Spotlight on Corporate Governance One of the impacts of the global financial crisis on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been an increased spotlight on corporate governance standards in the UAE. The Ministry of Economy published Ministerial Resolution No. 518 of 2009 (MR 518) which provides for enhanced corporate governance rules and discipline standards for UAE Public Joint Stock Companies (PJSC) ...
Dear Sirs, We would like to inform you that Federal law “On amendments to Code of administrative offences of the Russian Federation and the Federal law «On industrial safety of dangerous production facilities» dated July 23, 2010 N 171-FZ will come into force on January 1, 2011 (hereinafter – the Law) ...
Can the parties to an individual employment contract include a clause stipulating that the employee must reimburse his training costs to the employer if he resigns?Upon hiring and throughout the course of employment, employers often require employees to receive training. There are various reasons why employers want their employees to undergo training sessions, such as for safety purposes, special functions, technological changes, requirements of a supplier, etc ...
As Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis informed a convention of safety engineers last year, “Make no mistake about it: The Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business.” In 2010, current OSHA enforcement statistics confirm this promise and reveal unprecedented levels of enforcement ...
Despite entering into arbitration agreements with their employees, employers all too often find themselves in court adverse to the very employees who have signed an arbitration agreement. The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued three arbitration decisions that have important implications for employers seeking to avoid the inside of a courtroom. First, in Stolt-Nielsen S.A. v. AnimalFeeds International Corp ...
On March 18, 2010, administrative judge Richard Hudon, of the Comission des lésions professionnelles (hereinafter, the “Comission”), rendered a very interesting decision in the case of Côté et Traverse Rivière‑du‑Loup St‑Siméon (2010 QCC LP 2074) by ruling that section 56 of the Act respecting Industrial accidents and occupational diseases (hereinafter, the “ARIA OD”) is discriminatory within the meaning of the Charter of human rights and freed
Technology, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the U.S. Supreme Court. Its current mission: to explore strange new electronic communication devices; to boldly go where no court has gone before ...
Most patent applicants can now accelerate the examination of a select number of patent applications in exchange for abandoning an equal number of unexamined, pending applications, according to an announcement issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) on June 24, 2010 ...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is seeking public comment on a proposed three-track patent examination initiative that would provide applicants with greater control over the speed at which their applications are examined. The proposed initiative aims to reduce overall pendency of patent applications by providing applicants with alternative timing systems for the examination of their patent applications ...
Government contractors and subcontractors now have a new, unsavory obligation. On January 30, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13496 – which requires government contractors and subcontractors to post a notice informing employees of their right to engage in concerted, collective activity. On May 20, 2010, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued its Final Rule to implement Executive Order 13496 ...
Dear Sirs, The Government of the Russian Federation approved the draft bill on amendments to Code on administrative offences of the Russian Federation and Federal Law “On legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation”. According to this draft bill the liability for a foreign citizen will be imposed on the host party ...
Dear Sirs, The amendments to the Federal Law “On legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation” are to come into force on July 1, 2010. These amendments are aimed at facilitation of migration rules for certain categories of employees and at improvement of investment climate in Russia ...
With the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup imminent, employers will be dreading the onset of sickies, absenteeism and headaches which is sure to follow. What can employers can do to avoid scoring an own goal? The World Cup can bring out the best and, unfortunately, the worst in people. The competitive atmosphere can magnify animosity or even racial tension within the workplace with problems for both staff and employer ...
Citing an independent cost of service study’s findings that the U.S. Government is not fully covering its costs for the processing of visas, the Department of State has announced its intention to increase visa fees. The rule, which will go into effect on June 4, 2010, would increase fees for certain non-petition-based nonimmigrant visas and some Border Crossing Cards ...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all U.S. patent infringement appeals, issued an order on April 26, 2010 requesting briefs from the parties in Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson, and Co. (appeal no. 2008-1511) to consider en banc the standards by which courts should find “inequitable conduct ...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all U.S. patent infringement appeals, issued an order on April 26, 2010 requesting briefs from the parties in Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson, and Co. (appeal no. 2008-1511) to consider en banc the standards by which courts should find “inequitable conduct ...
Rolling out OSHA’s semiannual regulatory agenda on April 26, 2010, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis unveiled several action items being marketed as the “Plan, Prevent, and Protect” enforcement strategy. According to the Secretary, employers too often take shortcuts affecting worker safety and, therefore, must plan for workplace hazards, prevent them, and protect their employees ...
As of 6 April 2010, the sick note will change and become the fit note, allowing doctors to advise on how employees may be able to return to work. Employers must not be mistaken with how this new regime fits with the existing reporting procedures under The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) for over three day injuries ...
The escalation of fierce competition among companies for more cost effective products and services has raised discussions about Social Dumping, a curious combination of a traditional pure economic concept with labour and employment regulation ...
On March 21, 2010, the House of Representatives passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), which President Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010. The health care reform law will make far-reaching changes to the United States health care system over the next several years. The House and Senate also passed a separate bill, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (“HCERA”), which President Obama signed into law on March 30, 2010 ...
Website owners have had a legal duty to make their websites accessible to the disabled for more than a decade. With the new Equality Act 2010 reinforcing those duties later this year, now is a good time for website owners to remind themselves of their duties and prepare for the new Act ...
USCIS has issued a notice to assist those non-immigrants stranded in the U.S. due to European airport closures resulting from the Icelandic volcano eruption. The notice addresses those who are about to exceed their authorized stay in the U.S., which is noted on their I-94 or I-94W arrival/departure record. Those who have entered the U.S. under a visa are directed to contact their local USCIS office and to file an extension of status application before their authorized stay expires ...
Proposals to extend the scope of freedom of information in Scotland will, if accepted, expand an existing risk to the commercial confidentiality of companies bidding for public sector contracts ...
Under the new system, GPs will indicate whether the patient is "unfit for work" or "may be fit for work". In the latter case, he will advise of any adjustments to the employee's role or work environment from which the employee may benefit. These might include a phased return, restricted duties, altered hours or even physical adaptations to the workplace ...
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) is finally moving towards its full complement of five members. On March 27, 2010, President Barack Obama made two recess appointments (a procedure not requiring legislative approval), increasing the NLRB’s membership from the two that have been serving the past couple of years to four members. The appointments still leave the NLRB one member short; however, three members constitute a quorum that can unquestionably decide cases before the Board ...
