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CAS America Wins Remodeling Award for State-of-the-Art Closettec Showroom Design

READING, MA AND NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI… CAS America, a family-owned manufacturing company that designs and produces customer-specific casework, is a winner of the 2022 Chrysalis Award for Remodeling Excellence.  

Continuing to set new standards of professionalism, 79 companies from across the United States were named winners at the 2022 Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence. The entries were judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original structure.

CAS America was honored with the prestigious Chrysalis Award for their innovative design of the Closettec Showroom, which features prototypes of custom-designed and custom-built quality storage solutions for home and office. Making closet design fun and interesting, the showroom included traditional walk-in closets, Murphy wall beds, custom bookcases, a Mudroom, an innovative laundry room featuring a Pet station and more. The design breaks the traditional showroom model of a boring plain closet and showcases a whole home layout highlighting total home storage solutions utilizing the latest products, lighting and accessories.  What also makes it unique is that all displays were manufactured locally and feature products from the multiple divisions of The Beck Companies. This is the first Chrysalis Award for CAS America.

There are three Closettec Showrooms – one in the manufacturing facility in North Smithfield, RI, another is a state-of-the-art mobile showroom, and their newest location is inside Jordan’s Furniture in Reading, MA. CAS America and Closettec are among the The Beck Companies’ family of five companies based in North Smithfield, RI. 

“This was the first year they have entered the awards, and to take home top honors on the first attempt is impressive,” says Ken Kanline, Director of the Awards.

According to Tracey Beck, owner of The Beck Companies, “This has far exceeded our expectations and we are incredibly proud CAS America was named among the best in the remodeling industry.”

The Chrysalis Awards program, begun in 1994, recognizes the nation’s best work in fourteen general categories of residential and commercial remodeling. The Chrysalis Awards are open to every professional remodeler and design professional in the United States.

Pictures and summaries of the 2022 award-winning projects can be seen on Chrysalis website www.chrysalisawards.com beginning in August. 

About CAS America
CAS America is a family-owned manufacturing company providing end-to-end casework and countertop fabrication that is used in a variety of environments such as: Commercial, Administrative, Healthcare, Medical-Dental, Residential and Component Parts to name a few. CAS America operates alongside Closettec, Great American Recreation, Dark Horse Metal fabrication and KB Surfaces in an expansive facility in North Smithfield, RI. Visit www.casamerica.com

About Closettec
Serving New England since 1985, Closettec specializes in custom-designed, custom-fitted, and custom-built quality storage solutions. With their own staff of craftsmen and designers, Closettec team collaborates with you to design a solution that fits your needs and helps you stay organized while adding value to your home or office. Closettec offers on-site measurement at no charge, and provides manufacturing and installation services on all products. Closettec showroom is located in Reading MA or call us and we will bring the showroom to you. The company is headquartered in North Smithfield, RI. Visit closettec.com or contact 1-800-880-6792.

The Beck Companies
Within an 85,000 square foot facility in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, The Beck Companies has created a state-of-the-art, multi-specialty showroom, design, and high-tech fabrication/manufacturing megaplex for the wholesale fabrication of total project interior products such as countertops for kitchens, vanities, as well as commercial applications such as desks, bars, conference tables etc. Some of the countertop mediums manufactured feature granite, marble, soapstone, engineered stone, porcelain, stainless steel, laminate, solid surface and solid wood .  Along with this impressive array are custom closets and commercial casegoods. Strategically located under one sprawling roof is their family of companies, including KB Surfaces, CAS America, Closettec, Great American Recreation and Dark Horse Metal fabrication. Each division specializes in a distinct manufacturing skill set that complement and build upon each other to create a seamless manufacturing process unique in the industry. For more information, visit www.thebeckcos.com.

CAS America Wins Remodeling Award for State-of-the-Art Closettec Showroom DesignRead More

Personal College Counseling, Inc. Navigating Dual Degree/Joint Degree Opportunities

When it comes to college admissions, the interview process can be a bit daunting. Now imagine the application and admission process for dual degrees in highly competitive fields such as medicine and law.

