by Mark Timmerman Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States released its opinion in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. In 2015, an assistant football coach named Joseph Kennedy, at Bremerton High School in Bremerton, Washington, was reprimanded by District administration for actions such as leading students in a pre-game prayer, conducting post-game talks that
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Insights
10 Things You Should Know About the Proposed Title IX Regulations
Posted On June 27, 2022by Veronica Potter On June 23, 2022 – on the 50th anniversary of Title IX – the Department of Education released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) with its proposed Title IX regulations. The proposed regulations were long awaited, as the plan to replace the existing 2020 Title IX regulations (2020 Regulations) enacted by the
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Significant New Automatic Extension Period for Certain EADs
Posted On May 5, 2022by Luke Phillips On May 4, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) published a Temporary Final Rule authorizing an increase of the automatic extension period applicable to expiring Employment Authorization Documents (“EADs”) for certain renewal applicants who have filed a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The automatic extension period will be raised from
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New Guidance on E and L Spouses’ Employment Authorization
Posted On March 28, 2022by Luke Phillips On March 18, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that it is updating the guidance in its Policy Manual regarding what may be used as evidence of employment authorization for certain E and L nonimmigrant spouses. This updated guidance follows the November 2021 clarification from USCIS that it considers E
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New CDC Guidance Removes Mask Requirements for School Buses
Posted On March 3, 2022by Mark Timmerman Effective February 25, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) no longer requires the wearing of masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. However, school districts may still require people to wear masks on buses or vans at
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Federal Appeals Court Rules That Federal Law May Require Mask Mandates in Public Schools
Posted On January 28, 2022by Jim Layton In a suit brought by parents of children with serious disabilities, the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld an injunction against an Iowa law barring mask mandates in public schools. The court held that “mask requirements are reasonable accommodations required by federal disability law to protect the
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Consular Interview Waivers for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas Extended Through December 31, 2022
Posted On January 3, 2022by Luke Phillips For certain nonimmigrant visa applicants with approved petitions, the U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has extended authorization for consular officers to waive interviews through December 31, 2022. The extension of authorization applies to applicants for H-2, F, M, and academic J visas, and to applicants renewing any visa type within 48 months of
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Healthcare Workers Can Now Request Expedited Processing for EADs
Posted On January 3, 2022by Luke Phillips U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that healthcare workers with a pending Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”) renewal application (i.e., Form I-765), and whose EAD is expired or expires in 30 days or less, are now allowed to request expedited processing for their EAD applications. USCIS will require those requesting expedited
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DHS Extends I-9 In-Person Verification Flexibility Until April 30, 2022
Posted On December 20, 2021by Luke Phillips On December 15, 2021, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the flexibility policy regarding the in-person verification of identity and employment eligibility documentation for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to continued precautions associated with COVID-19. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will extend this policy until April
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Presidential Proclamation Restricts Travelers from Countries in Southern Africa
Posted On December 1, 2021by Luke Phillips With the COVID-19 Omicron variant emergent, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation suspending the entry of individuals who were physically present within South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, or Zimbabwe during the 14-day period preceding their attempted entry into the U.S. The travel suspension became effective on November 29, 2021.
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