Featured Stories
SEC Obtains Final Consent Judgment as to Las Vegas Financial Education Company and Three Las Vegas Residents for Allegedly Acting as Unregistered Brokers
WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 2:25-cv-00105; D. Nev. filed Jan. 17, 2025):
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Quest Education L.L.C., et al., No. 2:25-cv-00105 (D. Nev. filed Jan. 17, 2025)
On June 29, 2026, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada entered a final consent judgment against Las Vegas-based financial education company Quest Education L.L.C., its principal and control person Daniel Blue, and former employees David Christopher White and Keitoh Jordan Spears, for allegedly acting
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WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 2:25-cv-00105; D. Nev. filed Jan. 17, 2025):
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Quest Education L.L.C., et al., No. 2:25-cv-00105 (D. Nev. filed Jan. 17, 2025)
On June 29, 2026, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada entered a final consent judgment against Las Vegas-based financial education company Quest Education L.L.C., its principal and control person Daniel Blue, and former employees David Christopher White and Keitoh Jordan Spears, for allegedly actingas unregistered securities brokers and selling unregistered securities.
The SEC's complaint alleged that Quest touted itself as an investor education company that assisted its customers in setting up self-directed retirement accounts so that they could invest in alternative investments. According to the complaint, in reality, Quest's largest revenue driver was the commission payments it received from third parties in exchange for soliciting Quest customers to invest in unregistered securities offerings. As alleged, between October 2019 and April 2023, Quest solicited its customers to invest in unregistered securities offerings issued by at least eight issuers and received approximately $2.5 million in commissions from various companies in exchange for its customers' investments. The complaint further alleged that Blue often worked closely with the companies to understand their business models and funding needs so that Quest could more effectively market the entities' investment opportunities. The complaint also alleges that, while working for Quest, White and Spears promoted various unregistered offerings and each received over $200,000 in commissions in connection with their customers' investments. According to the SEC's complaint, during the time they promoted and received commissions from these unregistered offerings, the defendants were neither registered as brokers or dealers with the SEC nor associated with brokers or dealers registered with the SEC.
Without admitting the allegations in the SEC's complaint, the defendants each consented to the entry of the final judgment, in which each defendant is permanently enjoined from violating Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 15(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In addition, the final judgment permanently enjoins Defendant Blue from directly or indirectly, including, but not limited to, through any entity owned or controlled by him, participating in the issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of any security. The final judgment also orders Defendants Blue and Spears to each pay a civil penalty of $11,823.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by Andrew Mason and Tiffany Kunkle, and supervised by Thomas B. Bosch, all of the SEC's Atlanta Regional Office. The SEC's litigation was led by Kristin Murnahan and supervised by M. Graham Loomis.
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Resources
* SEC Complaint (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2026/comp26580.pdf)
* Final Judgment (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/judg26580.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26580
FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Issues Public Notice: Publication of Mobile Initial Eligible-Areas Map for Alaska Connect Fund
WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 23-328):
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By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), in coordination with the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA), publishes the final version of the Initial Eligible-Areas (EA) Map, v.1.3, for the mobile part of the Alaska Connect Fund (ACF)./1 The Initial EA Map can be found at the following link: https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/alaska-connect-fund#mobile-eligible-areas-map. Providers must rely upon the
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WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 23-328):
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By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), in coordination with the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA), publishes the final version of the Initial Eligible-Areas (EA) Map, v.1.3, for the mobile part of the Alaska Connect Fund (ACF)./1 The Initial EA Map can be found at the following link: https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/alaska-connect-fund#mobile-eligible-areas-map. Providers must rely upon thedata in the Initial EA Map, v.1.3, to create their initial ACF performance plans./2
Alaska Plan and ACF have fundamental differences, such as different data sources and commitments./3 In order to transition from the Alaska Plan to the ACF, for which support begins on January 1, 2027,/4 and to ensure that all providers fully understand which areas are eligible and ineligible for ACF mobile support,/5 the Commission, in the 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, required WTB, in coordination with OEA, to publish a map or maps of these areas./6 The EA maps also differentiate which eligible areas are duplicate-support areas, single-support areas, or other eligible areas./7 The resulting Initial EA Map, v.1.3, shows where each provider is using support to offer service in their respective single- and duplicate-support areas/8 and the other eligible areas where support may be used and claimed as single-support areas in their ACF Performance Plans./9
Using the Initial Eligible-Areas Map for Alaska Connect Fund Performance Plans. Providers must rely on the Initial EA Map, v.1.3, to create their initial ACF performance plans, which are due no later than September 1, 2026./10 Some areas that were eligible to receive support under the Alaska Plan are ineligible for support under the ACF, either because the area became competitive or was designated untestable./11 After today's publication of the Initial EA Map, v.1.3, ineligible areas will not change, and no duplicate-support areas will be added or expanded for the duration of the ACF./12 Because all ineligible areas and Alaska Plan support areas as assessed with the December 31, 2024 Broadband Data Collection (BDC)/13 data are now settled,/14 providers can now determine the number of hex-9s/15 for which they are currently receiving support but that are newly ineligible under the ACF.
