Title: Apartment complex is telling me that if they can't call my medical provider, they will not allow me to keep my assistance animal.

Question:
Yesterday I received this email from my landlord/property management company:

"Our office has been auditing all of our current leases and we have been trying to connect with your medical provider on your ESA application without success. In order to continue to have (my ESA) in the unit/property as an ESA animal we will need the proper contact information for the medical provider who is providing you the verification for the assistance animal. I have included a new application for you to submit. You are also welcome to provide additional documentation with the information. Please let me know if you have any questions."

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I sent a follow up email asking why they need to call my doctor (full well knowing they aren't permitted to speak with her)  and why they had done so without my \*written or verbal\* permission and received this as a response:

"The phone number on the application for the provider who has signed the form is not a working phone number. We need to call to verify her signature on the application."

\--(the "application" being their form of a reasonable accommodation request form).

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I then spoke with a woman from the management company who accused me of providing an illegitimate document. I  have provided all of the forms they've ever requested. I sent them a copy of the letter-head style form from my doctor and sent them a copy of her active state license. Everything I have read says that 1. landlords aren't supposed to contact medical providers and 2. if they (the landlord) wants to confirm the authenticity of a document, they should look up the license number of the medical health professional online.

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I've read over the FFHA, Reasonable Accommodation regulations in my state (NC) and city/county (Charlotte - Mecklenburg) and I cannot find clause stating that my assistance animal is only legitimate so long as they have a phone number to contact my doctor.  I feel like I'm being specifically targeted because I have an ESA and they don't "believe" that I have a disability. I follow their rules. My dog is incredibly well behaved. There's no reason why after I've provided ALL of the documents they want, I should be having this issue.

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What are my rights here? Do they need to be able to speak to my doctor?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 They want to verify the validity of the letter. Yes, they can do that.

It is a really simple request if the letter is valid.Answer #2: > full well knowing they aren't permitted to speak with her

They are allowed to contact her to verify that she wrote the letter

> my assistance animal is only legitimate so long as they have a phone number to contact my doctor

Your ESA is only valid if you have a legitimate recommendation written by a mental health provider. If they can't confirm this, it sounds like they plan to proceed as if it is not an ESA (fines, eviction, whatever) and you would have to fight it in court


Title: [TX]My boss is essentially forcing all of his employees to go to an event outside of company hours.

Question:
So the owner of the company I work for has put together some kind of event over the weekend and invited clients and employees alike to go. Well, around 80% of the company rejected to invitation and it made the boss super angry. He pulled the company together for a meeting and basically said attendance is mandatory outside of a doctors note or plane tickets that's already been purchased. If we didn't go it would not look good for our selves or our careers also no one will be paid.

This isn't some event right down the road either, this is a good hour and a half to two hours away and it's a two day affair.

Now unbeknown to me, one of my fellow coworkers has some experience in law and he mentioned to me that it's illegal to force your staff to go to an event without some conditions being met, namely the being paid one. Is what this man said true? If so, what are my/our(The other employees) options?

Also, I have an audio recording of my employers rant/speech if anyone cares to listen. Just let me know and I will send it over to you or I can upload it somewhere.

Answer:
 The owners shouldn't be shocked that people don't want to give up their weekend. If he is then he's completely out of touch. Look for "meetings" on page 2. It's a 4 part test. All 4 must be met. If it's not optional it must be paid. (but if somebody is salaried exempt no additional pay is due)

https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.pdf


Title: (CA) I've been taking time off of work due to anxiety attacks and now the head of my department wants to inform my new job of my performance. Can they do that?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 IANAL

It's not illegal to say truthful things about people. Answer #2: One thing I've learned from being in and around the teaching profession my whole life--educators talk.

There's nothing illegal with her telling the new school you have "performance/attendance" issues, and I can promise she will go off the record and disclose anything she knows.

Your best recourse is going to be making damn sure you deal with your issues so your performance improves.


Title: Anywhere in the US - Jury and judge very hostile to accused

Question:
Sorry, I am very ignorant of the legal system, so please forgive the peasant-like manner in which I have framed this question.

This could be anywhere in the US.

Suppose Individual X has committed a serious but unintentional crime like accidentally running over someone or accidentally shot someone or some other situation like this. He find himself facing a jury and a judge who are very hostile toward him and extremely favorable to the victim.

Suppose Individual X has $100,000 in savings accounts and $100,000 in his retirement accounts. The jury / judge will probably order all the money in Individual X's savings accounts to go to compensate the victim. Can they also order all the money in Individual X's retirement accounts to go to the victim? In other words can they deprive Individual X of his retirement savings too?

Answer: The case will end with a money award judgment for an amount. The court won't order that specific things go to the victim. It would then be up to the victim (or the state if this is criminal restitution) to execute the judgment. They won't be able to seize everything, and qualified retirement accounts are exempt from execution.


Title: [CA] Dude didn't go when light turned green and I rear ended him. Is he at fault?

Question:
I'm trying to figure out if he was at fault for the accident or I was. We were at a red light in a left turn only lane.  The light had turned green but he had his blinker on and was stopped trying to merge into the next lane over allegedly because he realized he was in the wrong lane.  I saw the cars next to us moving so I accidentally accelerated and rear ended him.

He wasn't supposed to be stopped at a green light or merging lanes...is he at fault here?  I mean I wouldn't have hit him if he just went like he was supposed to plus wasn't he committing a traffic violation? Is there anything I can do to get out of paying for his damage?  I also secretly videotaped him telling me he was stopped at the green light trying to merge.  Will that help me at all?

Answer: You are at fault, obviously. You hit someone who was completely stopped. Answer #2: He may have been supposed to be moving, but you were supposed to be paying attention.Answer #3: You are at fault and your secret recording was presumably made illegally under CA's laws. Answer #4: No. When you ram into a stopped car that is your fault. Answer #5: California cop here. You are 100% at fault without question. Your recording is irrelevant.


Title: (California) Scheduled a court appearance for a traffic ticket, but a day late?

Question:
So I have a traffic ticket I need to take action on by 4/11. I went online to set up my appearance but the earliest available was 4/12. I set it up thinking I could go that day, but my confirmation page still says I have to take care of my ticket by the 11.

I can't cancel the scheduled court appearance, it won't let me, and it says if I don't show up I'll be fined another $300.

Is my only option to pay it all online on the 11th, and show up the 12th so I'm not fined extra?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Just went through a similar situation in kern county.
Ticket said to appear by 1/11. By 1/9, I hadn't received anything in the mail, so I showed up at the counter. The clerk there said my ticket was in the system, but still being processed, and that I could not schedule an appearance yet. She told me to check back at the end of the week. They are so backlogged, that they never catch up with the dates listed on the tickets.

Now for some terrible anecdotal advice: I told the clerk that I promised to appear by 1/11, and that I would not come back after that. She scheduled for 1/11, and everything worked out great after that.


Title: Any chance my ex could get visitation ordered even though he's been completely absent for 10 years and is over $10k in arrears on child support? (Ohio)

Question: My ex's newest wife (3rd that I know of plus Lord knows how many baby mamas) has contacted me and is making threats about getting a lawyer to get my ex visitation. I have sole custody with visitation at my discretion. Due to him being an abusive, manipulative bastard who couldn't be bother to visit them more than every 6 months while we were separated my discretion says no visitation. He hasn't even attempted to see them in the last 10 years and last I heard about child support they were issuing a warrant for his arrest. Not sure how he plans to pursue visitation if he's going to jail the second he steps in a courtroom. Do I have anything to worry about?

Answer:
 Visitation is not contingent on being up-to-date on child support. In theory, yes, he could get visitation. He's not going to be denied visitation because he owes money.

However, he can be denied visitation for a whole host of reasons, like making threats and breaking other laws. If he currently has no visitation, he cannot get visitation unless a court orders it to be so.


Title: How can I protect myself when moving in with my girlfriend?

Question: My girlfriend and I are considering moving in together in a few months (PA state).  More specifically, I would be adding my name to her lease when it is up for renewal.  Since I am essentially moving into her apartment, I want to protect myself if things don't work out.  We have more or less agreed that if things don't work out she would stay in the apartment and I would find somewhere else to live.  However, in that circumstance my name would still be on the lease, and I could still be liable for the rent. Is there any way to protect against this? Would a co-habitation agreement cover this, or would it be superseded by the lease?

Answer: Avoid legal issues, don't move in with someone you're worried about it not working out with. Your brain is making you consider this for a reason.


Title: [IL] How should I explain my history of recreational Marijuana use if it comes up in a divorce/custody battle?

Question:
My wife and I have a 2 year old, and will be formally divorcing in 4-6 months. There are no physical abuse issues or allegations, although if it's relevant I believe she is emotionally abusive against me. I work, she does not, and I bring home about $5k a month of which $2k goes to her for her debt and to cover some household goods/baby things that she pays for. I pay the rent, all utilities, all outings, and for the great majority of our groceries. I also smoke marijuana recreationally, usually only after bedtime but occasionaly during the day on the weekend during the child's naptime (typically 2.5-3hrs).

With the exception of a few times they've been out of town visiting family, it is never more than a hit or two from a small pipe I keep hidden outside of the home. I never get completely intoxicated beyond a point at which I feel I'm still sober enough to handle an emergency. I also have never been arrested or cited for anything substance related, including alcohol, and I've never failed a drug test.

