Entries by Carol LaCombe

Executive Order 13706 – Mandatory Sick Leave

On September 7, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13706, Establishment of Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors. The Executive Order requires employers that contract with the Federal Government to provide their workers with up to seven days of paid sick time annually. Regulations regarding the implementation are due from the Secretary of Labor by […]

Prepare Your Home for Spring Storms

Spring is known for its rapidly changing weather – and that can mean severe storms. Help get your home and family ready with these tips. Let it flow. Remove winter’s debris from your gutters, drains, and downspouts so that heavy rains can flow freely off your roof. Be sure that downspouts are secure and that […]

Four Important HR Issues to Monitor for 2016

Employers have new challenges to contend with in 2016, resulting from Supreme Court decisions, federal and state legislation, and actions by federal regulatory agencies. There is a real cost for employers who fail to comply with new laws. For example, the most recent Performance Accountability Report for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), states that […]

Client Spotlight: Butler-Dearden

We are pleased to spotlight Butler-Dearden in our winter newsletter.  They are a family owned and operated wholesale distributor headquartered in Boylston, Massachusetts. Butler-Dearden has been providing superior quality, service and value to their customers since 1882. They began as a twine and packaging store and grew into offering janitorial supplies, office papers, packaging materials, […]

Public Private Partnerships

More frequently known as 3-P’s (PPP), Public Private Partnerships are becoming more prevalent as a way to finance, engineer, construct, and operate infrastructure projects across the United States. They have been used in other countries for some time now. For example the EU has had over 260 Billion Euro’s worth of 3P projects since 1990. […]

Retirement Planning Basics

Items to consider when creating a retirement plan: Longevity With average life expectancy now in the 80s it is likely that you could experience a retirement period that lasts 20-30 years. Your plan must be flexible enough to account for a long retirement. Expenses and Inflation Inflation is always a powerful enemy in any retirement […]

Snow and Ice: What is Your Liability?

Commercial property owners need to be concerned about potential liability issues involving ice and snow. While the level of landlord and property owner responsibility varies by state, a consistent duty of responsibility exists to ensure that sidewalks, driveways and parking lots are maintained. Some states, such as Massachusetts, have increased the level of landlord responsibility […]

Winter Storm Weather Preparation

With severe winter weather in the forecast, it’s important to take some time now to be sure you’re prepared. Here’s a list of items to have on hand before the storm begins. Check your food and water supplies Water-at least a three-day supply; one gallon per person, per day Food-at least a three-day supply of […]

New Spending Bill Delays Cadillac Tax

On Dec. 18, 2015, President Barack Obama signed a $1.1 trillion year-end spending agreement into law that prevented a government shutdown and funds the federal government through the 2016 fiscal year. Among its many provisions, the new legislation affects three major Affordable Care Act (ACA) taxes. The first, and perhaps the most controversial, is the […]

Recent Department of Labor Investigations

Presented by Al Corvigno J&J Snack Foods Two federal investigations have found that temporary production line workers at J&J Snack foods Corp., were cheated out of their wages by the company and two staffing firms. The DOL found that J&J Snack Foods in N.J. did not properly pay their employees the minimum hourly wages and […]