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Global rules on foreign direct investment (FDI)
Cross-border acquisitions and investments increasingly trigger foreign direct investment (FDI) screening requirements.
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United States | Publication | August 27, 2021
Employers should take note of recent amendments to the Texas Labor Code that will go into effect on September 1st (HB 21 and SB 45) regarding sexual harassment claims.
These new provisions, which will apply to all Texas employers, extend the charge filing deadline for sexual harassment claims, subject supervisors, managers and other agents to individual liability, and modify the standard for an employer’s response to sexual harassment.
The amendments broaden the definition of “employer” for sexual harassment claims to include businesses that employ one or more employees. However, the prior definition of “employer,” which included only businesses that employ 15 or more employees, will continue to apply to other types of discrimination and harassment. Significantly, the amendments also expand the definition of “employer” to include any person who "acts directly in the interests of an employer in relation to an employee."
Thus, supervisors, managers and other agents can now be subject to individual liability for acts of sexual harassment directed toward employees. Prior to these amendments, only the actual employing entity could be held liable and responsible for paying any damage award. Additionally, the amendments extend the deadline to file a charge of discrimination with the Texas Workforce Commission to 300 days, though the 180-day charge filing deadline will continue to apply to other types of discrimination and harassment claims.
The new provisions further state that an employer commits an "unlawful employment practice" if "sexual harassment of an employee occurs and the employer or employer's agents or supervisors:
While it remains to be seen how significant of a change this seemingly different standard is, it will certainly be the subject of litigation as courts grapple with how to interpret it.
Given these significant changes in the law, Texas employers should update their harassment policies, conduct training regarding complaint procedures and be watchful for signs of sexual harassment in order to take immediate and appropriate corrective action.
Tom Reddin and Josh Owings are available to answer any questions you may have.
Publication
Cross-border acquisitions and investments increasingly trigger foreign direct investment (FDI) screening requirements.
Publication
On February 2, 2024, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union confirmed that the Committee of Permanent Representatives had signed the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation, referred to as the AI Act. Approval by the EU Parliament followed on 13 March 2024, and the AI Act is likely to appear in the EU’s Official Journal around May 2024. The AI Act aims to establish a stringent legal framework governing the development, marketing, and utilisation of artificial intelligence within the region, thereby marking a significant advancement in the regulation of this burgeoning domain.
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The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Regulation, commonly referred to as the AI Act, is expected to come into force during the summer of 2024 (the AI Act). The AI Act will be the first comprehensive legal framework for the use and development of artificial intelligence (AI), and is intended to ensure that AI systems developed and used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly.
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