My wife has not smoked since becoming pregnant, but was a formerly heavy smoker. She has told me on several occasions that she didn't care about my habit, but has also fought with me about it. The pot was not a primary factor in what led us to this point, but since things have gotten bad she has repeatedly gotten very upset about it and made comments alluding to how this would look to a judge.

Given how soon I may be in court, I'm obviously stopping all marijuana use immediately. My question is this: How will my history of use affect me at court, and what can I do to mitigate the damage/repair my image?

I have considered beginning to, privately, have myself tested at a recognized facility on a monthly basis so that if and when I have to speak to this in court I can have solid proof that I'm clean. Is that a worthwhile idea? I don't expect to get full custody and never have, my primary concern is not losing unsupervised visitation or giving her ammo to cut me out completely from my kid's life.

*tl;dr Likely to soon be in a nasty divorce, how should I handle my history of marijuana use?*

Answer: You need to hire an attorney. How judges handle Marijuana use will vary from County to County. In my County the judges wouldn't care that much. One County over and I might have you go to a treatment facility to make sure the judge doesn't flip out. Only a local attorney is going to be able to give you advice on how the judges you are likely to see will respond. Answer #2: Stop smoking now. Be able to pass a drug test at any point that it may come up. Don't lose your visitation or custody rights over a recreational hobby. And in your state, you very well could be barred from visitation over a failed drug test. As long as you have no record concerning weed, then it all comes down to a drug test that she may request. "Yes, your honor, I did smoke marijuana. However I stopped in the best interests of my family as they need us both clean and sober even more now that they only get one of us at a time." Then your clean test proves that you did indeed stop. Lying to a judge during a divorce isn't going to get you anywhere and she has proof that you have smoked at some point recently.


Title: Is there any ADA law that requires that cars do not block private sidewalks?

Question:
I live in an apartment complex in TX that has sidewalks near the building. There are at least 4 trucks at my building that back all the way up so no one can walk on the sidewalk because the bed covers it completely.

Despite it being super douchey, I have a friend who uses a wheelchair and although he doesn’t come over often, it’d be a real pain to get him in the building without the sidewalk/ramp.

Talked to apt mgmt and they’ve done nothing. Is there any legal backbone to this issue?

Answer:
 Check city municipal codes or county ordinances. A call to your local police department or sheriffs office will probably get you a quick answer. Call the main line and ask for the station officer. Answer #2: You should talk to your apartment complex and explain the problem. They should put some cement parking stops down, or signs up, or put a railing there, or tow the cars that park that way.

Explain to them that their failure to provide unobstructed access to your apartment violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's not enough that they have a ramp and sidewalks if they then let people park in such a way to block the access.
Answer #3: There are usually state laws *and* city ordinances on obstructing pedestrian walkways.

There was a case a while back locally where a man parked in front of a ADA parking space, but not in it. He got an ADA ticket from police code enforcement.

I don't think a person could have a grievance case, unless it completely obstructed the one and only way to get to point B.Answer #4: My apartment complex has given me warning tickets twice for being over the sidewalk (not that far, but far enough apparently) and they even measured how far over the curb I was and included it in the warning.

Anyways, the ticket said I was being warned for exactly what you said, violation of ADA and that the sidewalks must stay clear to accommodate those who need the extra space. So I would suggest calling your city to clarify the policy in your area to see if it's anything like my city.


Title: A UPS Driver entered my garage to deliver a package. Is that legal?

Question:
I'm not sure that this is the correct place to post this but it made sense to me at 2:38AM, so sorry if this is in the wrong place.

A UPS driver entered my garage when all garage doors were closed but the service door (regular door) was unlocked. They were not expected nor given permission. The package they delivered was left about 15 feet into the garage in front of the door leading from the garage into the house. Rain was in the forecast but at the time it was not raining. The house is located in the country with no close neighbors. This can't be legal can it? I'm not looking to start a problem but I want to know if what he did was in fact, inside the law and if I should take action to ensure that this doesn't happen again.
Thanks in advance.

Edit: I live in Wisconsin.

Answer:
 He or she was doing you a favor. Having a good relationship with your regular delivery driver is invaluable if you order things online very often. That said, I understand how you may feel; but instead of trying to get the driver arrested have you considered having a normal adult conversation about it with him or her the next time they stop by?

Maybe something like: "while I appreciate the thought, I feel weird about people coming into my…" also you could try locking your doors. Answer #2: He totally should have left it in the middle of the driveway so that when the rain storm started, it got soaked.

Derp.

Oh yeah, and without intent to commit a crime, good luck getting him arrested for anything.  You can get him trespass warned, which will result in you picking up any future UPS deliveries from the hub in person.

Double Derp.


Title: Can I sue police for erasing their report?

Question:
Seven years ago, some shop equipment of mine was stolen. I had allowed another person to use the tools and they never returned them. I reported the theft to police.

I recently discovered one of the stolen items for sale online, in another city. I asked the seller some questions which revealed that the serial number was a match. The seller is not the original thief; the equipment has likely traded hands several times over the years. The item is worth about $10,000.

I contacted my police and provided them with their report file number from 7 years ago, plus copy of my invoice when I bought the equipment, showing serial number, plus copy of the original warranty card, showing serial number. Despite my having the old report file number and the receiving officer's name, police were unable to find the report in their database or record of the stolen equipment. After some time looking, I was told that the old report had been "purged" and erased.

The police in the other city contacted the seller and confirmed that the equipment was the same. However, they ultimately concluded that they could not recover my property because there was no longer record of my theft report and, therefore, they could not legally act.

Can I sue the police for not properly recording my equipment as stolen and/or erasing my theft report, thereby resulting in:

a) my property not being identifiable as stolen by anyone for the past 7 years

b) their being unable to recover my property because they erased the report

I would expect damages in the amount needed to replace the stolen property.

Answer:
 > Can I sue the police for not properly recording my equipment as stolen and/or erasing my theft report

No.  First, they don't owe you a report.  Second, record destruction is a common, often required, and best practice.  While you don't provide a location, a destruction of records of inactive common investigations is often done around the five-year mark.


Title: [CA] Employer not paying me as a result of a dispute, what can I do?

Question:
I've an ongoing dispute with my employer for over a year now. We've been going back and forth through the state Labor Commission over wages and unpaid overtime. Thus far we haven't reached a resolution.

Recently, my boss handed me a memo that detailed a bunch of new policies about when to clock in, clock out, overtime, etc and asked that I sign the memo. I declined considering that a lot of what was in the memo didn't make sense and my boss wasn't able to clarify.

Payday has come and gone without my paycheck being deposited. Obviously this is a problem but what do I actually *do* about it? I have bills that need to be paid and I don't have the money to do that because my wages haven't been deposited.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 File a new claim for unpaid wages.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageClaim.htmAnswer #2: Not an answer for how you can get this most recent unpaid wages, but why are you still working at this place that can't/won't pay you on time, that you have a contentious relationship with, etc? Would it be easier for you to find a new job at this point?Answer #3: >  Obviously this is a problem but what do I actually do about it?

What did your employer say when you asked them why you weren't paid?


Title: Would I qualify for FMLA? I don't really know what else to do? [NY]

Question:
I have endometriosis (it's a reproductive disorder), and probably 10 out of 12 months of the year I get bed ridden ill the first day of menstruation. I cannot do anything until I fall asleep from the pain for a few hours and then I wake up feeling fine.

I have a pretty mild case of it, and treatment with birth control works pretty well. The problem is I have a mutation which makes my blood prone to clotting and I also possibly possess a gene that increases my risk of breast cancer. It has been recommended to me that I do not take anything with hormones.

So now I'm stuck. I have been in school all my life, but I do not think I can enter the work force without medication. There have definitely been several months in a row in school where I missed a day every month.

Would I be a candidate for FMLA, or do I have to take on the risks of stroke/blood clots/breast cancer?

Answer: You probably would qualify for intermittent FMLA once you have been in a position for the mandated minimum amount of time (and the employer is covered by FMLA laws).


Title: Selling non-paying customer's property in Texas.

Question:
Hi guys. A buddy asked me to look up some information on abandoned property in Texas, but I haven't been able to find anything relevant so I figured I'd post here.

Essentially, they have a small engine repair business and a customer left a tiller for repair 6 months ago. It was repaired fairly quickly, but the customer never returned. It was understood between my buddy and their customer (a "verbal contract", I suppose?) that the item would be sold after 30 days of non-payment to recoup the cost of the item/repair. The cost of the repair/item itself was roughly $120, and the tiller was sold for this amount.

Today, the customer has returned and is threatening to go to the police claiming my buddy stole the item. I know a verbal contract probably isn't binding, but my buddy has even done work for the police chief of this town (small town, less than 4500 people) where the "after 30-days of non-payment the property will be considered abandoned and sold to recoup cost" was understood and agreed upon. The tiller was stored on my buddy's property for the entirety of the aforementioned 6 months as a courtesy to the customer, far more than the 30 day period that was agreed upon.

In addition to agreeing before the repair of the tiller, the customer was notified after the initial 30 day period had passed, if that's relevant.

Is my buddy in the right/protected by the law here? I can't find any clear information for or against this policy of theirs.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 A verbal contract is just as good as a paper one, it's just harder to prove. Tell your buddy he needs to put it on paper and have people sign it when they leave something with him so there's no question in the future.Answer #2: I don't see a small claims judge (not the police, they'll likely say this is a civil matter) seeing someone abandoning property for 5 months as "theft", especially given that at least one side offers a reasonable verbal agreement.

