Government Affairs & Legal

IHA has collected a variety of resources to help members stay on top of current legal and technology issues.

Port Congestion Going from Bad to Worse

Carriers will be increasing capacity from Asia to US West Coast ports by 22 percent. The influx of the additional capacity will last through the end of the year. US East Coast ports will also see an increase in capacity through the end of the year by 14 percent. Carriers had hoped these additional measures would help shippers meet the surging demand which is expected to last…

IHA Joins Coalition Backing Federal Bill Aimed at Curbing Unfair Ocean Shipping Practices, Charges

The International Housewares Association has joined a coalition of industry organizations in support of a new federal bill aimed at enacting sweeping changes to the law to curb unfair practices and charges by ocean carriers that have contributed to skyrocketing freight costs and extended delays for U.S.-bound containers. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 is set to be…

California Bill Would Place New Requirements on Cookware

A bill in the California legislature, California Assembly Bill 1200 (AB 1200), would place new requirements on cookware sold in that state containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. Introduced in March 2021 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, the bill would actually address two supply chains by prohibiting the use of PFAS chemistries in food packaging beginning on Jan.…

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Explained

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed in March 2020 created a new Employee Retention Credit (ERC) for employers who: Had operations partially or fully suspended as a result of orders from a governmental authority due to Covid-19, orExperienced a decline in gross receipts by more than 50% in a quarter compared to the same quarter in…

Supply Chain Issues Add to Economic Concerns

As the United States looks to sustain its economic recovery to pre-pandemic levels and beyond, there are potential warning signs that this might not go as smoothly as hoped. For example, though job openings climbed to a record 8.1 million in March, pointing to a surging labor demand as the economy reopens, many companies are struggling to fill those positions. Some…

Tax Hikes on the Congressional Agenda

On March 31, President Biden announced the first half of his “Build Back Better” initiative, the $2.25 trillion American Jobs Plan. Presented by the White House as an infrastructure plan, this massive proposal covers a broad range of functions that go beyond the conventional notion of “infrastructure” to include programs such as $400 billion for home and community-based…

COVID-Related Legislative and Regulatory Changes for Employers

On March 11, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. The $1.9 trillion “ARP” is different than the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that passed with bipartisan votes in March 2020 and initiated the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and new tax breaks. Aside from targeted financial programs for…

State Legislation Looks to Manufacturers to Fund Recycling Costs

In recent months, a barrage of state-level bills has been introduced throughout the country seeking to generate revenue from product manufacturers for the costs of recycling their products and packaging. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills seek to extract funding from manufacturers to cover the escalating costs of recycling materials. Traditionally, these…

Biden Administration Workplace Rule Changes

One policy area that’s seeing a big shift in Washington, DC, involves workplace rules and regulations. The Biden Administration, along with the Democratic sweep of Georgia’s two Senate seats, will add impetus to legislative and regulatory labor law changes concerning overtime pay; what constitutes a joint-employer; the test to determine an independent contractor vs. an…