The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued its Annual Report to Congress, which provides statistics concerning bid protest filings for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, including the number of protests filed and sustained. The chart below, included in GAO's Annual Report, summarizes this information. Click here to view the summary table As shown above, most of the data points remained constant from the prior year ...
This digest is a curated list of Bradley content regarding the coronavirus. In an effort to provide our clients with the easiest way to find information that may be beneficial in responding to the impact of COVID-19, we have provided links to our most recent blog posts, news alerts, webinar recordings and more. Additionally, this digest will now be deployed on a weekly basis in an effort to reduce the number of emails our clients receive ...
An important update to Georgia’s statutory lien waiver laws will take effect on January 1, 2021. This summer, Georgia enacted an amendment to O.C.G.A. § 44-14-366 (the Lien Waiver Statute), that alters the form for interim and final lien waivers. The new statute makes it clear that lien waivers only waive lien or bond rights against the property and do not waive the right to file a lawsuit for non-payment or other related claims ...
Decree-Law 106/2020 of 23 December (the “TPR Law”), which was published on 23 December, sets out a Temporary Permissions Regime (the “Portuguese TPR”) for UK entities that provide financial services in Portugal under the freedom to provide services or freedom of establishment as provided for in the applicable EU legislation (the “EU Passport”) ...
The 2020 Investment Priorities Plan (2020 IPP) has been promulgated by the Philippine President under Memorandum Order No. 50 dated November 18, 2020 (https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2020/11nov/20201118-MO-50-RRD.pdf), and it became effective on December 6, 2020. The IPP is issued pursuant to the Omnibus Investments Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 226), as amended (Omnibus Investments Code) ...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP, the Central Bank of the Philippines) has issued Circular No. 1105, Series of 20201 (Digital Bank Circular) dated December 2, 2020 to provide guidelines on the establishment of digital banks. This circular took effect on December 23, 2020 and was promulgated pursuant to the Monetary Board’s authority under Section 3.2(g) of the General Banking Law of 2000 to create other classes of banks ...
While most Americans are likely aware that President Donald Trump signed a pandemic relief and government spending bill into law on Dec. 27, 2020 (the “Omnibus Bill”),[i] it is important for those who have intellectual property assets to understand that tucked away into this nearly 5,600-page legislation are laws impacting copyrights, trademarks, and patents ...
On Dec. 23, 2020, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-anticipated Final Rule addressing which employees may legally participate in “tip pooling” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the conditions under which employers may claim “tip credit.” The Final Rule is effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and constitutes a major departure from past guidance ...
On December 24, 2020, the Brazilian President sanctioned, with some vetoes, an amendment to Law 11,101/2005, which governs judicial reorganizations, pre-packaged reorganizations and bankruptcy liquidations of businessmen and companies. The vetoes can still be overthrown by the Brazilian Congress ...
PORTUGAL I. Courts The Competition Court reduces fine of EUR 38.3 million imposed on EDP and Sonae by 10%On 30 September 2020, the Competition, Regulation and Supervision Court (Competition Court) reduced by 10% the fine of EUR 38.3 million imposed by the Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) on EDP and SONAE in May 2017 ...
On December 27, the President signed the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (Act) addressing changes to the rules regarding PPP loans, including making a supplemental PPP loan available to many PPP borrowers and increasing the types of business expenses that can be forgiven ...
The Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) provides for a transition period ending on 31 December 2020. Thereafter, EU trade marks (EUTM) will cease to extend protection to the UK. To safeguard these rights, the UK government has implemented measures to ensure that EUTM owners will continue to enjoy trade mark rights in the UK. Trade mark rights registered as of 31 December 2020 will be automatically cloned into national UK registrations ...
Charities need many things to make a difference, including good people and sufficient funding, but effective leadership underpins everything and the recently refreshed Charity Governance Code is a valuable tool in striving to practise good governance ...
Congress reached agreement on the third round of coronavirus-related relief measures (totaling approximately $900 Billion) as this issue was being written. The relevant statutory language is part of the massive Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”) and was released on December 21, 2020. Passage by the House and Senate was swift, and approval by the President is expected ...
On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act), which provides additional COVID-19 relief to individuals and businesses. The long-anticipated COVID-19 relief bill will now head to President Trump for approval or veto. The Act does not extend requirements for employers to provide emergency paid sick leave or emergency paid family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) past the original Dec ...
While the calling restrictions are sure to get the most publicity from the CFPB’s new debt collection rule, a number of the less discussed aspects of the rule may present just as many operational challenges. For instance, the CFPB’s prohibition on the sale or transfer of certain types of debt, as well as the record retention requirements in the rule will likely present a number of hurdles of their own ...
On Nov. 20, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued two final rules, which implement changes to the Physician-Self Referral Law (Stark Law) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) regulations (respectively the OIG Final Rule and the CMS Rule, collectively the Final Rules). This alert is a part of the Dinsmore Health Care practice group’s ongoing summary of the Final Rules ...
Summary Proposed FASTER Act defines sesame as a major allergen under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; FDA Draft Guidance recommends the declaration of sesame as an ingredient in flavors and spices. Although non-binding, these actions foreshadow the regulation of sesame as a major food allergen in the future. Two recent legislative actions and an FDA publication address emerging concerns about sesame as an allergen. The U.S ...
The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act ("FFCRA") was passed by Congress this spring to mandate two weeks of paid sick leave for COVID-19 reasons and to extend the FMLA by creating a new reason for FMLA leave relating to the need for child care because of COVID-19. The details of the FFCRA were covered by the Spilman COVID-19 Task Force at the time of passage here ...
In a small victory for landlords of bankrupt tenants, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has ruled that the Chuck E. Cheese parent company may not use its bankruptcy filing to avoid paying its rent. The COVID-19 pandemic and related stay-at-home orders have prompted numerous retailers and restaurants to seek bankruptcy protection. Many of those companies successfully used the bankruptcy process to obtain relief from their rental obligations ...
On 24 September 2020, Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik ─ “BPS”) issued BPS Regulation No. 2 of 2020 on Indonesian Standard Business Classifications (Klasifikasi Baku Lapangan Usaha Indonesia ─ “KBLI”), which is known as the 2020 KBLI. The 2020 KBLI came into force on its issuance date and revoked BPS Regulation No. 95 of 2015 on the KBLIs, as amended by BPS Regulation No. 19 of 2017, which is known as the 2017 KBLI ...
Law No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation (the “Job Creation Law” or known as the Omnibus Law) was issued and came into effect on 2 November 2020. It is mainly based on the principles of the equalization of rights, legal certainty, greater ease of doing business, togetherness, and independence ...
With the rapid development of technology and the rise of new finance products and players in the fintech industry, banks are pushed to produce new products and innovative services in order to serve their customers and keep abreast of the behaviour of consumers who appreciate the convenience of digital services. In response to this, the Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan -- OJK) has issued OJK Regulation No. 12/POJK ...