Edit: If your buddy had the same agreement with the police chief for similar work, there's no way in hell this is landing on a cops desk. And that would be useful if there were a small claims case. (Which, for $120-$500? Most people cut their losses)

Just my $.02


Title: Can I get in trouble for recording an attack at a Portland, OR transit center?

Question: Drunk starts wailing on Red Shirt. Red Shirt gets upset/confused so I start somewhat discreetly recording the interaction. Got Drunk stepping on Red Shirt's sunglasses and throwing his bag into the bushes and a bunch of yelling. Told Red Shirt to write down his email address so I can send him the vids/photos. Uploading to Google Drive with a dummy account & sending him the link now.

Answer: No. You shouldn't get in trouble. Especially if you are not sharing it publicly Answer #2: To my knowledge you haven't broken any laws.


Title: [Texas] Can my boss legally round down hours and tips on our paychecks?

Question:
I work for a teahouse chain. I save all of my clock out receipts and before I get paid I add up all my hours + tips for the current pay period to make sure I'm getting paid correctly. I noticed recently on my check stub that under "hours worked" and "tips" it'd always be a whole number. For example I added up all my hours the other week, coming out to 37.68 hours, and my credit card tips came out to $46.08, but for hours worked it just said 37 and my tips were $46. Is this legal?

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I've noticed since I started working there that cash tips were rounded down as well but I never wanted to say anything over missing a few cents. My boss usually had me add up everybody's tips from the tip book and send it to her every week, and even if I said I had $14.32 in cash tips or whatever, I'd only get $14 cash at the end of the week, no coins. But ever since I noticed my checks have been possibly getting shorted I'm really bothered... my last check was only short $5, but I've worked here for 7 months and my boss owns multiple locations and has a shit ton of employees, so if they're doing it to everyone they're probably skimming a hefty amount of money off of a bunch of people making minimum wage.

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(Also, is it legal to threaten to take an entire shift's tips if my boss is unhappy with our performance? If the night cleaning isn't done up to their standards - meaning if there's a straw wrapper on the floor in the morning - our boss will send a text threatening to take our tips away in the group chat. They haven't actually done it yet, but is this allowed regardless..?)

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Thanks in advanced. Sorry if this is a bit jumbled/too long. Let me know if there's any additional information I should add.

Answer:
 Go here, follow the instructions. If you really have records that detailed you don't even need a lawyer, the Texas Workforce Commission will take care of it. Also (obviously) look for a new job.

[https://twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/how-submit-wage-claim-under-texas-payday-law](https://twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/how-submit-wage-claim-under-texas-payday-law)Answer #2: No, No, and No. Bosses can round tips/wages but only if it's fair and consistent and results in nearly equivalent wages (i.e. always rounds to the nearest half hour, up or down).

And he can't punish your wages for performance. He can change your wages and fire you and demote you and give you less hours, but he can't decide after you've worked 8 hours that he only liked half of them, so he's only paying for half. /u/toalysium has advice for submitting a wage claim, but to answer your question, what your boss is doing, as you describe it, is illegal.


Title: [MN] Guy in my friend group won't stop touching me.

Question:
I've had this friend group for a while. There is this guy who started hanging out with us (a roommate and friend of a beloved member of the group). Everybody hated him at first, but they gradually got used to him and, since he has a house, they include him since he has us over for parties.

I like everybody in the group except for this jerk. He is always insulting me and flipping me off and whatnot, and while that is not cool, everybody just says "Well R--- is an asshole" and I ignore it.

That being said, he keeps touching me. It drives me crazy. I've told him repeatedly not to, but he touches my chest to point out the fact that I have manboobs, keeps hugging me, and rubs his ass on me (and so on). I keep telling him to stop but he just...doesn't. I tell him that I do not like him, and then he feels sad.

Is there any legal way I can stop this? I just don't like him touching me. Granted, I'm also a straight guy. I am cool with other friends touching me on occasion, but just not him (because I hate him because he annoys me). I know I could stop hanging out with them, but I don't feel like I should have to lose my friends since he does this.

I know this might be a relationships reddit request, but since I've talked to my friends and him about it (he pouted) and it hasn't stopped, is there any way i can stop this? Letter? Restraint? Anything else that's creative?

Answer:
 "Hey, fuckface, keep your hands off of me" is a complete sentence. Answer #2: Next time you tell him no and he continues to touch you, yeah, call the cops and report it. Sure won't help you keep your friends, though.Answer #3: Stop hanging out with him. Your friends have chosen him over you. Time to find new friends. Answer #4: * Stop hanging out with this person, and your "friends" as well.
* If he assaults you, call the police. Answer #5: Oh oh....I know!

How about you stop hanging out with him?Answer #6: How old are you?Answer #7: As others have said, you need to act like an adult. One good way to do that might be hanging out with other people who act like adults. Answer #8: Sexual harassment is sexual harassment.  You can let him know that you do not consent to touching, and that doing so will be documented and he'll hear from your lawyer.

Honestly, if your friends are really friends, they'll listen when you make it clear you're really uncomfortable and having to choose between them and allowing harassment to continue.   If they'd rather not rock the boat with touchy-feely-creepy-dude-asshole than address your sincere feelings... they're not friends worth the hassle anyway.Answer #9: Just a bit of life advice - next time he does it, grab his hand, hold it up in the air as high as you can and shout "Whose hand is this?". Do it every single time. Make it loud and embarassing.Answer #10: Find new friends, people who allow this shit to continue are not friends.


Title: After breakup, boyfriend left some of my things out on our front porch and they were stolen.

Question:
Northeast Ohio here.

Okay so about a month ago me and my boyfriend broke up and I moved out. This past Thursday he told me he had some odds and ends of mine left at the house that he would leave outside for me on Friday. Friday came and went with no word from him about when my stuff would be out so I could stop by and get it. Late Friday night/early Saturday morning he texted me asking if I got my stuff. I said no because he never bothered to tell me if it was out there and I don't go to that part of our city anymore and couldn't just drive by. He informed me that the stuff he left (my laptop, my expensive dog cage, photo albums and some other random things he didn't specify) were gone. The neighborhood we lived in was not the best and his house had been "burglarized" (I put that in quotes because I don't believe it for a second, I'm 99% sure he's trying to commit insurance fraud with his renters insurance) about two weeks ago and he knew clear and well that my things could be stolen if they were left out. I'm really, REALLY pissed off about my laptop. I have no proof that they were taken other than his word.

Some people I know have suggested taking him to small claims court. Is this even a viable option? And if it is, how do I go about documentation of my things that are gone?

Answer:
 A police report (about your items being stolen) would be good to get so that you have a paper trail about the theft.

Small claims court may be a very reasonable course of action. It's *likely* that the case will come down to the he-said-she-said communication between the two of you. He may say that he made it clear he was going to leave your items outside and you consented to this. You obviously disagree. Make sure to backup/take screenshots of your communication.


Title: "Document, Document, Document everything!" How?

Question:
Edit: location = USA

On this sub Reddit I frequently see admonishments to "document everything." Can somebody ELI5 exactly what this means? What documentation is considered suitable? How can it be used? Why is it credible in court? What's the best way to document? What the kind of things should be documented? What is the best way to document those things? Is there a process to certify documentation to lend credibility?

Sorry for asking such basic sorts of questions, but I really don't know the answers to these and I suspect there may be other lurkers who don't either. Thanks in advance for any help.

Edit: location.

Answer:
 Use e-mail if you can, have agreements memorialized in writing, write down notes with time, place, dates, and details of conversations. If you are an FBI director write memos and send them to the office.

There's no need to have anything certified. Statements made by a party to a lawsuit outside of court are admissible as evidence since they have the ability to testify and be cross examined. Having notes helps with adding credibility since you have more details available to you.


Title: Can someone without a licence/permit and is alone drive in a parking lot?

Question: But there's no cars there of course or streets.

Answer:
 Generally with the parking lot owner's permission, yes.

If the unlicensed driver does hit another car or something else it's unlikely the vehicle owner's insurance will cover the accident, though.


Title: [AL] Uncontested Divorce: Guidance? I have $6k in my bank account, wife has probably less than $500-0. No shared debt/assets really. She wants to stay on my healthcare, I am fine with that. Help?

Question:
How do we start this process?  Can we do this without lawyers?  Is there a form we can print out right now and bring down the the courthouse to start the ball rolling?

We rent, she owns her car, I own mine.  We have been together for over a decade, but only married for 7 months.  We filed jointly in taxes last year for the first time, but have not updated out withholdings are individual on that.

We moved 1/2 across the country to my new job, at a cost of ~$3.5k after everything to move our house.  She will return back home, I will pay for her expense to get a POD or similar container to pack.

What do we need to do so she remains on my health care plan?  I work at a place with ~20-30 employees, does that qualify?

Answer: You're not going to be able to keep her on your employer's plan if you formally divorce. Only if you renege on that and buy your own marketplace coverage.


Title: [INFO] New ADA FAQ clarifies issues related to service dog policy, including distinctions about emotional support animals (United States)

Question:
Note: Not a question, and perhaps not entirely the correct place for this but since this subreddit sees a lot of questions about emotional support animals, I thought it would be of potential interest to the readers here.

[Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA](http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.pdf) [PDF Warning!]

About service animals they say:

> **Q3: Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?**

> **A:** No. These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a
person. Because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not
qualify as service animals under the ADA. However, some State or local governments have
laws that allow people to take emotional support animals into public places. You may check
with your State and local government agencies to find out about these laws.