With the mission to help each student who wants to succeed in college and beyond to find the college or university that is the best fit for them, Attorney Honoria DaSilva-Kilgore of Personal College Counseling, Inc. (PCCI) based in Raynham, MA, can help students navigate a complex and challenging application and admissions process, along with merit and financial aid process especially, if you want to find a joint degree program that’s right for you.

“Students who are undertaking dual degree programs must be academically highly qualified as well as super-motivated,” explained Attorney DaSilva-Kilgore. “Dual or joint degree programs are accelerated programs offered at a college or university in conjunction with a grad school where a student will graduate from college with a B.A. or B.S. degree but some of their credits automatically count towards their Master’s, JD or MBA, thereby reducing the time needed to complete the graduate program and saving them money. More importantly, it can give the college student direct access to law or medical school where the acceptance rates are even more competitive. These programs give students automatic entry or a direct pathway to the grad program at the next institution.”
    
Attorney DaSilva-Kilgore helps focus effort on colleges that academically, socially and financially are most appropriate, which puts the student in the best position to succeed in the accelerated program itself as well as beyond – in their career. 

Attorney Honoria DaSilva-Kilgore

Attorney DaSilva-Kilgore continued, “Some universities offer several joint degrees – law, medicine, engineering to name a few.  Typically, these colleges can help their students get to the next level and save the student time and money. When a college has one of these affiliated programs it’s indicative that their college is well respected in that field and prepares their students well. They may be smaller than many of the “big name” schools you may be familiar with but in my opinion, these are hidden gems even if you are not in the accelerated program. For example, Drew University, a highly respected liberal arts school in Madison, N.J., has a 77 percent first time acceptance rate for medical school. Compare that to the national average of only 43 percent and you can see what I’m talking about.”

Dual degrees help to set the student apart, particularly in highly competitive fields such as medicine. For example, the admission rates for Physician Assistant programs nationwide is only about 31 percent which is even harder to get into than medical school. PCCI helps students navigate the unique application and admission challenges.

PCCI was established to help students and their parents/guardians pick the best school that puts them on the path to success. Essentially, PCCI helps determine which colleges and universities address the student’s academic and social needs; inspires them to achieve inside and outside of the classroom; provides them with tools for success, and is a good return on investment. PCCI offers an affordable, flat-fee based college search and application services to find the best college fit for a student.

PCCI’s services are available to students in all 50 states via video conferencing or via telephone. Virtual services as well as in-person, socially distanced services are available. For more information about PCCI or to arrange for a complimentary Parent/Student Personal College Consultation, visit the website at https://www.personalcollegecounseling.com or email nod@personalcollegecounseling.com.

About PCCI
Founded by Honoria DaSilva-Kilgore, Esq. who has been practicing law for more than 29 years, Personal College Counseling, Inc. (PCCI) provides high school students (and parents/guardians) with one-on-one guidance throughout the entire college preparation process. PCCI’s college planning includes research and recommendations that are specifically targeted and provide the best fit to the student’s abilities, interests, finances, and family circumstances. PCCI takes into consideration university and campus life; programs, internships and study abroad; athletics (Division I, II, and III) and clubs and intramurals. PCCI manages all important deadlines for testing, applications and forms, and assists with merit-based scholarships and financial aid. PCCI’s services are available to students in all 50 states via video conferencing or via telephone. 

PCCI is based in Raynham, MA. For more information or to arrange for a complimentary Parent/Student Personal College Consultation, contact (508) 622-5250, email nod@personalcollegecounseling.com or visit the website at https://www.personalcollegecounseling.com

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OCES Receives $5K Donation in Support of Nutrition Program

AVON, BROCKTON AND PLYMOUTH, MA… With offices in Brockton and Plymouth, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) has received a generous donation from the PPG Foundation on behalf of its aerospace facility located in Avon, MA.   
 
OCES is a nonprofit agency proudly serving older adults and individuals with disabilities throughout Plymouth County as well as Avon, Stoughton and Easton, MA. The PPG Foundation supports local organizations and has made a $5,000 donation to OCES’ Nutrition Program for home delivered meals. 
 
