Market Watch

Global employers often need to contend with determining whether federal, state and local employment laws, including equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws, cover their employees working abroad. Consider this hypothetical example: Employee X, a former employee of Company ABC, an American company with fifty employees in the U.S. and abroad, files an EEOC charge against Company ABC. Employee X worked for Company ABC in Germany. Company ABC is not entirely sure of Employee X’s citizenship status. Given that Employee X worked in Germany, Company ABC is surprised that it received the charge. The extraterritorial applicability of EEO laws rests on several factors. Both Company ABC and Employee X are evaluated to determine if: (i) Company ABC is covered by EEO laws and (ii) if Employee X is protected by EEO laws. Are EEO laws applicable to Company ABC? Legal Considerations: First, the EEOC will determine if Company ABC is considered a "U.S. employer." Company ABC will be a U.S. employer if it is incorporated in the U.S., if it is based in the U.S., or if it has sufficient connections with the U.S. Assuming Company ABC falls within one of these three categories, the EEOC will then review Company ABC’s […]

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In recent weeks, the Department of Justice has released key guidance in the form of a memorandum from Attorney General Garland regarding charging, pleas, and sentencing, in addition to an updated Corporate Enforcement Policy from DOJ’s Criminal Division. These updates have important ramifications in the white collar context and companies are encouraged to review them and understand their mandates. This blog post summarizes both updates and sets forth considerations that companies should keep in mind to ensure that they have best practices in place and are adequately prepared to navigate potential negotiations with the government. On December 16, 2022, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland issued two related memoranda (collectively, the “Garland Memo”) which provide guidance to federal prosecutors regarding department policies for charging, pleas, and sentencing. Following publication of the Garland Memo, on January 17, 2023, Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ’s Criminal Division Kenneth Allen Polite Jr. announced important revisions to the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement Policy (the “CEP”), which alter how it will evaluate corporate criminal matters. [1] This blog post summarizes key aspects of the Garland Memo, explains how its directives depart from or build upon the guidance of previous administrations, and highlights some potential […]

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CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Opportunity International, a leading global nonprofit, today announced the successful completion of its three-year Waymaker Campaign, raising $101 million of philanthropic capital that will leverage over $1 billion in social impact funding from local banks and financial institutions to provide loans, investments and wraparound services to 25 million people living in endemic poverty so they can build their incomes and educate their children. Opportunity launched the Waymaker campaign in January 2020 with the goal of raising $100 million to provide $1 billion in loans, investments, training and support to equip families and smallholder farmers living in poverty in 30 countries in the global South with the capital and the skills they need to get jobs, start businesses, improve their farms, build low-cost schools and increase their incomes. The organization’s focus is on reaching high-need groups like women, girls and people living in extreme poverty. "The successful culmination of this campaign during a period of economic uncertainty, global conflicts and a global pandemic is a testament to the passion of our donors and supporters for giving some of the most vulnerable people on the planet a hand-up to build incomes, feed their families, educate […]

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Building a freemium product or service is only the first step . Once you’ve done the work to build and launch a freemium product, you will have to collect initial market reactions and see how the funnel behaves at each touch point. You will then have to decide whether to optimize the freemium experience, keep it the way it is currently or remove the funnel altogether. Each funnel has a set of metrics: Acquisition. Activation. Retention and engagement. Monetization. Expansion. There are many ways to improve each step so you must consciously reevaluate your strategy to avoid over-investing. There may be situations where unit economics are not yet working, but the increase in conversion required to break even is very small. You may learn that new users find it difficult to activate and move to a paid tier. Or you may find that your users are excited about the free tier and see no reason to upgrade. What to optimize? Enabling freemium, especially for established products, can bring organizational and operational challenges even if it adds value to the business. As described above, you need to analyze how your freemium funnel performs to understand where the biggest problems are. […]

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NUZEST-USA Wins Recognition for the Best New Product Line Opportunity NUZEST- USA , a fast-growing and innovative provider of clean, lean, plant-based protein powders, mixes, and snack bars, is rated one of the market’s best brands by discerning customers… especially those consumers suffering from allergies, food sensitivities and immune system issues. This brand is worth serious consideration. NEW YORK , Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — NUZEST – USA has been recognized by Retailer News Network for offering the best new product opportunity in the plant-based protein dietary supplement and snack market. The company’s products are ethically sourced, vegan-friendly and better-tasting (according to many satisfied customers) than those of their competitors, many of which are larger, and better-known brands fighting for an increased revenue share in this very competitive and fast-growing market segment. NUZEST is the superior brand in virtually every important aspect, and is on an impressive trajectory. [ read complete release ] The protein supplement and specialty snack market, which includes a growing proportion of plant-based products, is currently estimated to be $25.6 billion . At a compound annual growth rate of close to 10%, it is expected to reach or exceed $41.23 billion by 2028. As general […]

