Title: I won’t be living in my apartment for the last 3 months of the lease because I’ll be back home from college. Do I still have to pay those months rent?

Question:
My apartment operates on a 12 month lease period just for the school year but I will be out of school for the year in May leaving June, July and August without anyone living in my apartment.

Is it possible to just like get out of the lease or something so I don’t have to pay the 3 months because that seems slightly unfair. My complex also said one time that I don’t have to pay for the months I am not living there (since there was no pro-rating) but I never saw that stated in the lease documents.

I am just wondering what is the correct course of action here so I can make sure I don’t mess up my renting history and credit history somehow and can make sure I am not wasting money.

(This is also in Pullman, Washington and I will be 21 in a month)
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Odds are you're gonna have to pay the 3months.
Regardless if you're there or not you signed a contract saying you'd be there for 12months. You committed to that timeframe Answer #2: > My complex also said one time that I don’t have to pay for the months I am not living there

Talk to them again. They may be willing to give you an addendum, but as is, you have to pay for the entirety of your lease. Don't forget to give appropriate notice before the lease is up


Title: Following legaladvice threads to BOLA

Question: In old reddit, there used to be a link from legaladvice to bestoflegaladvice when posts were cross posted, so it  was easy to follow them.  This doesn't seem to be the case anymore?  I am probably just missing something obvious, but if I see the little "BOLA posted" flair in front of a post, how do I find it in BOLA?

Answer: I think that was just a couple mods courtesy-posting on locked updates. I don’t recall seeing it often. I agree though, it’s nice when it happens.


Title: Blood drive giving prizes to donors, but not deferred donors.

Question:
I'm more interested in this from an academic standpoint than a realistic one (I have no plans to take legal action regardless of what I'm told about this.) I am in Arkansas, USA, and am interested in this question both at the local and national level.

Arkansas Blood Institute is holding a blood drive at my college campus. They are giving out a ticket to a local theme park (worth $60) for donors. I am deferred due to the MSM policy. I have both asked the ABI people in person and called their online number to confirm that deferred donors will not receive the ticket.

I am curious about the legality of this. At this point I care less about the ticket than I do the academic/legal side of this. Please inform me! : )

**Edit: Just got off the phone with the ABI for the third time. According to the woman I spoke with, the tickets were donated to ABI by the theme park, and those donations are being labeled at "Volunteer Donor".**

Answer:
 This actually may be interesting. The FDA has descriptions of paid versus volunteer donors ( http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm122798.htm) and by my understanding this difference MIGHT be a cause for concern. I used to be middle management in the Red Cross blood program and we also made certain to offer the incentives to all potential donors to prevent this scenario. We were led to believe that otherwise would be a violation of this FDA mandate.

Apologies for crappy mobile formatting Answer #2: If they're compensating people for donating, they are not volunteer blood donors, and the blood and blood components that come from that donation can't bear the 1-inch high red-lettered "VOLUNTEER DONOR" label.

There's nothing "illegal" about compensating blood donors, but there is plenty of volunteer blood, and it's safer, so other blood banks, and hospitals, typically do not accept non-volunteer blood. (Derivative manufacturing--plasma centers--are somewhat different). According to ABI's own web site there is a state law prohibiting transfusion of non-volunteer blood; I don't know if that's true or not.

Someone is asleep at the wheel in the Arkansas Blood Institute's compliance department. If you'd like to complain, you can try to report a problem to the FDA's CBER, which regulates blood banks, at (800) 835-4709. You can also ask to speak with ABI's compliance officer or medical director. There's nothing else you can practically do until you suffer an adverse outcome (for example, someone who contracts a bloodborne disease from someone whose blood was collected out of compliance).

As you have intuited, incentivizing people to fudge their screening questions or to come in when they would not otherwise have volunteered makes for a less safe blood supply.


Title: I want to press sexual assault charges but I’m not sure if I can collect enough evidence to convict the offender

Question:
I grew up in a fairly small town in California where everyone knows each other and as such any drama that occurs quickly becomes everyone’s business. I am 100% sure that an 18 year old male senior in high school was molesting an underage male high schooler and that the abuse had been going on for years, starting when both of them were underage. The abuse ranged from physical touching to sexual extortion via blackmail and coercion into sending lewd photos. This all happened around 5 years ago but I kept quiet because I couldn’t bear the thought of how it would tear apart the families involved and create arguably the biggest scandal the town had ever seen. It was an extremely selfish motivation and years later the guilt is killing me on the inside. I want to make this right but I don’t know how to proceed.  I don’t want to press charges without knowing if enough evidence can be collected to convict the perpetrator because the damage this will do to the image of the families and the town will be irreparable.

Basically, I stumbled upon photo evidence that existed at some point on an iPhone and a Mac computer but there’s no telling if the perpetrator deleted the photos, whether he is even using that phone/laptop anymore and even if he was, can the police seize it to try and dig up old evidence? Would they need a warrant?

Is it even possible that the perpetrator could be convicted at this point?

Answer:
 It sounds like you are not the victim here?

If that's the case you should leave it up to the victim to decide if they want to inform the police.

Police are responsible for collecting evidence, as an uninvolved third party you should not be investigating a crime.Answer #2: 1.) You don't press charges.  The district attorney is the only person that does that.

2.) You don't collect evidence.  You're not the police and you're not batman.

Report the crime to the police with what you have, and then let the professionals take over from there.


Title: My mom's boyfriend has threaten to kill my corn snake if he escapes, he escaped and now I am worried about him making good on his threat, if he does go through with it is there anything I can do in legal wise in the state of Ohio?

Question: For some context. My snake is not a venomous snake, nor does he have any record of biting people. The snake got out through a hole in the top of his cage when I was at work. I don't know when he got out. My mom's boyfriend is the home owner. Thank you

Answer: You would be entitled to financial damages for the value of the snake, which I doubt will be much unfortunately.Answer #2: r/snakes has advice on how to find a missing/escaped snake - he probably hasn't gone far. I hope you find him :)


Title: So, i went in to the tax office to renew my registration for my car, they said "you have a red light ticket" which is 100 dollars...need advice on what i can do, help!?

Question: I feel that my registration is being held ransom because a company said i ran a red light, i don't know if i have any grounds to do anything about it, but i have had no notifications about the ticket, and its from last September...i live in denton tx

Answer: Pay it or ask for proof.  I doubt you will get the registration with it being unpaid.


Title: Own my own home, am selling home and buying new one with my soon-to-be-fiancee, how do I protect the money I'm putting into this sale?

Question:
Throw-away to be safe. This is in PA.

I'm a practical person when it comes to money. I have a mortgage on my own but I have about $45k of it that's mine/paid off+selling higher than purchased. I am buying a new home with my girlfriend, who is most likely going to be my fiancee by the time we find and buy the home, possibly my wife because we're having minimal luck finding the right place.

I am putting the $45k straight into the new home as the down payment + some extra. If we were to split up, I don't want to lose that money somehow. I'm fine with splitting any money *post* the $45k between us. When it comes to getting married, I plan on doing a pre-nump that says I would get my fair share of the house money or keep the house. But in the mean time, should I do something else? Am I protected? I just like having the information ahead of time.

Thanks!

Answer: Just don't buy a house jointly with someone you are not married to. No matter what you agree on or sign, forcing the issue should you break up will be expensive and time consuming. Until you are actually married, mortgage and title in one name only and agree on a fair rent with the other person.


Title: Company was sold and I'm due a percent of it

Question:
Back a few years I was going to change jobs but I was offered a pay increase and a 1% stake in the company. I accepted that offer and stayed with the company. The contract for the 1% stake was pending details for a couple of years and when I finally got it and signed it, it has vestment built into it. So my 1% would vest 50% right away, then 25% more after a few months and the last 25% after a year. I was fine with that because I figured I'd be staying around for a while, but then the company got sold weeks after the contract. So instead of 1%, I'll only be getting 0.5%. Do I have any legal recourse for getting the other 0.5% since the contract was delayed so long and seemingly set up so that I only get part of what I'm due?

Thanks.

Answer:
 The terms of the contract controls what you are entitled to. Unless the contract is very ambiguous, it sounds like you get the .5%.Answer #2: Generally any respectable contract contains provision for acquisition. And generally it's acceleration of already granted shares.
If you feel that vesting time was deliberately delayed and the 0.5 is worth it, talk to a lawyer.


Title: [USA-OK] Trustee still hasn't paid my part of the inheritance

Question:
This is a continuation of this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7jxmq9/usaok_trustee_continues_to_refuse_to_pay_me_my/).

I have been 25 for more than 9 months now. The trustee, my aunt, continues to screw around.

After the last post, I decided to not send a letter, but I went and showed up at her office unannounced.

We went and had lunch where I recorded her confessing that she spent the money and doesn't have it. I asked for an accounting in person and via text and she never provided one.

She told me that her plan was to get a loan and pay off what she took from us and we would be settled. I told her to not break contact with me and provide me with regular updates. I was willing to keep this as civil as possible. People make mistakes, right?

I went and talked to a lawyer after that and they want the case, but they also want about 5000 dollars to get going up front. I don't have that kind of money, and it will take another few months to be able to save up enough with my brother and sister to get that much.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, she had been having regular updates with me and the situation. Her loan was denied, the second application was denied, and she started getting aggressive towards me.

She decided to give me a partial accounting on May 15th for what I should expect, and her accounting was factually inaccurate and had mistakes, and generally lost track of $100k.

