Businesses
Here's a look at documents from U.S. and international businesses
Featured Stories
Walmart: On the Journey to Growth
BENTONVILLE, Arkansas, Feb. 28 -- Walmart issued the following news:
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On the Journey to Growth
How Walmart's Open Call event went worldwide - and created opportunity with it.
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Let's go back in time. It's 2013, and people everywhere are trying to decide if they should buy bitcoin. They're not the only confused subset of the population. So too are entrepreneurs, around the world, facing a daunting question: 'How do I get a meeting with Walmart?'
There were ways - but they weren't necessarily obvious to suppliers outside the ecosystem.
Walmart's Jason Fremstad, senior vice president of
... Show Full Article
BENTONVILLE, Arkansas, Feb. 28 -- Walmart issued the following news:
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On the Journey to Growth
How Walmart's Open Call event went worldwide - and created opportunity with it.
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Let's go back in time. It's 2013, and people everywhere are trying to decide if they should buy bitcoin. They're not the only confused subset of the population. So too are entrepreneurs, around the world, facing a daunting question: 'How do I get a meeting with Walmart?'
There were ways - but they weren't necessarily obvious to suppliers outside the ecosystem.
Walmart's Jason Fremstad, senior vice president ofsupplier development, saw room to grow. "It was then that we knew: To get more suppliers, we'd need to develop an open-door mentality."
A Door to Open Call Opens
Unlike in some stories, there wasn't a gulf between the eureka moment and its implementation. The concept is simple: Any supplier can apply, they need to bring a U.S.-made product, then pitch it to merchants for a chance to sell at Walmart. And thus, Open Call was born.
Since its inception, the concept has proven popular.
In the last 12 years, Walmart has created more than 9,000 unique opportunities for suppliers to pitch their products to merchants. Hundreds of Golden Tickets have been given out, each one a passport to growth, a way for suppliers to find their way to our shelves.
This alone would be a happy ending, were that the whole story. In March of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic upended everything. And Walmart was not immune. Leaders saw an opportunity in Open Call, but it came with a question: How do we turn this into a capability?
In other words, how do we take a flagship event and turn it into something we can replicate, grow and use to create opportunity? How do you teach someone to fish, instead of just handing them one?
As we've seen before, the answer to this question was sought abroad.
In Walmart's Markets, Growth Summits Prove What Works
To grow Open Call into something even greater, organizers had to write the book on how to host the world's foremost sourcing event, including an index for what to do next - and then they had to test it. Fortunately for Walmart, we're International.
"We wanted to take the Open Call playbook and share it with our international market teams, really let them run it," Fremstad said. "So, we went first to Mexico. But it was important to us that the construct remain the same: This event takes place in the market, for the market. It's going to open the doors to suppliers who are growing, making or assembling their goods on Mexican soil. Instead of Open Call, it's a Growth Summit."
The Growth Summits represent a unique opportunity to align on a shared vision: making life better for people, whether that's the customers we serve or the small businesses and entrepreneurs we help grow.
"Our vision was to replicate the success of U.S. Open Call in Mexico and Central America, with two main objectives," said Marco Vigato, who leads supplier development for Walmart Mexico and Central America. "The first is the commercial aspect, where we identify new potential suppliers to add assortment for our customers. But the second is the reputational component, which is part of our commitment to our country, to the communities we serve, that we operate alongside our government affairs teams, partner NGOs and local government to drive local supplier growth - and with it, our reputation."
It's a clever move because it points to a fundamental truth about Walmart International's operations: we don't go places to extract value, we go places to add it.
Mexico and Central America hold proof. The 2025 edition of the Walmart Growth Summit in Mexico marked its third annual outing and saw more than 250 golden tickets given out. And in Central America, at its first-ever Growth Summit in July 2025, Guatemalan President Bernando Arevalo was in attendance.
But these markets aren't alone as examples of incredible success. In 2025, we marked another milestone: We celebrated a growth summit in almost every market where Walmart operates internationally. This is a big deal because, on each occasion, the proof points to positives.
