X factor 23 november 2017

Many franchisors and other participants in the franchising sector are anticipating with concern the outcome of The Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017 (Bill) which was introduced into the Federal Parliament on 1 March 2017 and referred to the Senate Education and Legislation Committee on 23 March 2017. The Committee briefly accepted public submissions until 6 April 2017 and held public hearings on 12 and 13 April 2017.Assuming that this Bill passes into law, new liability for franchisors will now be created in relation to the underpayment or non-payment of franchisee staff members. The Bill also proposes significant increases in fines.The following update includes details about the Bill and what it means for franchisors should it be passed. We will provide a comprehensive bulletin regarding the matter once the Bill passes into law.Recent Franchising StatisticsIn January 2017 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released updated … [Read more...] about Increased Franchisor Liability Likely Under New Laws: Franchisor Update May 2017

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) routinely conduct surveys on nursing homes to determine if any facility has violated regulations in the Nursing Home Care Act. The state agency is responsible for certifying skilled nursing homes and ensuring that they remain in compliance with federal and state rules. To keep the public informed, the Public Health Department releases quarterly nursing home reports and publishes the results of inspections and enforcement actions taken against the facility to ensure that residents of the home are receiving quality care in accordance with the 180 regulatory standards.The nursing homes listed below received disciplinary action for one or more Type A (extremely serious) violation occurrences involving nursing home codes as defined by the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. They include: Alden Des Plaines Rehabilitation & Health Care Center 1221 East Golf Road Des Plaines, IL 60016 … [Read more...] about Illinois Quarterly Nursing Home Report :: Jan. – Mar. 2017

Developments impacting high-frequency traders dominated news in financial services last week. The Securities and Exchange Commission proposed amendments to an existing rule that would subject many proprietary trading firms to oversight by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for the first time, while both FINRA and the Futures Industry Association issued guidance on best practices for automated trading systems and algorithms. Unrelated, a study by the NY Federal Reserve Bank raised some red flags regarding central clearing. As a result, the following matters are covered in this week’s Bridging the Week:SEC Proposes FINRA Oversee Certain High-Frequency Trading Firms; FINRA and FIA Issue Best Practice Guidance;CFTC Fines Grain Dealer and Merchant US $800,000 for Improperly Reporting Positions (includes My View);MF Global Inc. Trustee Seeks Authorization to Pay Out Additional US $461 Million to General Creditors; Second Lehman Brothers General Creditors … [Read more...] about HFTs; MF Global; Another CFTC Big Fine; ATS Breakdowns; Fed Study Assesses Clearing: Bridging the Week March 23 to 27 and 30, 2015

ENERGY AND CLIMATE DEBATE Congress returns from the Thanksgiving recess early next week to a full schedule starring the six-year reauthorization of federal highway programs, which expires December 4 now that chambers passed last week a two-week extension (H.R. 3996) of the Highway Trust Fund’s authority, as well as the omnibus spending bill to fund the government after December 11. Policy riders are likely to be the biggest obstacle to negotiating a final agreement, with potential environmental riders including the Environmental Protection Agency’s waters of the United States and ozone rules. Congress may also finalize a tax extenders agreement before the end of the year. When Congress returns next year for a schedule truncated by the presidential election, the House will arrive January 5 for 28 weeks and the Senate January 11 for 31 weeks, both punctuated by extended recesses throughout the year, though with eyes on issues such as cybersecurity, tax reform, and … [Read more...] about November 24, 2015 – Energy & Environmental Law Update

EUROPEAN UNION (EU)SCHEER Will Develop Scientific Opinion On Aluminum Migration Limits For Toys: The European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) will develop a scientific opinion on the tolerable intake of aluminum “with regards to adapting the [migration limits for toys].” This measure is in response to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Committee of Food Additives (JECFA) establishing lower tolerable intake levels for aluminum than those used in the Toy Safety Directive.SCHEER has been requested: ■  To review currently available data on the toxicity of aluminum, taking into account the different tolerable intake levels for aluminum established by EFSA in 2008 and JECFA in 2011; and ■  To advise on a tolerable intake level for aluminum based on most … [Read more...] about Top International News in Chemical Policy and Regulation – January 27, 2017: Europe