She was being really hateful via text and overall rude. A few days later, I received a death threat and a general threat of physical harm from my uncle if I don't quit asking my aunt to pay me my inheritance. I took that to the police, but the district attorney was not interested in pursuing it, and I tried to get a protective order and the judge denied that too.

According to the trust agreement, I have 30 days to refute any accounting or it becomes record. I sent a letter to her via certified mail refuting her accounting. It should be delivered today or tomorrow.

I don't know what to do now and I am looking for advice.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. I am in Oklahoma, USA.

Answer: Find the closest law library or do some good internet research and find out what you need to do to sue your aunt. At this point, it sounds like all you can do is stop the bleeding. Once you get a case filed you should do everything possible to get a TRO and then an injunction to prevent your aunt from accessing this trust. Sounds like she doesn't have the funds to put back in the trust, so preventing her from draining it is probably your best option, and something you should do ASAP. The court which originally probated the will may still have continuing jurisdiction over this case because it deals with the trust. But again, spend some time, do as much research as you can, and hire a lawyer to come in and button everything up as soon as you can. If it's allowed ask the court to order that funds from the trust be disbursed to you and your siblings to cover legal fees while the case is pending.


Title: Praying in the workplace

Question:
My husband just spent 6 hours today (Saturday) in some bogus work seminar. He said that the leader of the presentation (the CEO) had the entire room pray twice during this 6 hour period. Like, "in Jesus Christ name... Amen..."

We're in Nebraska and he is a government contractor with well over 100 employees.

Want his employer legally "allowed" to do this?

Thanks Reddit.

Answer: ...He was specifically required to engage in prayer as part of his job? For a government contract house?


Title: This is a worst case scenario, but...How to avoid getting sent to a gay therapy camp.

Question:
I live in Texas, and I'm 17 years old. I turn 18 in three months, so it's likely that I'll be okay. However, my mother is beginning to suspect and judging by things she's said to me and my siblings, she's building a case against me. I know they'll try to send me to one of those camps, and from my research into them they get full guardianship rights over the children in their care. There are no regulatory agencies overseeing them and all contact with the outside world is monitored.

I'll probably be fine, but I want to know what my options are if worst comes to worst.

I can't get emancipated. For that I would have to live on my own and have a steady source of income. It would be difficult for me to hold a job with my courses in school, but if worst came to worst...Then again, I'd have to already be independent to apply

I'm wondering if getting married would work. Not permanently, of course. But I'd need a judge's approval. Does anyone know how that would work and what the likely ruling would be?

Again, I know this is not an ideal solution, but I'm not in an ideal position. Any advice would be appreciated

Answer: If theres no legal way out... run. I know it seems like bad advice but I've seen firsthand what goes on there.. It's horrible, it's like the 50's mental institution tactics. . I've even seen shock therapy used (I'm not sure how rare that is, probably really rare but since most get shut down.. I'm not sure).


Title: Officer enter my garage without consent and opened my hallway door, without consent. Should I file a complaint?

Answer:
 Sure. Without more information it’s impossible to tell if the officers actions were appropriate or not.

EDIT: I’m not sure what you think that video shows.Answer #2: Yes, complaints will get investigated even if nothing comes out of it.


Title: How serious is a false degree on your resume?

Question: I'm a self-taught programmer, I've been programming since I was 16 and done freelance work over the past few years. There is a position I want really bad, except they require a bachelor's degree - how serious of a crime is it if I lied on my resume and put that I had completed a bachelor's in Computer science?

Answer:
 Also, just apply anyway and write a damn good cover letter that explains that you are self taught, you’ve been doing this for x number of years, here are big accomplishments, etc etc.

The tech industry is often pretty understanding about people who take non-traditional paths through learning.

What’s the worst that could happen? They reject you and you have a well written cover letter for the next job. Answer #2: There was a ceo who lost his job because he lied on his resume when he was first hired there 10 years before. You don't want to spend your entire career wondering if you will be caught and lose everything. (like the guy on suits!)

No position actually requires anything. They state what they want. Then they just hire the best person who actually applies for the job and is willing to work there for the amount the they offer. If a company asks for someone with 10 years experience and 2 degrees, but the best candidate is a guy who's only done the job as a hobby for a year, they'll probably just choose that guy and see if he can get the job done. Just try to make it clear to them that even without the degree you can do the job well. Answer #3: It's not generally a crime. You would almost certainly be fired if you did get the job and your embellishment was discovered. But chances are that you wouldn't even be hired, since background checks are a thing, and you'd just have a huge black mark next to your name at that company.


Title: Contract between man an wife. Names changed for obvious reasons. The owner of the contract needs to know if there any loopholes.

Answer:
 0/10. Troll better.

Also, in the very long shot chance that this is real, i have news for ya: your wife cheats on you, and deservingly so.


Title: Landlord withheld information about maintenance workers using garage attached to my apartment

Question:
Hi all,

&#x200B;

I know this is a very specific case/may depend on the state I live in, but I thought I may as well try this out.

I am currently a college student in Vermont and signed a lease for a 2 bedroom apartment with my best friend. Our porch/front entrance and my roommate's bedroom window are situated at the back of the driveway, adjacent to a garage connected to our building. Our landlord failed to inform us at any point that her maintenance workers would be working in the garage daily. Here is what I deal with every day:

\-Smoking cigarettes(which is explicitly prohibited 50 ft from the building in our lease)

\-Yelling to each other as early as 7AM-8PM

\-Sitting on my porch steps

\-Leaving junk out in the driveway

\-Using power saws and banging around at random points during the day right outside our door

\-Bringing their dogs who bark constantly

\-Parking in the driveway and blocking me in or out of my parking spot, which has caused me to be late for work/school

\-Loitering in our driveway, not working at all

\-Parking in front of the garage to work on their personal vehicles in the evening

\-Parking in our driveway overnight(one apparently has a girlfriend across the street??)

\-Bringing their wives and children who crowd in our driveway, sit on porch, etc

&#x200B;

I am just trying to decide what to do next. We have spoken to the landlord before and she said she will talk to them, and when she does things get better for a little bit but then they ramp back up with being in our lives constantly and leaving me in a constantly annoyed mood. I would have never signed this lease if she had told us this would happen, so I feel like she's screwing us over, as we pay $750 for rent each per month for a tiny place. Should I push for lower rent? Or potentially try to terminate the lease? I appreciate all the help!

Answer:
 Vermont requires 48 hour notice for access.  If your lease includes the garage your landlord is violating the lease.  I think statewide quiet hours end at 7 am.  If your landlord is violating the lease your best bet is to reach out to Vermont Legal Aid or Vermont Tenants Inc they were helpful to me in a similar situation.

You options are likely going to be breaking your lease and moving (not many options this time of year if you are in Burlington though) or possibly reaching out to the town clerk and getting approval for rent abatement of some kind.


Title: I was arrested about a week ago and have pending charges of marijuana possession, multiple cases of paraphernalia, and possession of a prescription pill bottle that is not under my name

Question:
I was given the opportunity to expunge my pending charges if I am able to source them to a dealer. I do not know any dealers and so I'm freaking out and want to know the implications of these charges against me.
How bad are they and what do they entitle for me?

Answer:
 >I was given the opportunity to expunge my pending charges if I am able to source them to a dealer.

Pretty common

> I do not know any dealers

Then how did you get the weed and pills?

You need an attorney to properly advise you through this.


Title: [MA] Playing the lottery during travel for organ donation

Question:
I am going to be traveling to MA to donate an organ. At the moment, it is unclear if I will be traveling on my own funds or from funds given by a non-profit (application is still pending), a big thing I have heard is that you must remain income neutral throughout the process of organ donation. I will be traveling from a state that does not participate in any lottery, but I figured while I was there I would buy a ticket.

My question is: If I do purchase a lottery ticket and win any amount of money, would that be illegal?

Answer: You can't sell organs, so I would guess that's where the income neutral comes from.  You can use you own money to buy lotto tickets (or anything else) while you're traveling.  No problems if you win.Answer #2: The income neutrality requirement is all about being able to prove you weren't paid for your organ. Winning the lottery cannot possibly be construed as being tied to your organ donation. Similarly, you could have a relative die and be left a large bequest. As long as the windfall of income is solidly documented and unexpected, there shouldn't be any issues.


Title: Landlord wants to charge me $20/mo for air filter, wasn’t in the lease agreement, says I can’t opt-out.

Question:
Like the title says, I recently received a lease renewal from my landlord. With this, a separate email stating that they are now rolling out a filter replacement service that will cost $20 a month.

I replied and requested to to opt-out of the program, and they stated that I cannot opt out.

This program was not part of the lease agreement, and I am perfectly capable of replacing my air filter for much less money. To add insult to injury, they don’t even replace they filter for you, just deliver it.

Do I have any grounds to fight this?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Tell them it's not in your lease and you aren't paying it


Title: Suspected Forged Signature

Question:
Hi,
This is a throw away account, but I would still very much appreciate any advice.

The central issue is this: after eight months of no contact, an alternative teaching certification program that I withdrew from is claiming that I owe them $4000 for the program that I did not complete as it is specified in the contract. However, I did not sign a contract. When in the program, I briefly reviewed the contract but ultimately left it unsigned on the program’s personal account page (although I do not have a screen cap of this). When the organization demanded the money, I asked to see the contract with my signature. They took a day to produce a copy of the contract that had my information typed into the blanks and had a signature that they claimed to be mine. This signature is not mine. 1) the forged signature is signed “first initial last name” where as I have always written my full name as in “first name middle name last name” on documents. 2) I checked my Adobe Acrobat DC account and have no record of documents opened or edited at the time that the document claims to have been created (it seems my first document on my account is a month after the forged document’s date). 3) My digital signature on Adobe Acrobat DC was created a month after the forged document’s date and bears the signature that I described earlier with my full name. 4) I additionally suspect that they altered the document to include a clause about withdrawing as when I initially requested to withdraw from the program the program’s owner said that they had no policy for withdrawing.

