Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
Featured Stories
SEC Files Settled Action as to Ex-CEO & Consultant to Company for Allegedly Issuing False COVID-era Release
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 26-cv-01482; S.D.N.Y. filed Feb. 23, 2026):
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On February 23, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled action as to Christopher B. Ferguson, former CEO of Edison Nation, Inc., and Brian P. McFadden, a consultant to Edison Nation, in connection with allegations that Edison Nation disseminated a false and misleading press release and attached it to a Form 8-K it filed with the Commission.
The SEC's complaint alleges that, before the markets opened on April 16, 2020,
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 26-cv-01482; S.D.N.Y. filed Feb. 23, 2026):
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On February 23, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled action as to Christopher B. Ferguson, former CEO of Edison Nation, Inc., and Brian P. McFadden, a consultant to Edison Nation, in connection with allegations that Edison Nation disseminated a false and misleading press release and attached it to a Form 8-K it filed with the Commission.
The SEC's complaint alleges that, before the markets opened on April 16, 2020,Edison Nation, at the direction of Ferguson and McFadden, issued a press release announcing that "Edison Nation Medical Secures Over $10 Million in Purchase Orders for Personal Protective Equipment in First Week Since Launch," when, in reality, it had only approximately $2.5 million in purchase orders at the time of the press release. As alleged, Ferguson, of Fishers, Indiana, and McFadden, of Safety Harbor, Florida, had been negotiating with a distribution company for the purchase of $9 million worth of hand sanitizer, but, two days before Edison Nation issued the press release, the distribution company informed them that it was unable to proceed with the transaction. The complaint further alleges that Edison Nation's share price increased from $1.67 as of the prior trading day's closing to $4.96 by market open on April 16, 2020 after the issuance of the press release--an increase of 197%--and after the announcement McFadden sold 33,290 shares of Edison Nation stock and obtained illicit profits of approximately $75,208.
The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, charges Ferguson with violating Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and McFadden with violating Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act.
Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC's complaint, Ferguson and McFadden consented to the entry of final judgments, subject to court approval, that would permanently enjoin them from violating the charged provisions of the federal securities law, impose a civil penalty of $50,000 against each of them, prohibit them for five years from serving as an officer or director of a public company, and order McFadden to pay disgorgement of $75,208 with prejudgment interest of $28,209.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by Han Nguyen and Julia C. Green of the Division of Enforcement's Market Abuse Unit, under the supervision of Joseph G. Sansone, Chief of the Market Abuse Unit, with the assistance of trial counsel Karen M. Klotz under the supervision of Gregory R. Bockin, and Scott A. Thompson, Associate Director of the SEC's Philadelphia Regional Office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
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Resources
* SEC Complaint (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2026/comp26487.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26487
SEC Chairman Atkins Issues Remarks at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks on Feb. 23, 2026, by Chairman Paul S. Atkins at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness:
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Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.[1] Let me begin by thanking our hosts at the U.S. Chamber for the invitation to join today's program--and of course, for their advocacy on behalf of American enterprise.
I am also pleased to recognize a few leaders whose efforts brought us to this occasion: Chairmen Tim Scott and French Hill, as well as Chairwoman Ann Wagner. Their work reflects
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following remarks on Feb. 23, 2026, by Chairman Paul S. Atkins at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness:
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Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.[1] Let me begin by thanking our hosts at the U.S. Chamber for the invitation to join today's program--and of course, for their advocacy on behalf of American enterprise.
I am also pleased to recognize a few leaders whose efforts brought us to this occasion: Chairmen Tim Scott and French Hill, as well as Chairwoman Ann Wagner. Their work reflectsthe conviction that American ingenuity flourishes when capital can move more freely to meet it. After all, capital formation is the instrument through which one can elevate a good idea into a business; a business into an employer; and an employer into a source of social mobility. Capital formation, in short, is how America prospers. And by any objective measure, our markets have prospered without peer.
Indeed, the United States leads the world in both market capitalization and trading volume. Our equity markets are four-and-a-half times larger than those of the next jurisdiction. But prosperity is not self-sustaining. Each generation must earn it anew by strengthening the structures that make our markets the world standard.