Addressing Food Insecurity 
This is the second donation that PPG has made to OCES in support of the Nutrition Program since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the number of home delivered meals dramatically increased in greater Plymouth County and that demand continues as many older adults and individuals with disabilities are experiencing food insecurity. For many who are homebound, the daily home delivered meal also serves as a safety check.   
                                                                                                                                                             
OCES provides 42,000 nutritious meals each month to older adults and individuals with disabilities living within their service area. All meals are planned by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and with the help of hundreds of volunteers, are served in community settings or delivered to individuals.  
 
“We are extremely grateful to the PPG Foundation for their support of our Meals on Wheels program over the past two years,” said Nicole Long, CEO. “PPG’s donation helps us ensure that our most vulnerable residents receive daily nutritionally-sound and satisfying meals.” 
 
For more information about Meals on Wheels or other services, contact OCES’ Information and Referral Department at 508-584-1561.  
 
PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™ 
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $13.3 billion in 2021. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. 
 
About OCES 
Founded in 1974, OCES proudly serves greater Plymouth County and surrounding communities. OCES is a private, non-profit organization headquartered in Brockton with a second office in Plymouth. OCES is designated as one of 25 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’ mission is to support the independence and dignity of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency offers a number of programs to serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call 508-584-1561 or visit www.ocesma.org.  
 
We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. 

OCES Receives $5K Donation in Support of Nutrition ProgramRead More

Working voices continue to resonate on the “South Coast Working” podcast launched by the Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center. 

Two new episodes of the “South Coast Working” podcast have been published.

“South Coast Working” is a new podcast and promotes the voice of working people and those who continue to build the South Coast each and every day.  From the docks to the mills to the classrooms to the roadways, working people add a voice and life to the region. 

This podcast is developed by the Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center. 

The episode “Diversifying the Construction Trades on the South Coast” is hosted and produced by Andrea Muraskin, a Bay State-based audio producer.

Construction work is one of the few careers left in the United States where a person can make a good living without a college degree. However, it’s also one of the few fields available to high school graduates with a work force that’s still predominantly white and male. So, what will it take for women and people of color to get a bigger piece of the pie, and to land the construction jobs that provide the best wages, benefits, and safety standards – union jobs—and benefit from Massachusetts’ building boom?

In this episode you’ll meet Tara Williams, who brought herself and her children out of poverty through determination, and a brand-new career in the building trades. You’ll learn about the training program where Tara got her start, and Vineyard Wind, the first-in-the-nation green energy project that’s bringing new union construction jobs to the South Coast. Also covered is the shadow side of the construction economy – the exploitation of undocumented workers – and efforts to bring their employers to justice.

The second new episode is entitled “Union Strong in Nursing Homes in The Age of Covid,” and is hosted and produced by independent journalist Kortni Smyers-Jones In the early months of the pandemic, health care workers were lauded as heroes, especially those who worked with the most vulnerable – the elderly and people who couldn’t take care of themselves. From March to September 2020, nursing home residents made up 40% of COVID-19 deaths.  Nursing home residents are at high risk because of their age, higher rates of pre-existing illness, and the close quarters they live in. However, a report published in the journal Health Affairs found that nursing homes in New York State where the workers belonged to a union experienced a 30% lower mortality rate, compared to facilities in the state where the workers were not unionized.

So why the difference? In this episode, journalist Kortni Smyers-Jones speaks with study co-author Adam Dean of George Washington University, healthcare workers, and union leadership to get answers.

South Coast Working is a project of the Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center.  Learn more at https://www.umassd.edu/labored/

About – Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center

The Labor Education Center serves as a bridge between the university, the labor movement, and the local community.  The Center creates internships for students, programming on campus focused on social change for justice and organizing and external training is available to workers and worker centers, unions, and labor councils in the region. This includes training for officers, members and stewards through a statewide Labor Extension Program.

Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center is located at 334 Union Street, New Bedford, MA.  For additional information about the Labor Center or the podcast contact the Center at https://www.umassd.edu/labored/ or 508-817-1851.

<strong>Working voices continue to resonate on the “South Coast Working” podcast launched by the Arnold M Dubin / UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center. </strong>Read More

Backhanded complement.  Tennis Tournament added to Hart Speech Foundation Golf Tournament.

