The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petition to reach the statutory cap for the fiscal year 2014. USCIS will use a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as the “lottery”) for all FY 2014 cap-subject petitions received through April 5, 2013.
On March 14, 2013, Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) introduced a bill (H.R. 1154) to amend the Clean Air Act (CAA) to eliminate the exemption for aggregation of hazardous air pollutants from oil and gas sources. CAA § 112(n)(4) currently prohibits the aggregation of emissions from "any oil or gas exploration or production well (with its associated equipment) and emissions from any pipeline compressor or pump station."
Recently, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) officially withdrew the Bush-era guidance regarding pay discrimination. In its place, the OFCCP issued Directive 307, accompanied by a fact sheet and answers to frequently asked questions.
At the beginning of each fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas. The number of these new visas that are available each year is capped at approximately 65,000 (plus an additional 20,000 that are exempt from the cap for individuals with advanced degrees from an accredited U.S. college or university). Applications for these new visas can be filed as soon as April 1.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a final rule on the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. The final rule imposes new reporting requirements on group purchasing organizations (GPO) and manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals or medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Asset protection planners in Ohio will soon have one more arrow in their quivers. Effective March 27, 2013, Ohio law will permit the creation and funding of a domestic asset protection trust.
On March 8, 2013, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for use by employers.
At the beginning of each fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas. The number of these new visas that are available each year is capped at approximately 65,000.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. recently granted a motion to dismiss qui tam claims from two relators who alleged that Lockheed Martin violated the False Claims Act by inflating the reported number of hours its employees worked on government contracts.
Recent government guidance addresses permissible employee cost sharing under your company's group health plan. This Vorys Client Alert summarizes what you need to know about out-of-pocket limits, annual and lifetime dollar limits, first dollar preventive care, and tobacco surcharges.
Ohio Governor John Kasich’s FY 2014‑2015 biennial budget bill (House Bill No. 59) was recently introduced. Within the bill are significant Ohio sales and use tax reform proposals.
Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule implementing and interpreting changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enacted by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act. The final rule will take effect on March 8, 2013.
On February 12, 2013, the Ohio General Assembly released the "As Introduced" version of House Bill 59 (the Bill), which is the operating budget bill for state fiscal years 2014 and 2015. The Bill contains significant tax reform elements.
Ohio Governor John Kasich's FY 2014-2015 biennial budget bill was introduced this week. Weighing 22 pounds in print, covering over 4,200 pages and containing almost 130,000 lines of text, the bill does not lack in length or ambition.
The new year has brought with it several permanent changes to the state and federal estate tax laws. These changes will have a major impact on estates and the terms of estate planning documents on a going forward basis.
The Ohio EPA has proposed a new exemption from its Stage II vapor recovery requirements for new gasoline dispensing facilities (GDFs) that install low permeation hoses and notify the Ohio EPA of their intent to comply with the requirements of the new rule.
On December 20, 2012 Governor John Kasich signed into law Amended Substitute House Bill 510 to change the way Ohio taxes financial institutions. Beginning January 1, 2014, Ohio imposes a new business privilege tax on financial institutions doing business in Ohio.
A recent trial victory on behalf of a major banking client clarifies three key points of law in Ohio fiduciary litigation. In June 2012, a Vorys trial team led by Daniel J. Buckley and Lisa Babish Forbes defended a trustee in a five-day bench trial against numerous breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by successor trustees and beneficiaries.