I feel trapped and unable to prove myself. I called Adobe, and the representative said that if there was not a time stamp on the signature then it was an electronic signature (as compared to a digital signature) and would be unable to verify.

As background: I have all email correspondence between myself and the program. When the program owner demanded that I continue on the payment plan when I asked to withdraw in September, I agreed to continue automatic payments as scheduled without asking to see my signed contract. September’s payment was deemed “late” because the program closed my account page, so the automatic payment could not be processed. I was emailed by billing and responded promptly. When billing did not respond to my emails, I called and agreed to allow the billing representative to pay the partial payment using my debit card number that I did not give her as she still had access to it from my account. I assumed that she would continue to do monthly automatic as all paperwork that I received about payments said that payments would be automatic. A month later, I opened a new bank account with my fiancé and no longer used that debit card regularly though some emergency money is still on it. I received no late notice emails or requests for payments. My friends and family told me to not contact them unless they contacted me, so I moved on whether that was a good idea or bad. Wednesday, I received an email demanding that I pay the program fees in full or else I would be taken to a credit collections in five days. That same day, I received an email from billing saying that my debit card was declined, and I needed to pay by Friday. This email showed me that billing was able to run automatic payments and failed to do so.

I would truly appreciate any advice. I still feel that it was their responsibility to bill me automatically and/or email when said automatic bill did not run though properly. I would have agreed to continue partial payments, but now I feel as if they are trying to get away with a lie.

Please, if anyone has any advice, I would very much appreciate any thoughts. My greatest fear is that this problem injured my otherwise great credit score. We are looking at buying a house in the next few years, and obviously that score is important. My instinct is to pay and stomach the loss, but my fiancé wants to fight as he too believes that they are lying and forging documents.

What are our next steps?
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Step one is to file a police report.  Forgery is a crime.  The police may not pursue the matter as there hasn't been any deleterious effect to you yet, but getting a copy of that report is your goal here.

Check your credit report.  You can do this once a year for free, and it would be worth paying if you have to to check it at an odd time before you apply for any major credit.  If this certificate charge appears on your credit report at any time, use the police report to dispute it as fraudulent.  It'll get removed.

If they sue you for the debt, the police report will come in handy for that as well.


Title: Street racing as a minor

Question:
Alright, so I was being a huge idiot. I was racing with my friend, and of course we got caught. The officer who pulled me over gave me a court date, and I'm waiting to go. I'm a minor, of the age of 16 (real quick to screw up, huh?), and I want to know of what I'm expecting.

I was talking to the officer, and after dealing with the subject at hand, he was a nice guy, and was willing to talk to me about the situation. He said he couldn't say much, because he had to leave it up to a court date.

A few of the things which he did say, was that he could have arrested me, and put me in JAC (Juvenile assessment center, I think), but he chose not to, but he said since I didn't seem like a bad kid, he wouldn't waste everyone's time with that. He said I could possibly get stuck with something simple like an 8 hour driving course, and no points on my license, but looking it up, I saw that a year long revoking of my license was on the list of things to occur, so I'm doubtful of that.

I honestly don't care about any punishments on me though, because I made a mistake, and I should take the consequences. The thing I'm most worried about though is the fine. I feel horrible because I have no money, and I can't get a job (legal reasons, nothing illegal, and will have no affect on this whatsoever). That means, i'm stuck footing my family with whatever I'm charged. I feel terrible for betraying their trust already, but forcing them to pay something on top of it makes it even worse. Is there some kind of alternative to fine's such as community service.

The officer that pulled me over let me off with having someone come get it instead of towing because I was very respectful, and he said that would help, but I don't know how court things are. If it's like I've seen on TV where I'm standing in front of people, then I may not be able to squeeze out more than a few yes sir/ma'ms.

I live in West Palm Florida. This is my first legal offenses ever in my life.

Even if you guys can't give me anything, I'm just glad to have got this off my chest.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that on the court date paper I was given, it says  "RACING - RACING ON HWY". I thought that was one thing, but does it count as two? A friend of mine thought it did.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 >Is there some kind of alternative to fine's such as community service.

There may be, but the best way to get a deal you like is hiring an attorney, which will also cost money. Outside of not comitting crimes you cannot afford the punishment for, there really is not a very good way to minimize cost. Hiring an attorney helps you to secure the best outcome, but is also expensive.


Title: Just put on notice due to abrupt schedule change (that was done to "teach the group a lesson" in MD. Any unemployment options?

Question:
I don't know enough about unemployment situations, especially in MD.

About 2-3 months ago our company switched to 4 10 hour shifts. In every way this was better for us. This was for salaried employees only. It saved a ton of payroll from those that aren't salary that fill in for the salaried employees, and everyone was happy.

Boss goes to Aruba for a week or so. While he's gone theres some callouts from the bad apples, and it culminates in a really snobby and entitled situation from one of the bad apples as soon as he gets back. His response is to change everyone's schedules back to the 5 8s we were on before, including days off changing.

I'm not one of the bad apples. I put in my notice the next day. On top of having huge moral problems with the change, I started a business in Jan that's doing well and that I need the 3 days off for. I'm leaving on good terms.

Is there a leg to stand on for an unemployment claim, even a little one?

Also of note - Im at the supervisor level. My direct supervisor is a shift manager - and is dating the director that decided on this policy, in case thats a helpful angle. Thanks for the advice in advance :)

Edit: I understand this sounds odd. For some context these 4 10s were dangled in front of the staff like a carrot for almost a year and finally awarded a month or so ago. There is an email that very clearly says the schedules are changing as punishment. I've never seen such a huge dip in morale overnight. I'm the only one leaving because I'm the only one in a financial position to do so. So while it sounds whiny, this is actually a case of a director making a bad, emotional decision that's adversely affecting everyone. If unemployment is an option with any weird interpretation of any laws that vaguely resemble this situation input would be appreciated

Answer:
 You have *moral problems* with working 5 days a week? What?

Making you work 5 days a week is almost certainly not constructive discharge. Even if you somehow get your claim processed by someone at the precise intersection of labor-friendliness and laziness that makes this seem like a reasonable assertion, you don't qualify for unemployment if you quit your job to work on a side business.


Title: (Australia/Sydney) Neighbor complaining about exhaust fumes from my car.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 That sounds incredibly inefficient and wasteful. A disel engine isn't tuned to provide complete combustion when idling. You're releasing much more pollution and wasting much more petrol using your vehicle in this manner; even ignoring the efficiency losses from the engine to the alternator, the alternator to the power system, and the power system to the inverter.

Why don't you just rent or buy a generator specifically designed for that purpose? It'll probably even save you money compared with the cost of the disel.

I don't know anything about Oz, but my town does have restrictions against idling a vehicle for more than 15 minutes; so it's not exactly unheard of. But you'd have to check your local environmental regulations.


Title: Can an employer hire me on below state minimum wage? (WA State)

Question: I got told id be hired on at $10 an hour for a "30 day probationary period" and then bumped up to state minimum ($12 an hour) after a review when the 30 days are up.

Answer: Minimum wage is exactly that, minimum wage. Youre already having problems with this employer and you havent started yet, whos to say you wont have any more problems in the future. Maybe look somewhere else??


Title: [TX] Plumbers ran a camera to find a break, now they've jackhammered 3 holes in our house to find the break. Do I have a leg to stand on?

Question:
Thanks for reading. This is in Texas. Long story short, I just bought a new house and my realtor required the sellers to provide a 1 year home warranty. We immediately had plumbing issues and received a quote from the plumbing company that home warranty sent out to fix it. They said it would be $1725, home warranty covers $1000 and I owe $725.

I'm fine with all of that. Where I have an issue is, $300 of that $1725 was the cost of running a camera to find the break under the foundation. Once they started work, where they thought the break was, wasn't there. Then they jackhammered another hole and said it wasn't there either. They're now on the 3rd hole and hoping that the break is there.

Home warranty will cover the cost to get the floor back to a slab and ready for flooring but won't cover flooring. I was planning on just having to repair floor in one spot, but now it's 3.

My main question is: Do I have any legal leg to stand on if simply talking to the owner he won't at the very least waive the camera fee?

Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: They hit a beam on hole #3 so now they're jackhammering up a 4th hole in my foundation.

Answer: Personally, you hold them to their first quote because their camera located the alleged problem to begin with.


Title: Ten days jail for dui 2 years later and after license was already given back

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > My question is didn't he already serve the time by having his license revoked?

No. That's an administrative punishment.  Separate from the criminal punishment for the crime.

> Can he sue for it taking two years and for already paying the fines etc to get his license back?

Almost certainly not. He can run it by his attorney. But expect a no.

> Apologies for the shortness and wording of this.

Actually it's appreciated. Most people ramble on. Answer #2: No. He still needs to do the time. Anything up to this point has been a civil penalty through the dmv.

He can't sue anybody. It's the process. Don't drink and drive.


Title: (MO-USA) So I am being forced to move from my apartment due to damage caused by a fire emergency in my building (I had no part of) should I have to pay a moving company?

Question:
They are telling me that I won't be able to move till after the weekend and have to leave my belongings inside as I can't go in there without supervision.

Last I saw it was just water damage from the hose that was getting through to my apartment. Since I am being forced to relocate should I have to pay out of my pocket for help moving my furniture?

