Boston Mayor, Marty Walsh, recently proposed a citywide ordinance that will, if adopted by City Council, subject short-term rentals – such as those advertised through the popular home-sharing website, Airbnb – to regulations and reporting requirements. The proposed ordinance requires that all short-term-rentals register with the city and pay an annual fee based on a […]...
The Regulation of Business Practices for Consumer Protection Act, commonly referred to by its statutory chapter number, “Chapter 93A,” is a frequently utilized statute that provides individual consumers and businesses with a right to bring legal action and recover damages if they are harmed by an unfair business practice. Under the statute, “unfair or deceptive […]...
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Bid Protest Unit (“AG”) recently decided that when an awarding authority seeks references not listed by the sub-bidder, it must give the sub-bidder the opportunity to respond when such reviews are negative. In the case, the Barre Housing Authority (“BHA”) sought public bids for a panel replacement project. BHA checked the […]...
As discussed in previous posts, the creation of a formal corporate entity and compliance with state prescribed formalities can offer business owners and members substantial protections from individual liability for business debts when acting by and through an entity. This compliance with formality can also offer substantial protections in the event the choice is made to close, […]...
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently extended, for the second time, the enforcement deadline for compliance with electronic reporting of injury and illness data through its Injury Tracking Application (ITA) until December 15, 2017. The new rule took effect January 1, 2017, and required certain employers to submit injury and illness information electronically through […]...
The Massachusetts Retainage Act limits the amount of retainage allowed for private construction projects, and imposes mandatory processes for reaching the date of substantial completion, submitting punchlists and completing punchlist items, and submitting applications for payment and obtaining payment of retainage. The Act applies to all construction contracts signed after November 4, 2014, for privately owned […]...
One of the first considerations to make when starting a business is whether to create a formal corporate entity. The creation of a formal entity and compliance with state prescribed formalities can offer business owners and members substantial protections from individual liability for business debts when acting by and through an entity. One particularly […]...
On October 19, 2017, OSHA released interim enforcement guidance for its Respirable Crystalline Silica in Construction Standard. This standard began full enforcement on October 23, 2017. The Interim Enforcement Guidance issued refers to the standard promulgated on September 23, 2017. Initially, rather than issue citations for violations of the standard, OSHA’s compliance officers were instructed to assist […]...
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) recently addressed the scope and interpretation of the Massachusetts Security Deposit Act, MGL c. 186, § 15B, in Phillips v. Equity Residential Management, LLC. Strang Scott previously discussed the implications of landlords’ failure to comply with MGL c. 186 (“the Act”). The dispute centered around four different provisions of […]...
Damages for work performed under a construction contract may be awarded under a variety of legal theories. One such theory is the principle of quantum meruit, which, when established, allows for an award of the reasonable value of goods or services as compensation for the value of “enrichment” those goods or services provide. Generally, one […]...