For context, shortly after I left the SEC as a staff member in the mid-1990s, there were more than 7,800 public companies listed on the U.S. exchanges. By the time that I returned as Chairman, that figure had fallen by roughly 40 percent. Such decline was not inevitable--nor is it now irreversible.
My goal is to reverse this trend--to "Make IPOs Great Again"--and it involves three pillars: first, re-anchoring disclosures in materiality so that investment decisions can turn on economic signals rather than on regulatory noise; second, de-politicizing shareholder meetings by restoring their focus to significant corporate matters; and third, allowing public companies to have litigation alternatives so that we shield innovators from the frivolous and investors from the fraudulent.
Both the INVEST Act, as well as the Empowering Main Street in America Act, are a welcome complement to this work. Congressional action would codify or expand practices that have proven their worth--and extend their benefits more broadly. For example, allowing all companies to "test-the-waters" before their IPO could incentivize more firms to explore going public. A modernized accredited investor definition, meanwhile, such as a knowledge-based exam, would recognize that financial sophistication can scarcely be measured by income or net worth alone. Why should we prohibit a finance professor earning $100,000 a year from private offerings, while presuming that people who inherit wealth are better qualified? And by expanding the investment options available in certain retirement accounts, the bill aims to empower more Americans to participate in the success of promising businesses.
These provisions form a strong foundation. But they are only a beginning. As we commemorate House passage, let us therefore resolve to build on it. The House has acted. The Senate is very engaged. And the SEC stands ready to do its part in keeping America's capital markets open, dynamic, and, above all, worthy of the trust that investors place in them.
So as we pursue this work, I should like to once again congratulate Chairman Hill, Chairwoman Wagner, and all those who helped to carry the INVEST Act forward on an overwhelming and bipartisan basis. My thanks as well to Chairman Scott for spearheading the Senate's Empowering Main Street in America Act. I am grateful to mark this milestone alongside each of you. And Mike [Flood], I look forward to our conversation and to the work ahead. Thank you.
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[1] The Chairman's views expressed in these remarks do not necessarily reflect those of the SEC as an institution or of the other Commissioners
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/atkins-remarks-uscoc-invest-act-022326
FCC Proposes Reforms to the Agency's Federal Lifeline Program
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on Feb. 23, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN BRENDAN CARR
Re: Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization; Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers; Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support; Affordable Connectivity Program; Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, WC Docket Nos. 11-42, 17-287, 09-197, 21-450, 20-445, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (February 18, 2026).
Each year, Americans contribute more than $8 billion to support the FCC's
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on Feb. 23, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN BRENDAN CARR
Re: Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization; Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers; Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support; Affordable Connectivity Program; Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, WC Docket Nos. 11-42, 17-287, 09-197, 21-450, 20-445, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (February 18, 2026).
Each year, Americans contribute more than $8 billion to support the FCC'sUniversal Service Programs, including Lifeline. And Lifeline alone is a nearly $1 billion-per-year program that helps low-income Americans afford basic phone and Internet services. With this amount of funding comes an equally large responsibility. The FCC must be a good steward of those federal dollars and a vigilant administrator of its USF programs.
However, a recent Inspector General advisory identified serious integrity issues in the Lifeline program, including benefits being claimed for dead people and others who are not lawfully eligible under federal law. In just three "opt-out" states alone--states where the National Verifier was not used for eligibility--the Inspector General found that nearly $5 million in federal dollars went to provide phone or Internet service to more than 116,000 dead people. Over 80% of those scams took place in California alone.
My position on this is clear. To receive federal subsidies like Lifeline, you must be a living and lawful beneficiary. The government should not be spending the money of hardworking Americans to provide phone and Internet service to dead people. While some have tried to dismiss these findings as an unfortunate "reality of administering a large public program" where people die, the Inspector General's advisory shows that 40,000 or nearly 35% of the relevant people died or may have died before enrollment. And as of February 1, nearly 9,000 of them were still receiving subsidies despite having died at some point between 2020 and September 2025. I am happy to report that as of today, every one of the deceased individuals identified by the Inspector General is being de-enrolled from the program.