I have just recently moved and do not know anyone with a truck that could assist. What sort of policies can I tell the landlord that would help me get assistance from them if any?

Answer:
 In practice, yes, you have to pay for your own move, at least initially. You don't have any power to compel someone else to pay, and movers aren't going to help you for free.

If you have renter's insurance, file a claim; if not, then you're free to sue the responsible party (which might be your landlord, or the tenant who caused the fire, or both, or potentially neither if the fire was completely unforeseeable and accidental) afterwards to recover your costs, including moving expenses.

As your landlord is not able to provide possession, they should _at least_ abate your rent, if they aren't paying for alternate accommodations.


Title: Applied to apartment, but Vet labeled dog Corgi Mix

Question:
I live in Tennessee.

I was all set to move into an apartment in one week but, they are denying me because the vet dose not know what my dog is mixed with. They do not allow Chows or Pit-bulls. They lady on the phone knows that "it is not the breed but the owners that make the dog aggressive or not", but they wont allow me in without knowing what the dog is mixed with... I don't know what its mixed with as i got her from the pound. The dog is not aggressive at all.

Would i have any right to sue?
Discrimination against dog breeds?
I'd be willing to take it to court and spend some money up front to fight this.

could i reference this; i know i'm not in Arizona but still who are the other 19 states?...
http://stories.barkpost.com/arizona-bans-breed-specific-legislation-pit-bulls/

EDIT:
I got the vet to change it to say corgi only... such BS, have stupid rules win stupid prizes...

Answer:
 Sue for what? Enforcing the lease?

What does the lease say about pets and breed verification? What kind of documentation is required?Answer #2: >Discrimination against dog breeds?

No. Have you tried asking the vet if they can give you something just saying that the dog does not appear to have any chow or pit? Or offer to have the apartment complex meet the dog and see that it does not resemble those breeds?


Title: [Toronto,CANADA] Homeless man [24] I was helping out had the stuff I gave him taken by the cops. Also had no ID

Question:
Alright so this is a bit of a long story I'll try to keep it as short as possible. I'll provide a little back story but I'll make a little line for where the actual problem begins.

There is a homeless guy who collects money near where I live (on the offramp of the highway). A few months ago I ran into some money that I didn't deserve so I asked him to get into my car and I would go get him some food. He was a bit nervous at first but I guess I was being friendly enough for him to trust me so he got in.

I took him to McDonalds and was just chatting with him and he said he just wanted to find out a way to get a job so he could support himself.

Apparently when he was 16 he was getting beat by his mother after his father died so he ran away from home and has been on his own ever since. He said he drinks sometimes to make the pain easier but it's rare. (Maybe I'm a sucker, but I did take his word for it. He didn't seem drunk at the time and he showed me his duffel bag and it had no booze in it). He said he had never done drugs or smoked cigarettes. I offered to take him to my place just so he could take a quick shower and again he was hesitant but accepted.

I asked him what would be the best stuff to give him (and explained I didn't want to give him cash just in case he would use it on drugs) and he said if I could get him a tent and sleeping bag that would be super helpful and that he knows how to camp (one of the few happy memories with his father apparently). I thought that was reasonable so we went to walmart and I helped him pick out some stuff as well as a little cooking stove and some canned goods. I asked him why he didn't stay at homeless shelters and he said that there's a lot of theft and druggies there. Not sure if this is true but if you know a place in Toronto that is a bit safer please let me know so I can take him there!

------------------------------------**PROBLEM BEGINS**--------------------------------------

So anyway. I got him all of this stuff (tent, stove, sleeping bag, space blanket, gloves, sweat pants, socks etc.) and a huge bag for it. He was honestly really happy and said he would repay me when he could and I was just like don't worry about it. This was about 3 weeks ago. Today I saw him on the exit ramp and he didn't have his suit case so I asked him what was up and he told me the cops took it. I got him back in my car and this is what happened.

Apparently he was camping in the "woods" off of one of the universities (UTSC) and campus police told him that he was breaking certain codes and took all his stuff and said he was trespassing. I went to campus police and they said it wasn't them who took it but another cruiser that isn't associated with the university. I tried to follow up on this to get him back his stuff but it ultimately led no where. They said they had his stuff but couldn't release it.

I want to know how to proceed from here. I can't really afford a lawyer right now to help him get back his stuff nor do I have the cash to replace all of it. On top of all this all this guy really wants is a job but he has no ID and his mother has changed her number or is just not picking up calls from payphones (she lives in Calgary).

How would I go about helping this guy get some ID so he could actually get a job. Or are there any jobs that he could do that pays cash that wouldn't require any of this stuff? That sounds illegal to me just cause he needs to pay tax on it.

I really have no idea how to proceed. I got him a motel room for until Thursday because it's suppose to get really cold at night and I don't want him freezing to death but I really don't have the kind of disposable income to help this guy out this much.

I really need some advice on how to proceed from here. What do I do to get him what he needs. Is there any lawyer that works these kind of cases for free or on some kind of payment plan?

Please really any advice would help. Thank you

Answer:
 Taking a guess on what happened:

He violated § 608-14. Tents and structures.
> Unless authorized by permit, no person shall place, install, attach or erect a temporary or permanent tent, structure or shelter at, in or to a park.

Officer then made incorrect use of § 608-53. Enforcement.
> (B). Any officer is authorized to **order a person** believed by the officer to be contravening or who has contravened any provision of this chapter to:

> (2) Remove from the park **to a pound or storage facility** any animal or thing owned by or in control of the person who the officer believes is or was involved in the contravention;

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_608.pdf

There is nothing in there about seizing the item permanently so I would start raising complaints higher until you find someone that explains why they can't release it and ask for the specific bylaw that allows them to keep it. (Edit: There may be another bylaw that allows it and I only did a five minute search so it's possible they are allowed to do this but I haven't seen anything that agrees)


Title: [MD] Helped a possibly intoxicated man get back on the road

Question:
(Maryland)

Driving along this morning, I stopped to help a disabled vehicle on the side of the road. An elderly man was sitting in the passenger seat and had difficulty opening the car door to talk to me, asking what's wrong. FWIW, his handicap parking placard was on the floor. He's quite old.

He had a flat tire, said he was going to call AAA, but hadn't yet and asked if I could help. I've changed many tires before, so I said sure. Go through all of that, and get it all back together at which point I figured he might not actually be okay to drive - he may be intoxicated, not simply elderly.

I hopped into my car and called the police. They took information, I hung up, and then proceeded to try to stall as long as I could. When I could no longer stall (he was getting agitated), I got in my car and followed him while on the phone with the same operator again, passing directions until I lost him due to a red light.

So... am I potentially liable here for helping get a drunk back on the road if he causes an accident? Should I have known and not helped to fix the flat? I'm nervously second-guessing myself here all for what started out as a simple attempt to help an old man.

Thanks, all.

Answer: Assuming you're not a law enforcement agent or a medical professional, you have not been trained to determine whether someone is intoxicated on sight. You did the best thing by calling the police.


Title: Living abroad, looking to register with the US embassy.

Question:
I'm currently living overseaus on a 5 year student visa and was told by a friend to register with the embassy. I'm also a US citizen and have a passport.

Any advice on how to start this process/ if it is really necessary would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: currently in Pakistan

Answer:
 [Smart Traveler Enrollment Program](https://step.state.gov/step/)

It's a good idea


Title: Stop the torture..

Question:
First the back story:
I live in an area of North Central Florida caught in the digital divide. The only reasonable option I have for data services is AT&T DSL (max supported 3mb[2.5D /500kU]). There are Satellite and Cellular services that are per bit usage, which is not ideal for your Netflix/Hulu/Amazon watching and Online Gaming user.
There is a large name cable provider in the area a street or two over that repeatedly solicits me via email and post mail to sell services however, after repeated attempts to have those services installed, they informed me that it would be cost prohibitive for them to run the cabling down our street. I have accepted that I am languishing in a dead zone and have looked into other wireless options that seem promising.

Now I have asked repeatedly that this large name cable provider stop soliciting my address. Yet here I stare at yet another marketing piece that showed up in the post today. They seem to keep ending up in my mailbox, directed at my address (mine or my wife's name - OR Current Resident) for a location that they flat out said they will not be servicing.

Do I have any legal recourse to make this torture stop? They dangle the services in front of me like a tasty slice of bacon then say.. no sir, no bacon for you... but send me monthly marketing push materials with pictures of said bacon.

TL;DR: Cable company says they wont service my address, yet repeatedly markets to me that they will:

Can I legally force them to honor their advertising after they have already said they will not service my address?
And/OR
Can I legally sue the crap out of them for not honoring my request "to not solicit my address"?

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Son. If you think calling a dispute with your internet service provider "torture" will help your cause, you're sorely mistaken.Answer #2: [Torture](http://stuffo.hswstatic.com/stuffyoushouldknow-podcasts/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2013/07/torture-600x350.jpg) does not mean what you think it does.  Be an adult and sort your mail.


Title: I'm worried that my son will be adopted out by his mother before I can have him legitimized.

Question:
I had a child with my ex fiancee.  And she abandoned our home and took a bunch of my stuff while I was at work one day.  She's done quite a few things that weren't ok with me with him after she left.  I work a lot.  I had 74+ hours this week and won't be able to file to have him legitimized until this next Monday.  Is she legally allowed to put him up for a private adoption, say to her own parents, without my permission. And, or, do I have any legal rights to try and claim my son? I just want to raise my kid and she's being very mean and hateful about it.  Any help would be appreciated.  And don't upvote please.

