On January 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor published in the Federal Register the Final Rule regarding joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). These changes to the rule are the first meaningful revisions to the regulations in more than 60 years. The Final Rule discusses two joint employer scenarios: (1)…
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On January 23, 2020, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) which redefines “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). This new rule adopts a more limited definition of WOTUS that are subject to the Clean Water Act. The NWPR defines WOTUS to include only four categories…
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In WSA Group, PE.,PC v. DKI Engineering & Consulting USA PC, 2019 WL 7173322 (N.Y. App. Dec. 26, 2019), a New York appellate court held that the statute of limitations governing malpractice claims against architects and engineers in New York begins to accrue when the contract is complete and the professional relationship ends, rather than…
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FINRA released its 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. The Letter addresses emerging priorities for FINRA’s risk monitoring, surveillance, and examination programs in the coming year. New for this year is a focus on Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS. On June 5, 2019, the SEC adopted Regulation Best Interest which establishes a “best…
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On October 4, 2019, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals released AMEC Foster Wheeler Kamtech, Inc. v. Chandler, — So. 3d –, 2019 WL 4894327 (Ala. Civ. App. 2019), which found the employer, Defendant AMEC Foster Wheeler Kamtech, Inc., failed to prove the employee, Plaintiff Jimmy Chandler, returned to work making the same or greater…
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In Couvillion Group, LLC v. Plaquemines Parish Government, 2019 WL 6769614 (La. App. Dec. 11, 2019), Plaquemines Parish Government (“PPG”) contracted with Couvillion Group, LLC (“Couvillion”) to be the general contractor for the Project. PPG contracted with Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation (“PEC”) to provide engineering services for the project. During construction, PPG instructed Couvillion to…
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The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) ruled that an employer may now require confidentiality from employees involved in open workplace investigations. This resolves a conflict between the NLRB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and provides clarity for employers. In 2015, the NLRB reversed precedent and held that employers must determine whether imposing confidentiality…
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A federal district court in Ohio has endorsed the “constructive submission” doctrine as a way to require the EPA to set standards for polluted bodies of water when states neglect or refuse to set those standards. Environmental Law & Policy Center v. EPA, Docket No. 3:19-cv-00295 (November 13, 2019, N.D. Ohio). The Clean Water Act…
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In Goudy Construction, Inc. v. Raks Fire Sprinkler LLC, Plaintiff Goudy Construction, Inc. (“Goudy”) served as the general contractor for a project for which Defendant Raks Fire Sprinkler LLC (“Raks”) submitted a bid to install a fire sprinkler system. 2019 WL 6841067 (N.D. Ala. 2019). Goudy accepted Raks’ bid and entered into a contractual agreement…
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The FINRA Board of Governors met on December 4-5, 2019 to discuss the organization’s 2020 proposed budget, reaffirm its Financial Guiding Principles, discuss several operational updates, and approve two rule proposals. Of noted importance to our clients, the Board approved two rule proposals to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Both proposed…
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