This failure in oversight undermines both taxpayer confidence and the program's ability to serve the low-income Americans that actually need the services. That is why I am advancing reforms to ensure that only living, lawfully eligible individuals participate in the Lifeline program, consistent with federal law. If adopted, these program changes would strengthen eligibility verification, close loopholes identified by the Inspector General, and restore confidence in Lifeline.
I would like to thank Mike Alonso, Bryan Boyle, Denise Golumbaski, Sam Lewis, Ashley Tyson, Eric Wu, Cara Voth, Malena Barzilai, Joseph Calascione, Andrea Kelly, and Steve Fecarotta at the FCC for their hard work on this item and the Inspector General for continuing to uncover fraud and help us safeguard our programs.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-8A2.pdf
FCC Issues Letter on WROV-FM, Martinsville, Va.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following letter (No. DA 26-180) on Feb. 23, 2026:
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To: Troy G. Langham, VP, Technical Regulatory Affairs, IHM Licenses, LLC, 7136 S. Yale Avenue, Suite 501, Tulsa, OK 74136
Re: WROV-FM, Martinsville, VA
Facility ID No. 37747
File No. 0000280438
Dear Mr. Langham:
This letter refers to the minor change application (Application) filed on behalf of IHM Licenses, LLC (IHM), licensee of station WROV-FM, Channel 242C1, Martinsville, Virginia. The Application proposes a community of license modification
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau issued the following letter (No. DA 26-180) on Feb. 23, 2026:
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To: Troy G. Langham, VP, Technical Regulatory Affairs, IHM Licenses, LLC, 7136 S. Yale Avenue, Suite 501, Tulsa, OK 74136
Re: WROV-FM, Martinsville, VA
Facility ID No. 37747
File No. 0000280438
Dear Mr. Langham:
This letter refers to the minor change application (Application) filed on behalf of IHM Licenses, LLC (IHM), licensee of station WROV-FM, Channel 242C1, Martinsville, Virginia. The Application proposes a community of license modificationfor station WROV-FM from Martinsville, Virginia, to New Castle, Virginia within the Roanoke, Virginia Urbanized Area (Roanoke UA). For the reasons discussed below, we request an amendment to the Application.
Background. The Application was filed pursuant to section 73.3573(g) of the Commission's rules,/1 which permits the modification of a station's authorization to specify a new community of license by minor modification application without allowing other interested parties to file a competing expression of interest. Among other requirements, an applicant for such a minor modification must demonstrate that the proposed change of community constitutes a preferential arrangement of assignments./2 We make this determination using FM allotment priorities set forth in the Revision of FM Assignment Policies and Procedures./3
In its Application, IHM states that the proposed WROV-FM community of license modification from Martinsville, Virginia, to New Castle, Virginia is considered under Priority (4),/4 because the existing and proposed facilities cover 100 percent of the Roanoke UA./5 IHM claims that the proposed facilities are mutually exclusive with the licensed facilities. IHM contends that the proposed WROV-FM modification is considered an intra-urbanized area move within the Roanoke UA therefore no Tuck showing is required./6 IHM asserts that the proposed WROV-FM modification would result in a preferential arrangement of allotments under Priority (4), based on the increased population coverage within the proposed 60 dBu (74,208 persons) and 70 dBu (10,518 persons) contours./7
Discussion. We disagree with IHM assertion that the proposed change of community of license for station WROV-FM would be in the public interest based on a net gain of 74,208 persons within the proposed 60 dBu contour. A staff engineering analysis found that IHM's net gain population in the service contour is based on the allotment coordinates, which is inconsistent with the Commission's Rural Radio policy. Specifically, the Commission stated in the Rural Radio Second Order that when determining gain and loss areas for an FM station changing its community of license, the contours should be calculated using the authorized transmitter coordinates for the existing facility and the actual transmitter coordinates specified for the proposed new or modified facility./8 The staff engineering analysis determines that, based on the actual transmitter coordinates, the proposed WROV-FM modification to New Castle would provide an additional service to 9,942 persons within the proposed 70 dBu contour while resulting in a net loss of 137,657 persons within the proposed 60 dBu contour. The staff engineering analysis indicates that WROV-FM's existing licensed facilities at Martinsville covers 100 percent of the Roanoke UA and 61.5 percent of the Blacksburg--Christiansburg UA (Blacksburg UA), whereas the proposed facilities at New Castle covers 100 percent of both the Roanoke UA and Blacksburg UA.