DATELINE – PLYMOUTH, MA…

Tennis anyone?  A tennis tournament has been added to the 11th Annual Hart Speech Foundation Golf Tournament.  Both tennis and golf are scheduled for Monday, October 10 at Pinehills, Plymouth, MA. 

Tennis players of all levels, from beginner/hacker to advanced are encouraged to participate. The donation to participate in this doubles, round-robin format is $95.  The tennis tournament will be limited to 12 players.

The tennis competition will be held from 3 – 5 p.m.  at Pinehills and will utilize the community’s well maintained, indoor tennis courts at the Village Racquet & Fitness Club, 30 Golf Dr, Plymouth, MA 02360.

On the golf side, the Nicklaus Design Course at Pinehills Golf Club is a bucolic expanse created to rival the country’s most prestigious golf clubs. Conveniently located just off Route 3 at Exit 3 in Plymouth, Massachusetts – just a short drive away from Boston and Cape Cod – Pinehills Golf Club is spectacularly set on over 300 acres of rolling hills punctuated by dramatic, glacially carved kettles and kames.  From the beginner to the most experienced low handicap player, every member can test their skills on one of the best championship layouts in Massachusetts.

The golf tournament will feature a modified shotgun format.  The tournament will begin at 11:00 a.m.  The schedule of events includes registration at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm; 12:30 pm – shotgun tee-off & format: modified scramble; 4:00 pm- cocktails (cash bar); 5:00 pm – award dinner, raffle, silent auction. 

The registration fee includes golf with cart and awards dinner. Donation is $700 for a foursome or $175 for a single golfer.  There is also a dinner only option for non-golfers. Dinner only cost is $65.

Tournament sponsorships are available. Auction items are welcome.

Sponsorship opportunities include:

            Tournament                       $2,500

            Dinner                                $1,500

            Cart                                    $1,000

            Putting, closest to pin       $250

The Hart Speech Foundation is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  The non-profit organization is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals who stutter through advocacy and scholarships for those in need of services.

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Don Hart (617) 852-8855 or via email at dphartlaw@verizon.net .

Backhanded complement.  Tennis Tournament added to Hart Speech Foundation Golf Tournament.Read More

OCES Receives $4,000 Donation from Good Samaritan Medical Center

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the non-profit agency proudly serving older adults and individuals with disabilities throughout greater Plymouth County, has received a $4,000 donation to their Supportive Housing Program from Good Samaritan Medical Center of Brockton.

“We are very grateful to Good Samaritan Medical Center for their generous donation as it directly benefits our Supportive Housing consumers in Brockton and Abington Housing Authority locations,” said Elizabeth Weiner, OCES’ Housing Programs Manager who oversees all of OCES’ supportive and congregate housing programs.
    
The goal of supportive housing is to integrate community resources, information, and services for the individuals who reside at a particular local housing authority site, and essentially to enrich the lives of those residents. Supportive housing programs are designed to create a community environment which allows residents to age in place.

Through the OCES Supportive Housing Program, a specialist from OCES’ housing team conducts an assessment to determine the specific needs of each resident residing within Abington and Brockton Housing Authorities. All residents at these sites are eligible for information and referral services, case management assistance, and access to social or educational programs. Depending on eligibility many other services are also available.

For more information about OCES’ Housing Programs, visit www.ocesma.org or call OCES at 508-584-1561.

For more information about Good Samaritan Medical Center, a Steward Family Hospital, visit
www.goodsamaritanmedical.org

About OCES
Founded in 1974, OCES proudly serves greater Plymouth County and surrounding communities. OCES is a private, non-profit organization headquartered in Brockton with a second office in Plymouth. OCES is designated as one of 25 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’ mission is to support the independence and dignity of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency offers a number of programs to serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call 508-584-1561 or visit www.ocesma.org.

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Working with, not against, your employees. SaferUpdates podcast outlines performance management. Set for Wednesday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.

Attracting and retaining employeeas is the biggest challenge in business today.  Everyone is competing for the same employee. That person is motivated, reliable, honest and a problem-solver.