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Telisha Woodfin (left) is one of several Richmond-based business owners working with Elsie Harper-Anderson, Ph.D., an associate professor at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, (right) on how to address the challenges she faces as a business owner. (Photo by David Slipher, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU) Elsie Harper-Anderson, an associate professor in the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU, is advancing Richmond as a national model for entrepreneurial study and investment. L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs When Elsie Harper-Anderson , Ph.D., thinks about the economics of equitable entrepreneurship, her focus extends beyond economic statistics on equality in urban labor markets.She’s recognized a growing need to reach beyond the numbers and uplift voices by capturing a new type of data — the intersection of the everyday lived experience and the journey of entrepreneurship. What are their day-to-day lives like? What are the unique factors impacting their success? What are their perceptions and concerns within the local business environment? These questions are leading Harper-Anderson, an associate professor at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU, down an uncharted […]

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Lari Bat By Bill Zox, CFA and John McClain, CFA Investor obsession with peaks—peak inflation, peak hawkishness, peak bearishness—has shifted to pivots, in particular, a possible Federal Reserve (FED) pivot away from its aggressive rate hikes over the last year. We see that pivot as a three-stage process: downshift, pause, and then rate cuts. The downshift began in December when the Fed hiked 50 basis points after four consecutive 75-basis point hikes. As we write this article, financial markets are discounting 2 to 3 additional 25-basis point hikes during the first half of the year and then a pause. The Fed seems comfortable with this pricing. However, financial markets also are discounting a shift to 50 basis points of rate cuts in the second half of the year and another 100 to 125 basis points of cuts in 2024. The Fed has done nothing to validate the discounting of these rate cuts. Immaculate Disinflation with Rate Cuts Financial markets seem to be placing a higher probability on what some are calling an “immaculate disinflation.” This phrase describes a return of inflation to around 2% over the next year, accompanied by a soft economic landing or perhaps a mild recession […]

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United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): FY22 Ensuring Freedom of Expression for Vulnerable and Marginalized Populations Responding to Anti-Rights Efforts and Targeted Attacks This is the announcement of funding opportunity number SFOP0009384 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.345 Type of Solicitation: Open Solicitation Application Deadline: 11:59 PM ET on April 5, 2023 Funding Floor: $750,000 Funding Ceiling: $750,000 Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2 Type of Award : Grant or Cooperative Agreement Period of Performance (example 12-18 months, 2 -5 years): 12-24 months Anticipated Time to Award (pending availability of funds): 2-8 months A. Project Description The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) invites civil society organizations (CSOs) to submit applications for projects that have the goal to promote and protect Freedom of Expression (FoE) for vulnerable or marginalized populations. The focus should include women and girls in all their diversity; LGBTQI+ persons, transgender or gender-diverse persons in particular; migrants; members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and Indigenous communities, religious minority group members; and others targeted by anti-rights actors. These actors deploy targeted threats and instrumentalized stigma against such groups in order […]

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New Homeownership Pilot Program in Corridors of Opportunity Provides Up to $80,000 in Assistance A new homeownership pilot program from the City of Charlotte will provide up to $80,000 in assistance for eligible residents purchasing a home in "areas of influence" within the Corridors of Opportunity. House Charlotte Plus offers an additional layer of financial assistance to the existing House Charlotte homeownership program . Through this new pilot program, an eligible resident can receive an additional $50,000 as a 0% interest deferred loan. House Charlotte Plus must be used in conjunction with House Charlotte, which currently offers up to $30,000. Together, an eligible homebuyer could receive up to $80,000 in assistance through these two programs. As part of the $60 million in current and planned investments renewing the city’s commitment in the Corridors of Opportunity , House Charlotte Plus is only available in designated areas inside the Corridors of Opportunity known as areas of influence . To be eligible for House Charlotte Plus, a homebuyer’s income must be 80% of the area median income (AMI) or less. The maximum purchase price is $300,000 for existing homes, and $315,000 for new construction. The entire loan balance must be repaid if […]

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Clark Atlanta University School of Business Administration is celebrating 75 Years. In January, Clark Atlanta University joined Howard University, Hampton University, Morehouse College and Morgan State University as participants in the Bloomberg Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) trading challenge event. This event was a virtual investment competition that took place entirely onthe Bloomberg Terminal. Dr. John Young, an Associate Profession of Finance at the Clark Atlanta University Business School, led students through the challenge. I asked Dr. Young to explain what the “Bloomberg” terminal did and how it worked. He spoke about live data to make Wall Street trades. Using an entity’s “ESG” rating, students were given funds to build a portfolio. The program took place over a six-week period. The student who grew their portfolio the most over the period won. Darrin Stephens, a CAU Business School student, won with a profit of 29%. Young went on the explain that the securities class used the challenge of understanding fo using financial skills to create financial independence. While the challenge involved business school students, Young shared that at Clark Atlanta University, “personal finance” is taught across all curriculums. During Smart Money Week, all students will be involved in an […]

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