As the Covid-19 Inquiry reaches Module 2 of its timeline and it turns its attention to the political and administrative decisions made at the height of the pandemic, Shoosmiths looks at the history of public inquiries to reflect on their purpose and effectiveness in preventing future mistakes of the same kind. Reviewing previous public inquiries may inform us about the likely trajectory of the Covid-19 Inquiry ...
Roger Royse Q&A: ESG, PE and IPO Prospects for Agtech in 2023 December 28, 2022 Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner Roger Royse was featured in an AgFunderNews Q&A about environmental, social & governance (ESG), private equity, and initial public offering prospects for agtech in 2023. Below is an excerpt: AFN: Tell us a few really noteworthy investment trends you saw in 2022 ...
Ukraine is an EU candidate: Can we soon file patent applications for Ukraine at the European Patent Office? The European Council granted Ukraine EU candidate status on 23 June 2022. Will patents granted by the European Patent Office soon also apply in Ukraine? Not immediately, because on the one hand the candidate status legally creates neither rights nor obligations ...
It is a sad fact that the current economic crisis is causing many employers to consider cost saving measures like redundancies. But it can be difficult to know what amounts to a redundancy situation. We consider the legal definition and how it applies. What the law says Redundancy is a mechanism used by employers when a company needs to reduce the number of its employees. It is one of the five potentially fair reasons for which an employer can dismiss an employee ...
In recent months we have seen a significant rise in industrial action across multiple sectors, including public transport; postal workers; nursing and ambulance staff; university employees; Border Force staff and civil servants. Strikes look set to continue into 2023; the British Medical Association is currently balloting junior doctors on potential strike action for March 2023 and disruption is also likely to hit schools in Scotland as teacher strikes are planned for January 2023 ...
In 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14026 to increase the minimum wage for federal government contractors to $15 per hour. On November 23, 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule implementing Executive Order 14026. The rule requires any federal contractor to pay employees a minimum hourly wage of $15 and overtime wages for work beyond 40 hours per week. This wage is subject to yearly increases determined by DOL ...
Dionex Softron GmbH v. Agilent Techs., Inc., Appeal No. 21-2372 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 6, 2023) This week’s Case of the Week, the only precedential patent opinion issued by the Federal Circuit this week, focused primarily on the corroboration requirement for relevant dates of invention. The Court held there was sufficient evidence of a reduction to practice as of a given date, based primarily on corroboration of multiple witnesses, notwithstanding limited documentary evidence ...
New Guidelines on the Employment of Foreign Workers in Malaysia Dear valued clients, colleagues and friends, The long-awaited Employment (Amendment) Act 2022 (“Amendment Act 2022”) has finally come into force on 1 January 2023 ...
On July 9, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order requesting that agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), issue rules banning employers from entering non-compete agreements with employees. Following that request, on January 5, 2023, the FTC announced it is proposing sweeping new regulations that would bar employers from entering into or enforcing non-compete agreements with employees that prevent an employee from working with a competitor ...
On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a proposed rule[1] to prohibit employers from enforcing non-compete agreements against former employees, contractors, and other workers. The proposed rule defines “non-compete clause” broadly as “a contractual term between an employer and a worker that prevents the worker from seeking or accepting employment with a person, or operating a business, after the conclusion of the worker’s employment ...
The Finnish Government has published a proposal for the temporary Windfall Tax Act in Finland, the draft of which was briefly discussed in our previous article on the subject. The proposed temporary windfall tax would be applicable to so-called windfall profits gained during tax year 2023 by companies operating in the electricity or the fossil fuel sector. The aim of the proposal is to tax said sectors' increased profits resulting from the current energy crisis ...
With the war, supply chain issues, rising energy costs and skills shortages, many employers will want to put 2022 firmly behind them. What does 2023 have in store? For the economy only time will tell, but for employment law things are a little clearer. Employment Bill The long-awaited Employment Bill is still to appear in draft form and it is doubtful this will materialise in 2023, at least in the early stages ...
In the words of its own Attorney-General, Australia's privacy laws were “out of date and not fit-for-purpose”. After recent amendments, they now stand to contain one of the world’s toughest data breach penalty regimes. So, what has changed? Fines The Privacy Legislation Amendment (Enforcement and Other Measures) Bill 2022 (the “Bill”) received Royal Assent on 12 December 2022 ...
Levelling up the regional economies has many labels: the Northern Powerhouse, the Midlands Engine, the Golden Triangle and the Ox-Cam Arc. But have they delivered improved economic growth? Since Channel 4 announced its move to Leeds, media companies have flocked to the area. The government has also promised to deliver high-speed rail to northern cities, which would position the region as a global leader in transport innovation ...
In our Newsflash of 1 December 2022, we reported on the upcoming introduction of bills of law aimed at improving the standard of living of the most vulnerable, given the current economic context. Bill of law referenced 8117, amending Article L ...
In September 2022, the UAE introduced an insurance scheme pursuant to Federal Decree No. 13 of 2022 concerning unemployment insurance. This law was followed by Cabinet Decision No. 97 of 2022 concerning the mechanisms and controls for implementing the unemployment insurance scheme, and Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022 concerning the unemployment insurance scheme (together with the Federal Decree, theUnemployment Insurance Law) ...
In the final instalment of our “future of work” series, we look at the potential ways advancements in technology have changed and continue to change the way we work. Keeping us connected Technology has been used in workplaces for many years and has been at the forefront of the move away from traditional employment models – the advent of mobile apps to support the gig economy being a prime example ...
We can only assume that the pensions industry at large put “a busy and unpredictable 12 months” at the top of its wish list at the start of the year, and 2022 certainly delivered. From the sombre to the unprecedented, 2022 had it all. The year was bookended by investment issues. In February, View More
Law.com International November 30, 2022 By Anne Bagamery, Coorespondent, Paris Jeantet has recruited a 14-person team, including three partners, from a rival French firm to create a new multidisciplinary department dedicated to energy transition and sustainable development. The move is part of a growth strategy for Jeantet, an elite firm with headquarters in Paris and offices around the world ...
The Insolvency Practitioners Act, the Pre-Insolvency Act and the Commercial Code (Amendment) Act were passed by the House of Representatives on the 14th of December 2022 and were assented to by the President on the 23rd of December 2022. For more information, please see our articles on the Proposed Pre-Insolvency Bill, on the Proposed Insolvency Practitioners Bill and on the three proposed Insolvency Bills, collectively ...
On the 20th of December 2022, various amendments (and clarifications) to the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 452) came into force, mainly relating to the probationary period applicable to fixed term contracts and the duration of fixed term contracts. By means of the amendments: In the case of a renewal of a fixed term contract for the same functions and tasks as the previous fixed term contract, there shall be no new probationary period ...
During 2022, the government has, among other things, made these legal amendments: Removal of the general right to employ someone temporarily up to one year Trade unions that have members in a company that use hired workers from a temp agency can start legal proceedings against the employer about the legality of hiring. Revised home office regulations You can read more about these changes here. The Supreme Court has also contributed to the further development of employment law ...
