Technological Systems Issue Passport/Visa Systems Errors

June 12, 2015

The Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with our overseas passport and visa systems.
This issue is not specific to any particular country, citizenship document, or visa category.

Please follow this link for more information

Does the BEA apply to you?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (or "BEA") is a governmental agency charged with providing up to date economic statistical information. In 2009, the BEA temporarily suspended a number reporting requirements that applied to certain entities that engage foreign direct investment in the US. However, as of November 26, 2014, the suspension on these reporting requirements has been lifted thus again requiring entities to make periodic reports to the BEA.

Does your foreign business own, directly or indirectly, 10% of a U.S. business?

Does your foreign business gross $3 million dollars in revenue a year?

Has your business recently received an information request from the BEA?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions your business may be required to meet the filing requirements imposed by the BEA. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in civil penalties (up to $32,500) and/or criminal penalties (up to a $10,000 personal fine and one year in prison). Please contact BridgehouseLaw LLP if you have any questions concerning the BEA and how it may apply to you.

He who owns the software, owns the machine? John Deere tries to change the common idea of ownership

Most modern machines require software to operate properly. In fact, many machines can't run without the installed software at all. That's the reason John Deere, the world's largest agricultural machine manufacturer, is attempting to change the common idea of ownership.

Many of John Deere's customers use the free services of workshops or other programmers to update and optimize the embedded software in their farm equipment. Alternatively, some owners repair the equipment themselves. But John Deere is attempting to prevent its customers from circumventing its preferred software services, as the company has lost huge revenues as a result of customers taking repairs and updates into their own hands.

Typically, every customer is entitled to freely use his purchased equipment. However John Deere is trying to implement a completely new interpretation of ownership through their recent petition to the United States Copyright Office. Their argument: Since their modern machines can not run without software, and the software on the machines is vitally important, then the purchasing customer actually only receives an implied license to operate the equipment for the life of the purchased item. According to John Deere's argument, the purchaser would not be entitled to fully own the equipment, instead he would only have permission to use it. John Deere further argues since they would normally be held responsible for damages caused by their machines (or by the software in their machines), this only emphasizes the need for the overall ownership of the machine to stay in its hands and not the customer's. John Deere also believes their position would provide them with greater protection against possible copyright infringements and product piracy, since their ownership of the machines would not be broken by the customer's purchase.

If John Deere's claim is successful, this could drastically change of the common idea of ownership. Arguably one could transfer this argument to nearly every device such as computers, smart phones, or even automobiles, where a customer would normally own the hardware together with any integrated software, or own the hardware outright and have a license to use software.  

Several manufacturers - including General Motors - have also submitted similar petitions to the United States Copyright Office. The Copyright Office is expected to respond in July and we will report back on this topic with further updates. 

John Deere Pavilion & Visitors center Moline Illinois

By nomad55

Pending Legislation: NC Employees could be entitled to Paid Sick Leave

Democrats in the North Carolina legislature have proposed a new bill which could require private-sector employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave.

House Bill 270, known as The Healthy Family & Workplaces / Paid Sick Days Bill, would require private employers to provide their employees with 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, beginning at the start of employment: up to 4 days per year for small businesses, and up to 7 days per year for larger businesses.

Here, "Paid Sick Leave" would be provided to an employee for several reasons, including:

(1) To care for a member of the employee's immediate family suffering from health issues;

(2)To care for the employee's own health, unless the care is covered under federal law; or

(3)To allow an employee to address the psychological, physical, or legal effects on the employee or an immediate family member of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

If passed, the bill would only apply to employees hired on or after July 1, 2015. Proposed penalties for Employers who fail to recognize the Paid Sick Days requirements include unpaid sick leave plus interest, liquidated damages, and possible court costs and attorneys fees.

Unlike many European countries, paid sick leave can be rare among many private sector employees in the USA. Many states do NOT require private companies to provide this benefit and in North Carolina, 45% of private-sector employees are currently NOT entitled to paid sick leave. Supporters of HB 270 say private Employers would also benefit by reducing employees absences, lowering health costs, improving employee retention and increasing productivity.

This matter is ongoing and we will be watching for future developments. 

Advocay Trip to Raleigh, NC

Und wieder einmal tagte in der Bundeshauptstadt Raleigh der Landesgesetzgeber. Auch in diesem Jahr bin ich dort gewesen und habe zahlreiche Gespräche geführt. Unter Anderem mit dem Minister für Umweltschutz, van den Belt, sowie der Innenministerin Frau Marshall.

