Florida AG urges spill victims to get lawyers
Recent Cases
Attorneys general in four Gulf Coast states are urging oil spill victims to check with lawyers before settling claims against BP PLC.
They issued consumer advisories Friday in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. Earlier this week Claims Administrator Kenneth Feinberg completed his plan to give claimants three payment options — interim, final and quick.
Those opting for final or quick payments must sign away their right to sue BP for additional damages. The attorneys general said they should consult with a lawyer first.
BP's Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April, spilling oil into the water for three months. In Florida only a few beaches were fouled, but the spill scared away tourists and businesses across the state had financial losses.
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USCIS Issues Clarifying Guidance on NAFTA TN Status Eligibility for Economists
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is clarifying policy guidance (PDF, 71 KB) on the specific work activities its officers should consider when determining whether an individual qualifies for TN nonimmigrant status as an economist.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) TN nonimmigrant status allows qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to temporarily enter the U.S. to engage in specific professional activities, including the occupation of economist. The agreement, however, does not define the term economist, resulting in inconsistent decisions on whether certain analysts and financial professionals qualify for TN status as economists.
TN nonimmigrant status is intended to allow a limited number of professionals and specialists to work temporarily in certain specifically identified occupations in the United States. This updated guidance provides USCIS officers with a specific definition of one such category – economists – allowing them to adjudicate applications in a way that complies with the intent of the agreement. This policy update clarifies that professional economists requesting TN status must engage primarily in activities consistent with the profession of an economist. Individuals who work primarily in other occupations related to the field of economics — such as financial analysts, marketing analysts, and market research analysts — are not eligible for classification as a TN economist.