Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

New parents working at Nordstrom are about to get a break.   Starting May 1, the department store retailer will offer up to 12 weeks of fully paid leave to birth mothers, and up to six weeks of fully paid leave to other new parents, the Seattle Times reported.    Nordstrom’s current maternity leave policy is six weeks of disability paid at 60% for birth mothers.

Indianapolis-based Hhgregg has filed for bankruptcy.    The move came just days after the struggling chain announced a big wave of store closings.    In a statement, Hhgregg said it has reached an agreement with an anonymous party to purchase its assets, which will allow the company to exit Chapter 11 debt free “with significant improvement in liquidity for the future stability of the business.” Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.   

Walgreens Boots Alliance is considering a move that would force the Federal Trade Commission to vote on its planned merger with Rite Aid within 30 days.   Walgreens is considering declaring that it has “certified compliance” in its application, which would mean that the drugstore chain believes it has given regulators substantially all the information they need to make a decision, The New York Post reported.

A value-oriented regional department store chain could be the latest retail casualty.   Gordmans Stores Inc. is preparing to file for bankruptcy, Bloomberg reported, saying the filing could occur as soon as this month.    Founded in 1915, the Omaha-based retailer operates 106 stores in 22 states.  

Virginia’s new law is a coup for robotics.   The commonwealth is the first state to pass legislation allowing delivery robots to operate on sidewalks and crosswalks across the state, according to ReCode.  

Turning historic spaces into contemporary stores

Newest ASHRAE standard reduces LPD allowances

The ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 energy standard provides a model energy code to jurisdictions interested in regulating the energy-efficient design of commercial buildings. ASHRAE recently published the 2016 version, which supersedes the 2013 version.

The U.S. Department of Energy recognizes the 2013 version as the national energy reference standard. Starting in October 2016, all states were required to have an energy code in place at least as stringent as 90.1-2013 or justify why they could not comply.