2025 contribution rates for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Employees must receive notice of the 2025 contribution rates on or before December 2, 2024. The Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has published…

PAGA Paraphrased — Rodriguez v. Lawrence Equip., Inc.

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Second District again held that issue preclusion barred plaintiff’s PAGA claim because he failed to establish any violation of the Labor Code and arbitral findings have a preclusive effect on a plaintiff’s standing in a stayed PAGA claim.    The Second District again grappled with the issue…

Top Six Q&As for Government Contractors on Procurement Fraud and Compliance Risks

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:6 mins read

In celebration of the recent release of the 6th Edition of the Government Contracts Compliance Handbook (authored by the Seyfarth Government Contracts Group), we’re sharing six essential questions and answers that every government contractor should be prepared to address regarding procurement fraud. This milestone edition dives into the complexities of…

FTC Amends Pre-Merger Notification Rules Affecting Use of Restrictive Covenants

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Rock Staar, Unsplash As we previously reported, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it is amending and reorganizing the document requirements for pre-merger notifications under the Hart Scott Rodino Act (“HSR Act”), 15 U.S.C. 18a, which also includes a requirement for buyers to indicate the existence of non-compete and…

New Rules for HSR Premerger Notification Filings Take Effect February 10, 2025

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

On November 12, 2024, the final rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amending premerger notification requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Act was published in the Federal Register. The HSR Act typically requires parties to mergers and acquisitions over a certain size ($119.5 million in 2024) to provide…

If Pain, Yes Gain – Part 128: Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska Join Nation’s Paid Sick Leave Law Patchwork

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:16 mins read

What You Need to Know: As we reported last week, paid sick leave initiatives were on the ballot and up for vote in three states – Alaska (“Ballot Measure No. 1”), Missouri (“Proposition A”), and Nebraska (“Initiative 436”). Notably, constituents in all three states have voted and passed their respective…

Pioneers and Pathfinders: Tony Thai and Byong Kim

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Today’s episode of Pioneers and Pathfinders takes a slightly different approach. We are joined by Tony Thai, a returning guest, who is the CEO and Chief Engineer of HyperDraft, a contract automation software platform for various enterprises. We’re also joined by Byong Kim, Senior Director of Technology Innovations at Seyfarth.…

Seyfarth Launches Energy Transactions Practice with Addition of Three-Lawyer Team in Houston

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

HOUSTON - (October 30, 2024) - Seyfarth Shaw LLP has strengthened its nationally recognized Corporate department with the addition of a three-lawyer team to its Houston office. Partner Chris Cottrell, along with associates Michael Szymanski and Xiaoming Gao, have joined Seyfarth to launch the Energy Transactions practice. The team is…

Pioneers and Pathfinders: Nicole Clark

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read

This week, we're joined by Nicole Clark, founder and CEO of Trellis, a state trial court research and analytics platform. For several years, Nicole was an attorney in private practice, handling business litigation and labor and employment matters. The idea for Trellis came from her experience doing research for complicated…

Washington Increases Minimum Wage and Salary Thresholds for Exemption and Non-Competes

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has announced the state minimum wage for 2025.  In Washington, the state minimum wage is calculated annually (and generally increases) based on inflation.  Effective January 1, 2025,  Washington’s state minimum wage will increase to $16.66 per hour, which is a 2.35% increase…

FDIC’s New Regulations Align with the Fair Hiring in Banking Act’s Amendments to Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:7 mins read

On December 23, 2022, President Biden signed the “James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023” which, among many other things, amended Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. Section 1829 (FDIA), to reduce hiring barriers across the financial services sector. As a result…

New and Improved California Leave Provisions for 2025

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:7 mins read

Seyfarth Synopsis:  Out with the old and in with the new.  Governor Newsom recently signed new laws which extend and clarify employees’ available reasons for use of California paid sick leave.  There are expanded unpaid leave protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or qualifying acts of violence,…

USPTO Bids Farewell to AFCP 2.0: Goodbye Old Friend!

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:6 mins read

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially announced that the After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0 (AFCP 2.0) will soon be laid to rest. In a notice dated October 1, 2024, the USPTO confirmed that the program will end on December 14, 2024. Despite being extended numerous times…

Webinar Series: Winning Combinations: Exploring Synergies with Government Contracts Law

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:6 mins read

We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming webinar series, "Winning Combinations: Exploring Synergies with Government Contracts Law." This series of 30-minute webinars will explore the intersections between government contracts law and related Seyfarth practice areas, focusing on key topics such as cybersecurity, False Claims Act, white collar & investigations,…

Pioneers and Pathfinders Virtual Roundtable Series: Understanding the Legal and Commercial Challenges of Disinformation and Deepfakes

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

Thursday, November 7, 20242:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. MDT11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PDT About the Program Seyfarth’s Pioneers and Pathfinders virtual roundtable series has tackled critical topics intended to help our clients navigate the implications of generative AI and…

UK Labor Law – Legislation For Proposed Significant Reforms Unveiled

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

The UK’s new Labour government published its highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill last week. In total, the draft Bill contains 28 stand-alone employment law reforms (including many of the changes that we outlined in our blog post earlier this year - see Significant UK Labor Law Reforms on the Horizon).…

