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California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law that changes the state’s environmental protection rules to help address its housing shortage and homelessness crisis. The move updates the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, a law from the 1970s that requires careful review of how new developments affect the environment. Newsom pushed for this … Read more

When natural disasters like hurricanes or wildfires hit, the damage is often obvious—damaged roofs or burned homes tell the story. But extreme heat waves cause damage that’s less visible and more spread out. Crops can fail, outdoor workers might have to stop, and data centers can overheat, cutting off online services. This kind of harm … Read more

A recent ruling from the Oregon Court of Appeals has clarified who is responsible for workers’ compensation after a tragic workplace accident involving a staffing agency. On September 4, the court settled a dispute stemming from the death of Jared R. Zeigler, who died while working on a project managed by Billeter Roads & Forestry … Read more

A Virginia subcontractor is suing Manhattan Construction Company and Federal Insurance Company over unpaid bills and extra costs totaling more than $700,000 related to a federal project in Richmond. The case highlights how payment bonds work in practice and the challenges subcontractors can face when payments stall. The lawsuit was filed on September 3 in … Read more

State Farm has introduced a new program aimed at giving employees more choices during staffing changes in certain parts of the business. The company announced a voluntary exit option alongside a workforce realignment process as part of this effort. The mutual insurer said it expects any layoffs to happen only in limited cases, depending on … Read more

A judge in New York has ruled that Meta Platforms and ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, must face a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the mother of a 15-year-old boy who died while “subway surfing” on a moving train. The boy, Zackery Nazario, lost his life on February 20, 2023, after climbing onto the … Read more

Governor Greg Abbott is stepping up efforts in Texas to stop a dangerous invasive fly known as the New World screwworm. This fly is a serious threat to livestock and wildlife because it lays its larvae in the wounds of warm-blooded animals. The larvae, or maggots, then burrow into the flesh, causing harmful and sometimes … Read more

Two key Republican senators have reached an agreement on a new federal moratorium that limits state regulations on artificial intelligence (AI) to five years. This deal also lets states set rules on child online safety and protect artists’ voices and likenesses. The original proposal, led by Senator Ted Cruz, aimed to block states that regulate … Read more

Trisura Insurance Company is taking JAG Roofing Inc. and its owner, Michael Ramjit Jagroo, to federal court over more than $174,000 in losses tied to surety bonds for construction projects, with potential claims exceeding $770,000 still looming. The case, filed on September 3 in the Southern District of Florida, centers on performance and payment bonds … Read more

Earlier this year, Qantas Airways revealed that hackers had accessed the personal data of millions of its customers. In response, the airline decided to reduce the short-term bonuses of some senior executives. While the company called this a key step toward accountability, its CEO still received a total pay package exceeding six million Australian dollars. … Read more