Title: Mother has lung condition and property managers unwilling to handle smoking neighbors affecting her

Question:
USA-IL location. My mom lives in Section 8 housing, from a local property management approved by HUD. She's lived in the same place for 7 years with relatively no major problems.

But a year ago, new tenants moved in downstairs from her, and they are chronic smokers. The smell of the smoke seeps up to her apartment. She is likely much more sensitive to smelling it than I can due to her health condition. Sometimes it smells like cigars, or weed, or a combination of both. She has bronchiectasis and is causing her to cough profusely at times, or kept awake late at night because of the smoke and smells bothering her. She is not a smoker herself (quit decades ago). The fumes are sometimes impeding her ability to breathe. It is usually worst during nighttime hours.

Ultimately part of the problem is that the property management can't or won't seem to do a thing about it. They say that they cannot move or evict smokers because it's not a "no smoking" building, and that it would be discriminatory to do so (but it's okay to let other tenants suffer from the smoking it seems...) My mom brought a doctor's note explaining the condition to them, but they haven't given it any consideration. Air purifiers haven't been effective for her.

I am not sure how we can reasonably settle so that she wouldn't need to give up her apartment and be put on a wait list for another one, when smokers are disturbing the peace and her well-being. Is there any feasible course of action we can do to settle with the property management?

Answer:
 >it's not a "no smoking" building

If she has a condition that is effected by smoking she needs to live in a no smoking building. It is not reasonable for her to demand that the other tenants not smoke when they have the right to do so in their own unit.

>when smokers are disturbing the peace and her well-being

The smokers are not actually doing anything wrong. You can try talking to them about it but you don't have any leverage here.


Title: Should I give my SSN to this caller? - California

Question: [deleted]

Answer: I would advise against it. I've never had anyone ask for my SS number prior to offering me job and even then, never over the phone.


Title: Scammed Online

Question:
Here's my situation: I was talking to a guy about buying his account on a video game, he told me to buy an in game item for exchange to his account. I did through Paypal and he never gave me the account information.

All of this was done through kik, all the data of our conversation has been erased. Apparently he resides somewhere in Europe and I live in Canada.

I'd just like to know if there is anything that I can do? Even just scare him a bit so that he ends up giving me the account?

Thanks for taking your time to read this, hope it didn't hurt your eyes too much on how foolish this transaction was.

Answer: Maybe you can report it to the administrators of the game, but I'm guessing they have a ban on the sort of transaction you describe.  If you don't know who this guy/gal is in real life you have almost no chance of getting your money back.


Title: Mother fired from an accounting job in New Jersey due to "underachieving" and tricked into signing a voluntary separation contract with the help of a language barrier.

Question:
First, this all happened in NJ. This past Friday 11/30/2018 the COO of my mother's company called her to his office and told her that they expected more from her based on her resume and that they were firing her because she was not able to do all the work they expected of her. She had been working at the company for 2 months and the probationary period (after which she would receive full benefits) was 3 months.

Just for context, her immediate boss is the wife of the COO. Both of them have been on vacation the past week or so. My mother is an accountant and she and her immediate boss are the only accountants at the company. Before the COO and my mom's immediate boss went on vacation she was told that she was doing a great job and without her, they would never finish anything on time. Also while they were on vacation my mother handled all the accountant work without any complaints from her boss or anyone else. My mother does not speak or read English beyond basic communication.

After explaining that she was being fired the COO handed her a document and told her "Sign this document now. This document says that you are not going to sue us." Unfortunately, since my mom can't read English and she is not the best in situations like this she signed the document. This was obviously not what she should have done.

Basically, this document turns out to be a voluntary separation agreement that declares that my mother has no intention to file any charge, or bring any legal action, against the company. And because she signed a voluntary separation agreement I do not think she is able to collect unemployment and other such benefits (I have done basic research about this as I just returned from a trip abroad).

Is there any legal action we can take against the company?

&#x200B;
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 A contract signed in bad faith from one party (example, lying about the scope or knowing the other party doesn’t understand what they’re signing) is going to be hard to be enforce.

She should file for unemployment and seek a new job.


Title: Business owner demanded to see papers for service dog, accused us of fraud, and let us shop "just this once".

Question:
In Illinois.

My mother has a service dog for a medically documented disability. The dog had been certified by a private agency (as there is no federal registration) just because my mother is the sweetest person on the planet and wanted to make sure the dog could handle itself without disturbing others.

We walked into a store and the worker rushed over yelling no dogs allowed. I told her it's a service dog (and he wears a vest identifying himself as such). She said, "Well I need to see papers."

We said we didn't have any papers on us and the ADA doesn't require us to carry them. She said, "I can demand to see papers but I can't ask what your disability. Also, you can buy those vests online."

She then said she would "let it slip" and permit us to shop there "just this once".

Mind you, this is in front of everyone in this tiny store. It was humiliating and demeaning.

I perform research for a university in their disabilities department and have previously been a case manager for children with disabilities. My mother is a retired special education teacher.

I would like advice on what all I can do so this business faces repercussions.

Answer:
 Point 3 on [this site](https://www.cityofdekalb.com/863/Service-Animals-in-Places-of-Business) which gives advise for businesses in the city of Dakalb Illinois: "you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability" so the store 100% broke the law.

You can file a complaint online. [here's a link](https://www.ada.gov/filing_complaint.htm) to a site with more details.


Title: Went in for an oil change, two weeks later my engine blows from no oil in car.

Question: I admittedly know almost nothing about cars. On May 5 i went to one of those major chain oil changing shops. I was charged $79.43 for the high mileage service. On May 20 on my way to work my engine blows in the middle of the interstate. I call my uncle(a mechanic) after getting the car towed back to my place and when he checked there was no oil in the engine. Is there anything that i can be done? What actions should i take?

