Blogs

The beginning of a new year often brings new regulations or changes to programs. Customs programs are no exception. We have listed some key January 2018 changes for importers below.

The DOL will adopt the “primary beneficiary” test endorsed by those courts in evaluating internships sponsored by private employers.

And the third time seems to have charmed critics. Toyota Research Institute has released details about Platform 3.0, which is built on a Lexus LS 600hl hybrid luxury sedan, and will officially debut the autonomous research vehicle at CES 2018.

Neural networks driving autonomous vehicles—a giant leap for self-driving cars and a big question for regulators.

As 2017 came to a close, so did the auto industry’s sales streak.

Buy next year’s holiday décor, the sweater you actually wanted, and self-driving tech for 50 percent off!

Often grandparents or other family members or friends would like to make additional gifts but have already bumped up against their annual gift tax limits.

The Supreme Court of California unanimously reversed the Fifth District Court of Appeal and upheld the constitutionality of an amendment establishing a Mandatory Mediation and Conciliation process for “first contract” negotiations extending beyond 90 days.

Several automakers are already building up the heavy-duty electric vehicle market.

The National Labor Relations Board has reinstated a previous long-standing rule, holding that union employers do not have to bargain over “changes” to employment terms as long as they are consistent with past practice.

How do Teslas fit into country music? Elon Musk recently made new production promises on Twitter, saying that his company would make a pickup truck after the release of the Model Y, an electric SUV slated for 2019.

The US Court of Appeals ruled that Lanham Act’s statutory ban on “immoral or scandalous” trademarks violates the First Amendment and is thus unconstitutional.

PCs just got a popularity boost in Silicon Valley.

On December 22, 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law sweeping tax reform legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

FCRA claims have been on the rise, particularly those alleging employers’ background check authorization forms contain unlawfully extraneous information.

Congressional Republicans have reached an agreement on a tax reform proposal that will dramatically change the US tax code. The final agreement will have widespread implications for small business, partnerships, and multinational corporations.

NLRB recently overturned a case that had established a standard for evaluating the legality of employer handbook policies.

On December 8, 2017, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California seeking to block California’s new drug transparency law.

If your smartphone feels old after a year, what about your car?

Based on recent activity in Congress, the possibility of a shutdown of US federal government activities for at least a brief period of time is looming larger. The government is currently funded through December 22, 2017 and the prospect of a shutdown before the end of the year is growing.

Auto upgrades and accessories? There’s an app for that.

Big Auto’s take on the Epcot classic is open for business in Michigan. The American Center for Mobility, a 500-acre test track for autonomous cars, welcomed its first participants, Visteon Corp. and Toyota Motor North America, last week.