I'm in Georgia.  Also.  She's a dual citizen.  American/Danish.  I'm also apprehensive that she may try and leave the country.  However her passport is Danish. Our son has preliminary Danish citizenship until he's 22. And then has to prove he's spent a cumulative 12 months in the country.

Answer:
 We need your state to point you to a putative father registry, and you need a family attorney stat to establish a custodial agreement. One state at least may allow this to happen but I believe the law has since been revised.

But you need to assert paternal rights, and you don't want to do this on your own. Good for you for stepping in and wanting to be involved with your child. We get multiples more questions of how to not be involved with a child born to an ex or a fling than people asking how to make sure they can.


Title: Having a disability and missing college classes and being penalized, need advice.

Question:
I have Crohn's Disease. This semester, I have missed two classes in one class on my schedule. I have missed 0 assignments and turned everything in on time. I have a perfect on all my assignments and quizzes. Yet I am being docked 5% off my final grade because I have missed more than one class and I had a doctor's note, and my excuse is a disability. Yet their contention is I missed stuff being lectured and talked about in class that cannot be made up as well as participation in the class. This has now happened to me in two separate classes, one of which I was asked to drop as a result of missing three classes. I can't help it, I'm on medication but in the middle of a flare-up and when I go to the restroom I'm in there for hours.
I've tried to change when I eat, so I don't eat at all the day before class or the day of class but somehow I still have to go and it hurts, and I bleed and then I get exhausted afterwards and either pass out from the pain or I have to go back in. I literally cannot physically make it sometimes, despite how much I want to be there. I always e-mail them in advance if I can.
I tried fighting them on this last semester but I got no support. And that was with the head of the department. I have a 4.0 grade point average. This is in the state of Florida. I'm wary about being anymore specific.

Is it fair for me to be penalized for something I have no control over?
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 did you talk to your school's disability student services?  Answer #2: My brother has crohns and as. My ex is also 100% disabled due to deficits from a brain tumor. Both are in college. You need to go to your campus disability office and get registered with them. Your disability doesn't have to be acknowledged until it's been formally noted at the disability office. Every college has one. Your professors will be informed and you will no longer have this issue.

For now, inform your teachers that you are going thru the disability office (and provide proof) and ask your professors if you can do any sort of work to make up the 5% since you didn't have your disability properly noted ahead of time.


Title: Apartment flooded. Sewage was involved. I don't feel the landlord did enough to clean the place.

Question:
I live in Alaska. A couple of days ago my apartment was part of a series of apartments to be flooded with sewer water in our complex. We're at the bottom so ours got the worst of it. I work out of town and my girlfriend reported that all the landlord did was have a maintenance crew come in, spray bleach on the carpet, suck up the water and air dry it. That's it.

My girlfriend had to live in my car while I traveled home as quickly as possible. We've received no compensation whatsoever. I was wondering what do I do here? Do I request some kind of compensation or demand they actually change our carpet out since sewer was invovled? What law would I state as my defense?

Answer:
 I would need more details to give you a comprehensive answer I.E. are ceiling/wall affected, were they cleaned? What kind of equipment did he use?

Generally the procedure with "black" water backups is to extract the water with specialized vacuums (or pumps if standing water), treat the carpet and pad with cleansing products, then dry with blowers and dehumidifiers until moisture levels fall to single digit percentages.
Your description of the LL's response could tick most of those boxes, or he could have used a shop-vac and box fans, which may be inadequate to the problem.

 Renters insurance would cover your stay at a hotel during the dry-out, and if the LL is friendly he might cut you a rent break for those days for the inconvenience (or may not, not required by law). Carpets can survive these kinds of incidents if remedied quickly and properly.

A thorough steam-cleaning will also go a long way to remove any lingering problems so maybe request that as a compromise.


Title: [PA] About to be left high and dry.

Question:
Okay. My husband of 9 years wants a divorce and plans to move out of my home in the next few months. I live in the commonwealth state of PA. Two kids and working part-time.

 He knows full well that, financially, I cannot run this household. Can he really move out and leave me high and dry with two kids to care for? What can I do? What steps I should be taking so I don't get the short end of the stick? What do I need to prepare myself for court?

 He is on the lease but not the deed to my house. After he moves out, how do I get him off the lease so I can change the locks.

He already obtained but hasn't filed the divorce papers. A divorce is something we can't really afford living paycheck to paycheck. Him making more than I do, he may just pay to file and leave other bills go for a few weeks.

I am so terribly lost. I don't know where to go from here. If more details are needed I am more than willing to give them. Thanks in advance.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Talk to a divorce attorney as soon as you can, and if he doesn't file, you should.  For as long as you're still married, there's nothing that forces him to give you money for bills, child support, etc.  Once the divorce process opens up, you can get a temporary order for support or requiring bills to be paid.


Title: Boss was arrested for kiddie diddling. He’s going to court soon and has resumed business at his locations, but he won’t let his employees work unless if they sign documents stating he didn’t do anything inappropriate with children. Is that legal?

Question:
All right, I’m posting from my phone and this is my throwaway account. So here we go.

The title pretty much says it all. My now ex-boss was arrested for essentially being a child molester. We’re talkin’ eight felony charges with at least two children here. I bugged out of there before this shit show happened, but a few teachers are still employed at the tutoring center.

I have a few friends who tell me what’s going on at that place, and one of the educators told me that they were given a document to sign if they wanted to continue working at the center.

The document pretty much says they never saw the boss man do anything illicit with a child and that the signers will cooperate with the investigation, but something about it seems super sketchy. If anything, it sort of seems like not signing the document would make one seem guilty.

Anyway, my main question is this: Can boss man fire employees who don’t sign a document stating he never did anything illicit with any child? We’re located in Virginia, USA, in case these laws vary state to state.

Answer:
 The prosecutor would be fascinated to hear about this.Answer #2: Are these employees potential witnesses?  i.e. is he trying to coerce them to sign a statement that will be used in legal proceedings?Answer #3: Jesus. Well on the face of it they can be fired or not fired if they sign or don’t sign. Frankly in their place I’d be looking for other employment. But if they do sign ( assuming they didn’t see anything inappropriate) I’m not really seeing any downside (except they now know they are working for a douche even if he didn’t do what he is accused of doing) because they are signing to say they didn’t see anything which they didn’t.

But they should find other jobs like now.Answer #4: I think the issue here is that working for such a person would be such a liability for the worker that it wouldn't be worth it, either way.Answer #5: How is this person still allowed to work there?  Considering the charges, most jurisdictions would keep these people away from children as a condition for bail.

Even if he's the owner of the tutoring center - I still would think there would be restrictions on him contacting the potential witnesses and/or childerAnswer #6: DO NOT SIGN THIS! Go straight to the cops and inform them. Take a picture of the document if you can.Answer #7: Witness tempering, no way the employees should be signing anything like this.

"Hey I'm a murderer but if you want to work again you have to sign this paper agreeing that I didn't kill anyone."


Title: Legal Help with a small fire at my friends mom's house

Question: A couple weeks ago I was meeting my friend and her mom at her mom's house to go to dinner. I went outside to have a cigarette in their backyard.  My friend's brother had a cardboard box where he put his cigarette butts right next to the sliding door in the backyard  I put mine out there.  A half hour later the side of the house was on fire.  The firemen said it looked like about $5,000 in damages and that their homeowners insurance should cover it. They also could see the remains of the cardboard box.  A week later my friend told me that I needed to call the homeowners insurance company and that her mom wanted me to pay the 1K deductible. I thought that seemed fair.  I called the insurance company thinking I was just giving a statement and I believe I was coerced into saying that I was fully liable for all of the damages and that after the insurance company  paid my friends mom, they  would sue me for upwards to $20,000. I know I am somewhat responsible but I do not feel that I am fully liable but I have no idea hat kind of lawyer I should talk to.   I live in Western New York

Answer:
 How were you coerced? Why did you call their insurance company to say anything at all? Answer #2: I'm not certain a four or five figure damage figure is a "small fire," but that's not directly relevant to your question.

Admitting full fault to a representative of the insurance company is likely to be an expensive lesson for you.


Title: What are my rights as a California HS student as far as dealing with administration goes?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Lots!  Lots and lots.  Oh, man, so so many.

If you want a better answer than that, you're going to need to ask a more specific question.


Title: [FL] No lease, gave landlord 30 days notice but still wants full November rent

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If you are month to month, then you can terminate your lease by giving the landlord written notice 15 days *prior to the end of the rental period*. If you want to terminate your lease November 15, then you have to pay for all of November, yes. If you want to terminate your lease October 31, then you don't need to pay rent for November, but you would need to give written notice of the termination to the landlord by October 16.Answer #2: Assuming your rent is due on the first every month, you are in a recurring term of one month duration that ends every month and begins again every month. You must give 30 days notice to stop the term from recurring. In essence, you cannot give notice on the 15th of the month , move out on the 15th of the next month, and expect to pay only two weeks of rent Unless your landlord agrees to it. It is difficult to re-rent the unit in the middle of month and you are essentially guaranteeing that your landlord will experience some vacancy by moving out in the middle of the month. See what you can negotiate, but I would just expect to pay rent through the end of the month. Conversely, if you pay the rent to the end of the month, you may live in and use the premises through the end of the month as well should you choose to do so. Should for some reason the landlord re-rents the premises before the end of the month and it becomes occupied by rent paying tenants, you are entitled to a prorated refund as landlords are in general never entitled to double rent.


Title: Guy who works for dining on university campus threatened action if I didn't stop taking soda from the soda fountains. He just took my picture from a distance.

