With Zipcar, members can rent a car for a few hours without having to stand in line, fill out paperwork, or wait for the car to be brought around. Problem is, when a Zipcar gets damaged, it can difficult to say who’s to blame. Nevertheless, the New York Attorney General’s office says Zipcar was routinely charging drivers for damage fees that violated state law. [More]
NEW YORK
Companies Behind Genie Bra, Ab Coaster & Wonderhanger Settle Allegations Of Misleading “Buy One, Get One” Deals
By 7.20.16
Two marketing companies that sell a slew of products familiar to anyone who has ever been depressed enough to watch non-DVR’d basic cable at 2 a.m. — like the Genie Bra, Ab Coaster, Wonderhanger, and Total Pillow — have agreed to pay a total of nearly $900,000 to settle allegations that their ads misled shoppers about the real price of the products they were selling. [More]
Three States Accuse Volkswagen Of Committing Fraud
By 7.19.16
When Volkswagen admitted to rigging millions of supposedly “clean diesel” vehicles to cheat on emissions tests, the carmaker claimed that only a few engineers knew these “defeat devices” were in place. However, new lawsuits filed by three states allege that VW execs knew of the chicanery, and that the car company was committing fraud for nearly a decade. [More]
Verizon Getting Out Of The Phone Book Business… In New York
By 7.14.16
Between search engines, listings sites, and the fact that fewer and fewer people have traditional landline phones, the ol’ phone book is becoming increasingly irrelevant for many (but not all) people. So it makes sense that Verizon is largely doing away with the bulky tomes — at least in New York state.
NY Attorney General: TWC “Has Earned The Miserable Reputation It Enjoys Among Consumers”
By 6.8.16
Last fall, the New York Attorney General launched an investigation to find out the answer to one big question: are New Yorkers actually getting anything like the internet speeds their providers claim, and that they pay for? The investigation is still underway, but early results say that from one provider at least, the answer is a big fat “no.” [More]
Macy’s Worker Tricked Alarm Company Into Helping Him Steal $69K Worth Of Perfume
By 6.8.16
A man hired to keep thieves from stealing from a New York Macy’s was allegedly doing the pilfering himself, making off with more than $69,000 worth of perfume. [More]
Are Mobile Phone Apps To Play State Lotteries Actually Legal?
By 6.7.16
If you can make everything in your life from food delivery to rides to dates happen by tapping on your smartphone, why can’t you play legal state lotteries on your phone? There are mobile apps on the market that claim to be 100% compliant with state lottery laws, offering the equivalent of sending a friend down to the gas station to pick up a Powerball ticket for you. Are they really cool with the authorities? [More]
New York’s Tampon Tax Will Soon Be A Thing Of The Past
By 5.25.16
It looks like women in New York will be saving some money when they buy tampons in the future, now that the state’s Assembly has agreed with the Senate, and unanimously voted to repeal a sales tax on feminine hygiene products. [More]
New York Sues Domino’s Pizza HQ, Alleges Underpayment Of Workers
By 5.24.16
A new lawsuit filed by New York state prosecutors accuses Domino’s Pizza and three Domino’s franchisees of underpaying workers at 10 stores by at least $565,000. Meanwhile, Domino’s HQ contends it should not be a defendant because franchisees are responsible for handling issues of pay. [More]
Group That Is Totally Not A Union Can Represent New York City’s Uber Drivers
By 5.10.16
The people who drive for Uber in New York City are independent contractors and not employees of the ride-hailing service, at least according to current laws. Drivers know that, but want a union-like group that would advocate for workers’ concerns with the company, even if it doesn’t engage in collective bargaining to set fares. Uber has agreed to work with a non-union, the Independent Drivers Guild, which will meet with the company and help drivers appeal when they’re “deactivated,” or fired. [More]
143 NY Nail Salons Ordered To Pay Employees $2M In Back Wages
By 5.9.16
The New York task force created last year by the state to combat nail salon labor abuses is having an effect on the industry, with the group announcing today that it’s ordered a slew of nail salons to pay millions in back wages to employees. [More]
Construction Workers Caught Forklifting Cars Onto Sidewalks
By 5.3.16
In New York City, construction companies can get temporary “No Parking” orders to make it easier to move their equipment and materials in and around a job site. And while drivers who ignore these signs can have their vehicles ticketed and towed, the construction workers do not have the authority to relocate those cars with a forklift. [More]
Why Is An Old Billboard A Treasured Symbol But A New One Is An Eyesore?
By 5.3.16
If someone told you today that a new, brightly lit neon sign was going up across the street from where you live, you might react with disgust at the thought of such a commercial eyesore invading the skyline of your community. Yet when some older sign or billboard is threatened, everyone is suddenly up in arms, rushing to its defense. How does something as mundane as outdoor advertising grow to become considered an essential piece of the urban fabric? [More]
Walgreens, Duane Reade To Pay $500,000 For Overcharging, Misleading Customers
By 4.21.16
When you see a “sale” price on a store shelf, you expect to pay that price at the register. When you see something marked as a “Great Buy,” you might believe that it’s been discounted. And when a store advertises a “Last Chance” or “Clearance” sale, you probably have reason to think that those items won’t be in stock much longer. But Walgreens — and its subsidiary Duane Reade — have different ways of thinking about the above scenarios, and it’s gotten them into trouble with the state of New York. [More]
Legislators Put The Kibosh On New York’s Tampon Sales Tax
By 4.12.16
Tampons are about to get a little bit cheaper for New York residents, after the state’s senate unanimously approved a bill that exempts feminine hygiene products from sales tax. [More]
New York Bill Would Require Drivers Involved In Crashes To Submit Phones To “Textalyzer”
By 4.12.16
Would a requirement to submit your phone to field testing to determine if you were texting or otherwise using the device before a motor vehicle crash prevent you from engaging in distracted driving? That’s the hope behind recently introduced legislation in New York and a device being dubbed a “textalyzer.” [More]
DraftKings, FanDuel Stop Doing Business In New York State
By 3.21.16
In the middle of their courtroom fight with New York state over the legality of daily fantasy sports [DFS] contests, both DraftKings and FanDuel have agreed to stop doing business with Empire State residents. [More]
Appeals Court Reinstates Fraud Case Against Trump University
By 3.1.16
Back in Aug. 2013, the New York state attorney general’s office sued Donald Trump and Trump University, alleging that the for-profit investment school had tricked students out of $40 million by misleading them into thinking they were paying for a licensed education program with instructors handpicked by Trump. Today, a state appeals court panel breathed new life into the lawsuit, meaning the fraud case can move forward. [More]