Answer: Have you driven your car since the oil change? Because you wouldn't get anywhere period without oil. So if you have driven around any where in the last two weeks, then you probably have an oil leak. But I'd be very shocked if they drained you and didn't fill you up. The motor would literally seize up on your drive home from the shop you got the oil change from.


Title: I want to leave everything I own to my children and nothing to my sister in the event of my death.

Question:
I don't plan to die soon, but in the event that I do, I want everything divided between my children.

I had my will updated four years ago and everything in it is correct.  It leaves everything to my children but my sister is not mentioned.

However, recently our father died.  Everything was supposed to be divided between the two of us.  She challenged it in court - her argument was that he paid for college for me, so he has contributed "more" to me before his death, and therefore she deserves more after.  The judge did not sympathize and she got what he gave her and nothing more.

I am worried that she will also attempt to question my will when I die.

Do I need to go back to a lawyer and have something put in explicitly stating that she should get nothing?  Or is it enough that it says half/half for my children?

Should I be gathering "supporting evidence" for why nothing should go to her?  She has sent me a letter informing me that she no longer considers me family and telling me to never contact her again, and she changed her name to a different one (which she made up) in order to no longer be associated with our family.  I don't know if those things would help.

Thanks.

Edit:  Colorado

Edit:  I should mention that my wife is deceased.  That should explain why everything goes to my children!

Answer:
 It couldn't hurt to have your will updated to specifically exclude her.  You might also ask about adding a no-contest provision.

You don't need evidence.  Your money is your money and you can leave it to whomever you want.

ETA: I hope it goes without saying that you should avoid all financial entanglements with your sister.  No joint purchases, no loans, I wouldn't even go in on a Christmas gift for Great-Aunt Mabel together.  Avoid giving her any argument that you owe her money.Answer #2: > I am worried that she will also attempt to question my will when I die.

You can't prevent that.  No one can.  Anyone can challenge a will; their rate of success depends on their argument.  As you've seen, a poor argument doesn't get you far.

If you didn't write your will with an attorney, do so.  If it's four years old, it might be a good idea to review it with an attorney, to see if there are any updates or changes that may help.Answer #3: > Do I need to go back to a lawyer and have something put in explicitly stating that she should get nothing? Or is it enough that it says half/half for my children?

You don't have to do that, but it strengthens your children's defense if you do.  Nothing will prevent her from challenging the will if she's determined, but any additional ammo on your children's behalf can be helpful.

> Should I be gathering "supporting evidence" for why nothing should go to her?

Probably not necessary.  You don't need reasons supporting your decisions in a will, so long as your wishes are clearly expressed in a valid will.  Talk to your estate attorney about it though.


Title: [Upstate NY] Do I need to do anything after selling a used rifle to a licensed dealer?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Give him the rifle


Title: [California] Hypothetically speaking, if someone were to sneak into an event held by a head of state under fake press badges could they be arrested for anything?

Question:
So completely 100% hypothetically, if a head of state of a major US ally were coming to SoCal in a few months to speak and somebody made themselves a fake press pass under the completely not real newspaper name and got it, would it be illegal at all? Completely hypothetical of course.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Trespassing at minimumAnswer #2: Just FYI, you *generally* can't make a "fake press pass" and get in to an event that has more than minimal security. You could obtain an actual press pass under false pretenses, but usually you can't just show up with something you laminated yourself and expect to get in.Answer #3: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tareq_Salahi

Not exactly the same, because of the fake press pass, but this has happened.


Title: Do I have ownership over my phone that I paid for most

Question: I'm 15(m) and I got a new iPhone about a month ago, there's a 350$ credit already applied to it as it was part of a promotion. Then what was left, was about 650, my dad then paid 250 upfront, and I paid the rest of it from work money. Do I have ownership over it in any way? This is because whenever something pisses him off, like really small things, like expressing my thoughts on religion or something. It's getting ridiculous and I'm getting really fed up of him forcing shit like religion on me and taking advantage of the fact I'm younger and taking my phone, and stupid shit like this.

Answer: While you're under 18, your parents are free to take your phone from you. It doesn't matter if you paid for most of it.


Title: 1962 trust account payout of 50k. Does inflation factor in the payout?

Question:
In 1962 my grandfather put 1.4 million into an investment trust for his five sons. Monthly payouts were made based on the interest. Upon the death of each son proceeds from their portion of the trust were to be paid out to their children until the death of the last son.

According to my grandfather's will after the last son dies the remaining grandchildren are to be given a final payout of no more than 50k. With any remaining balance to be given to a charity decided by the trustee; which is now the bank.

The trust is now worth 4.3million. I'm happy to take my 50k but I feel like it's at least worth asking the question–was my grandfather's intention that I receive 50k as he understood it's value in 1962 (adjusting for inflation that's now worth around $392k) or is a will or trust meant to be executed as written no matter how much time has past.

I'm in Canada but the trust and will are being executed in the State of New York. Any insight is appreciated.

Answer:
 Unless the will has some sort of clause adjusting for inflation, your grandfather explicitly said you only get $50k. End of story.Answer #2: A trust worth 4.3 million and you're to receive 50k?

Here's a gamble that might be worth taking: Hire an estate planning attorney to litigate that shit!

It will cost you 25-50k, but you very well may be able to bust open that trust. Have the other beneficiaries chip in so you each share the cost of litigation equally.

Strategically, I might start by petitioning the probate court to change the trustee. Then use a private settlement agreement among all remaining beneficiaries and the new trustee to change the terms of the trust to pay that shit out.


Question:
Would it be stealing if someone took merchandise from a store and left cash?

(If all the registers broke.)

California, if it matters.

Answer: It's straight-up theft. This comes up somewhat regularly in this sub and in r/legaladviceofftopic: a sale is not complete until some agent on the merchant's side authorized to complete it consents to the sale. Without consent, there's no sale, and leaving with the property you "paid for" is theft.