Accordingly, we find that the proposed WROV-FM modification to New Castle is not in a preferential arrangement of allotments under Priority (4)./9 We determine that the proposed WROV-FM modification results in a net loss of 133,322 persons within the Roanoke UA and Blacksburg UA./10 We conclude that the retention of a third local service at the larger community of Martinsville, Virginia (2020 U.S. census population of 13,485 persons) is preferred over the proposed smaller community of New Castle, Virginia (2020 U.S. Census population of 125 persons) within the Roanoke UA.
Conclusion. We direct IHM to amend the Application. Pursuant to section 73.3522(c)(2) of the rules, "an applicant whose application is found to meet the minimum filing requirements but nevertheless is not complete and acceptable shall have the opportunity in the 30 days specified in the FCC staff's deficiency letter to correct all deficiencies in the tender ability and acceptability of the underlying application, including any deficiency not specifically identified by the staff."/11 Additionally, section 73.3564 states that "[a]pplications with uncorrected tender and/or acceptance defects remaining after the opportunity for corrective amendment will be dismissed with no further opportunity for amendment."/12 This letter constitutes your opportunity for corrective amendment pursuant to section 73.3522./13
Further action on the subject application will be withheld for a period of thirty days from the date of this letter to provide the applicant an opportunity to respond. Failure to correct all tender and acceptance defects within thirty days from the date of this letter will result in the dismissal of the application with no further opportunity for corrective amendment pursuant to section 73.3564(a)(3)./14 Furthermore, failure to respond within 30 days will result in the dismissal of the application pursuant to section 73.3568./15
Sincerely,
Nazifa Sawez, Assistant Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau
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Footnotes:
1/ See 47 CFR Sec. 73.3573(g); see also Modification of FM and TV Authorizations to Specify a New Community of License, Report and Order, 4 FCC Rcd 4870 (1989), recon. granted in part, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 5 FCC Rcd 7094 (1990); Revision of Procedures Governing Amendments to FM Table of Allotments and Changes of Community of License in the Radio Broadcast Services, Report and Order, 21 FCC Rcd 14212, 14213-23, Sects. 4-18 (2006); and Policies to Promote Rural Radio Service and to Streamline Allotment and Assignment Procedures, Second Report and Order, 26 FCC Rcd 2556, 2572-2578, Sects. 36-40 (2011) (Rural Radio Second R&O); recon. granted in part, Second Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 12829 (2012) (Rural Radio Second Order).
2/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3573(g)(1).
3/ Revision of FM Assignment Policies and Procedures, Second Report and Order, 90 FCC 2d 88 (1982). The FM allotment priorities are: (1) First fulltime aural service, (2) Second fulltime aural service, (3) First local service and (4) Other public interest matters. Co-equal weight is given to Priorities (2) and (3).
4/ Id.
5/ 307(b) showing at 2.
6/ Citing Gearhart, Madras, Manzanita, and Seaside, Oregon, 26 FCC Rcd 10259, 10262 Sect. 9 (MB 2011) ("there is no need for a Tuck showing where both the station's existing and proposed communities of license are located within an Urbanized Area because such intra-urbanized area moves do not present the same concerns as rural to urban moves").
7/ 307(b) showing at 3 and 5.
8/ Rural Radio Second Order at 12836 Sect. 14.
9/ Rural Radio Second Order at 12841 Sect. 19 (stating that a station proposing to move within the same urbanized area is required to make a showing under Priority (4) by demonstrating from which of the two communities the station would provide service to a greater area and population within the urbanized area).
10/ WHEE(AM) and WPIM(FM) is licensed to Martinsville. The loss area is considered well-served with least nine aural reception services, whereas the gain area is considered well-served with at least seven aural reception services.
11/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3522(c)(2).
12/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3564; see also Amendment of Part 73 of the Commission's Rules to Modify Processing Procedures for Commercial FM Broadcast Applications, Report and Order, 7 FCC Rcd 5074, 5080 Appendix B (1992).
13/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3522.
14/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3564(a)(3).
15/ 47 CFR Sec. 73.3568.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-180A1.pdf
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
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Today, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy.
