Amazon Unveils Its Utility Patent Neutral Evaluation Procedure
Amazon has recently implemented a relatively inexpensive procedure to address allegations of patent infringement relating to products sold on the world’s largest e-commerce site.
Public Service Commission of Kentucky Proposes Amending Regulation Governing Uniform Fuel Adjustment Clauses
Fuel adjustment clauses (FAC) have been a feature of electric bills in Kentucky since the 1950s. An FAC adjusts on a monthly basis the kWh rate paid by customers for electricity to reflect changes in the cost of fuel, and in many instances, purchased energy.
Lawyer Up! Kentucky Imposes New Requirement for Legal Representation at Unemployment Hearings
In 1984, the Kentucky Legislature enacted KRS 341.407(3), permitting employers, including corporations and partnerships, to represent themselves or be represented by counsel in administrative unemployment proceedings. Thirty-five years later, on April 26, 2019, the Kentucky Court of Appeals declared that law unconstitutional and effectively held that a lawyer must represent corporations and non-natural entities in administrative unemployment proceedings.
Employee Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Data Due to EEOC by May 31, 2019; Employee Pay Data Due by September 30, 2019
Employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors who have 50 or more workers and contracts worth $50,000 or more, have until May 31, 2019 to provide the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) data regarding the number of employees they have by job category, race, ethnicity, and gender for the 2018 calendar year (“Component 1 data”).
Groundhog Day? Supreme Court Strikes Down Class Arbitration Efforts...Again
In what finally may prove to be the effective death knell for most efforts to pursue class-wide arbitration, a closely-divided United States Supreme Court has now held that a party cannot be required to arbitrate claims on a class-wide basis unless the arbitration agreement clearly contemplates such a possibility.
Kentucky General Assembly Approves Electronic Recording and Notarization
The General Assembly recently passed Senate Bill 114 into law, which will reform Kentucky’s recording and notary laws in two significant ways: county clerks will soon be able to record real estate deeds, mortgages and other documents electronically, and notaries public will be able to notarize real estate documents electronically and remotely.
A Costly Reminder to Continually Re-Evaluate Your IP
The patent process can be frustrating and often involves a significant investment of time and money. As such, it may be tempting to assume that when the Patent Office issues a patent it is safe to assert your rights therein. However, as noted in a recent decision from the District Court for the District of Delaware, doing so may leave you on the hook for attorney’s fees.
Mandatory Arbitration, Shortened Statutes of Limitations, and Background Checks for Employees? You Bet!
In October 2018, the Kentucky Supreme Court issued a far-reaching opinion voiding all Kentucky employer-employee arbitration agreements which were made a condition of an individual’s employment. On March 13, 2019, however, the Kentucky Legislature rejected that opinion, passing a bill that not only claws back the ruling but significantly expands employers’ options for imposing conditions on the employer-employee relationship.