Title: I am going to court for shoplifting, I have no lawyer, and I dont know what to say! NJ

Question:
I'm 24, Morris County, New Jersey, and i was caught stealing 97 dollars worth of items from wal-mart today and im going to court without a lawyer. I cant afford one.

Now I understand, what I did was wrong and I royally fucked up. I'm never going to do it again and I dont know what possessed me to do it today!
That being said, what do I say? I've never been to court before. I'm nervous and i dont want to get slapped with thousands of dollars worth of fines.
I told the police and walmart that I stole them, i didnt resist I calmly and told the truth.

 I didnt put up a fight and I just cooperated with the parties involved I need your help guys. I know I fucked up.

Nothing I can do can change this but I am owning up to it and I'll never do it again!
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 Plead not guilty and ask for a public defender. You may be eligible for some first time offender program.

You can also expect to get a civil demand from Walmart for several hundred dollars.


Title: Damages on Xanax.

Question:
Location: Arkansas

My partner and I have been together for 5 years.  About a year ago her doctor started her on Xanax(a huge amount -  2mg pills** / 2-3 times a day** Edit)) and from that time on she became a different person.   She became angry all the time, aggressive, and abusive.   She took crazy actions she never would have before.   Her abuse took a severe toll on my life, and impacted my job.     At one point after having lost her Xanax proscription she hit me, the cops were called, and she was arrested.    Shortly after, I was fired from my job because I couldn't handle all the stress anymore.

Since being arrested she stopped taking the Xanax all together, and is back to normal.

However, I'm now out of a job, and she is now charged with 3rd degree domestic battery and 2nd degree endangerment of a child.

Who is liable for all of this?     Her?  Pfizer?  Her doctor?

Can my partner get these charges dropped?

Edit:  It's 2mg/ 2-3 times a day.  Not just 2mg...    my bad.

Answer:
 No one is liable for this other than your GF.

Whether her charges get dropped is entirely up to the prosecutor. Answer #2: Xanax (alprazolam) is a schedule IV control and has known dependency issues. Irritability, anger, and aggression are all known side effects and she was either counseled for them at the pharmacy when she picked them up, or declined counseling by the pharmacist. The dosage is normal, I don't known where you got that 2mg/day is an unusually high dosage from. Pfizer, her doctor, and her pharmacist are all free of responsibility. Your girlfriend, and her alone, is responsible.

IANAL but worked in pharmacy for three years. I was the lead compliance technician for downstate Illinois for a certain grocery chain.  Answer #3: Sorry man, but the personality shift you're describing wasn't necessarily caused by the Xanax itself, especially as such an average dose. When things go sideways it's natural to look for something to blame, but it's significantly more likely she was dealing with other issues.


Title: Can I hang a rope from a tree outside my house?

Question: There's a tree in the back of my house that i'd like to hang a rope from for climbing purposes. The tree is not actually on my property. Would I be breaking any laws by doing this? And if someone were to come along and hurt themselves on it, would I be liable?

Answer:
 I thought this was going to be a racist thing for a second.

The short answer is that you can't unilaterally do stuff to other people's property without their permission.  You can ask them nicely and/or offer to waive some liability.


Title: [CA] - Step-son is being harrased daily by his father.

Question:
My wife and I have legal custody of her son (10).  We also have another boy (5).  The older son's dad lives in AZ and has opened up a case against us to gain more custody of his son.  He actually "kidnapped" him and held in in AZ and we were force to unenroll him out of school.

&#x200B;

After legal battle we regained custody and decision making for him and his dad is now required to take weekly drug tests.

&#x200B;

Currently his dad is allowed to have reasonable contact.  We have set up a schedule for him to call everyday.  I encourage his son to call and make sure we always remember to call because I would hate to not be able to have a relationship with my son.

&#x200B;

Everytime my oldest son calls he gets yelled at by his dad and is told to tell his mom how to act.  My oldest tends to not say anything and get really depressed after every call.  This has been an ongoing issue and it's starting to affect his younger brother and my wife and I as well.

&#x200B;

I want him to have a relationship but this is starting to become toxic.  I asked my wife if we could take a break from phone calls this weekend but she is afraid he will take us back to court and we are afraid of spending more money.

&#x200B;

His dad is wealthy and constantly threatens us that he will outspend us in court.  I genuinely try to have his dad stay in contact but in my opinion its crossing the threshold of abuse.

&#x200B;

What are my options here?

Answer: Is daily contact mandated by the agreement? You don't have to do more than the minimum, and if the minimum is to much you can petition for a change


Title: Going through the process of evicting my brother and his family from the house they shares with me. (I own the house)

Question:
So my brother, his wife and their kids fell upon hard times about 8 months ago and I agreed to let them live with me until they were able to find a place of their own.  We agreed on a rent amount that they would pay me and a date upon which it was to be paid.  Being family I never drafted any landlord/tenant agreement.  Mistake, I know.  Now they're refusing to pay rent as well as causing stress upon my personal relationships (his wife has repeatedly berated my girlfriend and been completely rude to her.)

I know I cannot cut off the utilities while they are still living in my house.  And I know this would be kind of a dick move, but could I turn off the wifi in the house?  I've talked to a lawyer and he said that internet is sort of a grey area when it comes to utilites so I won't shut it off, they would just be forced to connect directly to the router which is in an easily accessible place in the living room upstairs.  They don't have a desktop, just a laptop.

Edit 1: This is in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Edit 2: I should mention that I am posting this on behalf of a coworker who doesn't reddit.

Answer:
 Did you promise them Internet service as part of their tenancy?

Either way, this is a bad idea.  Anything that looks like you're trying to accomplish a self-help eviction will not be a positive thing in court.  If you want them out the fastest, maintain the status quo and work through the courts.Answer #2: If there was an agreement in which they would pay rent, you can serve them a pay or quit notice, and then file in court to evict them.

Don't cut off anything you normally provide (internet, water, power, etc).Answer #3: Don't cut anything off as you can pay dearly for anything that falls under self-help eviction, but you can evict them for non-payment.