2025 marked the inaugural year for summits in three International markets: Canada, Africa and Central America - the only Growth Summit to host pitch meetings in multiple countries simultaneously. In each, progress. Canada underlined the potential for partnership between the enterprise and government, as Ontario Premier Doug Ford joined the kickoff ceremonies. In Africa, 12 countries were represented, a collective incentive to create economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs across a sizeable swathe of the continent.
Chile held its second Growth Summit in November, further cementing its role as an innovation hub for Walmart International and the enterprise as a whole. There were 75 Golden Tickets extended, and more than three quarters of those recipients (85%) qualified as small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"This event is a platform for companies to scale their businesses, access new channels, and strengthen their presence," said Alejandro Konig, a commercial manager in Walmart Chile. "We believe in local talent, and we want to be a growth engine for the country's SMEs."
Ticket in hand? Time to Get Going.
When the adrenaline and joy of a winning pitch finally wane, suppliers face a new question: Now what?
Fortunately, an answer exists. Walmart has designed and built a training platform called Supplier Academy. It exists to help sellers and suppliers learn the ins and outs of working with Walmart.
Cat Wiggen is the director of supplier education for Walmart. She says the Supplier Academy is all about access. Another door thrown open.
"Through Supplier Academy, we're taking the Walmart purpose global," Wiggen said. "We're helping suppliers through free educational resources that most small businesses would typically have to pay for. With Supplier Academy, our suppliers get guided learning designed to help them grow and operate with confidence. We're making it easier than it has ever been to do business with Walmart."
And while "doing business with Walmart" is the goal, it's not essential. Supplier Academy is a free resource, available to anyone with the drive to learn and grow in retail.
At its core, that's what every single one of these efforts is about: Making success possible for entrepreneurs, worldwide, whose businesses began with a dream. Gone are the days when those dreams languish in garages, or half-written proposals. They're somewhere else now: online and on the shelves at your local Walmart.
"We're becoming the retailer trusted around the world, to offer opportunity," Fremstad said. "When we invest in suppliers, in local economies, and in this company, we're investing in the future. We're investing in our shared journey for growth."
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Original text here: https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2026/02/27/walmart-open-call-to-growth-summits
[Category: BizConsumer Services]
Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
NLRB Formally Reinstates First Trump Joint Employer Rule
The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday issued a rulemaking formally restoring a 2020 standard for judging whether two separate
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
NLRB Formally Reinstates First Trump Joint Employer Rule
The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday issued a rulemaking formally restoring a 2020 standard for judging whether two separatebusinesses are a "joint employer." The rule follows a ruling by the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Texas that vacated a contrary rule issued in 2024. The Board is, therefore, returning to the traditional standard imposed during the first Trump administration, which establishes that an employer may be considered a joint employer of a separate employer's employees only if the entity possesses and exercises substantial direct and immediate control over one or more essential terms or conditions of employment. Given that this is the standard the Board has been enforcing for some time, it does not impose any immediate change. Litigation is likely to continue in the courts over the viability of the Board's standard. For further Littler analysis, read here.
DOL Proposes New Independent Contractor Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday proposed a new rule, entitled the "Employee or Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act." The proposed rule is designed to differentiate between employees and independent contractors. If adopted, the rule would establish a standard similar to one the DOL issued under the first Trump administration. Like that first standard, the new rule aims to simplify worker classification by focusing on two main factors--control over the work, and entrepreneurial opportunity. While other factors like amount of skill and degree of permanence of the relationship would still be relevant, they would usually be unnecessary when the two main factors point in the same direction. For further Littler analysis, read here.
Chair MacKenzie Holds Hearing on Paid Leave
The House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) held a hearing on February 24, titled "Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave," to examine the issues and challenges of the paid family leave landscape. Chair Ryan highlighted the work of the House Bipartisan Paid Leave Working Group, co-chaired by Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), which led to the introduction of bipartisan legislation H.R. 3089, More Paid Leave for Americans Act. The bill would establish a state paid family leave public-private partnership grant program and the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN), which would coordinate and harmonize paid leave benefits across the states. A recap of the hearing and witness testimony can be found here.
House Committee on Education and Workforce Hearings in AI Series Continue
As part of the House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing series on Artificial Intelligence (AI), its Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing on February 24, titled "Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age," to examine how teachers are utilizing AI in the classroom to enhance learning opportunities for students. A recap of the hearing and witness testimony can be found here.