Mobile providers that receive support under the Alaska Plan for coverage of newly ineligible areas in the ACF and wish to retain the support attributed to those areas must cover a comparable number of otherwise uncovered hex-9s elsewhere./16 When a provider submits its ACF Performance Plan, all comparable areas that it may seek to claim are limited to those available from the "other eligible areas,"/17 as all other hexes are either ineligible or part of another provider's recognized support area./18 Where more than one provider has a pending performance plan that seeks to claim the same "other eligible" hex-9, the provider that shows coverage to that hex-9 first, based on BDC data, will be given the preference to claim that hex-9 as part of its single-support area./19 In the event that both providers report their first coverage of the hex-9 in the same data set, the hex-9 will be considered a single-support area attributed to whichever provider has its updated performance plan accepted first./20
Making Updates for Future Eligible-Areas Map Releases. For performance plans that claim additional hex-9s,/21 the provider must also fully complete and submit the EA Map Updates Template with the list of hex-9s it wants credited to its support area./22 As providers claim areas as their additional single-support areas, WTB, in coordination with OEA, will publish additional versions of the Eligible-Areas Map so that other providers do not attempt to claim the same areas./23
For further information about this proceeding, email ACF@fcc.gov.
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Footnotes:
1/ Subsequent releases will be version 2.0 and higher.
2/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(2), (f)(2), (f)(8); Connect America Fund; Alaska Connect Fund; Connect America Fund-- Alaska Plan; Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund; ETC Annual Reports and Certifications; Telecommunications Carriers Eligible to Receive Universal Service Support, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 23-328, 16271, 14-58, and 09-197; WT Docket No. 10-208, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 39 FCC Rcd 12099, 12148, para. 111 (2024) (2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order).
3/ The Alaska Plan was based on the FCC Form 477 data set and relied on population-based commitments based on where Alaskans were likely to live. The ACF will require geographic commitments at the hexagon, resolution 9 (hex-9) level and rely on Broadband Data Collection data to ensure that coverage is provided where Americans live, work, and travel. 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12143, 12148-49, 12157-60, 12162-63, paras. 111-12, 137-42, 147-48, n.266.
4/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(d).
