Nadeau Painting Specialist, Ltd. v. Dalcor Property Management, Inc.

**What Happened:** Nadeau Painting Specialist sued Dalcor Property Management for unpaid invoices after providing painting services at apartment properties. The painting company claimed Dalcor owed them money for work they had completed. However, Dalcor argued they were just managing the properties for the actual owners and had hired Nadeau on behalf of those owners, not for themselves. **What the Court Decided:** The court ruled in favor of Dalcor Property Management. The judge found that Dalcor was acting as a "disclosed agent" - meaning they were clearly representing the property owners when they hired the painting company. Since Nadeau knew Dalcor was working for the property owners (not as the actual customer), Dalcor wasn't responsible for paying the bills. The property owners were the ones who actually owed the money. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling shows the importance of understanding who your real employer or customer is when working through management companies or agents. Workers and contractors should always clarify who will actually pay them and make sure contracts clearly identify the responsible party. When someone is acting as an agent for others, the agent may not be liable for payment - the actual principals (property owners in this case) are responsible.