Question:
(California) So I got the message after the third warning (stupid I know, but the school should just put the fountains behind the counter. I have seen countless others do the same thing I have.)

I started bringing soda from home, but keeping it in the same cup I usually stole soda with (an old starbucks cup.) As I walked out of the school's dining area, I saw he took a picture of me from about 20 feet back. I'm guessing he's going to try and incriminate me, but I'm not sure what my rights are in this case, as I have broken school policy before with this. What should I do?

Answer:
 Don't ever steal soda again and you will probably be OK. Is that simple enough for you to understand?Answer #2: 1.  Stop stealing soda.

2.  Since you are a known soda thief, don't even bring soda.

3.  You should stop drinking soda anyway.  You are literally slowly poisoning yourself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html


Title: Rental House is for Sale - OK

Question:
The house I rent is for sale. How many showings a week are reasonable?

The agent just scheduled a third one this week. It’s during dinner hours on a day we have guests coming over for a cookout.

I can’t find any local tenants organizations here to contact about this.

We’ve been really accommodating with them so far but this is getting a bit ridiculous. We already bought the meat.

Answer:
 You are under no obligation to change your cookout plans.

It is not unreasonable to have multiple showings/week, but again, what is reasonable is subjective.Answer #2: Three showings in a week is not unreasonable. Keep in mind you are not obligated to be there during the showings.


Title: [Florida] Noisy upstairs neighbor spiting me, intentionally stomping on floor until 3am every night, landlord does nothing

Question:
Im at wits end here and hope someone can help me.

I have a noisy upstairs neighbor. I've been here for a year now and she has always been impossible. It doesn't help that the apartment walls and floors are paper-thin, so I can hear every footstep. Thats not the problem though. The problem is her 2-year-old who she makes no attempt to control, who runs around screaming and jumping and stomping on the floor until midnight or 1am almost every night.

I tried the good neighbor route. I was in the apartment for like a week before I got the courage to introduce myself and confront her about it. She was really snooty about it, like she was upset that I had the nerve to ask her to keep her kid from stopping making noise.

I tried the second route. I told the landlord. The first time they did nothing. The second time they said they would send a "good neighbor letter". The third time they said they would call. But nothing ever changed. She just kept it up. She would start vacuuming at 12am 1am, and I just know she did it out of spite.

I tried the last route I could think of. I started calling the cops and made noise complaints. The first time they actually knocked on her door until she answered. I couldn't hear what they said to her but they were only there for 5 mins. That was at 1am. She then proceeded to intentionally keep her child up and played with the child running around the apartment on and off until 6am. I called four times in four separate instances and the cops always did the same thing: they showed up, gently knocked on her door, waited 30 seconds, then left.

I have not had a decent nights sleep in over a year. It's gotten to a point where every couple of weeks I rent a hotel room for the night just so I can get a decent night of sleep. I cannot afford to move. Landlords do nothing. Cops do nothing. My performance at work is suffering, my health is suffering. I just don't kno w what to do anymore.

Answer: If your quality of life is so poor because of this and it's been going on for a over a year, you need to move. This is not a stalemate. The complex has shown what they are willing to do. You will not be successful at having her removed. Answer #2: Can you ask your apartment if you can change units without penalty? I know that would be a huge pain in the butt, but transferring apartments couldn't cost you more in moving expenses than what you've shelled out in hotel rooms so far. Otherwise just keep making complaints. For all you know the landlord is in the process of evicting her, but that takes time. Get a white noise machine and earplugs in the meantime.


Title: How seriously will the police take "I've been framed" claims?

Question:
90% hypothetical question (I swear!)

Let's say my employer finds something illegal on my computer -- child porn, copies of confidential data that was just leaked, whatever. Something that can send me away to jail and ruin my life.
I didn't do it; I'm being framed.

- A forensic analysis of the computer indicates that there is some evidence of hacking, but it isn't conclusive.

- Everyone agrees that it is absolutely NOT in my nature to do something like that. Also, I have a completely clean record.

- Around a year ago I'd had my webmail hacked into several times. I made a police report (knowing full well nothing would come of it). But the point is that I have a documented record of complaints about being the victim of computer crimes.

I have a somewhat unstable ex-boyfriend who's pretty good with computers. My gut instinct tells me he's behind all of this. BUT

- He lives in a different state

- He hasn't contacted me for the better part of a year (i.e. he's not harassing me or anything)

- He never made any threats towards me

- He also has a clean record and people who would vouch for his character

Yet I'm personally *convinced* that he has to be the one doing this.

**Questions:**

Is there some kind of "threshold" that must be reached before police start investigating someone? Like, beyond gut feelings/personal suspicions?

What are the chances that the police/FBI/whoever is investigating would take my suspicions seriously and bring him in for questioning? If they refused, would I be able to do anything through civil courts to compel an investigation?

I know that if I was clearly the *victim* of a crime and named someone I thought was behind it, then they'd probably at least question that person. But if I'm the one who is accused of the crime, I'm not sure....
Does it all just come down to the temperament/sympathies of the detectives working the case?

(For the record, the part about the webmail and ex-boyfriend is true, the rest is just from a hypothetical posed between me and a few friends wondering what would happen if things escalated.)

Vermont, to appease the location bot.

Answer:
 As a guy who spent time helping out the cybercrime task force a while ago, I can tell you that when they forensically analyze the computer, there will be pretty clear evidence of hacking if it occurred.  You would have the opportunity to hire a private forensic examiner to assist  you with that defense.

The police are not obligated to do your defense investigation for you (though they are compelled to turn over any exculpatory evidence they locate during their investigation).  You'll need to hire a private person or firm to get enough evidence for the police to investigate a crime.


Title: Insurance unwilling to work on claim

Question:
On February 19, I was driving on the freeway and a girl rear ended me.  I took a picture of the scene and we then ended up going to the shoulder where I was hit with a terrible back pain. The girl ran up to me, kept apologizing and saying that her breaks were broken and tried to get out of going through insurance.
I was able to file a police report and although the ambulance came, I stated that I would drive myself to the hospital. My back hurt but my feet and arms were fine. No airbag was deployed.

I got the girls information. Contacted my insurance who then transferred me to her insurance. In the beginning I contacted her insurance and got responded that the girl, let’s call her Katy, hadn’t paid her insurance bill in January and was not officially covered.
I’m not sure what happened but the insurance company then sent out somebody to see the damage of my car. This was back in February.
I have not heard anything from them since. I’ve called them multiple times but the person handling my insurance does not pick up, it goes straight to voicemail. My car is still damaged and my neck hasn’t been the same since. I’ve been going to chiropractor and acupuncture in an effort to heal my neck and back.
I’m only 25 years old and I’m not sure what to do other than, at this point, keep calling and leaving voicemails.

Please let me know if something doesn’t make sense. I’m trying to include as much information as I could without making it sound confusing.

TLDR: Girl rear ended me and now her insurance is avoiding my calls. Car is drivable but still damaged, neck hasn’t been the same.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: Sounds like she wasn't insured. If you have full coverage or uninsured motorist, file with them. If not you have to sue her


Title: (VA) My landlord issued a first warning regarding my dog barking at him through a window.

Question:
I live in Richmond, VA with another roommate under a private landlord in a duplex. The landlord was hesitant to rent to me because I have a border collie mix but, once he met my dog Scout, was fine with me paying a $25 pet fee per month.

Scout barely barks but is very protective of me. This morning, my landlord came by while I was sleeping to mow our lawn. He did not tell us he was coming and Scout barked at him through my bedroom window. Now he has issued a first warning, where warning three will apparently get me evicted.

The neighbor’s dog (not his property) barks all day and all night at nothing, which I think he assumes Scout does as well and is not the case. I think any dog in a new place (it’s my dog’s third night here) would bark at a stranger showing up right outside my window.

I emailed him to explain but have not heard back. Do I have any recourse? The only thing in our lease about pets is that we have to pay for damages incurred. If I knew he was coming I could have put down my blinds or move Scout to a different room.

Should I register Scout as an emotional support animal? Will that have any bearing? As I said, Scout only barks when a stranger is directly outside my bedroom window, which is very rare. The landlord said there have been zero noise complaints. Honestly, if my landlord had burst through my window, Scout would have run away. He is skittish but not aggressive.

What should I do?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >Should I register Scout as an emotional support animal? Will that have any bearing?

For the love of god, no.  Unless he is a legit, medical-professional-approved ESA, do not do this.  It just makes it harder for the people who really *do* need ESAs to be taken seriously.

Not that you *can* register, there's no actual registry for them.  Just sites who take your money and send you pretty documents.  Your doctor/therapist/etc. can write a letter stating you have an ESA, but don't abuse that.


Title: NY Overtime Compensation Signed Away?

Question:
Hello all. I currently work as a line cook in a privately owned restaurant in Western New York. Its been going quite nicely thus far, until I opened up my first check from a week I worked overtime and found it lacking.

Specifically, while I had worked just over 40 hours that week (40:44, to be precise), my paycheck was cut off at 40 hours and 7 dollars was shoved into my envelope. I make $10/hour, so 7 dollars is pretty much what I would have made had I worked an extra, non-overtime 44 minutes.

Upon questioning my boss, he informed me that the owner does not pay anyone overtime directly through their paychecks, instead just paying them their normal hourly rate in cash alongside it.

I'm fairly certain that is illegal, but while talking to a fellow employee I was also informed that the restaurant apparently has their employees sign a document which states that they will rescind their overtime pay. I assume this is likewise illegal, but I'm not sure, hence coming to you for help.

