Labor & Employment

Staples has entered an agreement to acquire Office Depot in a cash and stock deal valued at $6.3 billon that is sure to face a high degree of regulatory scrutiny.

New York -- Cache on Wednesday said it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after running out of capital and time to complete its turnaround. The women’s apparel retailer will continue to operate its business, but intends to continue to reduce its store count and sell and renegotiate some of its leases.

Cache chairman and CEO Jay Margolis said the company filed Chapter 11 with the goal of “securing Cache’s future.”

New York -- Staples has entered an agreement to acquire Office Depot in a cash and stock deal valued at $6.3 billon that is sure to face a high degree of regulatory scrutiny.

Rent-A-Center's Acceptance Now program has been a big hit with consumers, but the kiosks weren't enough to lift the company in the fourth quarter.   The company reported a 28% increase in same store sales at the Acceptance Now kiosks, which allow customers to pick out items from certain retailers partnering with RAC. Rent-A-Center will buy the item and lease it to the customer with no credit check needed.   

Framingham, Mass. – The office supply retail vertical may be in for more consolidation. According to the Wall Street Journal, Staples Inc. and Office Depot Inc. are in the “advanced stages” of negotiations to combine the two biggest U.S. office supply chains.

Walgreens Boots Alliance has appointed Marco Pagni, formerly group legal counsel and chief administrative officer of Alliance Boots, as EVP and global chief legal and administrative officer, effective immediately.

Wage and hour issues are ever present in the retail industry. Retailers are under constant pressure to control expenses, the largest component of which is labor. In 2015, local, state and federal officials are poised to take actions that will likely increase the cost of labor for retailers. Retailers must remain alert for these coming changes and begin planning for their impact long before their effective dates.

Citing the cost and complexity associated the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, National Retail Federation affirmed its opposition to the health care law in a sharply worded letter to top elected officials.