Beginning on January 17, 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will implement a new rule that amends certain regulations relating to employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs.  The rule's goal is to ease U.S. employers’ ability to hire and retain high-skilled personnel who have been granted employment-based immigrant visas and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. The rule effectively improves the job mobility process for those workers by allowing them to accept promotions, change employers, change positions...

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On January 13, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a discussion paper1 in which the FDA announced that it would delay issuing final guidance on laboratory developed tests (LDTs).2 The FDA cited two reasons for the delay: i) to allow further public discussion on an appropriate oversight approach; and ii) to give Congress, via its oversight committees, the opportunity to develop a legislative solution to LDT oversight. In lieu of issuing final guidance, the FDA synthesized a...

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The Blue Star Strategies team would like to thank you for all your support this past year. We remain dedicated to our mission of providing our clients and partners with focused attention, results oriented strategies, and practical solutions. We begin this new year in the Janus* tradition of reflecting back and looking ahead by recognizing that our work is a continuous journey. In this way, we look forward to building on recent achievements and to working towards marking new and exciting milestones with you...

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New York City offers some of the best, most effective economic incentive programs in the nation.  These programs afford businesses, not-for-profits, and communities the opportunity to foster growth. The city provides a multitude of incentive programs targeting expansion/relocation of business, growth of targeted industries and attraction of other companies outside the state. Timing is key. Below are only some of the Incentive Programs Due to Expire PROGRAM DESCRIPTION EXPIRATION DATE Relocation Employment Assistance Program (REAP) A 12 year annual business income tax credit of up to $3,000 for each...

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The group headquarters' e-mail seemed unspectacular at first glance: "Please provide us with a complete list of all employees working at your company including details regarding age, entry date, position and remuneration by tomorrow, COB." The HR department addressed was able to quickly compile the list and sent it to headquarters without further inquiry. It was overlooked – as is often the case – that this transfer entails significant risks under European data protection law. Data transfers between group companies...

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As the apps were a paradigm shift of customers going more towards mobile solutions, the chatbot hype shows similarities to such a shift. With app downloads and retention decreasing, not to mention the fact that a user uses only a few apps per day, companies are looking for creative and innovative ways to engage customers better, provide improved customer service and to analyze and respond to trends in real-time. Enter the chatbot. These conversational agents, software programs use messaging to...

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