You don't need a lease to do that, just proof that they had been paying rent.


Title: 19 Years old in PA, Parents are getting a divorce, mom is a mess, everything is dark, please help..

Question:
My mother who has been married to my alcoholic, abusive father for the past 15+ years is finnally ready to get a divorce. My mother has basically raised me and my sister alone for the past 19 years as my father was over seas for most of our life. About 3 years ago he came to live with us in America. Although she knew about his alcohol problem she constanly tried to get him help and keep our family together for the sake of my little sister and I. He has bassically been living off of my mother for the past 3 years.

Heres where the problem is....

Being the dead beat lazy drunk that he is, my mother decided to
invest $150,000 in rental properties, and co-signed his name on the houses. (bad idea) This was in hope that he would feel like he was somewhat supporting the household and bringing in some income. The thing is she paid for the properties her self..ALL OF IT. My father takes the income that comes from the houses (that is technically hers) and spends it on more alcohol, electronics, toys etc.
basically we are stuck in a ditch.. he is leaving to go back overseas this weekend and my mother does not want him to come back. She is worried that if she files for divorce that he will get half of everything she has worked her whole life for, even though he has not contributed to any of it.

There has to be another way. Is there anyway we can fight it or anything that can get my mother full ownership off everything that she worked so hard her entire life for?

There has to be a way. please help.

Also, I use the term father loosly, more like sperm donor...

Answer: PA is not a community property state, so there are more specific provisions for the distribution of property in a divorce. Y'all have significant assets involved in this divorce, you NEED to sit down with a good family law attorney and disclose all the assets. There may be a way for that attorney to protect your mother's assets. Your dad is going to get some things in the divorce settlement, though, it's a matter of persuading the judge that is just and right.


Title: My grandma died in 2013 and my aunt took everything (Missouri)

Question: So my grandma was an amazing woman and loved her 4 kids dearly. She made a will in 2010 that basically divided everything she had into fourths to give to each of her kids. My aunt who is a lawyer became power of attorney. during the last year of my grandmas life she became very delusional, forgetful and she had dementia/Altzheimers. So when my grandma passes my aunt shows all of the family this new document that basically gives her everything and the other 3 kids get very little. Somewhere in the document it says if the other 3 kids take it to court that they get nothing. I am scared because my grandma loved all of her kids and wanted them all to do well after she passed. My father is about to have a heart attack he is so upset that he can't even talk about it. Like I said my aunt who is doing all of this is a lawyer and the other 3 kids don't know much about the courts system. Is there anything we can do. 6 houses and over 400k are basically being stolen by my aunt. Also my aunt has a habit of hanging out with people right before they die who she has never known, if she finds out they have no family and a bunch of money she will spend time with them until they pass and then take all of their possessions. She has done this to at least 6 old ladies that I know of. She is in every way imaginable an evil person. Is there anything we can do?

Answer:
 Consider contacting the National Center on Elder Abuse or your state agency:

http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/Stop_Abuse/Partners/Fiduciaries/index.aspx

If she is abusing her fiduciary responsibility as an attorney or as power of attorney in your grandmother or the other cases, I believe she could be disbarred.


Title: Canada - Getting laid off at the end of the year from a job of 7 years. Being asked to sign this separation agreement. Seems fishy.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Well, you already disclosed some of the terms of the agreement...

Non-disparagement clauses are not unusual in mutual separation agreements.

You can enter into the agreement freely, or reject it freely -- though rejecting it might result in your termination sooner than Dec 30.


Title: If a public/government building, such as a library or school, has 24-hour CCTV surveillance, do they need a sign at the entrance informing the public about the presence of the cameras?

Answer: Since you didn't state your location I'm assuming you live in the former Soviet Union.  Yes, they can put cameras up anywhere they want, make efforts to hide them or not, and not inform you or your comrades.


Title: Colorado - Ex Girlfriend is on lease, left 5 months in and intends to not pay after this month.

Question:
Me and my ex signed a lease for 12 months and went through a split and she moved back to a different state. I made it clear before we moved in that I was going to treat the lease and anything else legal separate from our relationship, a week ago she told me that she does not intend to pay the lease following this month as she feels it is unfair that I am now getting to live alone. I am currently in medical school so money is extremely tight. If I am paying 100% I can float through the rest of the lease just barley off savings. What are my options for recovering the rent I will be paying out of pocket? Along with that would I have problems suing someone in a different state? (I do know an address so that won't be a problem).

I have documentation that we have both been paying half in form of bank statements, I also have started to look for a roommate, though the problem is my schedule is very reliant on me being able to sleep from 9/10 pm to 4 am currently and that can be a problem for some. Lastly she is here on a visa from France, though she is reapplying and intends to live here for the next 10 years. I really would not want to go to the length of contacting the visa office if it could negatively impact her application, though if I had no choice I could consider it.

Overall I would be completely fine with just taking 5 or 6 months worth of rent and calling it even to avoid the legal process. Any tips are much appreciated.
Topic:
Small Claims Procedure

Answer:
 You're on the hook if she plans on not paying rent.

You can take her to small claims court to recover her portion of what you owe the landlord.   That's about all the redress you're going to get.


Title: Purchase Home Under LLC?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 /u/nomonkeynodeal OP's Post:
>I'm thinking about buying a home for myself soon. I'll be paying cash, so no mortgage tax deduction. However I'm super-paranoid and wish to keep my identity private by acquiring the property under an LLC.

>I may even go so far as to register the LLC in New Mexico, where it is supposedly impossible to ID the owner of the company.
I intend to buy in either TX or FL. Haven't decided yet.
Is this a really dumb idea? Are there any major downsides I haven't considered? I've heard mention of large fees to operate a foreign LLC in TX, but I'm not sure if this applies to a holding company.