I have yet to directly confront the owner, but I intend to if this pans out to be totally illegal. As a slight aside, am I right in my understanding that recording conversations you are a part of is legal, because you yourself are a participant giving permission?

Thanks for the help.

Answer:
 Here is a [link to OT info](http://www.dol.gov/whd/overtime_pay.htm)

Contact your local Department of Labor if they still choose not to pay you overtime.


Title: What would happen if protesters shot the police with pepper balls?

Question:
HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION / THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

The news has been talking a lot about how in some cities the police have started firing on BLM protesters with pepper balls.

My question is what would the charge be if the after the police fired upon the protesters, they returned fire with their own pepper balls? Could this be self-defense? Can you use self-defense against the police?

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. Thank You

Answer:
 Battery on a police officer.

It’s also a fantastic way to get shot.


Title: [TEXAS] Someone has my property at his house and owes me money, won't hand it over

Question:
Basically I was dating this guy, and that ended when I found out he was still with his ex. So I got in the middle of that. Now he has blocked my number and refuses to talk to me. Having no means of contacting him, I don't know what to do. I can either be crazy about it or go through court.

He owes me $350 and has my engine head, valve cover, impact wrench, and probably more that I'm not aware of from off my car.

On top of that, he took stickers off of my truck battery to put on his to warranty it out. So now I don't have those stickers anymore.

He keeps saying he will drop the parts at his neighbor's house who is a mutual friend and he will get the money to me when he has it (he has no job, only does cash work). It's been close to a month.

I have proof of him owing me everything via a recorded phone call and texts and friends.

Now he is saying he is going to the court house tomorrow to file a restraining order on me even.

Could I take legal action on this? What could I do?

Answer:
 If he wants you to stop contacting him, stop contacting him. If he's been delaying more than a reasonable amount of time _and you have not been served a restraining order_, send him one last communication -- in writing, registered mail -- outlining the items that are missing and a reasonable deadline for their return.

Then, if he still won't return your things, or if he does file a restraining order before you can send your letter, file a lawsuit to recover the value of your possessions and let a judge sort it out. You can probably do it yourself, since [Texas Small Claims Court](https://www.depts.ttu.edu/sls/forms/How-to-Sue-in-Small-Claims-Court.pdf) will hear suits up to $10,000. You'd represent yourself. A request to cease contact, or a restraining order, doesn't protect him from being served, but it may be worth hiring a [process server](http://www.texasprocess.org) rather than having a friend serve him, just to keep your nose clean.

If you're served a restraining order after you send your letter but before he receives it, tell the judge about it at the hearing for the restraining order.


Title: Is my employer's parental leave policy legally discriminatory against men? (Chicago IL)

Question:
My wife and I are expecting our first child. I have been employed with my current employer for nearly 5 years. My company (~400 employees) has the following parental leave policies:

**Paternity**: 10 days paid, must be used in the first 12 weeks after birth or adoption.

**Maternity**: First two weeks must use PTO - for the "Short Term Disability Elimination Period". Next 4-6 weeks are short-term disability. After that, 6 weeks paid time off. In the case of adoption, 6 weeks paid time off is provided.

Based on what I've read on the EEOC's site, if there is a benefit provided that could be considered "bonding time", it must be the same for men and women. In my employer's case, they provide 2 weeks for men and 6 weeks for women. Here are my questions:

* Am I interpreting the law correctly in thinking this is discriminatory?
* What resources are available to me for advice and guidance?
* What is the best course of action for me? I'd like to discuss this with HR informally to begin with, but how can I point out that the policy is discriminatory without making them defensive?
* Am I correct in assuming I am entitled to FMLA - meaning that outside of the 2 weeks provided I am entitled to taking the rest of the 12 week period unpaid?

Thanks in advance.

(EDIT) updated formatting.

Answer:
 Fun story, last time I commented on a post like yours and made the same points I'm about to make now, I took in more than 1000 downvotes.  Now lets see if I can break that record.

Yes, your employer's policy is discriminatory.  For all of the same folks who are going to disagree, ignore "First two weeks must use PTO...Next 4-6 weeks are short-term disability."  We're strictly talking about the 6 ADDITIONAL weeks of paid time for moms, versus only 2 weeks paid for dads.

See [EEOC Example 15.](http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/pregnancy_guidance.cfm)  That example is talking about 6 months additional paid leave versus none for men, but it's the same idea of your 6 weeks versus 2.

Also check out [this article](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/16/business/attitudes-shift-on-paid-leave-dads-sue-too.html) regarding a recent CNN settlement in a situation similar to yours.

You should first talk to HR.  Then you can contact the EEOC if HR basically tells you to screw.

You are entitled to FMLA if you've worked the required 1250 hours in the past year.

Edit: wordsAnswer #2: >*Leave related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions can be limited to women affected by those conditions. However, parental leave must be provided to similarly situated men and women on the same terms. If, for example, an employer extends leave to new mothers beyond the period of recuperation from childbirth (e.g. to provide the mothers time to bond with and/or care for the baby), it cannot lawfully fail to provide an equivalent amount of leave to new fathers for the same purpose.*

[source](http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/pregnancy_guidance.cfm#IC3)


Title: Apartment complex claiming I owe them $1,500 for damages. (NE)

Question:
I lived at an apartment in a complex in Omaha, NE. They are claiming that I owe them $1,500 for carpet replacement although there was not excessive damage to the carpet. It looks lived on, because it was, I was there for two years but not anything excessive or unreasonable.

I didn’t hear anything about my deposit for about 30 days so I finally called them. They didn’t have a good answer so I took it as a loss and decided it wasn’t a huge and moved on. It’s been about a year and now they’re calling me telling me I owe them this money, apparently this includes the $600 deposit I already paid. So in total they want $2,100 from me.

Do I have to pay this? I don’t want it to damage my credit. Especially a whole year after the fact. Do I need to hire a lawyer? I’m trying to talk to the complex and not getting anywhere but I really don’t want to spend money to hire a lawyer and then be out extra on top of the $2,100.

TIA
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Did you ask them for evidence of this alleged damage beyond normal wear and tear? Did you take pictures of video when you moved out?


Title: Friend currently in hospital and unresponsive, how do I take care of her affairs?

Question:
We've got a friend in the hospital and unresponsive (and she'll be in the hospital for at least another few weeks), she's got a son, an apartment, rental houses, and a business to run. I'm not really sure what items are high-priority items, and I'm not sure how to legally get access to her assets so that the bills get paid (and stuff like that). Her son is older, but he's slow, so he's not capable of taking care of all this stuff on his own.

Do you guys have any tips and tricks for what questions to ask and who to go to so that she doesn't get kicked out of her apartment and her rental houses don't get foreclosed on? I figure you guys probably know better than I do about all of the questions that need to be asked, and where to start. We're in Texas. Thanks in advance! Hopefully this doesn't ruin her life.

Edit: Thanks guys for the perspective. It's her business, and since she didn't arrange anything to take care of that stuff, we'll leave it be. Other friends have recently decided that they want to take care of the situation, so I'm gonna step out of that shitstorm, cause its getting annoying fast.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 You can't gain control of your friends assets.
Contact her next of kin Answer #2: Alright, I'm going to be blunt here, this sounds kind of shady.
You want to get access to her assets? You don't think that people will realize what's going on? Even if her so is slow, I'm sure he's told people.
If this is really true, the best you can do is send the people she's supposed to be being emails letting them know what's going on.


Title: Aunts rights?

Question: So my mil has custody of my partners neice and nephew (( their mother is wanted by the state we all currently reside in and is constantly in and out of jail and on drugs)), my partner helped raise these kids since she was 15 even almost dropping out her senior year to do so. However due to her mother's years of emotional abuse and controlling nature she finally left at age 21. The kids are starting to get to the age she was at when her mother started abusing her and she's starting to see her doing the same thing to the kids. Both are special needs one a lot more then the other. We have tried to get the kids social worker involved and voice our concerns but it seems to only stop her for a bit before she resorts back to her old ways. The oldest is almost 13 and isn't even allowed to do simple things like go one block away to the park with his friends and he's starting to lash out. We know the grandmother has called the cops on the repeatedly and even the cops are asking her things like why she eggs him on when he has a meltdown. We really want to get custody of these kids and try to give them a better life but as the aunt's do we even have a leg to stand on?

Answer:
 She can call CPS if there are concerns of abuse or neglect.

She can talk to an attorney to see if there is a case based on the police interactions but it isnt going to be likely.


Title: Local bars are writing M.I.P's to underage drinkers instead of going after the bars.

Question:
There are two bars around town that have undercover cops often showing up on the busiest nights and handing out Minor in Possession charges. These two bars are notorious college bars and are often associated with college events. According to people that have received the charges, the cops will single out under age drinkers inside of the bar.
My question is, is this legal? Why are the police not going after the bars that are obviously selling to underage students? (FL)

Answer:
 If they have a fake ID or if someone else buys the drinks then gives them to the minor, the bar has a good defense.  I think doing this is great because word gets out that there are undercover officers in the bars and hopefully the underage drinkers will at least stay out of the bars.  Answer #2: The goal of law enforcement is to reduce and prevent crime.

If they fine the bar owner, it's part of the cost of doing business and maybe the price of the drinks goes up or ID is checked a bit more frequently for a while.

If a couple of dozen underage kids get busted in that bar every weekend and tell their friends about it, word gets out that underage drinking there isn't cool.

Which strategy takes the biggest bite out of crime? Answer #3: What do you think is illegal about police charging someone with a crime?