5/ 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148, para. 111
6/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(2); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148-49, paras. 111-12. The creation of the Initial Eligible Areas Map, v.1.3, was an iterative process that relied on substantial cooperation with the mobile Alaska Plan providers that will participate in the ACF. See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on the Initial Eligible-Areas Map and Performance Plan Template for the Alaska Connect Fund, WC Docket No. 23-328, Public Notice DA 25-916 (WTB rel. Sept. 30, 2025) (EA Map Notice); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Extends Comment Deadlines for Alaska Connect Fund Eligible-Areas Map And Performance Plan Template, WC Docket No. 23-328, Public Notice, DA 25-959 (WTB rel. Nov. 19, 2025) (EA Map Comment Extension Notice); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Extends Reply Comment Deadline for Alaska Connect Fund Eligible-Areas Map and Performance Plan Template And Provides Additional Information Regarding Updated Eligible Areas Map, WC Docket No. 23-328, DA 25-1061, Public Notice (WTB rel. Dec. 16, 2025) (extending reply comment period until Jan. 7, 2026); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Eligible-Areas Map Version 1.2, WC Docket No. 23-328, Public Notice, DA 26-426 (WTB rel. May 1, 2026) (EA Map v1.2 Notice); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Extends Comment Deadline for Alaska Connect Fund Eligible-Areas Map v.1.2, WC Docket No. 23-328, Public Notice, DA 26-519 (WTB rel. May 22, 2026). Previous versions of the EA Map can be found on the ACF webpage. See FCC, Alaska Connect Fund, Mobile Eligible Areas Map--Version History, https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/mobile-eligible-areas-map-version-history.
7/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(2); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148-49, paras. 111-12.
8/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(d)(1); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12134, para. 75 (defining single-support areas as areas "where only one mobile provider receives support and offers service"); Connect American Fund; Alaska Connect Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 23-328 et al., Alaska Connect Fund Order on Reconsideration and Clarification, Alaska Plan Waiver Order, and Order, 40 FCC Rcd 7716, 7719, para. 7 (2025) (ACF Reconsideration Order).
9/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(e), (h); see also 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12161, para. 145.
10/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(2), (f)(2), (f)(5), (f)(8); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148-49, para. 111-12. The Bureau released the Performance Plan Template Order, which adopted the Performance Plan Template that mobile providers must use to submit their ACF performance plans for Bureau review and approval. Alaska Connect Fund, WC Docket No. 23-328, Order, DA 26-631 (WTB Jun. 25, 2026) (Performance Plan Template Order). The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will provide more details for submitting these performance plans via a portal. While all performance plans must be submitted through USAC's portal and performance plan submissions to USAC's portal is sufficient to opt in, to ensure proper opt in before September 1, 2026, a provider may also email their initial performance plans to ACF@fcc.gov if they experience difficulties with the USAC performance plan portal. 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(b).
11/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(1)(ii)-(iii).
12/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(1) (defining all ineligible areas as having been previously ineligible or set with the Broadband Data Collection availability data as of December 31, 2024); ACF Reconsideration Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 7736-37, para. 43. The 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order also asked as part of a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking about how support should be awarded long term in duplicate-support areas. See Alaska Connect Fund Order and FNPRM, 39 FCC Rcd at 12184-91, paras. 206-29.
13/ The Initial Eligible Areas Map relies on December 2024 BDC data. 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148, para. 111. As a practical matter, this data set will be locked with the April 9, 2026 updates to December 31, 2024 BDC coverage data.
14/ 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148, para. 111; 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(c)(1)(ii)-(iii), (d)(1)(ii), (f)(8). While the number of newly ineligible hex-9s are locked, WTB must provide an additional assessment of the provider's Alaska Plan service areas after the Alaska Plan ends on December 31, 2026. ACF Reconsideration Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 7730 n.104. To the extent that a mobile provider needs to expand its coverage to meet its Alaska Plan commitments after the release of the Initial EA Map, v.1.3, WTB may conclude that a provider used Alaska Plan support in additional newly ineligible areas, requiring the provider to owe additional comparable areas. 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(h).
15/ Alaska Connect Fund, Frequently Asked Question #1, https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/alaska-connectfund#eligible-areas-map-faq.
16/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(h); ACF Reconsideration Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 7738, para. 45 n.178; see also 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12150, para. 116 ("Where a provider commits to cover the same number of uncovered hex-9s, that will be considered a safe harbor, . . . However, if a provider wishes to commit to fewer hex9s than the number of hex-9s that were deemed ineligible, it must demonstrate why this lower number constitutes "comparable" coverage."). The Commission delegated authority to WTB, in coordination with OEA, to work with providers regarding the number of comparable hexes they must commit to cover to meet the requirements for preserving existing support for an area of the Alaska Plan that is newly ineligible for the ACF. 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(h); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12150, para. 116.
