A federal Court on Louisiana ordered Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd. to pay seven Virginia families a total of $2.6 million to remedy the effects of the use of defective Chinese-made drywall in their homes. This “warning shot” is the first of several class-action lawsuits filed against manufacturers of material for defective Chinese drywall, a material that has repeatedly proven to be a source of discomfort for thousands of homeowners in the United States. This initial case is considered an...

Date: 10/13/2009

On October 1, 2009 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its plan for implementing its National Emphasis Program (NEP) to assess the accuracy of injury-and-illness data recorded by employers. The NEP was enacted in response to several studies, including one by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), that have claimed that there exists a serious problem of underreporting workplace injuries and illnesses on the OSHA Form 300...

An Executive Order, entitled Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, is encouraging the use of project labor agreements for large-scale Federal construction projects in order to promote the economy and increase efficiency in Federal procurement. This executive order amends a pervious order signed by President Obama on February 6, 2009, and encourages Federal agencies to consider the use of project labor agreements, as they may deem appropriate, on large-scale...

Beginning April 15, 2010, contractors that are performing underpinning or rock blasting as part of earthwork must include the approximate date these activities will commence when notifying the New York City Department of Buildings. All contractors with permits to conduct earthwork must notify the Department of Buildings 24 to 48 hours before the beginning of work by calling the department. If underpinning or rock blasting will be taking place, contractors are expected to inform the department...

In Pelc v. Berg, the Appellate Division, Fourth Deparment, determined that a contractor who had filed a willfully exaggerted mechanics lien was liable for the costs incurred by the home owners in discharging the willfully exaggerated mechanic's lien but not for slander of title. The Appellate...