Title: When is it acceptable to sue an apartment complex?

Question:
So I just moved into my own studio 4 months ago after years of living with roommates. I’m paying A LOT for a 600 sq foot studio, and I don’t mind, but expect to get my money’s worth of course.

Now the complex itself is amazing, but the residents treat it like a complete shit hole and management does not do anything to reenforce it.

I live across from the trash room, and before I moved in they told me not to worry about odor or trash pile up, etc. There is always an odor coming from the damn place every time I exit my apartment. When I have guests over they even say something about it.

It’s a pet friendly community, and yet they allow owners to leave their pets (no matter the size) on these small, tiny patios. And all I hear are pets crying and barking. I consider this animal abuse.

Another thing, if you want fresh air and want to keep the window open, you cannot. Because all you hear are dogs barking, crying, etc. no matter the time of day and even through the night.

Dogs have shit in the hallways and owners just leave it there. Their pets pee on the staircase and owners just disregard it. Management doesn’t do anything until someone says something.

I have to constantly reach out to management letting them know about the issue, but is it not their job to stay on top of it? I know it is not their issue per say, but they should reenforce such things to horrible residents who think this is okay.

Yesterday evening I went to through out the trash and saw what looked like poop stains in front of my door, which was not there just a few hours ago. I reached out to them, and have no heard back. This is just getting ridiculous at this point.

I have documentation of pretty much everything. Every time I see something that should not be acceptable I take a photo. Once again, I’ve only been here 4 months and wanted to stay for at least 2 years, but don’t know if I can live in such conditions anymore. What do I do? Or am I just overreacting? I really have never had to deal with this before.

Answer: None of that sounds like an issue that warrants breaking a lease, let alone a lawsuit.  You're not wrong to be unhappy with it, but it just means you live in a building with crappy neighbors who don't take care of their pets.


Title: (X-post from r/personalfinance) Signed a lease to the wrong apartment

Question:
Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm looking for help with an issue with our lease.  Also I am on mobile so I apologize in advance if the formatting is bad.

My girlfriend and I signed a 13 month lease for an apartment without seeing the actual unit. I know it's not a good idea to do that. However, they couldn't show them with the tenants still living there, and are in such high demand that if you wait too long you will miss out.

Anyway, we signed for a unit on the second floor. We saw a similar 2nd floor unit, and liked the layout.  It has nice vaulted ceilings that make it appear much bigger.

I have it in writing (multiple emails) assuring us that the unit on the lease is on the second floor and is the exact same floor plan that we previously saw.

Come to find out that there was a mistake, and the unit on the lease is actually on the first floor. It is smaller and does not have the vaulted ceilings we wanted.  We haven't seen this floor plan, and are worried that we won't like it as much as the second floor unit.

Our options:
1.  Suck it up and live in the first floor unit.

2.  Break the lease and lose our deposit ($250) and application fee ($170). Then wait until a new second floor unit becomes available. This could take a few months.

3.  Talk to the manager and try to work something out.

Some more details if this helps:
Rent: $1430 per month - same for both apartments
Location: Southern CT
Move in date: August 14
We are recent college grads currently living with our parents.
Income: $72k combined

I am looking for advice on what to do. I want to talk to the manager, but I'm not sure what can be done since our signatures are on the lease already.

Answer:
 > I want to talk to the manager

That's where you should start. Ask to see all of the available and upcoming units and decide if one of them suits you. If you have it perfectly clear in email that you agreed on a second story unit and they can't provide, insist on your deposit back. Take them to small claims if they won't back down. The application fee is most likely unrecoverable.


Title: [CA] Will my friend go to jail? And if so, for how long?

Question:
Five years ago my friend got a DUI and took two lives. Was in prison for a couple years. I think because he took two lives, he has two points on his record. Well since he's been out he eventually got a job and his license back. He had gotten off parole. A couple weeks ago he received another DUI, and is now awaiting trial. His bail is at $15,000. He didn't kill anybody this time, he was just pulled over.

I'm really worried for him. What does the outcome in this situation look like? The first time he got really lucky with his sentence...
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 Jail time is mandatory for a second DUI in California. The look back period is 10 years.

And forgive me for going off topic, but I hope he goes away for the maximum. He already took two lives...their families are still grieving those losses...and instead of rehabilitating himself upon release from prison he chose to drive drunk again.Answer #2: Your friend will not go to jail.  He will go to prison.

He has a prior "strike" conviction for the vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

And any dui no matter how mild in 10 years since a felony dui is also felony.

**If convicted he will be sentenced to 32, 48, or 72 months in prison,** and have to serve (at least) between 66% and 80% of the sentence.

If he has not been arraigned yet (he bailed out and hasn't shown up to court yet), I would expect the prosecutor might try to increase his bail, and would probably be successful. i.e. if he hasn't been to court yet, he should be prepared to be taken back into custody when he does go.Answer #3: > I'm really worried for him.

I think you should be relieved that this danger to everybody else is going to go away for a long time.Answer #4: > The first time he got really lucky with his sentence...

Yep.  That will likely not happen a second time. Your friend is screwed, and rightly so IMO. Answer #5: If he got another DUI after having killed two people and getting pretty much a slap on the wrist.
He deserves to go away for much longer this time.


Title: (US-Virginia) Drunk in public, obstructing, indecent exposure

Question:
Hello all,

I have three pending charges, as listed in the title.

From my understanding, when leaving jail that night, they told me I would only be actually charged with obstructing justice. Posted online is all three charges. I called the court and they told me if it's posted there, then it will be brought up in court.

No details of the incident are necessarily needed to be posted, as I was heavily intoxicated, so I think my word won't exactly stand in court.

My main question is, is getting a lawyer necessary?

Answer:
 Practical advice to go with this, because **holy shit** your post history.

You're drinking heavily nightly and moving on to harder drugs. You're clearly (given the pile of charges here) losing control of your situation.

Get some help and some rehab before this gets worse and you start facing felony charges, or hurt yourself real bad. Answer #2: For indecent exposure in VA, you're looking at a Class 1 misdemeanor.

>For Class 1 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $ 2,500, either or both

Do you really want to NOT have a lawyer?

Edit to add: so is the obstruction charge, if I'm reading this right.Answer #3: Virginia Lawyer, but not your lawyer.

Yes, get a lawyer. Call the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service. $35.00 for 30 minutes. Get one *before* arraignment.


Title: Trans friend forced into an unpaid live in maid situation.

Question:
I have a close friend who is signed up to be a live in maid in exchange for food and shelter basically. She doesn't get paid at all, and has no money. Now that she is dependent on her "employer" he has told her if she gets another job he'll kick her out.

I'm sure this is illegal, but without money she can't hire a lawyer, and doesn't want to risk losing her home.

Can anybody help me help her?
She is in North Carolina if that is helpful.

Answer: Remember that prompt to provide location? It's very important.


Title: We hired a sitter service to care for my ill mother. One of the sitters stole drugs from her. Should I pay?

Question:
Hey all. So this might be more of a moral question than a legal question, but I didn't know where else to ask. As it says in the title my mother is in poor health so we decided to hire a rather expensive 24hr sitter service to provide sitters to stay with her for a week. The sitters honestly did a fine job, but after a week my mother realized all her pain medication was gone and the sitter she suspected of taking it admitted to taking it.

Now that the dust has settled we've received a bill from the agency. I don't have an objection to paying half the bill (for the services of the sitter who didn't steal,) but I don't feel like I should have to pay for the services of a woman who stole from my mother. Am I right here?

If I choose not to pay the bill, am I right in assuming the only recourse the agency has is to send it to collections or to small claims court? If they did decide to take us to court, who would win?

Also, we did file a police report, but my mother was reluctant to press charges against her. Do you think we should press charges?

Answer: You owe them for services rendered according to your contract.  You can try to negotiate a lesser amount, but don't expect them to budge beyond the cost of the meds stolen.  If they sue for the amount you agreed to pay, they'll easily win.Answer #2: They would win the lawsuit, but your mother can file a counterclaim for the cost of the stolen drugs.


Title: [USA/IN] Former boss "forgot" about W-2s and "will get on it" not really sure where to do...

Question:
I just called my old boss and, as the title says, he "forgot" and "will get on it"

What now? I just want my damn W-2 so I can file my taxes...

Answer:
 Well if you want to be reasonable you can give them a few days before you call the IRS.  If you don't want to be reasonable then you can call the IRS right now and report them.

As for filing your taxes, I don't even receive my 1099-B form until February 18th, so it's not like you're up against some deadline at this point.  Just relax.


Title: [CANADA] Continued Sexual Harassment by Manager

Question:
I work in Alberta for a small branch of a medium sized company.

The manager of the branch frequently calls me a 'fag', says that I have a small penis, that I'm a virgin, and that I like dildos and wearing thongs (among other crude 'jokes').

I've asked him to stop a few times before but he's brushed it off every time and the harassment continues. It's been happening for 6+ months now. He's also harassed our female secretary by trying to agree to a bet with him with the stakes being sexual.

I have started documenting everything but wanted to know if anyone had suggestions of what I should do.

Should I contact HR regarding this? I believe if I do, I'll be terminated by my manager as we are currently downsizing due to the economy. Even if not, he will reduce my hours and make working there very difficult. I'm not opposed to finding another job.

I can tough it out though and continue working while documenting everything, but wasn't sure if I even have legal recourse for this.

Answer:
 Start by contacting HR. Terminating someone in retaliation for a human rights complaint is illegal.

These sorts of cases are heard by the Alberta Human Rights Commission. You can find additional information on their website: http://www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/