17/ ACF Reconsideration Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 7738, para. 45 n.178; Alaska Connect Fund, Frequently Asked Question #6, https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/alaska-connect-fund#eligible-areas-map-faq.
18/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(e) ("A mobile provider . . . is prohibited from using Alaska Connect Fund support to provide service in areas other than its own single-support or duplicate-support areas or other eligible areas, . . .").
19/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(h)(5); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12150, para. 117.
20/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(h)(5); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12150, para. 117.
21/ Providers may expand their single support areas by claiming additional hex-9s through comparable areas or voluntary expansion.
22/ The EA Map Updates Template will be available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/wirelinecompetition/alaska-connect-fund#mobile-eligible-areas-map. Going forward, a provider should solely use the EA Map Update Template to request a change of a classification of a hex-9 from "other eligible" to "single support."
23/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.318(e); 2024 Alaska Connect Fund Order, 39 FCC Rcd at 12148-50, paras. 111-12, 117; ACF Reconsideration Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 7737-38, para. 45, n.178. WTB recognizes the indeterminate and greenfield nature of many comparable-areas or voluntary expansion claims and will consider shifts in support areas if, in the course of building out to those areas, providers find that they cannot cover some previously claimed hex-9s but can cover other eligible hex-9s. Cf. Letter from John T. Nakahata and Annick M. Banoun, Counsel, GCI, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 23-328 (Apr. 30, 2026) ("To comply with performance commitments, providers should be able to substitute an adjacent non-designated other eligible hex(s) for a designated hex(s)."). With an exception for where hex-9s cross a census tract, these corrections would solely be addressed with the EA Map Update Template.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-664A1.pdf
FCC Media Bureau Announces Revised Dates for Filing Window for New Noncommercial Educational Reserved Band FM Translator Station Applications
WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following public notice (MB Docket No. 26-20):
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On June 17, 2026, the Media Bureau (Bureau) announced a filing window for new noncommercial educational (NCE) reserved band FM translator station construction permit applications, and provided an overview of the procedures, filing requirements, and comparative selection process that will apply to the window./1 The filing window was scheduled to open on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and close on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. In conjunction with the filing window, the
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WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following public notice (MB Docket No. 26-20):
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On June 17, 2026, the Media Bureau (Bureau) announced a filing window for new noncommercial educational (NCE) reserved band FM translator station construction permit applications, and provided an overview of the procedures, filing requirements, and comparative selection process that will apply to the window./1 The filing window was scheduled to open on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and close on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. In conjunction with the filing window, theBureau announced a freeze on reserved band and non-reserved band low power FM (LPFM) station, FM translator station, and FM booster station minor modification applications from July 10, 2026, through the close of the window.
Several groups, including College Broadcasters, Inc.,/2 the Pala Band of Mission Indians,/3 the National Federation of Community Broadcasters,/4 Native Public Media and the National Congress of American Indians,/5 and Community Media Assistance Project/6 recently requested a delay in the dates for the NCE reserved band FM translator filing window, primarily asserting that an August 2026, window would inhibit the ability of student media outlets, Tribal communities, and smaller, rural community based broadcasters to participate in the window./7 We agree that it would serve the public interest to reschedule the filing window by several months to afford all interested parties sufficient time to prepare applications for new construction permits for this important service and participate in this first ever filing window for NCE reserved band FM translator station construction permit applications.
Based on the forgoing, the Bureau grants the requests to reschedule the NCE reserved band FM translator filing window. The window will now open at 12:01 am EST on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and close at 6:00 pm EST on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. In light of this additional time, we do not anticipate granting any further extensions of the filing window. Applications must be filed between November 4, 2026, and November 17, 2026./8 The filing deadline will be strictly enforced. Applications submitted before November 4, 2026, or after the 6:00 pm EST November 17, 2026, application deadline will be dismissed by public notice without further consideration. In addition, in conjunction with the new dates of the filing window, the Bureau will not accept reserved band and non-reserved band LPFM station, FM translator station, and FM booster station minor modification applications after 11:59 p.m. ET, Friday, October 2, 2026. The freeze will continue in effect until the November 17, 2026, close of the window.
