After falling in April and May, the US dollar rebounded in June, gaining against all the major currencies.  The move appeared to begin as a technical adjustment to positions after the two-month slide left the greenback over-extended.  However, it morphed into a powerful short squeeze after the Federal Reserve moved into a more hawkish direction. At the March FOMC meeting, the median view was for no hike until after 2023.  The June forecasts showed the median projection anticipates two hikes in 2023, and...

Key insights Review key rules related to the ERC prior to filing. Refunds will likely come faster on timely filed 941s; however, be careful not to use wages that you need for other programs, particularly PPP loan forgiveness. Review the interplay of ERC, PPP loans, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, WOTC, and other wage-related credits to help protect yourself from issues related to double-dipping. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA 2021) broadened the applicability of the employee retention credit (ERC), bringing...

If you are aware of the existence of so-called "patent trolls," then you are likely aware that becoming the target of one can be a costly proposition. Even if your company has not yet been the target of one of these entities, a high likelihood exists that such a demand letter may arrive in your office eventually. The state of Washington is testing its legislature's efforts to combat the tactics of these trolls with the filing of a lawsuit...

This article is part of Portolano Cavallo’s “INFORM@Digital & IP” Newsletter. Click here to subscribe | On June 4, 2021, the European Commission issued a communication about Article 17 of Directive 2019/790 on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (the “DSM Directive”), providing non-binding guidelines to ensure its consistent transposition across Member States. Notably, these guidelines focus on cooperation between online content-sharing service providers (“OCSSPs”) and rightsholders, with a particular focus on balancing fundamental rights and the use of copyright exceptions and limitations. For...

Belgium has concluded so-called COVID-19 agreements with Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands on the tax impact of international travel restrictions and health instructions (“work at home”) for cross-border workers and their employers. These agreements have now been extended until (and included) 30 September 2021. COVID-19 Agreement with Germany The Belgian and German authorities concluded a COVID-19 Agreement on 6 May 2020. The initial period of application of this agreement ran from 11 March to 31 May 2020 and was already extended...

What is Biometric Data? Every time you unlock your smartphone with facial recognition or your tablet with your fingerprint, you are using biometrics. Biometrics are a way to measure a person’s physical characteristics to verify their identity. It includes physical traits such as fingerprints, facial recognition, voice prints, and retina and hand scans. How Does Biometric Data Relate to My Workforce? Employers use biometric data to control access to worksites, track employees’ hours, monitor when employees pass through checkpoints, or record when...