Effecting The EFAA: California Appellate Courts Make It Harder To Enforce Arbitration Agreements In Cases Alleging Sexual Assault Or Sexual Harassment

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:10 mins read

By Romtin Parvaresh and Daniel C. Whang Seyfarth Synopsis:  In line with recent anti-arbitration trends, the California Court of Appeal recently decided two cases – Doe v. Second Street Corp. and Liu v. Miniso Depot CA, Inc. – that apply the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual…

DOD Proposes Regulatory Changes To Streamline Cost Or Pricing Data Requirements

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

On September 26, 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a proposed rule to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement sections of the National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) for Fiscal Years 2018, 2021, and 2022 that update requirements for contractors to submit cost or pricing data.…

Global Immigration and Mobility Podcast

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:1 mins read

The Global Immigration and Mobility Team launched its first podcast, as part of a collaborative cross-practice series, airing on Seyfarth’s Health Care Beat. In this episode, our Seyfarth team had a fireside chat with Fred Chereau, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, to discuss Fred’s…

FinCEN’s October 2024 Beneficial Ownership Information FAQ Update

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

On October 3, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued new guidance concerning the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) by updating and expanding on the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that Seyfarth's CTA Task Force has covered in the past. Key updates include clarifications on who…

Maine Attorney General Convenes Working Group to Recommend Standards to Implement Right to Repair Law

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read

The Maine Attorney General’s Office recently announced that it has convened an 11-person working group of industry stakeholders to develop recommendations for legislation to establish an entity with rulemaking and enforcement authority “to ensure cyber-secure access to motor vehicle-generated data to owners and owner authorized independent repair facilities for maintenance,…

ERISA Litigation Developments – California Leads the Way

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Tuesday, October 8, 20243:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mountain12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific About the Program While the ERISA legal landscape changes constantly, one thing is certain - California remains a harbinger of litigation trends soon to spread nationwide.…

Massachusetts PFML Update: Benefit and Contribution Rate Updates And SJC Confirms Employers Are Not Required To Continue Accrual Of Certain Benefits During PFML

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

As part of its annual exercise, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) announced an increase to the maximum weekly Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) benefit, effective January 1, 2025, while contribution rates from employers and employees that fund the public program will remain the same. Additionally,…

New York Joins States Permitting Dealers To Claim Warranty Reimbursement Using Third Party Labor Time Guides

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

On September 4, 2024, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law an amendment to New York’s warranty reimbursement statute, N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 465, requiring manufacturers to compensate dealers for labor using the “reasonable” time allowances contained in third-party labor time guides “reasonably utilized” by dealers for customer-pay…

Minnesota Enacts Pay Transparency Law to Require Salary Range Disclosure in Job Postings

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

Seyfarth Synopsis: Minnesota joins the growing number of states to adopt statewide legislation requiring employers to disclose starting salary ranges and other forms of compensation and benefits in postings for open positions.  The law becomes effective January 1, 2025 and applies to employers with 30 or more employees within the…

HKEx’s Enhanced Climate Disclosure Requirements

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:7 mins read

On 14 April 2024, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited published conclusions to its consultation on the enhancement of climate-related disclosures under its environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) framework. With effect from 1 January 2025, a new set of rules mandating climate-related disclosures (the “New Requirements”) will be added…

Wage and Hour Around the Corner – A New Blog Series Chronicling the Brave New World of Wage and Hour

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:2 mins read

The rules governing the employment relationship are always changing. Laws creating new employer obligations, technology solutions making work more efficient and more complicated, and rules governing the resolution of disputes between employers and their workers are around every corner. Seyfarth’s Wage Hour Litigation Practice Group is excited to announce a…

September 2024 Global Immigration Alert

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:10 mins read

Please note:  while we address certain country-specific updates, this Alert contains information regarding global requirements, policies, and procedures as they stand as of the date of publication. We highly recommend reviewing any global mobility inquiries on a case-by-case basis, including any consulate-specific or immigration authority resources, in “real-time” before traveling…

Navigating employee relations: The advisor’s role (Part 2)

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:4 mins read

In recent months, I’ve spoken to many HR professionals about all things employee relations or “ER.” What stood out was the challenging nature of the role of those in the ER. The role of ER has never been more valuable to Australian employers, whose workplaces have never been more regulated.…

Judge Temporarily Pauses Parole in Place Program for Undocumented Spouses and Stepchildren

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read

After the Parole in Place Program (“Keeping Families Together”) went into effect on August 19, 2024, sixteen State Attorneys General filed a complaint against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) et. al. The complaint alleges that the program is unlawful and will cause irreparable harm to the states that…

Wage and Hour Around the Corner: DOL Issues Guidance on Wage-Hour Risk Posed by Artificial Intelligence

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read

The rules governing the employment relationship are always changing. Laws creating new employer obligations, technology solutions making work more efficient and more complicated, and rules governing the resolution of disputes between employers and their workers are around every corner. Wage and Hour Around the Corner is a new blog series…