> **Q4: If someone’s dog calms them when having an anxiety attack, does this qualify it as a
service animal?**

> **A:** It depends. The ADA makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional
support animals. If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about
to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, that would
qualify as a service animal. However, if the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, that
would not be considered a service animal under the ADA.

Answer:
 This is good stuff thanks. I'll message the mods about putting it in the wiki.

We get way too many people coming in here with the wrong impression about fluffy their emotional support armadillo. Answer #2: It's important to note that ESA's are allowed under Fair Housing in most housing situations regardless of pet policies. This does **not** mean the service or companion animal is allowed in stores, libraries, etc.

"Persons with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a waiver of a "no pets policy," for any assistance animal, including an emotional support animal, under both the FHAA and Section 504.[3]"Answer #3: This is really helpful. I work in a hospital and people frequently bring their emotional support animals with them to appointments. It's incredibly frustrating because employees are wary of saying anything for fear of offending patients, but ESAs really do not belong in places like hospitals. I've witnessed them barking excessively (out of aggression or excitement), running in the hallways where people with wheelchairs and walkers are also trying to travel, and peeing/pooping indoors. They're cute and may be emotionally helpful to their owners, but they're just not trained to be in every public place the way that service animals (psychiatric included) are trained. Answer #4: This is going to make things interesting for the hospitality industry for a while. Lots of people have been claiming animals as emotional support animals to get around no pet policies


Title: Got rear-ended then the driver canceled his insurance same day to avoid paying what do next?

Question:
Long time lurker first time posting but i could really use some legal advice.

So on 06/07/2019 my wife and i were heading out of our apartment complex. We came to a stop at the end of the driveway waiting for traffic to clear up so that we could go when, this guy drove right into the back of my wife's 4runner breaking the rear bumper. We called the cops pulled over to the side and asked him what happened, first he said he was looking down and didn't see us. Later when the cop got to the accident stated that he was looking to the left and didn't see us. Either way admitting he was at fault. Whats strange is i took a picture of his insurance card and his name was not on the insurance card. When the officer came out and took both statements the idiot that hit us didn't get a ticket because we were technically still in the parking lot not on the road yet. When my wife talked to "his" insurance provider to give her statement of the accident she was told that their insurance was canceled that same day. To make this worse they guy who hit us was not the owner of the vehicle, nor was he on the insurance. Any advice as to how i get this dirt bag to pay for his mistake would be greatly appreciated.

&#x200B;

tldr: got rear-ended in a parking lot guy who hit us canceled his insurance and now looking for any legal advice?

Answer:
 Insurance follows the car, not the driver. Get the owner of the names insurance info. Contact the police about running the license plate to find the owner.Answer #2: Insurance adjuster here with 8 years experience:

Call your insurance and report this to them so they have a record. Let them know that at this time you’d prefer to try and file through the atfault insurance, but let your own insurance know what’s happening because it sounds like you may need them if it goes poorly with the other person/their insurance. Because the driver is not the owner, check with the vehicle OWNER’S insurance first, then with the other driver’s.

Next, confirm exactly when the accident occurred, through text messages or photos, etc. Provide this proof to the company that is saying the policy was canceled the day of the accident. If it was cancelled after the impact, congratulations, you most likely found yourself coverage!

If it was canceled prior to the impact, or you are unable to locate a valid at-fault insurance carrier for the vehicle owner or driver, talk to your own insurance again and ask them if you have coverage under Collision or Uninsured Motorist Property Damage.

Good luck and let us know if you need more help.

PS - a handful of States just have weird insurance laws, so if you’re in Michigan, Connecticut, it a handful of other places in the US, it’s best to talk to your own insurance agent first.


Title: Prenups and non-monetary contributions.

Question:
My SO and I have discussed that if we get married, he would want a prenup agreement. I am 100% okay with this.

Let's say that together we buy a home. He uses his trust money for a 20% down payment. From there, I contribute 40% of the mortgage, and he contributes 60% (his salary is much higher than mine due to his field of work).

In his opinion, in the event of a divorce, if we sold the house, we would divide it exactly how it was paid. So he would get his down payment...and then we would both get back the 40%/60% we contributed as determined by the sell price of the home.

The thing is, I do 95% of the cleaning and laundry for us. I will also probably handle most of the financial planning/bill paying. I'm also an architectural designer, and will be spending a lot of time on projects that will increase the value of the home. Would it be fair to state in the prenup, that I would get a few more percentage of the home value, because of all of the non-monetary contributions I do? My SO is a mess, and I spend a good 8 hours a week cleaning up after us. I was thinking like 5% of less? So, for example, he would get back his downpayment, and then I'd get 45% and he'd get 55%?

Obviously when the time comes, we will both have attorneys to help us with this, who would help us determine a fair % number. I just wanted some early opinions from r/legaladvice. Thanks!

Edit: We live in California.

Answer: What exactly is your legal question? Are you just asking what is "fair"? That's sorta between you and your SO, really. I'm just happy you both can agree on a prenup. I spent 2 years doing matrimonial law, and I'll say you're already ahead of 99% of most people. And since you both know to retain counsel to help in the drafting of the prenup, you're on the right track. They will guide you best, depending on your particular circumstances as well as the most current applicable laws of your jurisdiction.


Title: Landlords threatening to turn off power.

Question:
A friend was living with a elderly woman who she was paying rent to. The elderly woman has been moved to a elderly home. The children who now own the property have now decided that they want her to move out. They have now threatened to cut the power off with two days notice. What are her rights? There is no lease or rental agreement or receipts of payment.

Georgia, U.S.

Update: County police were called, she was directed to call the magistrate.

Answer:
 She's a month to month tenant.

Landlords must provide 60 days notice, or the tenant can provide 30.

Was the elderly woman the owner of the property?Answer #2: Georgia law requires landlords give 60 days notice to end a month-to-month tenancy. If they just cut off the power to try to force the tenant out, that's illegal. It's possible they're not aware of this.Answer #3: >They have now threatened to cut the power off with two days notice.

If they go through with that, then it'd be a self-help eviction, which is illegal. Electricity is a habitability issue, and Georgia does not allow landlords to render a place uninhabitable to make a tenant vacate. Your friend would be able to sue for whatever actual damages they have from having to find a new place.


Title: How do these online Tshirt companies do it?

Question: There are quite a few Online Tshirt companies such as TeeTurtle  who sell Tshirts that are related to popculture. You'll see shirts on there with characters depicting Sailor Moon, Bat Man Dragonball Z and whatnot. How do they do this without copyright infringement? I noticed with TeeTurtle, they draw the characters slight different, is that how they get around it? I'm interested as I would like to start selling similar shirts, but want to go about ti legally.

Answer: Maybe they have a license. Maybe they're infringing but haven't been busted yet. Maybe they're based in a country like China that's notorious for not enforcing IP claims.


Title: Got a notice to vacate my apartment for not paying rent, when I paid it already. What should I do?

Question:
So, I paid my rent a day early this month (due on the 1st, paid the 31st) since I wouldn't be available to pay it on the 1st. I came back today (the 6th) and found a notice telling me to vacate the apartment due to my rent not being paid.

I know it was paid, since the money was taken out of my bank account, but I never got a receipt for the transaction, and my checkbook didn't come with carbon paper. What should I do about this? I called them and left a message on the answering machine, and I'm going to be heading into the office tomorrow if nothing comes of that, but I wanted to know what else I should do just in case this isn't resolved through a quick correction.

I also want to make sure I receive my security deposit back, since my lease is up soon and I am moving out. Will this incident put that in jeopardy? This is in Ohio, United States.

Answer:
 Show the landlord/property manager a copy of your bank statement that shows rent payment.Answer #2: Contact your landlord, or the property manager and tell them you already paid your August rent, and give them the cancelled check if necessary. If your LL thinks you missed paying rent in some previous month, ask for a transaction history going back to when they say you missed a payment, and compare the same to your bank records -- you will either need to provide evidence you paid the missing payment, or pay the month you missed.

If the above does not resolve the issue, your LL will file suit to evict you, and on your court date you should show the judge the above evidence. Answer #3: You paid by check. Get the canceled check. Answer #4: Hey I think you maybe focusing on the wrong issue. You can easily provide proof that you paid (via the canceled check). Worse case is he tries to evict or sue later and you show up to court and should easily win. However if he claims later he never received notice that would be a lot more difficult to prove. I would show the landlord proof you paid and ask if they have received your notice.


Title: Is there any way to get the money I was awarded in small claims court?

Question:
WA State

Person without insurance ran into vehicle -> Went to small claims court to recover money used to pay for damages -> Other person didn't show up, I was awarded $1450 -> This person has a job, but no real assets, and has no desire to pay me

Is there any way that I can get my money? Like garnish their paycheck or something like that?

Answer:
 Yes, you can

> garnishment of wages, bank accounts, and other monies of the defendant or an execution may be issued on cars, boats, or other personal property of the judgment debtor.

You can do the above by following the procedure found [here](https://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/resources/?fa=newsinfo_jury.display&folderID=brochure_scc&altMenu=smal&fileID=collect).


Title: [Toronto, Ontario, Canada] Need advise dealing with neighbor parking on in front of my house.

Question: I live in a residential area with all houses on my street. Front neighbor parks his car on my side of the street, in front of my house. It's making my parents (and I too) very uncomfortable. He clear has space to park on his side of the street. I've been thinking to talk to him but we never talk anyway and so I don't want to start a bad relationship if he is in fact not parking illegally. I've been thinking to put an orange pylon on there to keep him away but I'm not sure if I can get into legal problems with the municipal division. Can I go ahead with this? Does any of the beautiful souls here know a better way of dealing with him?

