SSA Blog

On December 17, 2014 an Illinois Circuit court judge ruled that a limitation of value provision in a container storage agreement violates public policy and was not enforceable. The judge’s ruling greatly expanded the mobile storage operator’s potential liability for damages.

The Internal Revenue Service has renewed its warning about an email fraud that uses a corporate officer’s name to request employee Forms W-2 from company payroll or human resources departments.

When most people think of publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT), they think of billion dollar companies with hundreds or even thousands of properties. Public Storage and Extra Space Storage are two companies that come to mind in the self storage industry.

Over twenty states currently include a limited lines insurance program that specifically allows self storage operators to obtain an insurance license to sell tenant insurance (for loss or damage to stored goods) directly to their customers and to be entitled to receive a commission for the sale.

Even though self storage facilities are constantly working to increase their occupancies, sometimes a self storage operator must make the decision to terminate the lease of a paying tenant. It may be that the tenant is using the rented space in violation of the rental agreement’s use provision or maybe the tenant is belligerent to the managers.

Most California employees are entitled to two 10 minute rest breaks when working an eight hour shift. One question that has not been addressed is whether workers who are taking a rest break may be “on call” to respond to the occasional situation that requires their attention.

Keeping your customer's data safe is key and small businesses are not immune to a breach of security.

Growing up, I always had an innate draw towards competition. I learned to channel that energy playing multiple sports throughout the years. The things that I learned about myself was foundational to crafting my responses and outlook to both winning, losing and life.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDPCA) does not regulate the direct collection activities of businesses, such as self storage facilities, to which the debt is owed. It regulates the activities of businesses, such as collection agencies, to whom a debt is referred for collections. However, there is one exception in the law that can result in a creditor being subject to the law’s regulations.

You know a topic is relevant when “60 Minutes” runs a story on the topic. Their program titled “Drive-By Lawsuits” that aired in early December explained how the Americans with Disabilities Act has resulted in hundreds if not thousands of lawsuits where individuals have filed complaints against businesses not as actual customers, but based solely on a drive-by of the property or worse yet, by viewing the property on Google Maps and basing a claim on what is seen only from the computer screen.