When Bidding on Public Contracts in Maryland, Contractors Need to Remember That a Certified MBE’s Participation Only Counts Toward the Contract’s MBE Goals if the MBE is Identified as Performing a Commercially Useful Function for the Contract (Not for the Prime Contractor’s bottom line) In…
Last year, during the 2019 Maryland General Assembly, state lawmakers voted to pass a bill that gradually increases Maryland’s minimum wage rate from $10.10 per hour to $15.00 per hour over the next several years. Governor Larry Hogan originally vetoed the bill, stating that the…
On September 23, 2019, the United States Court of Federal Claims issued a published decision invalidating the release of a construction claim because the Government and the contractor continued to negotiate the claim after the parties signed a release. In Meridian Engineering Company v. United…
The U.S. Department of Labor (“Department”) is clarifying and updating the regulations governing the regular rate requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). On December 12, 2019, the Department announced a Final Rule that will allow employers to more easily offer perks and benefits…
When it convenes on January 8, 2020 in Annapolis, the first bills to be introduced before the General Assembly aim to complete billions of dollars of school construction projects throughout the state. House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, dubbed the “Built to Learn Act…
Under the Maryland Uniform Interstate Discovery Act (“Interstate Discovery Act”), “when it is necessary to obtain the testimony of a person who lives in Maryland, parties to litigation in a sister state have the very same rights as parties to litigation in a Maryland court.” …
Every construction project carries a risk of monetary loss. For example, a worker could be injured, the project could be delayed, or the owner could simply refuse to pay for certain project work. Any of those adverse occurrences (not to mention almost limitless others) would…
Following the 2017 Legislative Session, Governor Larry Hogan signed a bill into law that will significantly change the procurement requirements for architects and engineers on State projects. The new law, which goes into effect on October 1, 2017, is found in Section 13-112 of the…
The Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) is a federal statute that was enacted to provide, among other things, wage protections for covered employees. It is best known for establishing the federal minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The FLSA can also impose liability on one…
The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have recently announced new residential construction statistics for August 2016. According to the data, building permits for privately-owned housing units in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,139,000, down 0.4…