The free Performance Management podcast and discussion is sponsored by Safer Places and SteinbergHR. The podcast addresses best practices in inspiring, engaging and motivating staff to optimize performance, along with personal and business goals. The complimentary virtual event is set for Wednesday, June 22, 1 – 1:30 p.m.

The podcast is tailored to HR  professionals and C-level executives.  To RSVP, please visithttps://www.saferplacesinc.com/podcast.

Attendees will learn about developing employee plans and goals; how to engage employee-manager conversations; how to better prepare employees to discuss performance; establishing employee reviews; and building stepping stones to success. 

Performance management involves every employee – each with their own specific roles and goals. Performance management systems can help managers track and monitor individual performance, as well as entire departments and the broader organization.

The discussion will be led by Meghan Steinberg, PHR, SHRM-CP, Founder and President of SteinbergHR which is a woman-owned boutique human resources consulting firm based on South Shore Massachusetts. The firm offers strategic partnering to cover the full employee life cycle and productivity on a part-time, project or interim base.  Moderator of the podcast is Dave Sawyer, founder and CEO of Safer Places, a full-service screening, testing and consulting organization whose mission is to provide companies with the specific tests that best their needs for background screening, drug testing and security consulting.

To participate in the Performance Management webinar, RSVP

https://www.saferplacesinc.com/podcast

Working with, not against, your employees. SaferUpdates podcast outlines performance management. Set for Wednesday, June 22 at 1:00 p.m.Read More

Green Goddess Supply Eyes Growth
via SEC Reg CF Securities Offering

The Cannabis Technology Brand is Raising Funds to Grow and Expand Product Offerings, Market Share and Brand Awareness

HOPEDALE, MA (MAY 12, 2022) – Today, Green Goddess Supply announced the launch of their SEC-approved Regulation Crowdfunding raise (aka “Reg CF”) on the StartEngine.com platform. The Massachusetts-based business empowers anyone to grow their own legal herbs at home themselves, quickly, easily, discreetly and inexpensively.  

Unlike typical start-ups, the company has been around a few years. Initially funded by management and “friends and family,” Green Goddess Supply has built an impressive catalog of cannabis-centric accessory products including storage boxes, rolling trays, grinders, pipes and more. The crown jewel in its product line is the critically acclaimed, award-winning personal home grow system sold and marketed as “The Armoire.” Now, with U.S. patent in-hand and rave reviews, the company believes The Armoire is ready for prime time.

“We are incredibly excited to launch this initiative,” said Founder and CEO, Eric Robichaud. He continued, “What’s impressive to me is management’s ability to build, ship and deliver almost 600 systems during the global pandemic that has been riddled with supply chain obstacles and seemingly never ending “red tape” including, but not limited to, price gouging for Ocean Freight, new hidden costs such as “port congestion,” scarce and expensive domestic LTL shipping, supply chain and materials delays, and more.”  The company has overcome these obstacles and is expanding The Armoire product line with new, higher-margin models ready for the 2022 holiday selling season. This capital raise will enable the company to continue to expand the product line, and scale sales and marketing.

Robichaud points out that The Armoire isn’t “just some idea” – it’s gone through R&D, prototyping, pre-production and into production. The company has built-out shipping and warehousing capabilities, internal and external systems and processes, and more. “It’s amazing to see the results of these Armoire units successfully deployed in homes across the country, which have been able to really help to change and improve lives! We’re now ready to scale up and bring it to the masses,” he said.

With this offering, the company will gain access to over 750,000 investors via the StartEngine Regulation CF platform, to showcase their unique, patented cannabis home grow system.

“We are part of a larger, DISRUPTIVE revolution: investing in private companies in red-hot sectors before they go public or are sold,” said Vincent Bitetti, inventor of The Armoire and Chief Cannabis Officer at Green Goddess Supply.  “Under Reg CF, companies apply via a highly-regulated system, akin to going public. It all takes place through an SEC-registered intermediary, either a broker-dealer or a funding portal such as StartEngine.com.” These rules are relatively new—the SEC approved Reg CF in 2017. For the first time ever, this enables eligible companies to offer and sell securities through crowdfunding. And similarly, it allows individual investors to access pre-IPO businesses that were previously only accessible to accredited investors – typically via private placements as companies prepare to go public.