>edit:
>Ok, so if an LLC will offer me basically no protection legal liability, I'm still potentially interested in doing this just for privacy.
What kinds of costs will I incur from the LLC besides registration? ie. Any big ongoing costs? I haven't been able to find clear information about this.

>Does anyone know anything about New Mexico LLCs? There appears to be a lot of shilling of these entities on the Internet.
Answer #2: LLC is not a blank check for no liability in any circumstance.Answer #3: In most cases, holding a personal residence in an LLC doesn't offer significant liability protection. You are still liable for your own actions, and of course the residence remains your asset available to creditors. Hiding your name doesn't really accomplish anything, either.

Just make sure that you have adequate insurance coverage. With the money you will save from not paying ongoing costs of a foreign entity and local registration, you can buy more coverage. Answer #4: What kinds of "legal issues" do you envision yourself being "insulated" from?


Title: MIL will not give back item and I’m next of kin already went through probate

Question:
This is in Florida.

This should he pretty short, I have an item (a binder of drawings) from my late husband. I put the binder together at my FIL house, and my MIL had refused to return it. I already went to probate but this item was not listed in it, because it has no monetary value, it’s purely sentimental. I want to give this item to the surviving son that my late husband and I have. Is there anything I can do or am I SOL? I went through probate without an attorney and self filed all the paperwork, obviously I am the next of kin.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Another option would be replevin. Replevin isn't legal in many places any more, but it does seem to be in Florida.

Replevin is essentially a lawsuit to return an item instead of gaining compensation.


Title: Hipa Violations (Georgia)

Question:
I know I'll get chewed out over this, but I'm looking out for my family.

I got laid off from my job while I was living in North Georgia. So my wife, 5 year old son and I had to move to my wife's grandparent's house in South Georgia. They own the house, but they retired to Florida. Their son  (my wife's dad, who we'll call S) still lives in this house rent free, and he's on meth pretty bad. His father still pays all of the bills here except for the three months I've lived here, I've paid most of them. "S" pays no bills here at all.

A few weeks ago I had $2,500 go missing from my room, and noticed "S" suddenly had a lot of new stuff. That money was every penny I had, aside from a couple hundred dollars I had in my wallet. I was going to wait to confront him until we made enough money to move back out, but that didn't work out; but that's a story for another day.

I've been going through a dumpster at a grocery store that I used to work at, because I'm friends with the assistant manager and he sits food to the side for me lately that expired that day because he knows I'm going through a hard time.

Here's where you'll change your opinion of me. I accidentally took a box thrown out from the pharmacy at this grocery store, and when I got home I opened it up and there were tons empty pill bottles with the patient's name and prescription label still on them. I actually found one with a pill in it. There are stacks of paperwork with patient's names, prescriptions with quantity, and doctor's names.

I've never even considered doing anything remotely like this.. but I'm considering calling the pharmacy management, and reading them everything I have so they know I'm not kidding, and asking for a  $1,000 payoff to not report it. I have to get out of this house, "S" has stolen everything I have, not including the $2,500, and I've contacted the police and they're saying it's a civil matter because he claims it was all his or that we gave it to him.

I know it's bribery at the least, but I need this money, and I need it within a couple weeks. Please help. I've never been to jail, never gotten a ticket amd never committed a crime besides smoking a little pot a year or two ago.
Thank you so much.

Answer:
 Aside from your idea being a generally bad one and illegal... Once pharmacy management finds out about the improper disposal of patient records, they are obligated to report the HIPAA violation anyway. You have nothing to hold against them.

Don't try to extort anyone. Answer #2: This is possibly the worst idea I have ever seen in this site, and just today I've read posts where a pregnant teenager "accidentally " ate a pot brownie while at school, OP gave a cop his twin's ID at  traffic stop because they "share a wallet" and an adult wants kids to stop playing basketball in their own yard because it's the same as "Chinese water torture".

What you are suggesting is probably not bribery but rather extortion. The pharmacy has no reason to pay you. You'll end up in jail and the pharmacy will maybe have to deal with a HIPPA complaint, which is not even a criminal issue and wouldn't give any of those patients a right to sue them. Also, 1000$ is not a lot of money to risk jail time over.Answer #3: So you want to commit a felony? Is that what you're admitting to the internet?


Title: Is stealing from a scammer illegal?

Question:
I (24 m MA) have a guy messaging me who says hes gonna send me 600$ in cash from Walmart, and he wants me to buy him Google Play cards with that money and give him the codes.

I know that this is a scam and I'm not planning on doing anything with it.

However...

If he's going to keep sending me aggressive scare-tactic messages, I'm tempted to take out the money he's sending me and just pocket it and block the account.

Would this be illegal? Could I get in trouble legally if he sends me money and I don't follow through with the scam, but just keep it? (I guess this isn't legal but could his identity be traced through the cash order purchase?)
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 >Would this be illegal?

If the money was real, it would be illegal.

But the money won't be real.


Title: Facing Rock Bottom and need Firm Advice

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You've got a plan, and a good one at that.  You are taking responsibility for your life. Sell your car now.  Use the money to pay for rent at your new place. If you keep this attitude you'll do fine. Answer #2: Unfortunately no legal advice because it sounds like you are already doing what you can. You're in a very tough spot. But I'm very impressed that you aren't making excuses like most people on here do. You are taking full responsibility. You've got a tough row to hoe for a while, but as someone else said, with this attitude, you'll be OK. It'll take some time filled with fear and pain, but I'm confident you'll make it. I'm impressed. Best to you.


Title: No advice, just thanks

Question:
Georgia, USA  for the bot

So, I lurk here. Not even close to a lawyer or someone needing legal advice, but the posts here are always super interesting to me.... But yesterday things got real when my best friend called me to tell me about his trip to the police station to provide fingerprints and a written statement because his ex girlfriends house was broken into and she accused him of being the thief.
I consider myself a smart guy, but I don't think my reaction would have been what it was if it wasn't for this sub.
Me:Shut the f*&% up and listen to me. Take this number down. Its an attorney I know in town. Do not talk to the police if they call you again. Tell them you are seeking legal advice, and go get a consult today if possible. Now hang up the damn phone and call him.