The series continues next week when the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on March 4 at 10:15 AM, titled "Building an AI-Ready America: Strengthening Employer-Led Training." You can watch on the Committee's YouTube site.
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Authors
Shannon Meade
Executive Director, Workplace Policy Institute
Washington, D.C.
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James A. Paretti
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Alexander T. MacDonald
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Maury Baskin
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/policy-week-review-february-27-2026
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Lockheed Martin Team's Next Generation Command and Control Prototype Enables Live Fires Execution for Mission Success at Lightning Surge 2
BETHESDA, Maryland, Feb. 28 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Lockheed Martin posted the following news release:
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Lockheed Martin Team's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Prototype Enables Live Fires Execution for Mission Success at Lightning Surge 2
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - During a live fires exercise at Lightning Surge 2, working in close collaboration with the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division (25ID) and Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN), the Lockheed Martin Team successfully demonstrated how their Next Generation Command and Control
... Show Full Article
BETHESDA, Maryland, Feb. 28 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Lockheed Martin posted the following news release:
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Lockheed Martin Team's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Prototype Enables Live Fires Execution for Mission Success at Lightning Surge 2
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - During a live fires exercise at Lightning Surge 2, working in close collaboration with the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division (25ID) and Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN), the Lockheed Martin Team successfully demonstrated how their Next Generation Command and Control(NGC2) prototype enables soldiers to sense, see and strike at distance across echelons.
Why It Matters
Lockheed Martin is teaming with Raft, Accelint and Rune to demonstrate AI-powered data and mission application layer capabilities, integrated with the Army's C2 Fix transport and compute layers, to provide a full stack NGC2 prototype.
Delivering Seamless Sensor to Shooter Capability
During Lightning Surge 2, 25ID Soldiers used the Lockheed Martin team's NGC2 prototype capabilities to assess sensor-to-shooter connections and fire HIMARS rockets and M777 howitzers in real time.
Utilizing Raft's Data Platform as the foundational data layer, the Lockheed Martin team and 25ID combined electronic warfare targeting information, drone video feeds and battle damage assessment reports into digital fires systems, showing that sensors, shooters and damage assessments can communicate under live-fire conditions.
The 25ID warfighters were able to provide voice commands through Raft's AI Mission System automating tasks, while combining high definition video with live drone locations. This decreased the time between spotting a target and clearing the airspace for fire.
Concurrently, Accelint's Neo mission command interface showed 25ID commanders a unified, real time, operational picture - rendering live track data, UAS positions and multi-source feeds in a single, high-performance interface that helped the division maintain clarity in contested environments.
As systems fired, automatically recorded ammunition levels were linked to Rune's TyrOS Platform, demonstrating improved logistics and sustainment forecasting. This capability addresses one of the fundamental challenges in modern military operations, ensuring commanders have accurate, predictive logistics information.
Expert Perspectives
"Our team's participation in the U.S. Army's NGC2 initiative and Lightning Surge events shows what we can achieve when the Army, 25th Infantry Division, Lockheed Martin, and best-of-breed industry partners work together," said Chandra Marshall, vice president of multi-domain combat systems at Lockheed Martin. "We have a dynamic team based on the demands and priorities of the unit to stay agile, iterate rapidly, and bring warfighter centric capabilities to the battlefield faster than ever before."
What's Next
Constant soldier feedback is incorporated into each Lightning Surge exercise. New functionality will be added onto the NGC2 prototype architecture, which is designed to scale and adapt within Raft's data layer and surface new capabilities to soldiers through the Neo mission command interface as the mission changes.
Lightning Surge 3 is scheduled for April 2026 and will focus on an airspace mission thread in support of the 25ID.
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About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security(R) vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.
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Original text here: https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2026-02-27-Lockheed-Martin-Teams-Next-Generation-Command-and-Control-NGC2-Prototype-Enables-Live-Fires-Execution-for-Mission-Success-at-Lightning-Surge-2
Littler Issues Commentary: UK - TUPE, Harmonisation and Indirect Discrimination Risk
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by partner Laura Lobb:
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UK: TUPE, Harmonisation and Indirect Discrimination Risk
At a Glance
A recent EAT decision emphasizes that while TUPE protects terms upon transfer, it does not shield an employer from claims post-transfer.