Answer:
 His car makes you uncomfortable?? Is this a public street? Answer #2: Honestly what is probably happening is that as he drives home, he comes from that direction, and pulls off on your side so he doesn't have to go up and turn around somewhere.  You're not allowed to park so you're facing opposite traffic on the side you're on, so that's his solution.Answer #3: This guy has every right to park in front of your house, just like you could park in front of a neighbour's house if you wanted to.  The street is public parking, and ANYONE can park there unless there is specific signage from the city to the contrary. Even signage that said "residents only" would allow him to park there, if he is a resident of the street.

You are NOT allowed to put an orange pylon on the street, or do anything else to "reserve" your parking spot. That would be a bylaw infraction.


Title: I reported a teacher to my school for sexually abusing a female student; will/can my name be brought up during the trial?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 How did you report it? Like did you go down the the police station and talk to a detective and file a report, did you call an anonymous tip line, did you write a letter to your principal, etc?

Did the person that you told take your name and information?Answer #2: If you reported to the police through anything but an anonymous tip line, your name will almost 100% certainly come up. People have the right to face their accuser.


Title: [On, Canada] Guy who painted our car claims we owe him money and spray painted our garage in the middle of the night.

Question:
My husband needed to have the car repainted to a color suitable for work as he is the sales guy.  His boss paid for all of this and agreed on $600 to repaint the car if we sent more business his way.  Our friend wanted to have his car painted,  so we sent him to the guy where he gave him an estimate of $1600, which our friend agreed to.

When our friend went to have the car painted, the guy decided he quoted him to low and upped it to $2600. Our friend decided against getting the car done with him and left.  Later that day,  the painter called my husband saying that he owed him the money he lost as our friend didn't take his offer.  Husband told him that that was not part of the deal and he had fulfilled his end of the agreement.  It wasn't his fault that he quoted the friend one price and then upped it on him at the last second.

The threatening phone calls started almost immediately telling husband that he will be sorry and he's messed with the wrong person.  We didn't take it seriously as we found out that the guy spent 12 years in prison for attempted murder and would not want to go back over something so petty.

This morning we woke to find our garage did spray painted with "Pay Ur bills goof". Immediately called the police to have them come out as we knew who did it.  10 minutes later even before the police showing up,  We get another call from a private number saying,  "Calling the police was the wrong thing to do". We know it was him as his voice is distinct and we've received other calls from him in a threatening manner. How did he know we called the police?

Police came,  took pictures,  got statements and petitioned our neighbors.  No one saw anything and the police told us that unless he confesses,  there is really nothing they can do without proof.

We are going to file for a peace bond,  but what is to stop this guy?  We have kids at home and I am terrified.  Police told us he has quite an extensive background and he is waiting on backup to speak to him as he doesn't feel safe going alone.

So I ask,  what do we do?  How do we ensure our safety?

Thank you in advance!

Answer: Aside from the restraining order, which I assume a peace bond is called in your jurisdiction, install IP cameras on the outside of your property. You can buy them on Amazon and they won't break the bank. If he shows up he will be recorded and you can call the police and provide them evidence of trespass. Make sure all your door and window locks are working properly. Make sure you have deadbolts. You can also install simple audio alarms that sound when doors or windows are opened. It won't hurt to apply for a firearm permit and purchase a gun if you don't already own one (I'm assuming not).


Title: [FL, USA] Can I get into legal trouble for being present at a weed party?

Question:
A friend of mine is throwing a smoke party for 4/20. There will be a few college kids (~20), music, and of course weed. He's having it off-campus where lots of other students live, but I don't think it's college-affiliated. I live in Florida where recreational marijuana is not legal yet. I have also  graduated and am now working a job where I have a security clearance, so I will not be smoking or doing anything other than enjoying the party.

If for some reason, police officers are called (noise, smell, etc.) could I get in any trouble? After all, I won't be doing anything illegal, but I seem to remember hearing stories about people being nailed where there was under-age drinking taking place. I am 22 for what it's worth. I appreciate any insight you all might have. Thanks!

Edit: Thank you all for the replies

Answer: you should really avoid being at a party where people are underage and drinking/doing other illegal activities. Your security clearance CAN be revoked if you get even as much as a misdemeanor, in some cases. You don't actually have to be DOING anything, to be part of a crime being committed. For the sake of my job, I would (sadly) stay away.


Title: I Used Reddit to Expose An Abusive, Dangerous, and Emotionally Volatile Sexual Harasser/Stalker's Actions but am Being Threatened with the Possibility of Litigation for Cyberbullying

Question:
This is my first time on here and I would like to some advice on this matter, so let me explain my story.

On another Reddit account I had made, I wrote about how one particular individual I knew emotionally abused, stalked, and harassed several people I knew, my personal friends amongst others. In order to remain anonymous, I will refer to this sexual harasser as "Mark." I have personal testimonies and screenshots of conversations from people who have been victims of Mark's harassment to validate my claim.  I used one particular subreddit as a forum for people to express their own opinions of Mark. No doxxing was done to compromise the real identity of this person.  One anonymous reddit user recognized the story because they were similar to her own experiences and I would later learn that she was one of Mark's personal victims.  Mark has not only stalked girls and emotionally abused them, he has also threatened to commit suicide if they did not reciprocate his feelings. Because of this, Mark had to have Title IX enacted on him before.  However, the story I wrote not only shed light on Mark's behavior, it also ridiculed him immensely. It ridiculed his physical appearance, his behavior, and so on.

In the beginning, I told some people I knew about my involvement in creating the reddit post so that the story could begin circulating.  Other mutual people that Mark and I knew eventually discovered this story and through deduction, he and his friends concluded it was me.  Mark and I are acquainted through school, by the way.
Because Mark found out about the reddit post and my involvement in creating it, I was given an ultimatum: "Delete it or I will report you to the authorities. If I actually do commit suicide, you will be held liable."

My biggest concern was that in the story, I used Mark's actual first name but left every other aspect of his identity concealed. I also told certain people of my involvement in order for the story to circulate.  Once again, no doxxing was done.
When Mark confronted me about this, he also said that he has also gathered evidence implicating me of "sexual harassment" as well amongst other things.  I am concerned that he and others would fabricate an elaborate story in order to substantiate his own claims or falsify testimonies and other forms of evidence.

I ended up deleting the story because of the following logic: "If he actually does kill himself or others, I would be the instigator that triggered it. Although he may commit suicide and therefore escape criminal conviction, I would live to undergo litigation and in the chance I lose, would gain a criminal record and face imprisonment

The most frustrating thing about this situation to me though are the following 2 details: (1) Mark is in a position where he can justify some of his inappropriate actions of engaging with girls. (2) The organization in which he is involved is essentially covering for him despite knowing about some of his actions. They are willing to compromise the safety of the collective at the expense of one person.  My reasoning is that they don't want any negative publicity or for Mark to act irrational and either hurt himself or others, therefore compromising their own safety. After all, frequent sexual harassment is better off than being potentially killed, I guess.  They also decided to shift the blame onto me personally as well and explicitly warned me to stop. The organization also has people who have threatened to expose me as a "sexual harasser" myself.

I do not know how to handle this situation and would appreciate any advice on the matter.

Answer:
 Don't take legal advice from your opponents.

Truth is an affirmative defense against any claims he makes about harassment or libel/slander. As long as you weren't putting out falsehoods and weren't actively threatening this other person then there's no way that 'the authorities' would hold you responsible for anything as there wouldn't be anything to hold you responsible for.

But, if you want more specific advice as to how to manage your risk you would be much better off speaking to a local lawyer. Consultations (the meetings where they tell you what's up and if they can help) tend to be free or less than $50. I think that you are worrying about nothing, but if you want to be proactive then talking to a local attorney is how you would be proactive in this situation.


Title: Lost my brothers engagement engagement ring at a gas station [Canada]

Question:
I was ‘entrusted’ with the task of picking up the engagement ring my brother picked out for his girlfriend.  I lost the engagement probably two afters after I got it back from the jewellers for a resizing. I was at the gas station, pumped my gas, opened the passenger door to grab money out of my purse and didn’t think anything of it.

When I got home an hour later the ring was gone. I can’t tell my brother because he will fly from NS to kill me (jokes but not really) because I just lost $3,000. I called the gas station and they said they checked around the pumps and no one brought anything into them but they would take my name and number just in case. I then asked about the security cameras and they said that the manager would be in at 7am and they’d leave a note for her to check.

If I go there tomorrow morning and I see footage of someone just picking up the ring and pocketing it, is that considered theft? Can I go to the police about that? Is it even theft or is it literally finders keepers losers weepers?

I’m a student with a part time job making minimum wage and only getting 10 hours a week. There’s no way I can replace this ring before he comes home to get it in a few weeks.

Answer:
 That would be theft, but the odds of you ever seeing those tapes are nearly zero. If you're spectacularly lucky, the manager actually will actually look at them, but realistically even that's a stretch. Call the local police and ask if anyone turned it in as lost property and cross your fingers, and then make a difficult phone call.

Unfortunately, because the property was in your care, you likely owe your brother the fair market value. That might be less than its retail value, as many pieces of jewelry are worth far less aftermarket than they're sold for at jewelry stores, but if the _only_ way to get a replacement that's reasonably similar (same weight of stones, similar style, etc) is through a jeweller, then you're looking at some substantial liability.