Finally, the Bureau also notes the "snap shot" date for establishing points and comparing applications will match the revised window filing deadline of November 17, 2026. Aside from the new window and filing freeze dates, all other instructions and procedures included in the June Procedures Public Notice remain applicable to the upcoming filing window./9
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Footnotes:
1/ See Media Bureau Announces Dates, Procedures, and Requirements for the Filing Window for New Noncommercial Educational Reserved Band FM Translator Station Applications; Limited Application Filing Freeze to Commence on July 10, 2026, Public Notice, DA 26-601 (MB June 17, 2026) (June Procedures Public Notice).
2/ See Letter from Anabella Poland, President, College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI), to Chairman Carr, Commissioners, and Media Bureau Staff (June 18, 2026) (CBI Letter).
3/ See Email from John Fox, Station Manager, Pala Rez Radio, Pala Band of Mission Indians, to Chairman Carr, Commissioners, and Media Bureau Staff (June 19, 2026) (Fox Email).
4/ See Letter from A. Rima Dael, CEO, National Federation of Community Broadcasters, to Chairman Carr, Commissioners, and Media Bureau Staff (June 23, 2026) (NFCB Letter).
5/ See Letter from Loris Taylor, President and CEO, Native Public Media, and Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director, National Congress of American Indians, to Chairman Carr, Commissioners, and Media Bureau Staff (June 24, 2026) (NPM/NCAI Letter).
6/ See Letter from Betty J. McArdle, Executive Director, Community Media Assistance Project, to Chairman Carr, Commissioners, and Media Bureau Staff (June 28, 2026) (CMAP Letter).
7/ See CBI Letter at 1-2 (noting that an August 2026, window "falls squarely in the middle of summer recess and presents a significant challenge for our constituents" and "we cannot conduct national outreach until faculty and staff return in the fall."); Fox Email ("Tribal Communities cannot simply approve applying for these FCC applications and researching technical proposals at the drop of a hat."); NFCB Letter at 1-2 ("announced timeline presents significant challenges for many community broadcasters ... For volunteer-led organizations, educational institutions, and small community licensees, these requirements cannot always be addressed within a compressed summer timeframe."); NPM/NCAI Letter at 2 ("A November filing window better aligns with Tribal governmental processes."); CMAP Letter at 1-2 (noting that "external approvals can take many weeks or months" and "allowing more time can result in fewer incomplete and 'sketchy' applications.").
8/ The FCC Form 2100, Schedule 349, FM Translator or FM Booster Station Construction Permit Application (Schedule 349) will now be available for data entry in the Bureau's Licensing Management System on August 3, 2026, and applicants may begin preparing their applications at their earliest convenience.
9/ Bureau staff recently received questions regarding the point system selection criteria, including qualification requirements for diversity of ownership points. See 47 CFR Sec. 73.7003. The Bureau may issue a future Public Notice to provide additional guidance and clarification, as appropriate.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-666A1.pdf
FCC Announces Two-Day July Workshop on Transition From Legacy Voice to All-IP Networks
WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on July 6, 2026:
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FCC Announces Two-Day July Workshop on Transition from Legacy Voice to All-IP Networks
Panels to Focus on Interconnection, Regulatory Reform, and Modernizing Legacy Programs
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The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau will host a two-day industry workshop on July 15 and July 16, 2026 to discuss the Commission's proposed reforms intended to accelerate the transition from legacy voice networks to modern, all-Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The event will bring together industry experts
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WASHINGTON, July 7 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on July 6, 2026:
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FCC Announces Two-Day July Workshop on Transition from Legacy Voice to All-IP Networks
Panels to Focus on Interconnection, Regulatory Reform, and Modernizing Legacy Programs
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The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau will host a two-day industry workshop on July 15 and July 16, 2026 to discuss the Commission's proposed reforms intended to accelerate the transition from legacy voice networks to modern, all-Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The event will bring together industry expertsand stakeholders to collaborate and examine the most significant issues the industry may face during the IP transition. Industry participants will identify potential obstacles, share best practices, and develop potential solutions that support the Commission's goal of a smooth and efficient transition.