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For many businesses, outsourced services are part of the landscape, helping companies to manage costs and focus on key business areas. However, TUPE transfers arising from outsourcing and insourcing can still create challenges. A recent decision of
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by partner Laura Lobb:
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UK: TUPE, Harmonisation and Indirect Discrimination Risk
At a Glance
A recent EAT decision emphasizes that while TUPE protects terms upon transfer, it does not shield an employer from claims post-transfer.
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For many businesses, outsourced services are part of the landscape, helping companies to manage costs and focus on key business areas. However, TUPE transfers arising from outsourcing and insourcing can still create challenges. A recent decision ofthe Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in Anne & Others v. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust provides an important reminder that where a TUPE transfer creates a situation in which employees are employed on different terms across a workforce, the fact of the TUPE transfer does not automatically shield an employer from claims arising from discriminatory differences.
Most employers are aware that TUPE ordinarily prevents changes to contractual terms post-transfer and often attempts to change terms and conditions will be met with resistance. However, employers can be unaware of the fact that failure to address inequalities arising from inherited terms which put a group of employees at a disadvantage, may expose them to liability.
Although the case has some NHS-specific facts, its implications are much broader. Any employer bringing services in-house, or acquiring a workforce through a TUPE transfer, should carefully consider how they handle post-transfer harmonisation. This case emphasises that while TUPE protects terms upon transfer, it does not justify creating long-term, discriminatory pay disparities between transferred staff and existing NHS employees.
Background
The case concerned a group of cleaners who transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital under TUPE when cleaning services were brought in-house from an outsourced provider. Prior to the transfer, the workers had been paid the London Living Wage rather than NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) rates (AfC is a collectively agreed pay structure within the NHS). After the transfer, they remained on their inherited contractual terms for a period of five months, while other employees who had been engaged directly by the Trust and were performing comparable work were on AfC terms.
The claimants alleged indirect race discrimination, relying on evidence showing that the transferred cleaning workforce was overwhelmingly from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background, whereas the comparator AfC workforce was significantly less so. The core allegation was that the Trust applied a practice which made access to AfC pay and benefits dependent on not having transferred in under TUPE and this put the claimants at a particular disadvantage.
At first instance, the Employment Tribunal dismissed the claims, heavily influenced by earlier case law (The Royal Parks Limited v. Boohene) concerning the limits of discrimination claims by contract workers. On appeal, however, the EAT drew a critical distinction between the pre-transfer and post-transfer periods.
The EAT confirmed that, as a matter of law, contract workers cannot generally bring indirect discrimination claims against the ultimate "client" in relation to pay set by their employer prior to transfer. That part of the claim therefore failed.
However, the legal position materially changed once the workers transferred from the outsourced provider to the client and became employees of the Trust. From that point onwards, the Trust was fully responsible for their terms and conditions. The EAT found that the Tribunal had erred in treating the post-transfer position as legally equivalent to the period during which the employees were engaged by the contractor.
The EAT held that:
* A provision, criterion or practice can exist even if it applies only to a subset of employees (here, transferred cleaners).
* The correct comparator pool post-transfer was other Trust employees performing comparable work - not all outsourced workers across the organization.
* The disparity between the proportion of BAME employees working for the outsourced provider (78%) versus the Trust in comparable positions (51%) was sufficient to establish a case of indirect race discrimination.
The Trust sought to justify its approach by reference to TUPE, arguing that the regulations prevent immediate harmonisation. However, the transferred contracts contained an express contractual variation clause. This meant the Trust could lawfully have moved the employees onto AfC terms from day one, or shortly thereafter, without breaching TUPE. The failure to do so coupled with a slow and contested harmonisation process meant the discriminatory impact could not be objectively justified.
The EAT therefore substituted a finding that the post transfer indirect discrimination claim succeeded in relation to the period during which the employees were directly engaged by the Trust.
What This Means for Employers
This decision is not about forcing employers to harmonise terms immediately following every TUPE transfer. Nor does it undermine the fundamental protections TUPE provides. What it does do is expose a common misconception: that TUPE automatically justifies prolonged differences in pay and benefits post-transfer.
