If you are subject to the New York or California laws requiring sexual harassment prevention training, be aware that time is running out to comply with the new legal requirements.   The upcoming deadlines for training under the new laws are: NY: October 9, 2019 CA: January 1, 2020 New York State law applies to employers with any employees who work at least a portion of their time within the state. California law applies to employers with 5 or more employees. For further information...

Key Events This Week Trump doubles down on China The Trump administration heightened its trade war with China on Monday by labelling China a currency manipulator. The move came after the currency fell below 7 yuan to the US dollar for the first time since 2008. This is an extension of the downward spiral in diplomatic relations. In simplistic terms, a weaker yuan makes Chinese exports more competitive, or cheaper to buy with foreign currencies and from the US perspective, it...

By Scott Ferguson, CEO, World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) It’s no surprise that in the current geopolitical climate, people are facing economic uncertainty all around the world. Escalating trade tensions between various countries and economic slowdowns in others have contributed to this uncertainty. So what can be done at a local level to encourage growth and prosperity while mitigating these challenges? In the second annual WTCA Trade and Investment Report: Navigating Uncertainty, conducted by the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) in partnership...

Caroline Froger-Michon & Christopher Jordan | CMS We can no longer imagine our professional lives without modern information and communication technology. It is common for employers to provide employees with technology such as smartphones or notebooks. These communication and productivity tools are also used for social media – in both business and personal use – and are often not switched off by employees, even in their leisure time. Employees receive e-mails and calls in the evenings, on weekends, and during...

By Iulian Sorescu & Bogdan Nicolae Paunescu | Noerr On 3 July 2019, the Ministry of Public Finances published two draft amendments of state aid legislation, specifically the state aid scheme governed by G.D. 807/2014 on investment in assets and the state aid scheme governed by G.D. 332/2014 on job creation. Several amendments have been proposed and are waiting to be approved by the Ministry of Public Finances after discussions with the private sector. Here are the most important ones: G.D. 807/2014...

The U.S. dollar took advantage of a rare calm in trade tensions and rose against a number of its rivals overnight. Still, the Dollar Index is flirting with a fourth day of losses.  In response to surprise tariffs announced last week, China allowed their currency to devalue past 7 yuan per dollar, which is largely seen as a “line in the sand.”  The move roiled markets and caused American equities to dump 3% of their value yesterday. After stock...

President Trump announced today that the fourth list of products from China subject to additional duties will go into effect September 1, 2019. On May 13, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) issued a proposed List 4 which threatens to impose additional tariffs of on “essentially all” Chinese products imported into the U.S. that were not covered by previous section 301 pronouncements valued at approximate $300 million. Today, President Trump announced in a Tweet that 10% additional duties will be imposed on these...

Key Events This Week Germany refuses to join US Persian Gulf mission Germany has refused a request from the United States to join their mission in the Persian Gulf. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it was “out of the question” that Germany would take part. The Germans are in close contact with the French, and Maas views the US strategy of “maximum pressure” as wrong, preferring to rely on diplomacy to deescalate the situation. Tensions have been rising between the United States...