The good news is that that's _all_ you're looking at. You might owe him money - potentially quite a bit - but you aren't going to go to jail. Given your miniscule income, you're likely effectively judgement-proof, too: even if he sues and wins, all he gets is a legal confirmation that you owe the money, but statutory limits on garnishment or account seizure will mean that it won't change much for you in the short term.

If he's smart, the ring is insured. While you would still be liable on paper, his insurance company is unlikely to pursue you if it looks like a lost cause: they may well pay him out the replacement value less his deductible and call it a day.


Title: [MI] - Car totaled in an accident caused by a drunk driver, no injuries to me thankfully. Can I sue for property damage of the vehicle?

Question:
The accident happened two months ago. I just got a letter in the mail from a prosecutor saying that the person that caused my accident is being charged with 1 count of operating without security (not sure what that means), and 1 count of operating with a high BAC. I did not receive anything for my vehicle from my insurance company because I did not have collision coverage (first car, unfamiliar with Michigan insurance laws).

I was unaware that the person was drunk at the time because they were rushed to the hospital immediately after the accident. Our vehicles did not make contact, but his accident caused mine. Am I able to sue at all for property damage? Thanks for the advice

Answer:
 >1 count of operating without security

It means they didn't have insurance.

If you have losses as a result of someone else's negligence, you can generally sue them for those losses.  The fact that they don't have insurance, and that they're facing a DUI charge don't bode well for your ability to recover a judgment if you get one.

You might also speak with the prosecutor in their DUI case.  Defendants in traffic court over incidents resulting in a loss by another party are often ordered to pay restitution to cover those losses.  You may have a better chance of recovering the value of your vehicle if paying you back is a condition of his court case.


Title: Someone reported me for reckless driving?

Question:
My Mum got a call from the police station in my city (Australia), where the officer states that someone reported our car driving recklessly, swerving all over the road. I was driving the car that day and can confirm that the absolute extremity of my reckless driving was merging into single lane ahead of someone because they were checking their phone at the lights, where there were two lanes.

I believe that it was either this person or someone else trying to act on their road rage because they were offended at being overtaken in a legal and orderly manner.

Is there anything that I should be worried about? I'm shocked by all of this.

Answer: As an Aussie I think I can assure you this is as far as it goes. Without an officer or actual video they won't charge you.


Title: Can anyone give me some advice for illegal/potentially illegal practices at my caregiving company please? Thank you in advance.

Question:
I work for a senior/memory care facility in Nv. I was hired 2 months ago.

I wrote down notes/documentation about the unprofessional environment experienced there and things I witnessed.

1) My boss told me on the day of hire/interview that I wasn't allowed to discuss my wages with other employees because she believes everyone shouldn't get paid the same. Also to watch my back because the other employees are backstabbers who try getting others in trouble for no reason. (That honestly should have been my warning that management allows, encourages and participates in toxic workplace and bad morale behavior.)

2) Is it legal for a manager and her wife to come stay the night together in one of the unoccupied resident rooms? Also they work with one being supervised by the other.

3) My boss drops off her personal laundry from home at the worksite back door for the caregivers to do for her and picks it up when it's finished. I had to fold my bosses underwear and clothes on the job. Like the caregivers aren't already overloaded.

4) There's blatant nepotism and favoritism where they punish, demote, fire, and sabotage others based on false non work related reasons. Relatives work together and are untouchable. Management discusses work performance and punishment/demotions of other employees with other non management employees and the last one to hear it is the employee in question.  They put people in positions they weren't hired for or applied for with much less hours than negotiated at a moments notice and make up vague inconsistent "poor performance" narratives.

I'm quitting tomorrow. Energy and efforts aren't worth anything there and whether you do a good job or not it doesn't matter they toy with and exploit thier employees. They also don't adequately train employees. I was seeking some pointers in going to the labor board about these things. How do I professionally tell them to f*ck off to their face? Is reporting them going to produce any change or is that going to be a fruitless effort too?  I'm beyond frustrated right now but don't want to go about this all wrong.

Also feeling pretty discouraged about caregiving in general it's the thing I enjoy doing and feel like I'm fulfilling my purpose Im just tired of all the shady disruptive crap company's in the field pull effecting finances and mental distress. Working there is accompanied with the feeling of having a sword on a thin string hanging above your head.😕

Thanks again.

Answer:
 (1) It's illegal for employers to prevent employees from discussing wages with other employees. *But* there may not be anything actionable here until you discuss your wages with another employee and get punished for it.

(2) There's nothing illegal about sleeping in unoccupied rooms or two people romantically engaged being in a supervisor-supervisee relationship. It might violate company policy, but that's not illegal.

(3) Same answer as number (2) above

(4) Same answer as (2) & (3) aboveAnswer #2: On point 1, no. Employers cannot mandate non discussion of wages. The backstabbing part is showing they can’t manage.

2, 3, and 4 - all are unethical. Number four *may* rise to hostile work environment.

If the bosses aren’t the owners, or if it’s a franchise agreement, let HQ know what’s going on with as much detail (days, times, witnesses, etc) as possible.


Title: Can I actually do something about this?

Question:
I'm sitting outside in my front yard, my neighbor's kids are running around playing and stuff. something I usually ignore since they do it all the time.

So I go back to browsing on my phone, and one of the kids sneak up behind me. something that they always do for fun. and I sometimes ignore it cause it happens for a few seconds then they go off and continue playing, well... until about now.

 so I'm sitting there, still browsing and the mother announces that it's dinner and she will give them only a few more minutes to play, except for the other kid who goes inside while the other one continues to play.

Then after some time of silence I hear him sneaking up on me again. which I glance over my shoulder once more and I expect him to go back to playing like he always does

Then a few seconds later \*SNIP\* \*SNIP\* \*SNIP\* I hear that sound and feel something on my head shifting then I decide to jerk my head forward and swing my head around, to see him run off full speed into the house and slamming the door behind him.

So I get up and walk behind the chair to see that there are LITERALLY pieces of my hair behind it.

&#x200B;

I'm just wondering if I can actually do something about this? is this actually a offense considering how young he is?

Answer:
 >I'm just wondering if I can actually do something about this?

You can tell the kid's mother. Maybe she'll give you money to get a haircut.

>is this actually a offense considering how young he is?

Location and age matters. But honestly even if it is, do you really want to try to get a kid charged with a crime for this?Answer #2: The crime would be assault and battery, and potentially trespassing if you've told them to get off your lawn before...

Realistically, talk to the kid's parents first. They will likely either be horrified or so indifferent that you won't feel bad calling the police. Legally, they owe you the cost to make you whole, which I suspect is a hair cut.


Title: [Indiana] Hypothetical: Can a group of homeowners get together and form an HOA with no dues or covenants specifically to prevent another HOA from being formed?

Answer: What makes you think that people can force you to join an HOA if you already own the property?


Title: Lawyer quoted me $2500 to review a 7 page vacation rental contract?

Question:
My wife and I own a vacation rental property (mountain cabin) that we rent out for extra income.  I have assembled a fairly good contract over the past two years by reading through over 25 rental contracts that others posted on an owner forum and selecting the best parts.  I have done a lot of cleanup to make the contract flow and be fairly easy to read and understand.  I would like to have an attorney just review the contract to ensure that it is 1) enforceable, 2) as short as possible, 3) comprehensive.

At first the attorney quoted me $500 to review the contract but after I emailed her a copy she said it would be more like $2500.  She said she misunderstood and thought it was a contract that I was signing, not one that i was using for renting out my house (even though I told her this three times during our call).

Am I better off just buying a boiler plate contract and using that?  How much should it cost to review a 7 page contract?  I wouldn't even mind if it was say $500 to $800 but $2500 seems way out of the ballpark.  Is this the going rate?

Answer:
 I'm throwing this out there because I don't know but:

Reviewing a one off rental contract is going to open the lawyer to far less liability than reviewing a contract that is going to be used over, and over, and over again. I imagine that just that fact would increase the rate.


Title: Neighbor built fence to cut off jogging path

Question:
Our house is the second last on a dead end with the small stream being the dead end. The stream/creek runs perpendicular to the road in front of our house. Between our house and the stream is another house.

We used to take a path between the stream and the next house's yard to reach a jogging trail that joins a bridge on top of the stream. Recently, the neighbor started building a fence and now the fence goes almost all the way until the stream. There is a small spot of about 3 feet between the corner of the fence and the stream, but last week the neighbor used bushes to close that off as well. It seems they are targeting us from using the yard when they could have talked to us. Now I have a feeling that their yard & plot does not go all the way until the stream/creek and they may be illegally occupying land that is not theirs by putting up a fence. Now with the new fence, I need to go all around about half a mile just to reach the jogging trail, as opposed to using the common ground (or so I think) between the last house & the creek.

How can one go about understanding the boundaries of someone else's plot and if they have violated, how should they be handled? Should the HOA be approached or can we check with the county?

Answer:
 If you have an HOA you can ask them, they may have a survey showing the property lines in their neighbourhood and they can let you know if their are rulea about fencing.Answer #2: You can get a copy of the plat from the county recorder's office and look at where the property lines are. If it turns out the fenced area is common property held by the HOA, then you can talk to the HOA about restoring access (or even propose a motion authorizing the HOA to maintain and improve the path, paid for out of the HOA's finances, if enough member owners are on board with paying for it).

