BW INSIGHTS

2020 NAIC Summit Recap

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) hosted their 2020 Virtual Insurance Summit in a new two-week format during September 8-10 & 15-17, 2020. The Insurance Summit is hosted by NAIC and the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). This premier event brings together innovators and regulators to explore the future of... Read More

Producers Receive Additional Relief for 2020 Crop Year with CFAP 2

The USDA released a Final Rule to announce the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) on Friday, September 18, 2020. Applications will be accepted through county FSA offices from Monday, September 21 through December 11, 2020, or until the allocated $14 billion runs out. So, what’s CFAP 2, and how does it compare to CFAP... Read More

Department of Justice Guidance on Corporate Compliance Programs

Earlier this summer, the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Criminal Division updated its guidance on the Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs first published in early 2017. The updates reflect the DOJ’s expectation that compliance programs should not be stagnant and need to change with the company’s risk profile. In its... Read More

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Changes You Should Know

A decision out of New York prompted the Department of Labor (DOL) to issue a revised rule on the FFCRA which is scheduled to take effect 9/16/2020. The revisions cover five main areas: The Department reaffirms that paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave may be taken only if the employee has work from which to take leave and explains... Read More

New CMS COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities

On Thursday, August 27, 2020, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publicly filed an unpublished Rule related to COVID-19 testing requirements for long-term care (LTC) facilities. The Final Rule is scheduled for publication on September 2, 2020 and will go into effect immediately. CMS issued a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors... Read More

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are vital to the success of every business. Diversity and inclusion is a company’s mission, strategies, and practices to support a diverse workplace where individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life are able to participate and contribute comfortably and equally. Successful implementation will improve... Read More

Trademark Consent and Coexistence Agreements

Usually, an entity registers their trademark to prevent consumer confusion and/or unpermitted use of their valuable branding. However, due to the sheer volume of new businesses annually and their tendency for rapid growth, it is not uncommon for two or more companies to use extremely similar marks without knowledge of the others’ existence. Most... Read More

USCIS Conducts Second H-1B Lottery

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has conducted a second H-1B lottery to select additional FY 2021 H-1B Cap cases. BrownWinick first reported the conclusion of the H-1B lottery selection in April; however, employers began to receive notifications of case selection late last week. This second lottery is in an effort to fill the FY... Read More

Department of Homeland Security Issues Guidance on Exemptions to Travel Bans

The Department of Homeland Security has issued guidance on exemptions to travel bans, specifically detailing exemptions to Presidential Proclamations 10014 and 10052, which together suspend the entry of certain immigrant visa applicants, and foreign nationals who present a risk to the U.S. economic recovery efforts in the wake of COVID-19, until... Read More

EU Court Rejects Privacy Shield, EU/U.S. Initiates Discussion on Alternatives

Privacy Shield, a program created by the U.S. Department of Commerce in conjunction with the European Union and Switzerland to help U.S. organizations conform to EU data privacy law when handling data, was invalidated in a decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union on July 16, 2020. The Court first ruled the Privacy Shield framework... Read More