Business revolves around transactions. Most transactions occur in the ordinary course of business, such as selling products and services to clients. Some transactions are less common, but may fundamentally alter the business itself: mergers and acquisitions. A merger is a combination of two or more companies, while an acquisition involves one company buying the stock […]...
Hostile work environments exist when an employer’s statements, actions, and behavior make it impossible for an employee to perform their job. Massachusetts law protects employees against discrimination and hostile work environments by prohibiting an employer, or its agents, from refusing to hire an individual, discharging an employee, or discriminating on the basis of a protected […]...
A federal court judge has allowed a plaintiff to proceed with claims against a Massachusetts company that rescinded a job offer shortly after the plaintiff left his prior job. The defendant, Loomis, Sayles & Co., is an international investment firm that had intended to launch a new hedge fund. Over a course of six months, […]...
On August 1, 2016, Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker signed the equal pay law, a law that has been working through the legislature since 1998. The law takes effect on July 1, 2018. The law bars discrimination on the basis of gender in the payment of wages, including benefits and other compensation, for “comparable work.” The statute […]...
When negotiating the security deposit for a commercial lease, the parties often simply focus on the dollar amount required. While this is important, and can vary wildly depending on several factors, the language of the security deposit provision is often overlooked. This seemingly standard language, however, is important for both landlords and tenants. Unlike residential […]...
On August 1, 2016, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”), will raise the limits of its maximum penalties for the first time in nearly twenty-six years.Current maximum penalties for “serious,” “other than serious” and “posting requirement” penalties will increase from $7,000.00 per violation to $12,471.00 per violation. Penalties for failure to abate hazards or […]...
It is imperative that subcontractors and material suppliers seeking payment for completed work on federal-level public construction projects be aware of the paradigm of laws and policies that exist governing such matters. To start, The Miller Act, codified as 40 U.S.C. §§ 3131-3134, exists to provide subcontractors on federal-level public construction projects a means by […]...
Our recent articles addressing commercial lease provisions included discussions about the parties’ relationship, rental provisions and important elements to understand about the “premises.” In this article we address the term of a commercial lease (i.e. the length of the lease), as well as how most landlords and tenants address extensions.Initial Term of the Commercial Lease. […]...
In a recent bid protest decision the Massachusetts Attorney General allowed a protest contesting a bidder’s right to submit Minority Business Enterprise (“MBE”) or Women’s Business Enterprise (“WBE”) qualifications after the bid opening. The opinion deemed MBE and WBE goals to be statutory and therefore not waivable by the awarding authority. The decision also found that […]...
Email is an indispensable tool for contractors that can streamline communication regarding the many facets of a construction project that aren’t strictly found in a project’s plans and specifications, or in the relevant contract documents. When used well, email can be invaluable to document the course of a project. When it’s disregarded or treated haphazardly, […]...