This
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations
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Today, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy.
Thispublic inquiry will help the FTC and DOJ with their effort to develop up-to-date guidance to the business community, building on the previous 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors ("2000 Collaboration Guidelines"). The guidelines explain how the FTC and DOJ analyze various antitrust issues raised by such collaborations. The 2000 Guidelines were withdrawn in December 2024.
"In an everchanging economy, businesses need transparency and predictability from enforcers more than ever. These times may require the federal government to update its guidelines. The previous administration decided, at the 11th hour, however, to withdraw the 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors. This decision, made entirely out of spite and resentment, left millions of businesses in the dark."
\- Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson
"Vigorous and effective enforcement can only exist when the rules of the road are clearly outlined. Procompetitive collaborations are not only permissible but also encouraged in a complex and dynamic economic environment. The abrupt withdrawal of the prior guidelines left stakeholders without guidance in this important area. Replacing the withdrawn guidelines is key to promoting certainty, allowing American businesses to work together effectively and lawfully, and enabling the private antitrust bar to enhance compliance in this area."
\- Acting Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Omeed A. Assefi
Many collaborations and joint ventures among competitors are procompetitive and benefit the economy and consumers by allowing expansion into new markets, enabling investment into innovation, and lowering production and other costs. However, some collaborations carry potential risk to competition. The 2024 withdrawal of the prior guidelines left the industry without guidance in this important area.
In recent years, new types of competitor collaborations, joint ventures, and alliances, including those facilitated by new technologies, have led to increased requests for clarity regarding their treatment under the antitrust laws.
Some of the specific areas of inquiry on which the FTC and DOJ are seeking public input and information include:
* What topics would benefit from additional guidance-for example, joint licensing arrangements? Conditional dealing with competitors? Other topics?
* What new technologies and business models would benefit from additional guidance-for example, algorithmic pricing, information and data sharing, or labor collaborations?
* What significant legal, economic, or technological developments should be considered in any revisions to the prior competitor collaboration guidelines?
The public comments will help enforcers to consider reintroducing guidance, built on the prior guidelines. Such guidance will provide businesses with the predictability and confidence they need to collaborate and grow while avoiding anticompetitive conduct that risks raising prices or stifling innovation. The guidance will help increase antitrust compliance by guiding the market on antitrust law and policy in this important area. An unfettered free market safeguards competition to the benefit of the American people.
Comments, no longer than 18 pages each, can be submitted at regulations.gov and must be received no later than April 24, 2026. The information will be used by the Agencies to consider updated guidance.
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Original text here: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/02/federal-trade-commission-department-justice-seek-public-comment-guidance-business-collaborations
CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
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WASHINGTON -Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig today announced four senior staff appointments in his office.
Brooke Nethercott as Director, Office of Public Affairs
Brooke Nethercott joins the CFTC as director, Office of Public Affairs.
"I'm excited to welcome Brooke to the CFTC as director of public affairs," Chairman Selig said. "Her extensive congressional experience and commitment to advancing
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments
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WASHINGTON -Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig today announced four senior staff appointments in his office.
Brooke Nethercott as Director, Office of Public Affairs
Brooke Nethercott joins the CFTC as director, Office of Public Affairs.
"I'm excited to welcome Brooke to the CFTC as director of public affairs," Chairman Selig said. "Her extensive congressional experience and commitment to advancingPresident Trump's vision for making America the crypto capital of the world will be invaluable as we drive innovation forward.
"I also thank Taylor Foy for his service as acting director of the Office of Public Affairs."
"It's an honor to join Chairman Selig's team at this important moment for emerging technologies," Nethercott said. "I look forward to supporting the Commission's pro-innovation agenda and ushering in a Golden Age for our markets."
Nethercott most recently served as deputy communications director for the House Financial Services Committee under Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), having previously been Chairman Hill's communications director. Earlier, she was a senior consultant in strategic communications at FTI Consulting and worked in digital media for WebMD and Pandora Music.
She holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Hartford.
Emma Johnston as Senior Agriculture Advisor
Emma Johnston joins the CFTC as senior agriculture advisor to the Chairman.