* TUPE is not a shield against discrimination claims: Once employees transfer, they fall squarely within the employer's equality law obligations. If the retained differences in terms disproportionately affect a protected group, the employer must be able to justify that impact with evidence.
* Delay increases the risk: The EAT was clearly influenced by findings that the employer had been slow to harmonise terms, despite knowing the roles mapped onto AfC bands and having contractual mechanisms available to implement change. In a commercial context, this means that integration timetables need to be defensible, documented and actively managed.
* Variation clauses matter: Many employers overlook inherited contractual flexibility when assessing TUPE risk. This case shows that where a lawful route to change exists, a decision not to use it can undermine any reliance on TUPE as justification.
* It is important to understand the workforce: The fact that the employer did not intend to discriminate was irrelevant; the effect was what mattered.
Key Takeaways
* Plan TUPE integration early: Harmonisation strategy should be considered before transfer, not after problems arise.
* Do not over-rely on TUPE: TUPE restrictions are nuanced; they do not automatically justify ongoing inequality.
* Audit inherited contracts: Variation clauses and flexibility may allow lawful, earlier alignment of terms.
* Monitor equality impact: Pay and benefit disparities post transfer should be tested for disproportionate impact on protected groups.
* Document business rationale: If differences must remain, ensure there is a clear, evidence based reason and a realistic timetable for resolution.
This case found that there should have been harmonisation at an early stage (even on day one) and therefore any organisation bringing services in-house should give careful consideration to whether the TUPE process may result in a particular group of employees with a protected characteristic suffering a negative pay disparity compared to other employees. Both the due diligence process and the information and consultation process may provide crucial insights into the incoming workforce.
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Authors
Laura Lobb
Partner
London
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/uk-tupe-harmonisation-and-indirect-discrimination-risk
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Littler Issues Commentary: NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard - Return to Direct Control
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by shareholder Alexander T. MacDonald and associate Dinora Orozco:
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NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard: A Return to Direct Control
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board formally reinstated its 2020 joint-employer standard. This action officially withdraws a Biden-era 2023 rule and restores a narrower framework for determining when two businesses share legal responsibility for the same group of workers. By returning to the 2020 standard, the Board is aiming
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by shareholder Alexander T. MacDonald and associate Dinora Orozco:
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NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard: A Return to Direct Control
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board formally reinstated its 2020 joint-employer standard. This action officially withdraws a Biden-era 2023 rule and restores a narrower framework for determining when two businesses share legal responsibility for the same group of workers. By returning to the 2020 standard, the Board is aimingto settle period of legal uncertainty that has loomed over the business community for years.
Closing the Regulatory Gap
The Board's action traces back to a legal defeat. In 2020, the Board adopted a rule setting out its joint-employment standard. Among other things, that standard found joint employment only when two businesses exercised direct and substantial control over the same worker. The Board retreated from that position in 2023, adopting a new rule that allowed joint employment based only on "indirect" or "reserved" control. But in March 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas struck down the 2023 rule. The court ruled that the 2023 rule was "arbitrary and capricious" because the word "employee" under the National Labor Relations Act is defined by the common law, and the 2023 rule's expansive standard contradicted long-standing common-law standards.
That ruling created a technical "regulatory gap." The Biden-era rule was vacated, but the official Code of Federal Regulations had not yet been updated to reflect the return of the previous standard. This left the Board without a formal, codified rule on the books. By formally codifying the 2020 standard, the NLRB has now officially closed that gap.
The Return of "Direct and Immediate Control"
The rule's most immediate effect is to restore the "direct and immediate control" standard. Under this standard, a company is deemed a joint employer only if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms and conditions of another company's employees. To meet this threshold, an entity must actually possess and exercise such control over one or more essential employment terms to a degree that it meaningfully affects the employment relationship.
This standard is a higher bar than the 2023 rule's "reserved control" test. The standard focuses on concrete, actual control over functions such as hiring, firing, discipline, supervision, and wages. Critically, merely retaining the ability to influence these decisions, without actually doing so, generally does not create a joint-employer relationship. Similarly, indirect influence, brand standards, or general operational expectations are no longer enough to trigger shared bargaining obligations. For employers, the change allows them to rely more comfortably on the terms of their service contracts. They are less likely to be considered the employer of another company's workers simply because they set basic standards for the project.
