By Edwin S. Hopson
On September 17, 2014, the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 13 to 9, along party lines, to approve the nomination of Sharon Block to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board. Her nomination now goes to the full Senate who will vote on her nomination. That vote will take place during the ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On September 15, 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) proposed a new rule that would prohibit federal contractors from discharging or otherwise disciplining employees who discuss, disclose or inquire about their pay or the pay of another employee or applicant for ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On September 9, 2014, the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) conducted a hearing on the nomination of Sharon Block, a Democrat, to once again be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board. She was nominated to take the place of Nancy Schiffer, a Democrat, who apparently did not seek ...
By: William S. Parks*
Another chapter in the continuing saga of business method patents was recently added with the Supreme Court’s Alice v. CLS Bank decision. Prior decisions had given credence to the concept that adding a computer or some other type of transformative quality to a method of ostensibly handling a business-like process was ...
By Carl Eppler
I recently wrote an analysis of the Washington Redskins trademark case that was published in the Nashville Post. The article, "Analysis: The Washington Redskins trademark case - landmark decision or momentary legal fracas?" examines the controversial case, and explains the legal process and implications of the ruling.
By Will Gibbons
Recently, I wrote a column titled "Legislation could hurt songwriters, listeners" for The Commercial Appeal. In this piece, a Special to the news publication, I discuss the possible implications of the Songwriter Equity Act, a bill under consideration in Congress.
Read the article in its entirety here.
I recently wrote a column with my Partner, Andrew Campbell, a member of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Service Team, for News and Tribune's Southern Indiana Business Source. The article, "Protect your business from the heavy toll of abusive patent litigation," describes the growing threat of Patent Assertion Entities ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On August 4, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board announced that on July 18, 2014, it had “unanimously ratified all administrative, personnel, and procurement matters taken by the Board from January 4, 2012 to August 5, 2013.” This action was in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in NLRB v. Noel Canning holding ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
According to a July 22, 2014 press release issued by the House Education and Workforce Committee, the Congress has passed and President Obama has signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA).
Noting the following problems:
“By 2022 the United States will fall short by 11 million the necessary number ...
By Edwin S. Hopson
On July 21, 2014, President Obama signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal government contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Executive Order is an amendment to Executive Order 11246, issued by President Lyndon Johnson on ...