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Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCA) – Key Provisions for Employers


On March 18th, the U.S. Congress passed and President Trump signed, the Families First Coronavirus Act (“FFCA”). FFCA includes numerous sweeping measures designed to help both families and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. What is FFCA? Below is a summary of some of the key provisions of the FFCA 2020 for employers. Emergency Paid Sick

Gatekeepers in Zoning Disputes


Zoning disputes range from single family homes to complex commercial, residential, or mixed use developments. Regardless of the monetary value of the project from a cost-standpoint, the zoning disputes that get to court all have one thing in common – someone owning a nearby property is not happy. Anyone can talk at a local hearing

Client Alert on COVID-19


To reduce the impact of COVID-19 outbreak conditions on businesses, workers, customers, and the public, it is important for all employers to plan now for COVID-19. COVID-19 has the potential to cause extensive outbreaks and because there is no current vaccine, an outbreak may become an extended event, as a result, workplaces may experience: Higher

The Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019


Congress has enacted and on Friday, August 23, 2019 the President signed a bill which will add a new subchapter V to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code designed to streamline the reorganization process for small businesses.  This new law follows some unsuccessful stories about small businesses being unable to successfully reorganize under

Taxes and Insurance and Inspections, Oh My! Considering Actual Costs of Airbnb and other Short-Term Rental Income


According to Airbnb, hosts in Massachusetts earned over $256 million from 1.2 million renters. The growth of private vacation rentals deriving from Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, and similar websites has provided extra income for property owners in Massachusetts and additional options for travelers to the state. The tremendous growth, however, has also prompted state and local

New Non-Compete Law Goes Into Effect On October 1st: What It Means For Employers


It has been a long-time coming, but it is finally here, Non-Compete reform in Massachusetts.  The new law, which was recently signed by Governor Baker, places significant restrictions on how employers can use non-compete agreements with employees and independent contractors.  Here are the highlights: The new law, M.G.L. c. 149 §24L (Massachusetts Non-Competition Agreement Act)

Beach Right Disputes: When the Beach is So Close, Yet So Far Away


Like many seaside areas of Massachusetts, Dennis has a sought-after beach on Cape Cod Bay. So much so in fact that access to one particular beach area is the subject of three appellate decisions. The seaside neighborhood in dispute consists of approximately 200 acres, which was developed into residential lots beginning approximately 1903. Generally, the

Reasons Why Financial Advisors Should Partner with Trust and Estate Attorneys when Creating a Client Plan


Unfortunately, a significant percentage of people fail to have any sort of estate planning in place, forcing their families and beneficiaries to navigate the complexities of probate court in order to acquire the deceased person’s property. Probate is a long and costly process, but can often be entirely avoided through proper estate planning and trust

Overview of Business Tax Changes for 2018


The recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) is a sweeping tax package. Here’s an overview of some of the more important business tax changes in the new law. Unless otherwise noted, the changes are effective for tax years beginning in 2018. Corporate tax rates reduced. One of the more significant new law provisions