The Supreme Judicial Court has ruled in a high-profile Wage Act suit that a cleaning services company that claimed it was merely in the business of selling franchises misclassified its franchisees as independent contractors.

The defendant company, Coverall North America Inc., argued in part that it had a shared economic interest with the third-party franchisees and therefore did not violate G.L.c. 149, §148B.

But Justice Margot G. Botsford, writing for the court, disagreed.

“[W]e address ‘franchise fees,’ i.e., the initial and additional fees that [plaintiff Anthony] Graffeo agreed to pay Coverall in order to enter into what the judge has determined to be a direct employment relationship with Coverall,” she wrote. “In substance, they operate to require employees to buy their jobs from employers, and in that respect we think they violate public policy.”

The SJC was also asked to rule on whether, under the Wage Act, an employer and an employee can agree that the employee will pay the cost of workers’ compensation and other work-related insurance coverage.

“We conclude that … an employer may not deduct

More at source: Mass Lawyers Weekly

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Irene came and went but the damage she wrought lingers.

Across Staten Island yesterday, residents donned waterproof boots and descended into flooded basements, or called tree services and roofers to repair damage to their property. Leaf blowers, chainsaws and generators were humming on seemingly every other street.

"It's unbelievable," said Christopher Hague, as he surveyed his flooded yard and basement in Ocean Breeze. "There's no power, either." For many, no power meant no sump pumps -- which meant basements full of water

More at source: SIlive

WOBURN, MA -- Daimer Industries, Inc.®, a large-scale provider of extraction systems to janitorial specialists worldwide, expects to offer its latest wand technology with the most advanced versions of its XTreme Power® 9200, 9250, 9300 and 9350 carpet cleaning machines. The 60 Hz 9200 and 9300 offer as much as 300 psi of pressure while the 50 Hz 9250 and 9350 offer as much as 21 bar of pressure. The wand design will include new technology that allows it to increase vacuum power by nearly 40 percent, Daimer® say

More at source: Press Media Wire

It was just one year since Jagath started his Janitorial Services Company.  He was shaping up well ahead of tough competition with rapidly growing customer base when the first disaster struck him from nowhere. His star salesman has given his letter of resignation.

 “Don’t let panic set in,” I advised him when he called me. “Whether your departing employee was a strong or mediocre performer, this is your opportunity to take a hard look at your recruitment policy.  Maybe this is the time to reorganize, reclassify, or make other major changes”.

More at source: Daily Mirror

ATLANTA – A janitorial worker in Talbot County was supplied with a stupendous Georgia Lottery prize. Tasha Howard of Box Springs won $225,000 playing the instant game Cash Crop.

"I scratched it off, and I won," she exclaimed.

Upatoi General Store, 12100 Macon Road in Upatoi, sold the lucky ticket. Howard, 32, is a mother of three. "I was very, very excited," she said. "I couldn't believe it." She intends to add on to her home.

More at source: WLTZ

(08/29/11) New Yorkers are watching rising creeks and rivers this morning. The Associated Press reports more than 900,000 homes were without power, more National Guard soldiers were deployed to clean-ups, and major highways and roads remained closed.
At least three deaths were blamed on the tropical storm.
One thousand National Guard troops deployed over the weekend are to be augmented Monday with more engineers to help clear streets and debris and restore power.

More at source: NCPR

Avalon Property Services, with 140 employees and annual sales of between $3-5 million, supports corporate clients throughout Southern California with an array of services that include general cleaning, day porter services, carpet cleaning, floor sealing/maintenance, window cleaning, pressure washing, construction clean-up, move-out cleaning and more. The company has been in operation since 1994, and the Costa family has owned it since 2003 when they bought the company through a Baton Transition.

The management team at Johnston Health, which operates hospitals in Smithfield and Clayton, last week unveiled its budget proposal for the coming year. To close a gap between revenue and spending, hospital leaders want to outsource food and janitorial services. A private company would operate the departments, saving the hospital a projected $425,000 to $450,000 next fiscal year.

More At Source: Herald NC

A group of striking janitorial workers blocking the Westfield Mall entrance taunt and scrap with security guards trying to open up the entrance. (h/t MoonBat Tracker and RebelPundit )

Watch video at source: Fox News

ESCONDIDO ---- Police arrested a suspected illegal immigrant Tuesday who allegedly had been working as a janitor using a 12-year-old girl's Social Security number.

Imelda Martinez-Hernandez, 37, of Escondido, an employee at ABM Janitorial, was arrested on an identity theft charge, said Sgt. David Cramer. Police said the Social Security number belonged to an Upland girl.