Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Washington, D.C. -- A new survey released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation found that nearly all retailers rely on background checks to keep their customers, and themselves, safe.

The survey, completed by retail executives from 96 of the nation’s leading department stores, mass merchants, discounters, drug stores, grocery stores and restaurants, examined retailers’ use of background screenings during the application and employment process.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) applauded House Education and the Workforce Chairman Jon Kline for the introduction of the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act and urged for its speedy passage.

The legislation comes in response to efforts by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to impose several components of the job-killing Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a priority of organized labor that failed to gain support in Congress.

Washington -- The National Retail Federation announced that it is pleased with President Obama's efforts to implement three pending Free Trade Agreements. 

WASHINGTON —The National Retail Federation announced that it is pleased with President Obama's efforts to implement three pending Free Trade Agreements. 

New York City -- A Thursday Reuters report said that Liz Claiborne has won the dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit that accused the company of misrepresenting its relationships with Macy's and J.C. Penney.

U.S. District Judge Richard Holwell said Thursday that the investors failed to show that Liz Claiborne intended to mislead them about the relationships.

The class period ran from Jan. 16 to April 30, 2007, the day before Liz Claiborne reported much lower-than-expected profit and sales at department store chains.
 

Reduced fees for debit card transactions go into effect on Monday and the architect of the authorizing legislation, Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois, was feeling a lot of love from a retail industry that's convinced ample justification remains for even deeper fee reductions.

Washington, D.C. -- Retailers and their customers will save billions of dollars when new Federal Reserve regulations cutting debit-card swipe fees roughly in half take effect this weekend, the National Retail Federation said.

New York City -- Commercial and high-rise residential buildings, along with federal buildings, must now meet requirements in the ASHRAE/IES 2007 energy standard after rulings issued by the Department of Energy.

Prior to the new rules, federal and commercial buildings had to meet requirements in the 2004 standard.