The Regulation Crowdfunding campaign is being hosted on the StartEngine.com platform. Interested parties can search “Green Goddess Supply” on StartEngine.com or follow this link directly to the campaign page:   https://www.startengine.com/green-goddess      There are special incentives, such as free bonus shares, for investors who commit early in the campaign.

ABOUT GREEN GODDESS SUPPLY

Green Goddess Supply is a “cultivation to consumption” cannabis technology lifestyle brand offering a line of high-quality products to grow, store, prep and consume hemp flower and cannabis products. The company sells direct to consumers at MSRP through its website, and also offers wholesale and distributor accounts to brick and mortar storefronts and industry distributors. Green Goddess Supply strives to exceed expectations and delight customers with quality products and amazing customer service.  The Armoire is a trademark of Green Goddess Supply. Green Goddess Supply is a privately held company headquartered in Hopedale, MA with additional warehousing and distribution partners in Los Angeles, CA; Long Island City, NY and Pooler, GA. For more information about Green Goddess Supply, visit the website at https://www.GreenGoddessSupply.com/  

INVESTOR RELATIONS

617 765-2334 x100

IR@GreenGoddessSupply.com

https://www.GreenGoddessSupply.com

@greengoddesssupply on Instagram and Facebook

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Collision course to the State House.  Demonstration and Motorcade by Auto Body Industry set for May 18. 

BOSTON, MA — In response to a  state house hearing on labor rate reimbursed for collision repairs, several hundred Massachusetts auto body shop owners, family members, employees, voc-tech students and supporters are expected to converge on the State House. In addition to community demonstration of support, a motorcade of flatbed trucks topped with damaged cars will circle the area.

The Collision Course event is set for Wednesday, May 18 at 10:30 a.m. – rain or shine.  The event is led by The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA).  

Scheduled speakers include State Representative James K. Hawkins, D-2nd Bristol; Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, Executive Director, AASP/MA; Kevin Gallerani, President of AASP/MA and owner of Cape Auto Collision Center, Plymouth, MA; Jack Lamborghini, co-owner of Total Care Accident Repair in Raynham, MA; Guy Glodis, Former State Senator, D-2nd Worcester who led Financial Services Committee as a legislator; and Dennise Caratazzola, concerned consumer from Bridgewater. 

The group is protesting the unsustainably low reimbursement rates that were artificially set by insurance companies. 

In a statement, State Senator Michael O. Moore, D-2nd Worcester noted,“The current Labor Rate for the auto body industry in unfair and unsustainable.  I will continue to advocate for a legislative change that increases the labor rate to make the industry viable and consumers safe.”

Brian Bernard, co-owner of Total Care Accident Repair in Raynham,  an independent collision center owner, said the current $40-per-hour reimbursement rate is the lowest in the nation and falls far short of covering the body shop owners’ labor, equipment, training and repair costs.  As a result, unfortunately, many consumers have to pay the difference out of pocket, he said.

Bernard said the labor reimbursement rates paid by Massachusetts auto insurers have stayed the same for 11 years.  

The rates only moved $10 in nearly 34 years. Since 1988 the labor rate has increased $10 while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased 137.7% and insurance premiums have increased 254%. 

Additionally, advanced technology has resulted in cars becoming far more complex and expensive to repair.  Additional training and equipment have forced Massachusetts auto body shop owners to invest far more to get paid less, Bernard said. 

“It’s tremendously unfair to consumers who pay thousands of dollars in premiums to have their insurance companies tell them they’re not going to cover the cost of their repairs.  We’ve done our best to bring attention to this issue, but at this point we need to make it clear to insurers and consumers that we cannot do this work at the current reimbursement rates,” Bernard said. 

The final report, issued on April 13, 2022, of the Special Commission on Auto Body Labor Rates outlines the issues that require a vote by the state legislature to rectify. The full report can be found at https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/SD3104.

For more information about the Collision Course to the State House rally, visit AASPMA.org/rally

Collision course to the State House.  Demonstration and Motorcade by Auto Body Industry set for May 18. Read More