U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that any Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after...more
In a Federal Register notice dated March 29, 2024, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is updating the required method for serving it with a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a notice of...more
After years of internal discussion, the Board of the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), at their March 8th meeting, voted to progress toward formalizing the proposed regulations on risk assessments and automated...more
Akin’s newsletter on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) policy and regulatory developments, provides a timely digest of ESG topics, news items and other relevant information regarding significant ESG policy...more
On March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it is updating its COVID-19 guidance and is no longer recommending that individuals who test positive for COVID-19 isolate for five days....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its policy manual to clarify the circumstances under which the agency, in its discretion, may forgive a failure to timely file a nonimmigrant extension of stay or...more
Introducing new HR software can be a game-changer for any organization, streamlining processes and improving efficiency. But let’s face it: change is hard. Resistance to change is a common hurdle many businesses face when...more
While not legally required, having an employee handbook is in every company’s best interest. It serves as a tool to communicate policies, procedures, and company values, providing protection for employers when they are...more
On September 12, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its official policy manual chapters on employment-based first-preference (EB-1) immigrant petitions in the Extraordinary Ability and Outstanding...more
For New York employers, the standards for sexual harassment may be shifting. The state requires all employers to adopt its model sex harassment policy or craft one that equals or exceeds minimum standards. Recently, the New...more
In February 2023, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a formal Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (the DOJ Policy) that reinforces a memorandum issued by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco directing US Attorney’s...more
On February 22, 2023, the Department of Justice announced a new Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (the Disclosure Policy) that now governs corporate prosecutions by US Attorney’s Offices (USAOs) nationwide. Building on a 2022...more
The Bermuda Monetary Authority published the revised Operational Cyber Risk Management Code of Conduct (the “Cyber Risk Code”) for corporate service providers, trust companies, money services businesses, investment...more
This regular update (no. 95 | 9 January 2023) covers key regulatory EU developments related to the evolving COVID-19 situation (Antitrust & State Aid; Trade/Export Controls; Medicines, Medical Devices and Personal Protective...more
On January 17, 2023, the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) released updated drafts of four policies and procedures (P&Ps) under the California Data Exchange Framework (DxF) to support the implementation of...more
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), through Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr., announced on Jan. 17, 2023, "the first significant changes" to its Corporate Enforcement Policy (CEP) since 2017. The revisions...more
Proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) have published their updated U.S. voting guidelines for 2023, with Glass Lewis additionally releasing its 2023 policy guidelines for ESG...more
On October 28, 2022, the Government of Canada released a policy providing additional clarity about how the Investment Canada Act (ICA) will be applied to investments in Canadian entities and assets in critical minerals...more
The Lloyd’s Market Association (the “LMA”) recently released four model clauses to exclude coverage for “war” from cyber insurance policies. The exclusions align with the requirement that all insurance policies written at...more
Late last month, the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) issued Instruction Memorandum 2021-046 to reinstate both BLM Manual Section (MS-1794) and BLM Handbook (H-1794-1), which restore previously rescinded BLM policies on...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced three new policy updates to the USCIS Policy Manual aimed at improving access to immigration benefits. The updated policies: • Clarify the criteria for expedited...more
On September 3, 2020, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (the “Division”) issued an updated version of its Merger Remedies Manual (“Manual”). Foremost among the changes to the newly issued Manual is the...more
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has warned clinical trial sponsors – including not only drug and device companies, but also universities and hospitals with investigator-initiated trials – to submit significant...more
The final NEPA rule substantially revises environmental review procedures and incorporates most of the perceived controversial changes proposed last January, including elimination of cumulative impact analysis, and shortening...more
Major reopening developments are brewing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On April 22, 2020, Governor Wolf announced his general plan to reopen Pennsylvania beginning May 8, 2020 following his various business shutdown...more