Member News

MHC | Ireland: We’re All Going on our Summer Holidays – What Happens When We Get Back?

Introduction The Government’s advice surrounding non-essential foreign travel changed on 19 July 2021.  While staycations are more common than ever before, foreign holidays are back on the agenda. The new advice is to travel safely and in accordance with the latest public health guidance. As restrictions ease and with some businesses starting to plan a staggered return to the workplace, it will be challenging for employers to navigate employees returning from holidays abroad this summer. This is made more difficult...

Read more

Member News, New York Related News

Littler | NYC Mandates Retirement for All

New York City employers that do not offer their own retirement savings plans to employees will soon be required to do so. Two recently enacted New York City laws (Bill Nos. 888-A and 901-A, collectively the “Retirement Security for All” acts), will require private-sector employers with five or more employees to enroll eligible New York City employees in either their own plan or in a city-managed retirement savings plan. Who is Covered? A covered employer is any person or entity that employs five or more...

Read more

COVID-19 News, Member News

RPJ Law | Ring of Keys: NYC’s Proof of Vaccination Program

On August 17, 2021, the Key to NYC program, which requires proof of vaccination for indoor activities in New York City, including attending theatrical and other performing arts events, went into effect.  Under the program, individuals age 12 and older are required to show proof that they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend not only NYC-based performing arts, but all indoor activities, including restaurants and bars, as well as movie theaters, bowling alleys,...

Read more

Chapter News

FTC Alleges Facebook Resorted to Illegal Buy-or-Bury Scheme to Crush Competition After String of Failed Attempts to Innovate

Agency’s amended complaint details how the monopolist survived existential threats by illegally acquiring innovative competitors and burying successful app developers Today, the Federal Trade Commission filed an amended complaint against Facebook in the agency’s ongoing federal antitrust case. The complaint alleges that after repeated failed attempts to develop innovative mobile features for its network, Facebook instead resorted to an illegal buy-or-bury scheme to maintain its dominance. It unlawfully acquired innovative competitors with popular mobile features that succeeded where Facebook’s own offerings fell...

Read more

Member News

Jaguar Freight | Long Beach Expansion Takes on Congestion Chaos

From worsening port congestion, to the Long Beach Container Terminal expansion, to the Port of Ningbo’s phased reopening, to post-Brexit trade imbalances, to DFW Airport’s new infrastructure plans, it’s time for The Weekly Roar. Increasing port congestion at Asian and North European terminals on both sides of the tradelane is quickly diminishing any remaining hopes of seeing a recovery in global carrier schedule reliability any time soon. According to The Loadstar, “Asia-North Europe loops with a pro-forma round-trip transit time of around...

Read more

Member News

IPTI | Artificial Intelligence – Use in Property Tax Valuations

The International Property Tax Institute (IPTI) was commissioned by the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC) of Nova Scotia, Canada to carry out research into the potential that artificial intelligence (AI) offers in relation to the preparation of valuation assessments for property tax purposes. IPTI’s research culminated in the preparation of a White Paper entitled “The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Property Assessment” which has been peer reviewed by a panel of eminent international experts and is now being published for...

Read more

Chapter News

Mergers: EU Commission starts investigation for possible breach of the standstill obligation in Illumina / GRAIL transaction

The European Commission has decided to open an investigation to assess whether Illumina's decision to complete its acquisition of GRAIL, while the Commission's in-depth investigation into the proposed transaction is still ongoing, constitutes a breach of the “standstill obligation” under Article 7 of the Merger Regulation. The standstill obligation prevents the potentially irreparable negative impact of transactions on the market, pending the outcome of the Commission's investigation. This investigation is separate from the Commission's in-depth investigation into the substance...

Read more

Member News

RSM | G20 and OECD: The future of the global tax system

The OECD recently issue a Statement on a “Two Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from the Digitalisation of the Economy”. The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework, agreed to by more than 130 countries is the OCED’s and G20’s vision for the international tax future. There are two aspects (referred to as “Pillars”): Pillar One - A fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights via reallocation to markets where certain large multinational enterprises (“MNE’s”) have business activities and earn profits,...

Read more

Member News

Vulcan Insight | EU looks to engage with Taliban to avoid “migratory disaster”

The EU will engage in dialogue with the Taliban in Afghanistan to prevent a “humanitarian and potential migratory disaster”, High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday (17 August) after an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers. Borrell also said any dialogue would focus on preventing Afghanistan from becoming a hub for foreign terrorists. In the meantime, the priority remains the safe evacuation of EU citizens and local assistants. Borrell ranked the fall of Kabul to the Taliban as the most important geopolitical event since...

Read more

Member News

CLA | Safe Harbor May Help Organizations Qualify for Employee Retention Credit

Key insights The IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2021-33 to create a safe harbor so that organizations can more easily qualify for the employee retention credit under the gross receipts test. PPP forgiveness, shuttered venue grants, and restaurant revitalization funds no longer need to be included in gross receipts when qualifying for the ERC. On August 10, the IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2021-33 to amplify information in the three notices related to employee retention credit (ERC) issued earlier this year. The...

Read more