Seyfarth Synopsis:  In advance of the firm’s 75th anniversary in 2020, Seyfarth this week launched a new brand and website which reflect a distinct client experience, combining the scale of the firm’s legal representation around the globe with innovative service delivery capabilities. The firm’s new brand – Seyfarth – pays homage to its heritage with a close eye on the future. Long recognized as a leading labor and employment law firm and legal industry innovator,…

By: James L. Curtis and Adam R. Young Seyfarth Synopsis: The National Safety Council released a policy statement endorsing employer zero-tolerance policies for cannabis use for employees who work in safety-sensitive positions, explaining that no level of cannabis is safe. Unlike a test for Blood Alcohol Content, testing results for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) metabolites (the psychoactive components of cannabis) do not directly demonstrate employee impairment. Positive tests for cannabis can reflect past usage by an employee…

By Andrew H. Perellis, Rebecca A. Davis, and Craig B. Simonsen Seyfarth Synopsis: The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its final rule this week to repeal the 2015 rule that “impermissibly expanded the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ (WOTUS)” under the Clean Water Act.  84 Fed. Reg. 56626 (Oct. 22, 2019). The WOTUS rulemaking has been fraught with controversy and has generated well over…

By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen Seyfarth Synopsis:  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently rolled out Our Roads, Our Safety, a national safety campaign to raise awareness about sharing the road safely with large trucks and buses.  The Agency noted that “trucks and buses are much more difficult to maneuver, have massive blind spots, and take far longer to stop.  Awareness of these …

By Brent I. Clark, James L. Curtis, Mark A. Lies, II, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA reminds employers of the hazards of distracted driving.  OSHA has recently released a “Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes.”  OSHA states that “every 12 minutes someone dies in a motor vehicle crash, every 10 seconds an injury occurs and every 5 seconds a crash occurs.  Many of…

By Jennifer L. Mora, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen Seyfarth Synopsis: The Western District of New York, in Horn v. Medical Marijuana, Inc., et al., issued an initial procedural order last week in a case where the plaintiff’s purchase and use of the defendant products resulted in a failed drug test that resulted in his employer terminating his employment.  Horn v. Medical Marijuana, Inc., et al. No. 15-cv-701-FPG (W.D.N.Y.) We have…

By Andrew H. Perellis, Jeryl L. Olson, Brent I. Clark, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen Seyfarth Synopsis:  The regulated community had a pleasant surprise from President Trump this week.  The President issued two executive orders that have the stated intent to make closeted or last minute agency guidance and interpretations of federal rules a thing of the past.  The orders require notice and publication of the guidance and interpretations…