Settlement benefits 21 employees of Long Island shop with overtime and recordkeeping violations of Fair Labor Standard Act. After an investigation and litigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Farmingdale Auto Collision Inc. and its owner and officers have paid $306,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to 21 employees to resolve violations of the […]
Interview: John Van Alstyne, I-CAR
John Van Alstyne, chief executive officer and president of the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, details the non-profit training organization’s progress during 2017. Details key 2018 initiatives. The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) reported that demand for training by collision repairers and auto insurance companies remained strong in 2017. Given the continued […]
California Collision Repair Labor Rate Survey Bill Scheduled For Hearing April 18
Legislation that would modify requirements for insurers that conduct collision repair labor rate surveys will have hearing April 18. California Assembly Bill 2276 (AB 2276), the bill that seeks to modify collision repair labor survey regulations that came into effect last year is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Insurance Committee on April 18. […]
New Hampshire Bill Would Establish Committee to Study Rates Paid by Auto Insurers
Legislation received a favorable report by Senate Commerce Committee. Will go before full Senate. New Hampshire House Bill 1663 (HB 1663) was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee last week by a vote of 4-0. The bill, that proposes to establish a committee to study reimbursement rates under automobile insurance policies, will now go before […]
EPA Will Revise 2022-2025 Vehicle Emission Standards
Administrator Pruitt announced that greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and light trucks driving adoption of advancement materials and alternative fuels would be revised. Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the completion of the Midterm Evaluation (MTE) process for the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for cars and light trucks for […]
Rhode Island Bill Would Expand Non-OEM Collision Repair Parts Restrictions to 48 Months
Legislation introduced last week would expand time frame and extend restriction to any collision damaged part, not just body parts. Would also prohibit insurers from requiring a repairer to use a collision repair procedure not recommended by vehicle manufacturers. Rhode Island Senate Bill 2679 (SB 2679), introduced March 20 by State Senators Maryellen Goodwin, Dominick […]
Federal Spending Bill Expands Support for Career and Technical Education, Apprenticeships, Veteran’s Training
Omnibus appropriations bill signed by President includes several workforce development initiatives that will benefit the collision repair industry. With collision repair facility operators reporting unfilled positions at near record levels, and multiple shop operators reporting that technician shortages are limiting their ability to translate referrals into work produced, any help on workforce development will help […]
Interview: Jennifer Maher and Greg Settle, TechForce Foundation
Foundation is championing students seeking careers across the transportation industry, including collision repair, and developing partnerships with industry groups to achieve its goals. The shortage of collision repair technicians, evident in CollisionWeek’s Quarterly Collision Repair Business Conditions research as well as the Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR Snapshot Survey of the Collision Industry, is […]
Federal Court Rejects ABPA Effort to Invalidate Ford Collision Repair Body Parts Design Patent
Judge declines ABPA motion to rule Ford F-150 body part design patents invalid and unenforceable. In a decision issued February 20, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan declined a motion for summary judgement by the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) to invalidate two of Ford’s design patents covering patents for body […]
Indiana House Insurance Committee Amends and Approves Legislation Defining Deceptive Collision Repair Practices
Adds language to Senate Bill prohibiting assignment of benefits to collision repair facilities. Amendment eliminates most restrictions on insurers. The Indiana House Committee on Insurance amended and approved Senate Bill 164 (SB 164) on February 21 by a vote of 12-0. While SB 164 originally included extensive anti-steering provisions, amendments in both the Senate and […]