A Mirror of the Broader Political Shift
This move comes at a time of shifting employment standards. On the same day, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that adopts a more focused test for classifying workers under the FLSA. For the business community, both rules signal a shift from open standards to bright-line rules. They may also signal a period of greater stability.
Strategic Risk Management for the Business Community
The Board's action may also help companies utilizing staffing agencies, subcontractors, or franchise models, allowing them to enforce brand standards and safety requirements. These companies will operate under a brighter-line standard, and so may find it easier to navigate joint-employment risks.
That said, some risks remain. Joint-employer liability remains a fact-intensive inquiry. Businesses must ensure onsite managers do not cross the line from setting project goals to "directing the work" of third-party providers through direct supervision or task assignment. Under this results-oriented framework, the focus must remain on what needs to be done rather than how the vendor's employees perform it. Furthermore, because the direct control rule makes it harder to pull parent companies into bargaining, businesses should anticipate a tactical pivot by unions toward aggressive, site-specific organizing or alternative pressure tactics, such as legislative lobbying and corporate campaigns, that bypass the NLRB's doctrine entirely.
Looking Ahead: Growth and Flexibility
If nothing else, the Board's action provides more certainty. That certainty could, in the long term, encourage growth in affected industries, such as the franchise and outsourced-services sectors. Businesses that paused expansion in response to the expected impact of the 2023 rule may now be more comfortable pursuing long-term partnerships.
However, prudent employers will not view this as a permanent resolution. To protect their business, employers should audit service agreements and train onsite managers on the "direct control" boundary. While the NLRB has provided much-needed breathing room, maintaining operational flexibility remains essential in this unpredictable legal environment.
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Alexander T. MacDonald
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Dinora Orozco
Associate
Chicago
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/nlrb-reinstates-2020-joint-employer-standard-return-direct-control
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Kidney Cancer Study Finds Belzutifan Plus Pembrolizumab Post-Surgery Helps Patients at High Risk for Relapse Stay Cancer-Free Longer
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 28 [Category: BizHospital] -- The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute issued the following news release:
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Kidney Cancer Study Finds Belzutifan Plus Pembrolizumab Post-Surgery Helps Patients at High Risk for Relapse Stay Cancer-Free Longer
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute presents phase 3 LITESPARK-022 data at the 2026 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium
Patients with a common form of kidney cancer called clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who have a high risk of recurrence after surgery showed significantly improved disease-free survival when treated with an
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 28 [Category: BizHospital] -- The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute issued the following news release:
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Kidney Cancer Study Finds Belzutifan Plus Pembrolizumab Post-Surgery Helps Patients at High Risk for Relapse Stay Cancer-Free Longer
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute presents phase 3 LITESPARK-022 data at the 2026 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium
Patients with a common form of kidney cancer called clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) who have a high risk of recurrence after surgery showed significantly improved disease-free survival when treated with anoral combination regimen that includes belzutifan, a HIF-2a inhibitor, given with standard immune therapy pembrolizumab. These findings, from the phase 3 LITESPARK-022 study, are presented today by Dr. Toni Choueiri of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) in San Francisco, California, from Feb. 26-28.
Previous Dana-Farber research led by Dr. Choueiri showed that pembrolizumab alone reduced the risk of death and disease progression for advanced kidney cancer patients after surgery. Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that helps the immune system find and fight cancer cells. While effective, about 1 in 5 people who take it will relapse.
This study was designed to combine the immunotherapy with belzutifan to improve the current overall survival of patients considered high-risk for kidney cancer relapse.
"A significant percentage of patients with high risk kidney cancer will recur within five years after surgery because microscopic cancer cells can remain undetected," says Dr. Choueiri, director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Cancer at Dana-Farber. "We need new therapies that can work together to better prevent the cancer from coming back."
The HIF-2a inhibitor belzutifan helps to reduce risk of progression by blocking HIF-2a, which is overabundant in ccRCC cells and drives cancer growth. Dana-Farber's Dr. William G. Kaelin, Jr., was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2019 for the science behind the development of belzutifan.