Chairman Carr issued the following statement:
"Completing the transition to all-IP networks will unlock real benefits for consumers. It will mean more investment in next-gen networks; more effective solutions to illegal robocalls; and modern, competitive technologies, instead of slow, legacy networks built for a bygone era. That is why I am pleased to convene this timely workshop. Bringing together the wide-ranging expertise of industry stakeholders is exactly what is needed to drive meaningful progress."
Additional Information:
The event is free and open to the public. Members of the media are welcome to attend. Registration is optional but strongly encouraged and will expedite in-person admission to the workshop. Attendees can register using the following link: IP Transition Workshop - Online Registration Form.
More information and updates about the workshop can be found here: https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2026/07/ip-transition-workshop.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 and Thursday, July 16, 2026
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Federal Communications Commission HQ
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC
LIVESTREAM: www.fcc.gov/live
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-422821A1.pdf
WorkSmart Inc. to Pay $150,000 in EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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WorkSmart Inc. to Pay $150,000 in EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
South Carolina-based staffing agency settles federal lawsuit charging discrimination against female workers
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -WorkSmart, Inc., a staffing agency headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina providing placement services in the southeastern U.S., will pay $150,000 to a class of female employees and provide other relief to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
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WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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WorkSmart Inc. to Pay $150,000 in EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
South Carolina-based staffing agency settles federal lawsuit charging discrimination against female workers
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -WorkSmart, Inc., a staffing agency headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina providing placement services in the southeastern U.S., will pay $150,000 to a class of female employees and provide other relief to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment OpportunityCommission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
According to the EEOC's lawsuit, from Aug. 1, 2020, to Aug. 8, 2023, WorkSmart failed to hire or refer a class of aggrieved females for laborer positions at a facility run by one of its clients because of their sex. The EEOC's complaint charged that a client told WorkSmart that it would only accept male laborers at the facility and that WorkSmart complied with the discriminatory instruction by failing to refer qualified female candidates.
"Staffing agencies should not comply with discriminatory requests from their clients," said Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC's Birmingham District. "Federal law clearly prohibits sex-based discrimination in the workplace and staffing agencies are not exempt from compliance with Title VII."
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. WorkSmart Staffing, LLC, Case No. 4:25-cv-01659) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
Acting EEOC Birmingham District Director Linda Sales-Long said, "Employers should remember that Title VII prohibits refusing to hire or assign a worker because of their sex. A staffing agency can also violate Title VII if it complies with a client's request that is based on unlawful discrimination."
For more information on sex discrimination, please visit www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.
The EEOC's Birmingham District Office has jurisdiction over Alabama, Mississippi (except 17 northern counties) and the Florida Panhandle.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/worksmart-inc-pay-150000-eeoc-sex-discrimination-lawsuit
SEC Names Paul Knight as Chief Operating Officer
WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following news release:
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SEC Names Paul Knight as Chief Operating Officer
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The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Paul Knight has been named as the agency's Chief Operating Officer (COO).
As COO, Mr. Knight will oversee the SEC's operational and administrative functions, including the agency's Office of Human Resources; Office of Acquisitions; Office of Financial Management; EDGAR Business Office; Office of the Chief Data Officer; Office of the Chief Risk Officer, and Office of Support Operations,
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WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following news release:
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SEC Names Paul Knight as Chief Operating Officer
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The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Paul Knight has been named as the agency's Chief Operating Officer (COO).
As COO, Mr. Knight will oversee the SEC's operational and administrative functions, including the agency's Office of Human Resources; Office of Acquisitions; Office of Financial Management; EDGAR Business Office; Office of the Chief Data Officer; Office of the Chief Risk Officer, and Office of Support Operations,which includes the agency's Freedom of Information Act, Records Management, and Facilities Management functions.