Friend had his consult and the attorney thinks he is in the clear, but told him off the police do contact him again, politely decline to speak to them and let them know he has retained counsel.

Long story short, thank you for helping me help my friend. The peace of mind knowing that he is protected if anything comes of this accusation is awesome... And the consult with, arguably, the best criminal defense attorney in town was 100% free. Gotta love it.

Answer: Glad to hear it.


Title: School threatening to drop 5.0 grading scale to 4.0 scale

Question: [deleted]

Answer: How is this going to affect you at all? You can try to dig up a college admissions person on reddit for confirmation, but I"m pretty sure any colleges you apply for won't give a fuck what the scale of your GPA is. They typically recalculate GPAs to force everyone onto a 4.0 scale anyway since high schools are trying to be all badly sneaky and make their students artificially look better by raising the GPA to 5.0. Besides, GPA is not everything for college admissions. Extracurricular activities and results from your AP/ACT/SAT tests tend to weigh in more heavily since just about everyone who applies to college is pretty darn smart.Answer #2: You already agreed to it and now you are having buyers remorse?


Title: My Neighbor Might Be Dangerous

Question:
I have a neighbor who I've always thought was a bit weird but harmless as far as I could tell. It turns out they're involved in a radical political group that's made calls to violence in the past. I'm a reasonable person politically- I think the claims that neonazis are taking over our country are hyperbolic. So even when I heard this, I sort of brushed it off.

&#x200B;

An acquaintance who lives in town recently told me to "steer clear" of this neighbor, and that one of their relatives had been interviewed by the FBI. So now I'm a little bit more freaked out. I have to keep my family safe. But that's the extent of what I know so I don't think there's any action to take. Should I go to local police or even the FBI and just file a report that I think they're weird and I'm concerned? Basically I just don't want to be on the news saying "Yeah they were always a bit off" after they blow up a building. I also considered filing a restraining order or something but I don't want to poke the bear so to speak. As far as I know they aren't aware that I have any opinions about them and we don't speak often.

&#x200B;

I'll update with more info if it's needed but for obvious reasons I don't want to give too much detail. Thanks!

Answer:
 You can file whatever report you want.

"He's weird" isn't going to get anyone's attention anywhere.

You also can't get a restraining order for "they're weird"


Title: [Dallas, Tx] Mom and I are selling house. How do we protect ourselves from vindictive uncle?

Question:
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.

Long story short, my mother and I are needing to sell the house we're in. Luckily we're in a high-class neighborhood w/ a large house so the realtor is projecting around 500k. Now here's the problem; maybe about half a year ago, my uncle came to live with us, as in, he just showed up. He is a speed addict and is high in debt.

After my mother inherited my grandmother's money through her passing, my uncle -from California- sued my mother and ended up getting a couple 100k - this was maybe 5 or so years ago.
I mention that because it was my understanding under Texas law, what it says in the will applies, and yet he was still able to do that, even though he wasn't given anything in the will.

My mother and I want him gone, out, and removed from the home, but he is the kind of person that would stop the sale of the house as well as sue us for more money after the sale.

So right now we feel like we need to go along with the situation for just a little bit longer as our house should hit the market mid-April. Then once we move and get settled in, force him to get out.

Do I have any options? Can he stop the sale of the home? What's the easiest way to protect my mom's money once everything is finished if/when he sues?

Answer:
 Is the home solely in your Mom's name? Was it previously owned by her grandmother?

You need to better explain why your Uncle was given money if the will did not leave him anything-that could be important information.

Answer #2: Make darn sure your Realtor knows the situation is a matter of needing to evict him and not just a standard friendly family member staying in the house.

I would expect your Realtor to strongly suggest you really evict him before listing the house for sale. If he's likely to be angry about the sale he could make it nearly impossible to show the house and if you get an offer the last thing you want is to lose it because you weren't able to evict him in time for their demanded closing date. That's assuming seeing the presence of a tenant on the sellers disclosure didn't scare them off first.


Title: [UPDATE] (Chattanooga, TN) Being billed hundreds of dollars because a clinic claims they aren't "Urgent Care"

Question:
About a month ago I [posted](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3d7w30/chattanooga_tn_being_billed_hundreds_of_dollars/) asking for advice on a bill from an urgent care center that claimed to not be an urgent care center despite some pretty clear advertising.

I ended up contacting the Better Business Bureau and filing a complaint citing the false advertising and poor communication on the part of the urgent care center. After a long wait... I finally got a [response](http://i.imgur.com/ED13Ywo.png)! Even though they maintained that they really hadn't done anything wrong, I got the result I wanted and saved hundreds of dollars in the process.

I'm sharing this in the hopes that others in similar situations realize that consumers have options when it comes to settling disputes over bills. This worked so much better than trying to play phone tag and argue with an office manager. It took me maybe 30 minutes or so to fill out the forms, and then all I had to do was wait for a response. 10/10 would file complaint again.

Moral of the story: The BBB can actually provide a fairly effective means of settling a legal dispute with a business.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Did the collections get removed from your credit report?Answer #2: I've been reading and re-reading their reply, and I cannot figure out what it's supposed to say. That document says all of these:

- they are "not an urgent care facility"
- their "website as well as our signage displays each type of service we offer"
- "nowhere on our building do we advertise that we are an urgent care facility"
- "their website...says 'urgent care'"
- a "sign out front clearly states 'Urgent Care'"
- they "do not currently have any urgent care contracts"
- they "offer...urgent/immediate care"Answer #3: thanks for the update! I'm so glad it worked out well.Answer #4: So do you still owe them $50?Answer #5: Wow that's great, who woulda known BBB could come thru like that, i sure didn't. Glad it worked out in your favor and glad you called them out on their BS. Answer #6: BBB helped me out of a jam to when Verizon tried to bill us for a collect call when the only "person" home was my cat. BBB ruled no fault on us and we were free and clear :)


Title: Why does a vehicular homicide charge stick even if there are mechanical failures leading to the crash?

