Though passed without much notice or publicity, a new law that took effect July 1 is now threatening to cause havoc in Virginia’s construction industry. The law specifies that in many situations, general contractors may be held liable if their subcontractors fail to pay their employees, or if they pay them less than what the

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A combination of new laws enacted during last winter’s General Assembly session and a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision have suddenly expanded employer responsibilities and exposure to liability. Laws passed by Virginia’s legislature typically go into effect July 1 of each year.  This year, the Assembly enacted new employment protections for LGBTQ workers, bringing discrimination

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Two new Virginia laws taking effect Wednesday, July 1, attack the misclassification of employees as if they were independent contractors with a vengeance.  As a result, those who have been sliding by, misusing the “independent contractor” label to evade obligations for minimum wage laws, payroll taxes, or fringe benefits, must change their practices immediately, or

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As governments begin relaxing business closure mandates and the slow move towards a return to normalcy, more and more businesses are wondering if they could face lawsuits if they reopen too soon. As is often the case with media discussions, the worst fears of floods of lawsuits are not warranted. Such lawsuits would be handled

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Businesses suffering closures under state orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic have begun a wave of claims under business interruption insurance policies, but insurance companies are pushing back. Business interruption insurance is not included in every business’s coverage package.  When purchased, it typically covers losses not handled by hazard insurance.  For example, if

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You may have heard our current radio ad, focusing on our approach to handling personal injury cases.  The ad emphasizes how important it is to deal with lawyers you already know and trust. The natural tendency, when first meeting with any lawyer, is to assume that he wouldn’t have a license if he weren’t dependable. 

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Although Governor Northam’s recent Executive Orders do not explicitly address construction activity, reports indicate that many job sites are limiting access to 10 or fewer workers at a time.  Both general contractors and subcontractors could be prevented from manning their jobs the way they had planned, with the result that delay in completion will become

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As an unintended consequence of the emergency legislation passed by Congress last week, many businesses may conclude that they need to rush formal termination notices to their employees in the coming days. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) creates an emergency sick leave benefit, and modifies the long-standing Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) to

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As of this writing (March 16), exactly two cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in the Richmond metropolitan area.  Both infected persons are self-quarantined and doing well.  The remaining one million-plus area residents remain unaffected. Under these circumstances, we at Marrs & Henry remain open for business as usual. As in all situations, we would

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“To err is human,” begins a familiar saying.  No one is infallible.  And because lawyers are human – no snickering, please! – a certain number of mistakes in the course of representing clients are inevitable. But what recourse does a client have, if a lawyer’s mistake proves costly? In theory, the client should be able

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