Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) at the end of 2022 in order to protect the needs of pregnant workers. Essentially, the law requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to an applicant or employee’s known limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause an undue hardship. The PWFA went into effect in June 2023 and the EEOC published proposed rules for the law last August. After considering more than 100,000 public comments, the EEOC published its fina ..read more

Candidate packets for the City of Fort Smith Board of Directors election are now available in the City Clerk’s Office, 623 Garrison Ave. This year, the four ward positions – Positions 1-4 – on the Fort Smith Board of Directors are up for election. Act 328, passed in the 2023 Arkansas General Assembly, pushes the filing period to July 1 through noon Aug. 7 with director elections on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. In the past, elections under the city administrator form of government, which Fort Smith is, were different from other forms of government, said Sherri Gard, Fort Smith city clerk ..read more

The Arkansas State Bank Department recently hired six new bank examiners and one new administrative staff member. In addition, the department also promoted two employees. The new hires include: Grant Staton, a commercial examiner in the Jonesboro office, earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and management from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. John “Patrick” Saffold, a commercial examiner in the Jonesboro office, earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Bradley “Brad” Chu, a commercial examiner in the Little Rock office, earned ..read more

Governor Sarah Sanders announced the following appointments on Monday (May 6): Post-Prison Transfer Board Willie Robinson, Little Rock, to the Parole Board. Term to expire January 14, 2030. Previously vacant position. Board of Trustees of Northeastern College Robin Houseworth, Blytheville, to the Board of Trustees of Northeastern College. Term to expire December 31, 2028. Replaces John Newcomb. Brad Harrison, Manila, to the Board of Trustees of Northeastern College. Term to expire December 31, 2028. Replaces Thomas Westbrook. Board of Trustees of Arkansas Tech University Cory Cox, Perryville ..read more

Tokyo-based Nippon Steel postponed its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, which has major operations in Northeast Arkansas. The move comes after federal regulators asked for more information related to the mega-merger that has also played into Presidential politics. The deal was first announced in December 2023 when Japan’s largest steelmaker said it would pay $55 per share in an all-cash transaction, a 40% premium, for U.S. Steel. Mississippi County in Northeast Arkansas is the largest steel-producing county in the U.S. It is home to the former Big River Steel project, owned by U.S. Ste ..read more

City leaders can only effect change at the pace the community is willing to go. It helps when residents can see short-term successes. It also helps when cities work to preserve neighborhoods, which is often the soul of a city. Those were two points made by Maurice Cox, former commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development and a former mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, at a “The Future American City Now” event held at the Clinton Presidential Center May 1. The event featured comments by Cox and other urban planners about issues related to community development, equity and en ..read more

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has awarded $8,478,624 in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to 17 Arkansas cities and counties. These grants were awarded under the General Assistance set-aside, part of Arkansas’ $17.8 million FY 2023 formula grant allocation, which is designed to provide communities the opportunity to apply for a variety of non-housing public facility and public infrastructure projects. The funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) State Program for Small Citi ..read more

A draft Arkansas Insurance Department rule that would have required pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse pharmacists for 110% of their drug acquisition costs plus a $10.50 dispensing fee has hit a roadblock. The Insurance Department is studying the impact of the proposed rule based on a measure passed in Kentucky that included the dispensing fee. It has asked insurance providers to provide data about the costs by May 24. The department had considered introducing the rule in the summer or fall, but it is not filing it until it reviews those costs and other issues. At this point, based on desc ..read more

The Arkansas legislature concluded most of its fiscal session business on Thursday (May 2) before adjourning until next Thursday when they will reconvene to sine die, the permanent adjournment of the General Assembly. Lawmakers approved a revenue stabilization bill that will allow for $6.3 billion in state spending in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2024. The spending allowance is roughly $109 million over current spending levels. A majority of the new spending will be focused on education to pay for increases in costs related to public schools and aspects of the LEARNS program, inc ..read more

Errin Stanger, the longtime director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, was officially named Thursday (May 2) as CEO of Providence Park, a housing initiative partnership with Pulaski County aimed at supporting chronically homeless individuals. Inspired by the Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, Providence Park will eventually feature 400 tiny homes equipped with full support services — medical, mental and dental care — and opportunities for income generation. By addressing basic needs, the initiative seeks to enhance the quality of life, reduce societal costs, and cultivate a sens ..read more