Answer:
 In this case probably because he went by a runaway truck ramp that would have prevented this, and although I don't know the details, he may be getting off easy. This road is notoriously dangerous - there actually is/was an old law on the books for this specific stretch of road, saying that if all precautions are not taken and the vehicle is not in sound mechanical condition, then the charge will be first degree murder.Answer #2: I drive that road several times per year. There are ample warnings for truckers about checking their brake temps, shifting into a lower gear, and about the grade of the slope. That could portentously be a factor. Still though, a lot of truckers seem to manage to blow their brakes out. I’ve seen trucks on fire, trucks with just their wheels on fire, and trucks in the runaway truck ramp. It’s dangerous.

I wonder if CDL licensure includes education and testing on mountain driving? If not, hopefully it will in the near future.


Title: They're taking money out of my paycheck unjustly! Help!

Question: I was working as a salaried manager at a single store pizza franchise. One day, my phone was acting up. The owner offered to buy me a company phone. I refused, because my personal plan was helping me to build credit. So she said "well then let me pay for a new phone on your personal account." I offered to pay half, she declined, said don't worry about it the company would pay for it. She took me out, i picked out a phone and she put it on the company card. Fast forward some time. I put in my two weeks, after finding new line of more fulfilling work. She gets verbally hostile, and tells me to leave (instead of finishing out my two weeks). I comply. Now, she is attempting to keep the value of the phone out of my last paycheck. There was no contract with the phone, nothing. But she is keeping my money. I live in the state of Arizona. Is this legal, or do I have the legal right to my paycheck, without a legal obligation to pay her back for what she gifted me?

Answer:
 She has to pay you your paycheck.

You **may not** have to return the phone to her, absent a contract that specifies that the phone is a corporate asset and when/how it must be returned.

For example, my company pays up to $200 every 2 years towards a new phone, and pays for the monthly phone bill. The phone is mine, even though the phone is paid for with company money. I have a friend whose phone is company property, and they signed policies and contracts stating that the phone is company property.

If your boss did not have you sign anything saying it was company property, and did not make it clear that she was buying a company phone for you to use, then it is your property. The fact it's on your account tends to support that.


Title: New company, employee left, taking everything with her.

Question:
We have a small company here in Georgia, and one of the things we do is ask employees if they have any good money making ideas for us. One employee had a very good idea, so we let her pitch the idea.

The idea was incredible, well-thought-out, and we already have the potential to make a lot of money. Here is the issue. She said she had been studying the feasibility for more than a year in her spare time before being employed with us. She has the connections, networking, customers, know-how of the business, and everything else we need. She also has proof that she did all of this before being employed with us.

She approached us with the idea, but what we did not know is that the company was all ready to go, like she was going to start it with or without us. She did all the work, everything. We started the company 2 months ago, and we decided to make someone else the CEO of the company.

Now, she said she felt upset and disappointed that she was not made CEO, and complained that she did all the work. She left last Monday, and with her, the connections, customers, and everything. She changed the name of the company and started it herself. Now all the money we put into it is gone.

What legal right do we have now?

Answer:
 You really should have had some intellectual property agreements hammered out before you spent all this money on an idea you didn't own.  (or at least ownership was debatable)Answer #2: It was her idea, network and customers.  She  established these things outside of her employment with you... You have no right to them.

If am not a lawyer.


Title: Sharp object found in baby's drink at McDonald's

Question:
Hi all, please excuse any formatting/issues with this post. I'm on mobile and I'm a first time poster. Asking this on behalf of my friend.

Friend found a chunk of broken/rusted-off metal that is incredibly sharp in her toddler's drink (from the slushie/frappe machine at McDonald's). She reported this to the manager on the clock and they gave her a bit of an attitude, offered to give her a refund and a new drink. She refused because her concerns are that 1) it could have killed her kid if he drank it 2) there could be more sharp pieces floating around in the machine 3) her child could have already drank smaller pieces and she's monitoring him in case they need to go to the hospital. She asked them to call maintenance and have them check over the machine and their response was to look at it for a short moment themselves and declare nothing looked broken. They passively offered to write an incident report and then did not because she didn't explicitly ask them to. She has tried to get in touch with their corporate office and no one is answering. She currently has the metal shard in her possession as well as a few photos documenting how it looked inside the cup and a closer view in her hand. Not sure if this is relevant, but she herself is pregnant and had her own drink from this machine and now she's concerned for her own safety as well. Is there anything that she can do about this? As of right now they don't know of any bodily injury but things can change if there were more pieces. She's worried they will continue to give people drinks from this machine without doing anything.

Thank you in advance!

Answer:
 She wasn’t entitled to a refund *and* a new drink but a refund *or* a new drink.

Beyond that she might report the concern to the local health department.


Title: My roommates boyfriend is trying to move in with us. I told her I was uncomfortable with this and now he trespassed and entered the apartment yesterday. What do I do?

Question:
My roommate just got this brand new boyfriend under 3 months ago. He started staying a lot and using our shower starting 1 month in. (Note our landlord pays for water) It turned into her asking me if it was ok he was there for 2 hours until he had to go to work while she wasn’t there. Later turned into him staying in her room while she was at work all night. She gave him the spare key without my consent. There were times he was staying 7 nights a week. She tried to ask if it was ok for him to stay there while she went on vacation once. I told her I was uncomfortable with that so he went back to staying at his aunts. I also mentioned the potential breach of contract on our lease and she’s like oh our landlord won’t care!

