Tag Archives: Legislation

Canada’s Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act Goes Into Effect Soon

By Alexis Chandler, Sarah Rathke and Anna Huttner on Posted in supply chain
On May 11, 2023, Canada passed the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act(Bill S-211), which will take effect on January 1, 2024 (the “Act”). The purpose of this Act is to implement Canada’s international commitment to fighting forced and child labor through reporting obligations on (a) government institutions[1] producing, purchasing, … Continue Reading

DHS Released a Notice on the Addition of Entities to the UFLPA Entity List

By Ludmilla Kasulke and Alexis Chandler on Posted in supply chain
On August 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the Chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), formally published the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The Entity list is a consolidated register of the four lists required to be developed and maintained pursuant to Section 2(d)(2)(B) of … Continue Reading

Bipartisan Bill Introduced by Senate relating to Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020

By Ludmilla Kasulke on Posted in supply chain
On August 2, 2022, Senators Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) introduced the Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act, legislation that would expand the categories of persons that could be sanctioned under the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (UHRPA).  Rep. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) filed a companion in the House of Representatives. … Continue Reading

U.S. House and Senate Reach Agreement on Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act

By Ludmilla Kasulke and Squire Patton Boggs on Posted in supply chain
On December 14, 2021, lawmakers in the House and Senate announced that they had reached an agreement on compromise language for a bill known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act or “UFLPA.”  Different versions of this measure passed the House and the Senate earlier this year, but lawmakers and Congressional staff have been working … Continue Reading

Congress Takes Aim At Uyghur Forced Labor

By Sarah Rathke and Lindsay Zhu on Posted in supply chain
U.S. companies importing certain products from China may be facing additional supply chain challenges in the near future.  On July 14, 2021, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”) was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate.  It now moves to the House, where it is expected to pass easily—a previous version of the bill passed … Continue Reading

Trend Alert:  Increased US Oversight of Forced Labor in Supply Chains

By Ericka Johnson and Sarah Rathke on Posted in supply chain
Continuing the trend toward increased oversight of forced labor in supply chains (see our post from last week on groundbreaking German legislation in this space), on March 18, 2021, the US Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on “fighting forced labor.”  Specifically, the hearing will focus on “[c]losing the loopholes and improving customs enforcement … Continue Reading

CARES Act – Economic Assistance to Business Enterprises, States and Municipalities & Securing Stimulus Funding for Small Businesses

By Squire Patton Boggs on Posted in Legal Analysis
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.  The CARES Act includes a range of extensive loan and grant programs that are vital to businesses across the country, including some US$500 billion in funding for the Department of Treasury that is expected to … Continue Reading

Current Economic Relief Opportunities for US Small Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Outbreak in the CARES Act

By Squire Patton Boggs on Posted in Legal Analysis
On March 25, 2020, the Senate passed on a bipartisan basis the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.  With more than US$2 trillion in total relief and US$350 billion in support for small businesses, this bill, if enacted, would represent the third phase of legislation intended to help families and companies … Continue Reading

US Policy Prognosis: The Legislative Response to COVID-19

By Squire Patton Boggs on Posted in Legal Analysis
With the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), commonly known as the “coronavirus” or COVID-19, lawmakers are proposing and voting on policies to aid people and industries affected by the virus. Several legislative packages have already been enacted, and our elected officials continue to negotiate bills to assist our communities and economy.  Our colleagues … Continue Reading

Bill Creating Council to Address Threats to Supply Chain Security Passed in the Senate

By Squire Patton Boggs on Posted in Tech
On December 18, 2018, the Senate unanimously passed a bill which would create a council responsible for addressing federal supply chain security. Because the bill was not presented for a vote in the House of Representatives, it will begin the legislative process again in the current Congress. The Senate bill provided for the establishment of the Federal … Continue Reading

Cross-post from Employment Law Worldview Blog: Is your Modern Slavery Act Statement ready?

By Ayako Russell on Posted in International, Legal Analysis
Our colleagues at the Employment Law Worldview Blog have posted a piece reminding businesses that the deadline for publishing their first “slavery and human trafficking statement” is fast approaching.  Commercial organizations that fall under the Modern Slavery Act must disclose what activities they have undertaken to eliminate slavery and human trafficking from their business and their … Continue Reading

Quoted in Corporate Counsel Article Discussing the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015!

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Consumer Products, International
A few posts ago, we posted an article on H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.  As predicted, President Obama signed the Act into law last week, which gave us an opportunity to talk with Rebekah Mintzer of Corporate Counsel Magazine on an article about the Act that she was working on.… Continue Reading

New U.S. Law May Impact U.S. Companies’ Ability to Import from Suppliers Abroad (Or, Enactment of H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act)

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Consumer Products, International
Any day, President Obama is expected to sign into law H.B. 644, also called the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 – an act that may have far-reaching impacts on U.S. companies that use foreign suppliers.  The Act allows the government to confiscate or turn away items being imported that it reasonably suspects were … Continue Reading

Can Supply Chains Be Completely Transparent?

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Case Studies, Consumer Products, Food & Drug, Legal Analysis
In some earlier posts (here and here), we discussed the new litigation trend in which plaintiffs are filing putative consumer class actions against manufacturers and retailers for failing to fully abide by their California Transparency in Supply Chains disclosure statements or their internal supplier policies.  Well, as anyone following this story is likely aware, the … Continue Reading

Modern Slavery Act 2015: 10 Key Points for Businesses

By Sarah Rathke and Ayako Russell on Posted in International, Legal Analysis
  Our colleagues at the Employment Law Worldview Blog have put together a helpful guide of 10 key points on the new requirements of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.  The guide provides an excellent breakdown of important points  such as how businesses will be affected by the new disclosure obligation and what steps businesses should be taking … Continue Reading

The UK Modern Slavery Act (Or, The UK Just Got A Lot More Like California) (Or, A Domestic Anti-Slavery Law With International Implications)

By Sarah Rathke and Ayako Russell on Posted in International, Legal Analysis
Bonded labor.  Indentured servitude.  Human trafficking.  These are terms for modern slavery, essentially obtaining or holding another person in compelled service.  The UN’s International Labour Organization estimates that 21 million people are enslaved around the world, generating approximately $150 billion a year in profits. Earlier this year as part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention … Continue Reading

Fashion Friday – Supply Chain Issues in Fashion Visibility in the Supply Chain

By Sarah Rathke on Posted in Case Studies, Consumer Products, Fashion, Legal Analysis
It's Friday noteWelcome to the first installment of Fashion Friday!  In Fashion Friday, we focus on supply chain issues that impact an industry we follow in our personal lives as well as our professional lives. Fashion is an industry in which supply chain visibility is increasingly important.  Supply chain visibility means the ability to know and understand … Continue Reading
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