Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Dollars Tree’s first quarter sales were less than expected, it is divesting more of the acquired Family Dollar stores than expected and closing the merger is taking longer than expected.

The CEO of Lumber Liquidators has resigned just a few months after the company became embroiled in an investigation over wood products imported from China.

The company said Robert Lynch resigned “unexpectedly” and that it intends to commence a national search for Lynch's replacement. In the interim, Thomas D. Sullivan, the company's founder, will serve as the acting chief executive officer of the company.

Washington, D.C. - The Obama Administration’s plan to revise federal overtime regulations would likely “hollow out” low- and mid-level management positions in the restaurant and retail industries and result in a shift toward more hourly and part-time workers, according to a new National Retail Federation (NRF) report. The report, "Rethinking Overtime," found that the proposal could cost retailers millions of dollars in added costs and would disproportionally impact retailers operating in rural states.

The Obama administration’s plan to revise federal overtime regulations would likely “hollow out” low- and mid-level management positions in the retail industry and result in a shift toward more hourly and part-time workers, according to a new National Retail Federation (NRF) report.

San Jose, Calif. – PayPal may have to fork over $25 million in a proposed settlement for allegedly deceiving consumers with the PayPal Credit service, formerly known as BillMeLater. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants PayPal to refund $15 million to consumers and pay an additional $10 million in fines for signing up consumers who did not want to participate, not honoring promotional offers, unfairly leading PayPal customers to use PayPal Credit, and charging consumers fees during periods of time disputes were improperly handled.

Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is seeking a shareholder vote on its proposed $6.3 billion merger with Staples Inc. at its annual meeting on June 19. According to a statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Office Depot is requesting that shareholders approve the proposed acquisition by Staples.

In addition to approval by Office Depot shareholders, the agreement also needs to be approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). With all approvals in place, the deal would finalize by the end of 2015.

Photo: Dov Charney

Los Angeles – In the latest set of dueling lawsuits to hit a major retailer, American Apparel is suing its founder and ousted CEO Dov Charney for violating a standstill agreement with the company. Standstill agreements typically limit the amount of stock in a company a party can buy during a certain period of time.

Arlington, Va. – The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is speaking out on retail data security. Brian Dodge, executive VP, communications & strategic initiatives, RILA, testified at the House Financial Services Committee hearing, “Protecting Consumers: Financial Data Security in the Age of Computer Hackers,” Thursday, May 14.