On Tuesday, September 25, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor released the final rule raising the minimum salary an employee must make to be exempt from overtime and, as a result, making more salaried employee eligible for overtime compensation. The rule may be found here. The changes to the rule closely track the proposed rule published last March. The most significant change is, as expected, an increase in the amount an employee must earn to qualify for exempt status.

The General Assembly has enacted significant legislation affecting planning and development regulations in North Carolina. A newly released legislative bulletin summarizes the changes already enacted. The most significant land use legislation is the adoption of Chapter 160D, a new chapter of the General Statutes that consolidates the prior city- and county-enabling authority and implements a range of consensus clarifications and reforms. These changes will require updates to all local government development regulations by 2021.

The General Assembly has enacted significant legislation affecting planning and development regulations in North Carolina. A newly released legislative bulletin summarizes the changes already enacted. The most significant land use legislation is the adoption of Chapter 160D, a new chapter of the General Statutes that consolidates the prior city- and county-enabling authority and implements a range of consensus clarifications and reforms. These changes will require updates to all local government development regulations by 2021.

Downtown Durham is hot.  Millions of square feet of new and renovated residential and commercial properties hit the market this year, including luxury condos atop the city’s new tallest building.

Downtown Durham is hot.  Millions of square feet of new and renovated residential and commercial properties hit the market this year, including luxury condos atop the city’s new tallest building.

For those not familiar with Chapter 22B of the North Carolina General Statutes, this Chapter prohibits certain contract provisions by making those provisions void and unenforceable as a matter of public policy. The restrictions in Chapter 22B apply to all contracts, including those with a governmental entity as well as those between private parties.

For those not familiar with Chapter 22B of the North Carolina General Statutes, this Chapter prohibits certain contract provisions by making those provisions void and unenforceable as a matter of public policy. The restrictions in Chapter 22B apply to all contracts, including those with a governmental entity as well as those between private parties.

Pardon the pun, but I couldn’t resist that title for a blog post on the subject of property tax interest.  Usually when we think of interest we think of the additional amount owed by taxpayers who fail to pay their taxes by January 6, the delinquency date. But today I’m writing about interest that might be owed by a local government to a taxpayer on a refund.

Pardon the pun, but I couldn’t resist that title for a blog post on the subject of property tax interest.  Usually when we think of interest we think of the additional amount owed by taxpayers who fail to pay their taxes by January 6, the delinquency date. But today I’m writing about interest that might be owed by a local government to a taxpayer on a refund.

North Carolina law says: The public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions are the property of the people. (GS 132-1(b))This powerful commitment to transparency wouldn’t mean much if the custodians of public records could simply destroy any or all records, at will.