"I'm excited to have Emma join our team here at the CFTC," Chairman Selig said. "The U.S. agriculture industry is the foundation of this agency. Emma's expertise will help guide us as we create more efficient and transparent markets for farmers across this great country."
"I'm thrilled to join Chairman Selig's team to advise on agricultural issues in our commodity markets," Johnston said. "It's an honor to serve the Trump Administration and our nation's agricultural producers in this role, especially as the CFTC works to increase efficiency and access to risk hedging tools for the agricultural community."
Johnston joins the CFTC after serving as senior policy advisor to Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), where she managed a portfolio including agriculture, trade, energy, and environment, and supported his work on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She brings nearly a decade of Capitol Hill experience, including roles in the offices of former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21).
A Georgia native, Johnston earned her B.S. in Food Science from the University of Georgia, M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, and M.B.A. from Indiana University.
Meghan Tente as Senior Advisor
Meghan Tente serves as a senior advisor to the Chairman. Tente has served in multiple leadership roles at the CFTC, including most recently as chief of staff to acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham and acting general counsel. She previously served as acting director of the CFTC's Division of Market Oversight.
Tente joined the CFTC in the Division of Clearing and Risk in 2012 and has worked with exchanges, derivatives clearing organizations, swap data repositories, and market participants on issues ranging from registrations and data reporting to international standards and novel derivatives products.
Tente is a graduate of Brown University and Cornell Law School.
Elizabeth (Libby) Mastrogiacomo as Senior Advisor
Libby Mastrogiacomo serves as a senior advisor to the Chairman. Mastrogiacomo previously served as senior counsel to former CFTC Commissioners Summer Mersinger and Dawn Stump. In those roles, she advised the commissioners on agency rulemakings, enforcement actions, litigation, proposed legislation, examinations of registered entities, and registration applications.
Before joining the CFTC, Mastrogiacomo practiced law in the derivatives group of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. There, she counseled CFTC-registered trading platforms, clearing organizations, swap dealers, and swap data repositories, as well as banks, asset managers, pension funds, and end users of derivatives.
She holds a B.B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.
-CFTC-
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Original text here: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9184-26
William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
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Settles federal suit charging hospital with refusing to provide reasonable accommodation rights under the ADA
DETROIT - William Beaumont Hospital, a healthcare provider now known as Corewell Health East, will pay compensatory damages and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
The
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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William Beaumont Hospital to Pay $30,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
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Settles federal suit charging hospital with refusing to provide reasonable accommodation rights under the ADA
DETROIT - William Beaumont Hospital, a healthcare provider now known as Corewell Health East, will pay compensatory damages and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
TheEEOC's lawsuit alleged Beaumont refused to place a qualified nurse at its Wayne, Michigan location into certain part-time vacancies as a reasonable accommodation for her disability. According to the suit, Beaumont determined she could not work less than 32 hours a week in her position as an accommodation for her medical work restriction. The nurse expressed interest in several jobs she believed she could have performed within her hours restriction and asked to be placed in any of them. However, in April 2019, Beaumont refused to transfer her to a vacant position for which she was qualified, instead forcing her to apply and compete for openings, the EEOC said. After several months of submitting applications, the employee finally landed a position on her own.
"Federal law is clear that employers must make reasonable accommodations for an employee with a disability," said Kenneth Bird, regional attorney for the EEOC's Indianapolis District Office. "In some cases, federal law requires employers to reassign a qualified employee with a disability to a vacant position as a reasonable accommodation. Simply offering the employee an opportunity to compete for a vacant position does not meet employer obligations under federal law."
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to reasonably accommodate qualified employees with disabilities and includes reassignment to a vacant position as a possible accommodation. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. William Beaumont Hospital., d/b/a Beaumont Health System, Civil Action No. 4:23-cv-11560) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to monetary relief, the consent decree signed on Feb. 12 resolving the lawsuit requires compliance-related reporting to the EEOC, training for human resources employees and managers on the ADA and reasonable accommodations and posting of a notice in the workplace informing employees of their rights and the prohibition against disability discrimination.
For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.
The EEOC's Detroit Field Office is part of the Indianapolis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of Ohio.
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/william-beaumont-hospital-pay-30000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-lawsuit
