Allegheny Inspection Service, Inc. v. North Union Township

**What Happened** This case involved a dispute over who could perform building inspections in North Union Township, Pennsylvania. Allegheny Inspection Service, a private company, challenged the township's decision to hire only one inspection company to handle all building code compliance checks. The inspection service argued that municipalities couldn't exclude other certified inspectors from doing this work. **What the Court Decided** The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in favor of North Union Township. The court found that local governments have the legal authority to contract with a single third-party company to perform all building inspections, even if this means excluding other qualified inspection services. The court determined that inspection work falls under a municipality's power to administer and enforce building codes. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling affects workers in the building inspection industry by allowing local governments to create exclusive contracts with single inspection companies. This could limit job opportunities for independent inspectors or those working for competing firms, as municipalities can now legally choose one provider over others. However, it also provides clarity about municipal authority, which could lead to more streamlined inspection processes in construction projects.