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Marion, SC, High School Student Wins SkillsUSA State Championship, Will Compete at National Level
Marion High School senior and student at the Academy for Careers & Technology (ACT) Zane Butler won the Skills USA State Championship for Collision Repair Technology held recently in Greenville, SC
Zane Butler, a senior at the Academy for Careers & Technology (ACT) and Marion High School won the Skills USA State Championship for Collision Repair Technology held recently in Greenville, SC. Butler competed in four phases; fixing dents, plastic repair, frame work and welding. Each hour and a half section was judged on how safely the contestant worked throughout the process, using the correct safety equipment, as well as how well the quality of work on the final product. He will be traveling to Louisville See SC SkillsUSA, Page 40
Employment Security Bill in GA Will be Revisited by State House of Representatives by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
In Georgia, an employment security bill introduced to the state House of Representatives earlier this year is not scheduled to be heard again this legislative session. Bill HB500 addresses independent contractor compliance and misclassification. Introduced in February, the bill passed out of the House of Representatives Industry and Labor Committee on March 9 and was then withdrawn on April 2 and re-committed to the same committee. It will be revisited next legislative session in January 2016.
The bill proposes that services performed by an individual for wages shall be deemed to be employment unless: 1) the Department of Labor makes a contrary determination based upon evidence submitted of certain factors demonstrating that such individual has been and will continue to be free from control or direction over the performance of such services and as demonstrated by evidence that the individual is not prohibited from working for other companies; is free to accept or reject work assignments without consequence, is not prescribed minimum
VOL. 6 ISSUE 4 JUNE 2015
Lead Lawyer for MDL Plaintiffs in FL Discusses New Developments, ‘Bellwether’ Proposal by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Autobody News recently spoke to John Eaves Jr. of Eaves Law Firm about the recent developments with the antitrust multidistrict litigation taking place in Florida, in which body shops across the country are alleging “steering” and other retaliatory practices by the nation’s top insurers. Eaves is the lead attorney for the plaintiffs on the case: A&E Auto Body, Inc., et al vs. 21st Century Centennial Insurance Company, et al. He said that during their regularly scheduled monthly hearing in May, Florida Magistrate Judge Thomas Smith suggested preparing a “bellwether” case to move the lawsuit along faster. Typically, in a bellwether trial the judge and parties select a rep-
resentative sample from the parties involved to move the overall litigation toward a resolution. The Jackson, Mississippi-based firm is currently preparing a motion to implement this type of trial. Eaves explained that this often happens in a mass torte case and will speed things up tremendously. After this is implemented, Eaves will continue to file cases brought on by body shops in additional states and a court date will be set. In the meantime, the firm has been collecting affidavits and specific information from body shops and former adjusters across the country to include as part of the injunction they are filing. “We’ve been getting additional See New MDL Developments, Page 14
AAAS Prepares for Conference and Trade Show by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On June 11-14, the Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast (AAAS) will hold their 2015 Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Sandestin Village of Baytowne Wharf in Destin, FL. This yearly event provides an op-
See GA Employment Bill, Page 8
AAAS will hold their 2015 Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Sandestin Village of Baytowne Wharf in Destin, FL
portunity for industry professionals to enjoy a great weekend filled with educational topics and networking opportunities. The event kicks off on Thursday evening with a Welcome Reception,
and on Friday morning, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a fun deep sea fishing adventure in the Gulf of Mexico aboard the Destination which features a 20 by 20 foot fishing deck. At 2 PM on Friday, AAAS will hold their Board of Directors meeting, followed by the Chairman’s Reception at 6 PM. The educational portion of the event will commence on Saturday morning with AAAS Chairman Jarrett Liles welcoming attendees and delivering reports on the state of the association. The first guest speaker will be Larry Pavey, President of Federated Auto Parts, who will deliver his keynote presentation entitled “Aftermarket Changes and Trends Impacting You and Your Business.” Next, tax attorney Jeff Patterson will provide insights into the overwhelming process of third-party tax audits in “Preparing For and Facing a Third Party Government Audit.” See AAAS Trade Show, Page 6
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