by Paul S. Tagatac  Every employer has had to deal with an employee who has performance issues, such as a bad attitude, poor attendance or problems getting along with co-workers. In this article, I discuss basic considerations that employers should follow when dealing with performance issues. I. ACTIVELY MANAGE WITH A POSITIVE APPROACH Experienced employers understand that performance problems do not improve, but Read More

by Steven B. Kaplan, Esq. In the prior article, I discussed the essential aspects of mediation which decisionmakers for construction participants—owners, contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals -- should consider when confronted with resolving disputes. Here, I continue that discussion in regard to arbitrating construction disputes. As previously noted, this discussion is not intended to serve as a Read More

By Paul R. Fitzgerald and Steven B. Kaplan By law, Connecticut state agencies, municipalities and quasi-public state agencies must require contractors to utilize small business enterprises (SBE) and minority-owned business enterprises (MBE) when bidding and performing public work.  The law specifically requires that contractors on such projects must “set aside” at least 25% of all state-funded assistance to SBE Read More

Perhaps the most consequential provision in any construction contract is the so-called “pay-if-paid” clause. This provision transfers the risk of owner nonpayment from the general contractor, who traditionally bears the risk, to the subcontractor, who is less able to assess a project owner’s creditworthiness or exert pressure on a nonpaying owner. In most jurisdictions, pay-if-paid clauses are disfavored by courts Read More

By: Attorney Beth N. Mercier On January 13, 2022, in the case of Biden v. Missouri, et al, 595 U. S. ____ (2022) the United States Supreme Court blocked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) vaccine mandate for private companies with 100+ employees.   Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision, a federal district judge in Texas issued an injunction on January 22, 2022 temporarily blocking Read More

By: Steven B. Kaplan, Esq. Electrical Contractors, Inc.  v. Lawrence Brunoli, Inc. and North American Specialty Insurance Company, Docket No: X-07 HHD CV-20-6129731, Superior Court – Complex Litigation at Hartford     This case was brought by ECI, a listed electrical subcontractor on a State of Connecticut construction project, against the general contractor.  The Memorandum of Decision issued by the trial Read More

By: Carolyn A. Young, Esq. A mechanic’s lien is often a contractor’s most powerful leverage to ensure prompt payment on private construction projects. As your business expands into multiple states, it can be increasingly difficult to keep track of the various statutory deadlines to enforce these important lien rights. This article provides an overview of the key deadlines and requirements to protect your Read More

By: Beth N. Mercier, Esq. Making a statutory payment bond claim pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes section 49-42 is an inexpensive and effective way to get paid on a public construction project in the State of Connecticut.  Unfortunately, many contractors fail to make their claims within the required time limits or in the proper manner.  First, determine whether the public works project has a payment Read More

By: Paul R. Fitzgerald, Esq. A common provision in a construction contract is the “pay-if-paid" clause.  The purpose of a pay-if-paid clause is to permit the general contractor to withhold payment from its subcontractor unless and until the general contractor’s application for payment is accepted and paid by the project owner.  From the general contractor’s perspective, this clause is not only reasonable, but Read More