"I am delighted to welcome Paul Knight back to the SEC. His experience -both inside and outside of the Commission -makes him well-equipped to lead a dedicated group of public servants who play a critical role in protecting investors and strengthening our capital markets. I am confident that Paul's service will prove invaluable to enhancing the operations of our agency and fulfilling our mission," said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. "I want to thank Charlene Arietti Gold for her wonderful service as Acting COO over the last seven months. Charlene has and will continue to be a tremendous colleague and dedicated public servant."
"It's an honor to come back and join the professional staff at the SEC as we support the work of the Commission," said Mr. Knight. "I am grateful to Chairman Atkins for this opportunity and honored to support the SEC's important mission."
Mr. Knight joins the SEC from JPMorgan Chase, where he most recently worked as the principal lead for driving growth across U.S. lines of business, after previously managing the program office for the Chase Bank expansion into 25 new states. Prior to his nearly 12 years at JPMorgan Chase, Mr. Knight served as a senior advisor and business manager at the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2012 to 2014. Mr. Knight also previously served at the SEC from 2008 to 2012 in a variety of roles, including as the interim managing executive for the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis. He started his career during his college years working for a small business in his hometown of Annapolis, Maryland.
Mr. Knight has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, and a certificate in Commercial Real Estate from Cornell University.
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026-62-sec-names-paul-knight-chief-operating-officer
EEOC Sues Toyota Boshoku for Sexual Harassment, Constructive Discharge and Retaliation
WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Toyota Boshoku for Sexual Harassment, Constructive Discharge and Retaliation
Federal suit alleges female workers were harassed at automotive giant's subsidiary; company fired women who complained while other women quit
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JACKSON, Tenn. -Toyota Boshoku Jackson Tennessee, LLC and Toyota Boshoku America, Inc., in Erlanger, Kentucky, manufacturers of automotive interior systems and powertrain and filtration products, violated federal law by subjecting a class of female employees
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WASHINGTON, July 6 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Toyota Boshoku for Sexual Harassment, Constructive Discharge and Retaliation
Federal suit alleges female workers were harassed at automotive giant's subsidiary; company fired women who complained while other women quit
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JACKSON, Tenn. -Toyota Boshoku Jackson Tennessee, LLC and Toyota Boshoku America, Inc., in Erlanger, Kentucky, manufacturers of automotive interior systems and powertrain and filtration products, violated federal law by subjecting a class of female employeesto a sexually hostile workplace where male workers groped and insulted female employees and some managers offered advancement for sexual favors, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the lawsuit, since at least January 2021, local managers and supervisors for the auto parts manufacturer repeatedly demanded sexual favors from female workers for promotions and benefits while supervisory and nonsupervisory male employees physically and verbally harassed women in the workplace. The sexually harassing conduct caused some female workers to quit and the company retaliated against female workers who complained by firing them, the suit said.
"Employers have a duty to protect their female workers, especially in workplaces like automotive production plants where women historically have found few inroads to employment and advancement," said Delner Franklin-Thomas, director of EEOC's Memphis District. "By enacting strong policies and procedures to ensure women are free to pursue advancement based on their merits and that all complaints of sexual harassment are taken seriously and adequately investigated, employers can better fulfill their obligations under federal law to create a safe work environment free from harassment."
The alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating against any individual because of their sex or allowing other employees to harass them and from retaliating against an employee because he or she opposed unlawful discrimination. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Toyota Boshoku Jackson Tennessee, LLC, f/k/a Toyota Boshoku of Tennessee, and Toyota Boshoku America, Inc., Case No. 1:26-cv-01139) in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
The EEOC's Memphis District Office encourages people who may have additional information related to the lawsuit's allegations to contact EEOC attorneys at (901) 685-4590.
For more information about sexual harassment and retaliation, visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment and https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.
The EEOC's Memphis District Office has jurisdiction over Tennessee, Arkansas, and Northern Mississippi.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-sues-toyota-boshoku-sexual-harassment-constructive-discharge-and-retaliation