LITESPARK-022 is a global, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, phase 3 study that included 1,841 participants with ccRCC. Participating patients underwent surgery to remove the tumor and had no signs of cancer but had an elevated risk of recurrence. Patients were randomized to receive either pembrolizumab and belzutifan after surgery or pembrolizumab and a placebo after surgery.
With a median follow-up of 28.4 months, the combination of pembrolizumab plus belzutifan resulted in a 28% decrease in recurrence. About 81% of participants who took the two-drug regimen were cancer-free, compared to 74% of those who received standard of care. Side effects were consistent with data from previously reported studies. The study has not collected enough information yet to determine if adding belzutifan helps people live longer overall.
"People at high risk of ccRCC coming back after surgery may have a new option to reduce that risk," says Dr. Choueiri. "In this study, belzutifan, in combination with pembrolizumab, reduces the chance of recurrence compared with the current standard treatment of pembrolizumab alone," says Dr. Choueiri.
The trial is sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck & Co.
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Original text here: https://www.dana-farber.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/kidney-cancer-study-finds-belzutifan-plus-pembrolizumab-post-surgery-helps-patients-at-high-risk-for-relapse-stay-cancer-free-longer
IHeartRadio and TikTok Hosted "Romantic Radio With Bruno Mars: IHeartRadio Album Preview," Streamed LIVE on TikTok February 26
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 28 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Feb. 27, 2026:
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iHeartRadio and TikTok Hosted "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview," Streamed LIVE on TikTok February 26
During the dedication hour, Bruno Mars shared never before heard songs from his new album, The Romantic ahead of its official release on February 27
Special surprise callers including Victoria Monet, Anderson .Paak and ROSE received dedications from Bruno
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New York, N.Y. - On February 26, iHeartMedia and TikTok hosted "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Feb. 28 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Feb. 27, 2026:
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iHeartRadio and TikTok Hosted "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview," Streamed LIVE on TikTok February 26
During the dedication hour, Bruno Mars shared never before heard songs from his new album, The Romantic ahead of its official release on February 27
Special surprise callers including Victoria Monet, Anderson .Paak and ROSE received dedications from Bruno
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New York, N.Y. - On February 26, iHeartMedia and TikTok hosted "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadioAlbum Preview," streamed LIVE on @brunomars, @iheartradio and @tiktok, and broadcasted on iHeartRadio stations nationwide.
To celebrate his new album, The Romantic, Bruno Mars stepped in as the world's ultimate musical advisor. Fans were invited to submit their love stories--from the fairytale to the complicated--via the iHeartRadio app's Talkback feature on Love Songs Radio leading up to the event and on TikTok LIVE during the event for a chance to receive a song dedication and advice directly from Bruno. A few special surprise callers including Victoria Monet, Anderson .Paak and ROSE received personal dedications from Bruno.
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About TikTok
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.
TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
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About Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is a 16x GRAMMY(R)-winning global superstar, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and one of the most-streamed artists in the world. Known for his showmanship and chart-toppers, Bruno has set a number of records throughout his career, including becoming the first artist ever to hit 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify, appearing on two of the fastest songs to reach one billion streams (for "Die with a Smile" with Lady Gaga and "APT." with ROSE, and achieving the highest-certified song in RIAA history with 2010's "Just the Way You Are"). Since launching a string of hits beginning in 2009, Bruno has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. Beyond his work as a soloist, Bruno is a member of the duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak. In addition to his 35 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including ten number one singles, Bruno is the recipient of 16 GRAMMY(R) Awards (including "Album of the Year" for 24K Magic), 14 American Music Awards, and seven MTV Video Music Awards. His 24K Magic World Tour was among the highest-grossing tours in history, and within the top ten highest-grossing of the 2010s. He just released his 10th No. 1 single, "I Just Might," which is the first song from his long-awaited fourth solo album, The Romantic, and inaugural No. 1 debut. Marking his first solo album in a decade, The Romantic is available everywhere on February 27.
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About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
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Original text here: https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/iheartradio-and-tiktok-hosted-romantic-radio-bruno-mars-iheartradio-album-preview-streamed
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