April 2, 2024 By: Leah Lively and Alexandra Shulman On June 6, 2024, new amendments to Washington State’s noncompetition statute (RCW 49.62) will go into effect, which place further limitations on the use of noncompetition agreements in Washington. Substitute Senate Bill 5935 introduces several modifications to RCW 49.62 that Washington employers (and employers with Washington employees) should be aware of: Broader definition of “noncompetition covenant ...
Ministry of Labour: Employers may discipline employees for disclosing a colleague’s salary Earlier, we informed about the position of the GIT of the Nizhny Novgorod Region that if the employer’s ****local policy**** prohibits the ****disclosure**** of the ****salary**** of other employees, then employees who view another employee’s pay slip and disclose his/her salary may be ****disciplined**** ...
Last week, a trial court in Buffalo ruled that a group of personal injury plaintiffs’ strict liability claims against a who’s-who of social media companies, arising out of the tragic 2022 Tops Friendly Markets mass shooting, could proceed to discovery, rejecting the argument that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act barred such claims from the get-go. Patterson, Diona Et Al v. Meta Platforms, Et Al, 0805896/2023 (NYSCEF Doc No. 409) ...
Artificial intelligence (?AI?) is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the fact that this human invention can now generate its own inventions opens the door to new ways of conceptualizing the notion of ?inventor? in patent law. In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (?UK Supreme Court?) however found that an artificial intelligence system cannot be the author of an invention within the meaning of the applicable regulations under which patents are granted ...
By: Jennifer Misetich March 26, 2024 On March 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Huerta v. CSI Electrical Contractors, which provides certain clarity on nuanced wage and hour issues and the scope of the term “hours worked ...
Moratorium on inspections of companies may be canceled from 01 January 2025 This is the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation, announced during his address to the Federal Assembly. If the moratorium is abolished, a ****risk-oriented approach**** is expected to be introduced: employers will be checked according to ****risk indicators****, and if there are no risks, inspectors will carry out ****preventive visits**** ...
The Government have now published the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules which confirm the changes being made to the Skilled Worker route as part of the ‘five-point plan’ to reduce net migration. We summarise the main points for employers to take note of ahead of the changes taking effect on 4 April ...
The conference, hosted by the International Bar Association, which took place in Barcelona earlier this month, looked at insights into the most important issues and developments in tech Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and technology law. Corporate partners Aleks Bosch and Steve Barnett attended the conference, which is one of the largest and most prestigious networking events for international lawyers, attracting over 400 delegates ...
Shoosmiths has submitted a comprehensive response for the proposed Automated Vehicles Bill (AV Bill) to the House of Commons. It outlines crucial insights from the firm into the expanding connected and automated mobility sector, to support with new legislation ...
Another year, another mandate for California employers. By July 1, 2024, nearly all employers in the Golden State must have in place a workplace violence prevention plan. While the compliance deadline may be three months away, employers need to immediately take action to ensure completion and training by July 1. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workplace violence is the second leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the U.S ...
Thailand’s government is on the process of launching a groundbreaking multiple-entry Medical Treatment visa (“non-MT visa“) with a generous one-year validity period, aiming to solidify its position as a premier international medical hub. The Subcommittee on Developing Thailand into a Medical Service Hub, authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, recently convened to craft the framework for this visionary visa program ...
Significant increases to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) filing fees are set to go into effect on April 1, 2024. However, a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado may delay that implementation ...
As has been widely reported, Companies House has recently suffered a disruptive attack by an individual who made over 800 incorrect filings stating that charges created by around 190 different companies had been discharged. These filings were made without the knowledge of the companies concerned or the lenders who held the charges ...
There are three main challenges to increasing competition in the availability of enroute charging stations, especially at motorway service area (MSA) sites, and the common theme is cost. The main challenges are: High costs for connecting to the electricity network, which acts as a key barrier to charge point operators (CPOs) investing at MSA sites. Limited competition at MSA sites, which is linked to the high costs for connecting to the electricity network ...
On January 10, 2024, the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) published a final rule (the “Final Rule”), which became effective on March 11, 2024, modifying the DOL’s guidance on how to analyze who qualifies as an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) ...
Shoosmiths’ mobility partner, Ben Gardner, was a speaker at SMMT Connected 2024, hosted in London. Ben moderated a panel discussion focused on the remaining challenges to a safe and responsible commercial rollout of automated vehicles. The summit was aimed at addressing the latest advancements in connected and automated vehicle technology. The UK’s automotive sector leads the charge in this transformative revolution, making substantial investments in cutting-edge technologies ...
Ahead of International Data Centre Day on 20 March 2024 we consider what we believe to be some of the most important trends that are likely to have an impact on the data centre industry over the next 12 months: 1 ...
“Public service is a noble calling” that requires great sacrifice, often requiring public officials to surrender personal conveniences in favor of public business ...
April is traditionally a month when employment law changes are made and this year is no exception. We provide a summary of the key changes employers need to be aware of and what steps they should take as a result of the changes. National Minimum Wage From 1 April 2024, the hourly National Living (NLW) and Minimum Wages (NMW) will increase to £11.44 (for workers aged 21 and over), £8.60 (for workers aged 18-20), £6.40 (for workers aged 16-17) and £6 ...
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, We would like to share with you an updated digest of the most significant laws and bills and regulatory innovations in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications sector for the period from June 2023 to February 2024, as well as trends in the future regulation of this industry. The TMT industry is currently experiencing significant regulatory pressure with changes constantly being made for both its service providers and the customers who use their products ...
We would like to inform you about important potential changes regarding the state accreditation rules for IT companies1 and the current moratorium on inspections of IT companies2. 1 ...
