In the wake of the legalization of cannabis in the state of California following last week’s election, it is important for businesses to take stock of several legal issues as opportunities within this burgeoning market continue to grow.

On Nov. 8, 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act.

A review of FSIS recall data from the past five years indicates that recalls of meat and poultry products due to the presence of foreign matter contamination have grown in number, particularly over the past year.

The US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania recently sided with the EEOC in holding that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, even though the Act does not expressly state that.

From large corporations to small nonprofits, from urban centers to rural communities, the 2016 elections will have an impact across all sectors of the economy and globally as well.

The California Court of Appeal has held that employers’ itemized wage payment statements do not have to include the monetary value of an employee’s accrued vacation or paid time off.

On November 1, 2016, the Supreme Court heard argument in a False Claims Act case in which the defendant sought dismissal of a qui tam action after the whistleblower violated the FCA’s seal requirement and publicly disclosed the complaint.

Recently, the Health Resources and Services Administration released a new addendum to amend the existing Pharmaceutical Pricing Agreements that drug manufacturers participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program must have in place with the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

On October 14, 2016, the Office of Antiboycott Compliance joined the 21st century and issued a Final Rule that permits electronic submission as an additional method to report requests.

At its monthly Open Meeting on October 27, the Federal Communications Commission adopted, but has not yet released, new privacy rules requiring retail broadband providers to offer consumers more choice over how their personal information is used.

International arbitration awards usually have little chance of being vacated, but a recent decision by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York overturned an award because the parties did not in fact agree to arbitrate. Arbitration, the court ruled, is about consent, not coercion.

A series of recent decisions have heightened the standard for obtaining preliminary injunctive relief for trademark infringement. This trend presents unique challenges for brand owners seeking to enjoin unauthorized “holdover” use of a trademark by former franchisees or licensees.

The Cayman Islands published a draft set of laws at the end of August in its push to modernize and update its intellectual property laws.

In addition to federal regulations affecting healthcare providers, many states, including California, have laws prohibiting the abuse of elderly individuals, as well as dependent adults.

Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued revised food safety standards known as the “Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards” (MFRPS).

Mylan recently announced a $465 million settlement with the US Department of Justice and other government agencies regarding the company’s covered outpatient drug (COD) classification of its EpiPen (and EpiPen, Jr.), an epinephrine auto-injector, under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP).

While autonomous car technology currently dominates privacy and security headlines in the automotive sector, cybersecurity should be top of mind for all players in our industry, including retail automotive dealerships.

Cybersecurity and data intrustions have dominated business headlines this year, ranging from the rise of ransomware to international hacking of US political parties.

As states, counties and cities continue to jump on the paid sick leave bandwagon, employers must remain proactive or risk noncompliance.

On September 29, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that starting in March 2018, it will collect summary employee pay data from certain employers.

California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Assembly Bill 1066, extending the state’s full daily and weekly overtime requirements to agricultural workers.