Mit Frau Marshall habe ich dann das Thema besprochen, inwieweit bei internationalen Beglaubigungen (dieses kommt häufiger vor, wenn ich, als amerikanischer Notar Transaktionen mit deutschem Bezug etwas beglaubige und evtl. von einem deutschen Notar Urkunden auf deutsch vorgelegt werden) eine Vereinfachung vorgenommen werden kann, bei dem die bisherige Praxis verändert wird. Wir haben überlegt, wie zukünftig ein vereinfachtes Verfahren nicht nur der Rechtspflege dient, sondern auch für eine Kostenerleichterung bei allen Beteiligten führt. Bislang verlangt die Innenministerin stets die komplette Übersetzung von solchen Unterlagen.

Im Wege der Lobbyarbeit traf ich diverse Abgeordnete aus Mecklenburg County. Wir sprachen über die Regulatory Reform (House Bill 760), in der wesentliche Veränderungen in dem Landkreisrecht im Vergleich zu denen des Bundesstaates verankert werden sollen.

Weiterhin war ein Thema die Einführung der gesetzlich verpflichtenden Krankheitstagen (sick days).

Während in Deutschland die Lohnfortzahlung im Krankheitsfalle dann teilweise später von der gesetzlichen Krankenkasse gedeckt wird, gilt in den USA, im Bundesstaat North Carolina generell, dass sämtliche Krankheitstage ohne etwaige Kompensation des Arbeitgebers erfolgen. Die meisten Arbeitgeber haben so genannte 'Sick Days Policies', bei denen der Mitarbeiter ein paar Krankheitstage im Jahr haben oder aber je Jahr der Betriebszugehörigkeit ein paar neue Krankentage ansammeln. Der momentane Gesetzesentwurf sieht vor, dass je 30 Arbeitsstunden eine Krankenstunde genommen werden kann. Das bedeutet, dass bei einer normalen Arbeitswoche, mit 40 Stunden im Schnitt etwas über eine Krankheitsstunde pro Woche zusammen kommt. Das bedeutet bei durchschnittlich 48 Arbeitswochen im Jahr, dass man etwa 48 Krankheitsstunden pro Jahr hat, was wiederum etwa einer Krankheitswoche entspricht. Damit schient gesetzlich nur das festgeschnürt zu werden, was in der Vergangenheit auch schon in vielen Unternehmen die übliche Praxis war, nämlich die Verfügungstellung von bis zu fünf Krankheitstagen pro Mitarbeiter und pro Jahr.  

Weitere Neuigkeiten werde ich dann berichten, wenn ich weiss, welche Gesetze durchgekommen sind. 

Berlin Buddy Bear - The second for Charlotte!

Seit Dienstag, dem 2. Juni, gibt es den zweiten Buddy Bear in Charlotte. Der Buddy Bear (www.buddy-bear.com) befindet sich auf dem Gelände der E.E. Waddell Language Academy und wurde heute, in Kooperation mit der Direktorin der  Schule, Ynez Olshausen, dem Honorarkonsul Klaus Becker  und Reinhard von Hennigs feierlich vorgestellt. 

Im Wege dieser Feierlichkeiten gebührt ein grosser Dank DHL für die Verfügungsstellung von Transportmitteln und die grosszügige Sponsorship des Transportes von Berlin nach Charlotte.

Vielen Dank DHL!!!

Der Buddy Bear symbolisiert Völkerverständigung und Völkerfreundschaft und wurde von Austauschschülern der 5. Klasse der E.E. Waddell Language Academy, sowie von Austauschschülern der Grunewald Grundschule in Berlin gemeinschaftlich entwickelt. Man einigte sich auf ein gesamtes Design, und es wurden zwei identische Bären entwickelt. Einer dieser Bären befindet sich in Berlin, der andere hier in Charlotte. Hintergrund ist das 15jährige Bestehen des Schüleraustausches mit Berlin, sowie die Pensionierung von Frau Olshausen, der Direktorin der E. E. Waddell Language Academy.

German automotive engineering firm Edag seeks listing

The owners of German automotive engineering group Edag plan to list the company on the stock exchange in the second half of the year, Dow Jones Newswires reported on Sunday, citing three people familiar with the matter.

See :http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/31/edag-listing-idUSL5N0YM0H820150531