If it turns out the fenced area is that owner's property, then you can still talk to the HOA about making sure fence-related rules are being followed, but that's about it. Unless you've been using the run for multiple years - possibly decades, depending on jurisdiction - there's very little chance you can compel them to let you continue using their property.


Title: Paying someone else's child support/spousal support questions and taking my house threats

Question:
After she quit her job and lost her house, I let my girlfriend move into my house with her kids. I supported her for about a decade, paid for her custody battle in court and paid the child support that the court imposed on her. She has made no actual attempt to get a job in all that time and literally has done nothing but watch tv, play on the computer and eat and sleep while I've worked two jobs trying to pay for it all. I've only slid deeper into debt. At the same time she has become more and more disconnected from reality and downright delusional.
Long story short is that I've finally hit my limit and I've told her to leave. She now is threatening that I will have to go back to paying her child support to her ex (I have no children) and that she will take me for my house and spousal support as well. She is accusing me of things that range from gross exaggerations to outright fabrications, basically a long list of accusations including me being an abusive drunk.
 So I'm wondering if I am indeed likely to lose it all over helping someone who never helped themselves or me. Can I be held liable for paying child support for her children to her ex just because I paid it to keep her out of more legal troubles? Could I end up paying support to her if she leaves just because I've paid for her up to now? Can she take my house that I alone worked and paid for?

Edit:
To answer some of the questions;

I live in the province of Ontario in Canada.
Her son (17) has been living here for about the last two years as well (also doesn't work or go to school) though I continued to pay the full amount of her child support for her until very recently. Her daughter still lives with the father.
Unfortunately I'm pretty well broke and can't afford a lawyer. She will be considered common law, living together for even a matter of months here makes it so.
While it's hardly just or fair that one person, having helped another out and paid for everything for years should be forced to continue to pay even after they leave or lose their house over it just so that the second person can continue to not work somewhere else, from what I've seen of our legal system, it seems very possible.

Answer:
 Pretty sure she can only go after you for what she financially contributed to the relationship. Stop paying her child support  stop providing anything beyond bills in your name.

Common law spouse in Ontario is not what you think it is.


Title: My Ex called my lawyer directly. Is this ok?

Question: I served my ex-husband with a variety of things, and he called my lawyer to ask what the things served meant. Is this a violation of my rights? Should I be concerned? Please help!

Answer: No, it is not a violation of your rights.  If your ex has an attorney, he should speak to his  attorney.  If your ex does not have an attorney, he should contact your attorney.Answer #2: No. That's why you hired a lawyer in the first place. Now, if he has a lawyer that might be a different story. But that's between your lawyer and his.


Title: [NY] Dealing with a bad lawyer

Question:
Long story short, I retained a pricey Manhattan lawyer for a somewhat complex immigration case and from the beginning she offered bad advice (saying don't waste our money on a family petition among other things), didn't do what was in our best interest (other lawyers have told me this) and failed to give us extremely important information about the case on at least 3 different occasions. The last one resulting in my I-130 petition being denied. (It was denied due to abandonment because she never told us we had an interview)
My question is, do I have any legal grounds to sue her? Or can I use her incompetence to get my spouses case reopened?

She also took money for an appeal that never happened and refused to give it back. Claiming she already worked on it and if anything we owe HER.

Please tell me there's something I can do. This woman has truly put me through hell the past 2 years. My blood pressure skyrocketed due to all the worry/stress and I've even had to go to therapy.

Answer: Fire them, and make a complaint to the bar.


Title: They took all of my moms money...

Question:
We live in California.

My mom just got a message from her bank saying her balance was at $0.00 and her account was placed on hold. She then called Chase Bank and they told her that this is a legal issue and they cannot help her and gave her the number to call. She has kept calling but nobody answers. I googled the number and it comes back as Kenosian & Miele legal services. Their yelp has many similar reviews/experiences as my moms. All abrupt and negative.

About ten years ago my mom closed a credit card account she had $5000 debt on. After two years they took $800 from her account. The $800 was from govt. assistance for my brother and I as she was a struggling single mom. When that happened she tried calling and calling the attorney without luck and eventually gave up and opened another account. Nothing after that. Until now.

They have drained her account after 10 years and took $4500. Half of it is direct deposited from my brothers job as he doesn’t have a bank account so it is HIS money. That is all of our money. I am currently out of work due to chronic conditions as well so I’ve already dipped into all my savings and am out. Rent and bills are due. We are devastated.

Are there no statue of limitations regarding this (debt collection) in California?
Can they just do this without any notice or attempt to “settle”?

What can we do? All I have is a phone number and a case number.

Also, I called chase and asked them for as much info as they can give me. They have given me the case number, the name of the attorney/law firm but not the creditor. They also said that they are holding her money for 10 days until further action and if no action the money will be in the attorneys hands.

Do I go to the court and ask what I can do? Can I call them? Should I call the attorney?

Please help!

(Also, english is my moms second language so she has given me consent to go forth with dealing with this issue incase anyone is wondering why I’m so involved; I’m a 21 yo f and have minimal knowledge on this as well lol)

Answer: Sounds like she was sued, lost, they got a judgement, and they levied her account. This is all perfectly normal.Answer #2: Your bother shouldn't put his money in your mom's accounts.


Title: [IN] Banned from visiting inmates at my county jail

Question:
So my boyfriend is in jail. He's been there since Oct 27 2016. At my county's jail when visiting an inmate you have to have a photo ID. Even though I'm 19 I don't drive and therefore don't have a license and my VA state ID was missing. I'm new to IN and at that point hadn't had enough time to get a state ID nor a ride. So I called ahead before visiting to ask if my student ID would be accepted. They said it would be fine. I went in, everything went smoothly, visited my friend, they took some information from me (SSN, address etc) and I left. I went back a second time and they checked my file, let me through and I signed out and left with no issue. The third time I went in, the woman at the window was immediately hostile and rude saying "oh it's this girl again" and stuff like that and immediately started yelling saying "we've told you four times you can't use this ID. I don't know if we should let you in again because we've warned you four times." Keep in mind I had only been there twice before and had only met this lady once- the second time I went in. She continued to yell saying "she didn't know if she could let me in" and yelling to her coworkers about if she should let me in. Then she started yelling at me about how I have to understand that everyone in IN has a state ID and that if I didn't have one I could just move. I explained that I was confused, that I'd never been told by any employees I couldn't use it, that id called ahead to be sure and she told me I had been misinformed. I responded "well maybe your employees should be better informed to avoi-" and I was cut off and screamed at to leave. But never once did I raise my voice. I left, got a state ID, came back, and was told I was banned. I've called and asked how long it's in place and no one can tell me anything other than "you still can't visit". I don't know why this is happening. I don't know what I did or why I'm banned. Is there a way I can appeal this? Is there someone I can talk to that would speak to me about it in a more civil manner? Like who should I call? Anyway sorry this is long.
TL;DR I got banned from jail because of an ID I had been previously approved to use. Can I appeal it? Is there something I can do?

Answer: Go to a new state ID


Title: Company told me to quit job and then did not hire me

Question: So I worked at Pet Supplies Plus, an I went into Petsmart one day to see if theyd be able to offer hours that better worked with my school schedule, they did, but said that I needed to be 18 to work there and I was 17 at the time. The hiring manager, Susan, told me to put in my application on my 18th birthday (there was only a month until my birthday) and that she wanted to hire me. I went in multiple times before my birthday to ask if I still had the job to which they told me that I did and that I was basically already hired and theyre just waiting for my birthday. Susan even told me to QUIT MY JOB AT PET SUPPLIES PLUS because I would start working at Petsmart within 2 weeks after my birthday. So I put in my 2 weeks at Pet Supplies Plus on my birthday and I call Susan to tell her my application is in, she said she would call me to set up a drug test and stuff. After a week I didnt hear anything so I called an she said they had been busy with Christmas stuff and they someone would call me tomorrow, but that I still had the job. After 2 days I got no call so I went in and she said "Sorry we're not hiring". Is there anything I can do?

Answer:
 I'm sorry that happened to you. That is a really crappy way to learn a lesson. In the future, do not quit a job until you have a firm offer and start date, preferably in writing. Any decent manager will understand that you can't be without a paycheck and will wait for you to wrap up your existing job; if she doesn't, she's probably not someone you want to work for anyhow.Answer #2: This is definitely actionable.  The only question is if there is enough money for it to be worthwhile to pursue (or for an attorney to pursue, for that matter).

You have a pretty textbook case of promissory estoppel.  What that means is that you have damages (loss of income & inability to file for unemployment) as a result of acting on a promise that was broken (job offer rescinded).  You should call and speak to an employment attorney.

Try to document whatever you can to show that the job offer was made (call logs, texts, emails, hand-written logs with times/dates/conversation notes).  Look up a local bar association for an attorney referral program.  Depending on your location/financial situation, you should check to see if legal aide is available.  Good Luck!


Title: Water damage to our apartment - no renter's insurance - what to do?!

Question: [deleted]

Answer: YOU caused the sprinkler to go off. Any damage caused by your negligence is your financial responsibility.


Title: Fishing charter refusing refund

Question:
This is kind of a long story, but I will try to keep it short and sweet.

