Posted: February 5th, 2017
By: Anna-Bryce Flowe*| Staff Writer
Throughout history, families with disabled children have grappled with how to provide adequate housing for their mentally disabled children as these children, and their caretakers, grow older. Often, families turn to the state and federal governments for funding assistance, like Medicaid, and/or state-funded housing options. Over time, the government’s approach to providing said housing assistance has changed. Asylums, which were funded by most state housing boards in the early part of the twentieth century, were initially popular for providing cheap housing and hospital-like care to anyone who seemed mentally inapt in any way. Continue reading »
Posted: January 29th, 2017
By: Jacky Brammer*| Staff Writer
Diehard football fans may have yet another outlet for their passion if sports agent Don Yee has his way. Yee, who represents New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, has plans for a new football league to start in the summer of 2018. Continue reading »
Posted: January 20th, 2017
By: Doriyon Glass*| Staff Writer
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is an agency within the Health and Human Services Department. CMS is the federal agency that controls over $1 trillion in Medicare and Medicaid funding. In September, the agency promulgated Part 483 to Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Requirements for States and Long-Term Care Facilities. These regulations cover many regulatory requirements for long term care facilities and make new compliance obligations for providers. Continue reading »
Posted: January 11th, 2017
By: Doriyon Glass*| Staff Writer
As states continue to legalize marijuana, its effect on the employment realm has also continued to surface. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia (DC) have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. Seven of these states and DC have legalized recreational use of the drug. Some states have also decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. One reason issues arise is because although a state may permit the use of marijuana, it is still an illegal Schedule 1 drug under federal law. This inconsistency may lead to confusion for employees and employers, especially regarding employees with medicinal marijuana licenses. Continue reading »
Posted: January 7th, 2017
By: Charity Barger*| Staff Writer
Airbnb is one of the largest home sharing networks in the world. The network has over two million listings. Airbnb’s website attracts its customers by creating the opportunity to “book unique homes and experience a city like a local.” An Airbnb rental is very attractive to the younger generation of travelers because of its ambiance and price. “Airbnb has created a new opportunity for some of the better quality hostel operators that are halfway between Airbnb and a hotel to seize on a new style of hotel,” said Mr. Hanson of N.Y.U. Continue reading »
Posted: January 3rd, 2017
By: Doriyon Glass*| Staff Writer
The Supreme Court’s decision in Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc., may have huge implications on the fashion industry. Varsity Brands (Varsity) is one of the largest cheerleader uniform suppliers, they claim their uniforms contain something unique: copyrightable works of art. Varsity received U.S. copyright registrations on five designs in which it claims that Star Athletica’s (Star) cheerleading uniforms infringe on. The issue is whether these designs on cheerleader uniforms can be protected by the Copyright Act. Continue reading »
Posted: December 27th, 2016
By: Anna-Bryce Flowe*| Staff Writer
As some cheers and some tears echoed around the nation over the Presidential election, the voters of Massachusetts were largely celebrating a victory, the passing of The Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals. The Act was dubbed “Question 3” by the media and news outlets tracking the Act’s success during the polls. It aimed to ban the sale of foods derived from animals raised in less than ideal conditions: small cages where animals can barely turn around or extend their limbs. Question 3 received seventy-eight percent approval by the Massachusetts voters in November. Thus, the ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, under regulations that will be written by Jan. 1, 2020. The most progressive animal safety act of its kind in the nation, the language of the Act will likely be copied by a number of other states looking to improve their animal safety laws. Only one other state, California, currently bans the sale of eggs from confined hens. Continue reading »
Posted: December 12th, 2016
By: Anna-Bryce Flowe*| Staff Writer
We’ve all gotten those annoying calls to our cell phones with an automated voice on the other end of the phone trying to sell us a cruise or a trip for two to the Bahamas; even creditors use these automated voices to keep us on the line while they try and collect on debts owed, refinance our cars, or upgrade us to a new credit card! For years people have used the typical “ TAKE ME OFF YOUR LIST!” demand as a means of dodging these unwanted calls to their landlines. But, is this demand to cease calling effective when the calls come to your cell phone? What about when you provide your cell phone number to the calling party? And, who— by law—is actually able to keep calling you with these “robocalls” regardless of your attempts to remove your number from their “List?” Continue reading »
Posted: November 30th, 2016
By: Zack Young*| Staff Writer
The two dominant U.S.-based daily fantasy sports websites, DraftKings and FanDuel, agreed to a merger on Friday, November 18, 2016, amid a firestorm of questions regarding each company’s legality and future value. The merger caps off nearly two years of on-again, off-again discussions about the two joining forces, and is expected by both to be the best move going forward to continue their daily fantasy sports business. DraftKings co-founder Jason Robins will become CEO of the new company and FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles will serve as chairman of the board. The name of the new company has not yet been revealed, but we do know it will have headquarters in New York and Boston. Continue reading »
Posted: November 16th, 2016
By: Zack Young*| Staff Writer
On April 6, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL), in a final rule issuance, determined pension plan investment advisers will now be held to a fiduciary standard in every investment advising situation, completing a nearly six year process and expanding the reach of the fiduciary standard to pension plan advisers. While the rule will not take effect until April 10, 2017, the majority of investment advisers providing advice to pension plans will need to consider the new rule and its impact on their business models and investment strategies going forward. In a $12 trillion industry, pension plan investment advisers have their work cut out for them over the next few months to move from a suitability standard of advising to a fiduciary standard. Continue reading »