I booked a fishing charter in San Diego, CA 4 days ago. I payed the full amount $1000 (stupid) over the phone with my credit card through his square app. I decided today I wanted to cancel the trip and requested a refund (1 week notice). He refused a full refund and said he would keep 50% of my deposit ($500) if I cancelled, claiming that was part of the "contract". There was no contract in our transaction, no verbal warning about the payment being non-refundable, and nowhere on his website or my receipt stating anything about cancellations or refunds. I've already started a dispute with my credit card, but am I really "on the hook" for $500? I feel like he is trying to bully me into keeping my booking with him. I've never dealt with anything like this before, any advice is appreciated!

If anyone would like to hear the whole story and why I decided to cancel I would be happy to vent.

Answer: It is not unusual for a deposit to be non refundable based on the fact that he could have passed up business with another client on the date you were scheduled. It stops people from scheduling and then canceling right before their appointment.


Title: (NV) Family member fell at my home while watching over home, broke hip and femur.

Question:
I am seeking advice as to how best to handle this situation.

I had a close family member come from out of state to take care of my property while away on business and fell and had a fairly severe injury.

Should the individual whom fell work directly with the agent of the insurance company at this point or should they seek representation? They were retired at time of injury and have been unable to return home for over 90 days at this point. Most of the fees have been covered by medicare/medicade? However, now the amount of time for exempt hospitalization is now gone.

Thank you in advance for any help, hopefully I have provided enough details.

Answer:
 I'm not sure that you want to be in a position where you're advising your family member to sue you.Answer #2: Did you contact your homeowners? What is your relative looking to get paid for - just any overages insurance didn't cover or more?Answer #3: If the fall was caused by your negligence, then your homeowners will cover it.

If she retains an attorney,  the attorney is going to try to show you were liable/negligent.

In NV, it doesn't matter what insurance paid for what, they can still claim all the medical expenses that were billed. 90 days inpatient rehab will be in the 6 figure range for sure, so if you are truly liable, your homeowners insurance may pay up to your full policy limits  (usually $300,000) and that will impact your rates for awhile.

If you aren't liable, your insurance will still probably make a settlement on your behalf and will provide defense on your behalf. Answer #4: Was the fall due to someone's negligence?


Title: [Canada] Can I get sued for selling extremely hot peppers at a farm market?

Question:
Simple enough question. I sell vegetables at a local small town farmer's market and I'm looking to draw some attention by growing some different and exotic produce next year.

I'd like to include some hot peppers like habaneros, ghost peppers and even Carolina reapers (currently the world's hottest peppers). I'm planning to sell them prepackaged and with a warning label and proper handling information. Would that be enough to protect myself? Or would I just be taking too much of a risk to sell these hot peppers?

Answer:
 Simply labeling them with the kind of pepper they are should be sufficient, but I'm from the US. How are peppers like those sold at major chain grocery stores in Canada?Answer #2: Perhaps you could have purchasers sign a little waiver stating that they understand the risks? That might even entice people to buy it more. The kind of people who love painfully spicy things often enjoy the "danger" of it.Answer #3: As another poster pointed out:

>"Peppers so hot you'll have to sign a waiver to buy!!!"

... would make for a great marketing pitch.Answer #4: Probably, but the say-so of an internet rando is no substitute for a half-hour talking to a your own lawyer.

There are lots of corporations already doing retail in this space, and a lot of them have very friendly-sounding web pages. If you asked them on a quiet business day, they may have some tips for you. Answer #5: IANAL but:

Generally being sued over something like this requires something on the order of willful negligence (example, you're selling products with potential allergens in them and not labeling as such, or the infamous McD's coffee thing).

If you're really concerned you could look up the labeling for industry requirements at the CFIA and simply follow those with a printed label (typing one up on a word processor will probably take about 25 minutes). I found the basic standards with a quicky Google search.

All that said, more information for a consumer is usually better, and if I was selling the hottest pepper available I'd label it all over as such just for the marketing.


Title: A friend totaled the rental vehicle I asked him to return, and now the rental company says I owe roughly $15k. I don't have a car/insurance. How can I avoid owing a debt that wasn't my fault? / How can I avoid legal action? / Am I actually liable in this situation? [Location: U.S., SE Georgia]

Question:
Location: U.S., SE Georgia

I rented a car for a weekend when a ladyfriend was visiting. I was very careful with it, because the company requires a large deposit when using a debit acct vs a credit acct. On the last day, I asked a friend to turn the vehicle in, since I live a good drive away from the rental agency, and didn't have a way to get home.

Several days later, I called the rental agency to inquire how much longer before they refunded my deposit. Long story short: It turns out my friend neglected to drop off the vehicle, took the vehicle out of town, and was involved in an accident that totaled the rental.

I don't have a car, therefore I don't have car insurance. I've tried to be cooperative with the rental agency, but they've sent a bill for roughly $15k. Now I'm sure the rental agency had their own vehicle insured, but since I didn't pay the extra fees for their damage waiver, it seems like I'm responsible for the whole cost.

What are my options here? I wasn't driving the rental, so I wasn't the person who wrecked it. That other person wasn't listed as an alternate driver. Do I legally owe the rental agency? It's not like their insurance didn't cover the car. How will the rental agency pursue the debt? Will they send it to a collection agency, harass me with phone calls, or file a law suit? The only way I'll be able to pay is by scrounging $200-$300/month, meaning I'll have the debt paid off in 6 years at the earliest. What else can I do to fix the problem?

(I omitted the name of the rental agency, but if it's relevant, just ask)

Answer:
 You owe the debt to the rental agency, plain and simple. You can likely sue your friend for the accident.

Does your credit card offer rental card insurance? Most do. You may not be covered though because you allowed someone else to drive who wasn't allowed to.


Title: [WA] Spouse died, leaving everything to me in the will. Can my mother-in-law challenge the will?

Question:
My spouse passed away and mother in law (MIL) hired a lawyer contesting the will.  Absolutely the worst way to spend the holidays.  Here's what the lawyer's letter said:

* MIL believes the will is fake, despite notary, witnesses, and we took photos.
* MIL believes spouse was forced to sign the will.
* MIL believes she was intended to receive the estate, but is not named in will.

My intent was to share the estate with MIL after my spouses' bills were paid.  I've already paid off most, but there's still more.

Does MIL have any legal ground here?

Answer:
 Your intent is to share the estate with you MIL after bills but that's not what your spouse wanted. Don't feel pressured into sharing it against the wishes of your late spouse.

Your MIL could try and argue that your spouse wasn't in their right mind when making the will e.g. due to the effects of the medication.

Others here can hopefully advise how to respond to the lawyer's letter (always check it did come from a lawyer and it's not been faked). I don't know if you need to respond now or wait until you're served with something actionable, after they've filed something. If this does continue then I believe (IANAL, please check) that the costs of defending the will come from your spouse's estate not from you.Answer #2: Yes. Anyone can challenge any will, unfortunately. I just got done with a 4 year probate case that ended in exactly what the will said, but I got to pay a lawyer $100k in fee’s. Gather any and all paperwork you can and find a top notch lawyer. Answer #3: If somebody would answer 2 questions, for me related.  If there was no will, would the spouse get the estate anyway?  Even if the MIL had evidence the will was a fake, would she not need a will herself for her to get the money?Answer #4: Obviously you need a lawyer to advise you and represent you on this.

But the short answer to your question is that yes, she can challenge the will. She might lose, but she can challenge and you must fight back or settle, unless your lawyer can somehow convince the other party that it is not in their best interests to sue.


Title: [TX] Employer randomly decides certain of us must clock in and out, but we are all salary so it doesn't affect pay check. Should we be concerned?

Question:
I have been working for a small (20 person) family owned business for 2.5 years.

I did 3 months as an intern and then became a full time, salaried employee.  Work hours are 8 AM - 5 PM, with an hour for lunch. Time off requests are handled through an online portal.

Up until Monday, no one has had to use this clock in or clock out system. Through my discussion with other coworkers, I am one of three other individuals who must now do this.

I have asked if this means I am now hourly, and my office manager/HR person stated "nothing has changed".  Tardiness of 1-35 minutes will not be required to impact time off accruals, and staying later to work will not be paid with overtime "unless it's an extraordinary circumstance." Being a few minutes late for lunch also did not receive a clear explanation.

Additionally, sometimes I will take a meeting outside of the office, grab lunch, and then return. She says she will send me a mobile site which I can use to clock out while away from the office. I try this and receive error messages. Today, my office manager/HR @/;6 says she will look at my Phone to fix this error. She goes into my settings and turns on my safari settings to allow location services. I purposely had that turned to off, but am now asked to turn it on to clock in. Knowing that, I look into the website and it captures your GPS location of where you clock in or out from. This is my personal phone.

My questions were met with "nothing is changing, it's just a new requirement". The majority of my office are full time salaried workers, yet I am one of the few who this applies to.

Today, I had an appointment closer to the office so I decided to stay until 5:30 pm to finish a contract rather than go all the way home. I (thought) I was the last person in the office so began the locking up process, only to find said office manager/HR person sitting at the front, fully ready to leave, simply waiting. I said "Is there a problem with your car? Do you need a ride or should I let you lock up?" She said "I'm good, have a good night."

A few minutes later she pulls up next to me at the stoplight. It feels as though she was waiting for me to leave.

My question: is there something sinister going on? Should I be concerned about my job/my current salary? Is it legal for them to track my GPS location when clocking off site?

TL;DR: employer of two years begins requiring a clock in, clock out system for full time, salaried worker without a good explanation for the sudden change.

Answer:
 So lot of issues here.  First of all, what kind of work do you do because we should look first to whether you're being classified correctly as exempt.

Then once we figure out if you're exempt or non exempt I'll write the whole thing regarding either one.