When she came back from vacation 2 weeks ago I had the sit down talk with her that he shouldn’t be here when she isn’t and she needs to get back the spare key. I was uncomfortable and wanted my privacy. I did not sign up to live with a couple. This worked for a short time. Tuesday she asked if it was ok that he stay there while she was at work because he “couldn’t make other arrangements that night”. I said only that night was fine. She didn’t work Wednesday so naturally he was there.

Thursday I came home from work. I noticed it was abnormally cold. The AC was turned down to 65 instead of our usual 73. I texted her asking about it because it was weird and I knew she wouldn’t turn it down that low. She said she didn’t do that and thought it was really odd. I started to get anxious thinking someone broke into our house. Saw nothing really out of sorts. I noticed my roommates cat wasn’t around and her door was closed (it’s usually open) I tried to open the door and found out it was locked! I get even more freaked out. I ask her if her bf is here and she said “He just told me the front door was open and stopped in to rest. Sorry I just found out!” I told her that I thought her cat was stuck in her room and she said “Oh okay good thanks for looking out. Sorry I know you don’t want him sneaking in and out he just doesn’t have anywhere else to go really 😬. We can talk about it more when I’m not at work, maybe he can start paying or something!”

Essentially he left the front door open when he left for work on purpose and just completely trespassed. I was really upset that I was at risk. I feel like I have no privacy and I was legit scared that someone was in our house. I later saw him and gave him a look like “what the heck?” And he claims his aunt is remodeling their house and he can’t stay there. He came by to “check if the door happened to be open and it was so he just thought it was ok to come in and take a nap!” What? He wants to pay me rent and basically move in. He insists he didn’t turn down the AC but well uhm who did?! I tried to explain how uncomfortable I feel and that I need my space but they just don’t get it.

My lease is a joint lease with my roommates and my name on it. It says “occupancy by guest for more than 2 weeks is prohibited without landlords written consent and will be considered a material breach of this agreement.” He technically has not been here a full 14 days in a row due to a few vacation days in between but he’s essentially here 75% of the past 2 months. What do I do? I feel like I should go straight to the landlord because I know they are going to try to guilt trip me into letting him stay. I understand that we may get evicted. How does eviction work and affect my “record”? This whole thing makes me so upset that it’s 1:30am and I can’t sleep.

Answer:
 1) He's not trespassing if he has your roommates permission.

2) If you and your roommate are on the same lease, then the landlord probably would have to evict you as well. Eviction terminates a lease, you cannot normally selectively evict some but not all people on a lease.Answer #2: You should go to your landlord. Tell the landlord about her giving him a key and her trying to force you to let him move in. Also, tell the landlord about how she’s leaving the door unlocked now so the boyfriend can stay while neither of you are there. That’s pretty much your only option since your roommate won’t listen to you


Title: Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act Case Help

Question:
Since I am not a law major or have any background knowledge of international law, I was hoping for some advice on this following case.

The question is: Does the U.S. court have jurisdiction over Darkmark?

I am arguing for Hedwig Co.

Hedwig Co. v. Darkmark, Inc.

Darkmark, Inc. is an enterprise headquartered in Hogsmeade, the capital city of Potterstan. Darkmark operates primarily in the aviation industry and recently began manufacturing the
“Gryffindor Gauge” which they claim is the world’s “Most Advanced Fuel Gauge Sensor.” Their government-funded engineers worked for years to create new technology that they claim produces a much more sophisticated calculation of an aircraft’s fuel capacity and the most advanced assessment of distance-to-fuel ratio. This, Darkmark claims, provides a pilot operating an aircraft equipped with their fuel gauge the most accurate information possible in order to plan flight routes without running out of petrol.  Darkmark was established by government decree as a separate entity funded partially through Potterstan’s defense budget. The enterprise is headed by a “Council” of former military officials that earn salaries from Darkmark’s profits and are given additional bonuses in their
government-funded pensions for working at Darkmark. The Potterstan Department of Defense has a vote for all major decisions that Darkmark makes, but the company is able to operate without government approval in matters the “Council” deems to not impact national security. Darkmark’s “Head of Operations,” Lucius Malfoy, is a former high ranking officer in the
Potterstan Royal Air Force (PRAF), and has significant ties within the defense industry across much of the Western world. These foreign ties, coupled with his domestic affiliation with the PRAF have provided Darkmark the opportunity to prosper in a difficult sector. In June of 2015, Darkmark was preparing to present some of the technology their engineers had created at an international meeting of Defense Ministers to be held in Beauxbatons, Belgium.
Hoping that their technology would interest to representatives  from major defense firms across the globe, who often attend such diplomatic events like the Beauxbatons meeting, Mr. Malfoy sent
representatives from Darkmark’s headquarters in Hogsmeade with information on the Gryffindor Gauge. Darkmark’s representatives held extensive conversations with low-level figures in the U.S.
Department of Defense and representatives of Hedwig Helicopters, Co., a helicopter manufacturing firm whose main client is the United States Air Force. After a relatively brief negotiation period, Darkmark, Inc. began shipments of their Gryffindor Gauge to Hedwig Co.’s manufacturing plant located in Godric’s Hollow, Georgia. There, Hedwig Co. incorporated the sensors into their military helicopters destined for use by US Air Force pilots.
Shortly after the helicopters entered into service, glitches with the fuel gauges became apparent to many of the highly trained pilots, and plans were created to begin a review of the new helicopters. During training missions in the California desert, two helicopters ran out of fuel midair
and crashed due to inaccurate fuel readings stemming from the faulty Gryffindor Gauge. Four US Air Force pilots sadly lost their lives in the events. While the cause of these crashes was being determined by an internal Air Force review board, a third helicopter manufactured by Hedwig Co., containing a Gryffindor Gauge, crashed while on a highly sensitive classified mission in Egypt. The helicopter ran out of fuel two hours prior than expected and crashed into an apartment complex, killing three American pilots and several Egyptian citizens.

A few weeks after the crashes, the US Government filed a lawsuit against Hedwig Co., who in turn filed an indemnification lawsuit against Darkmark, Inc., claiming that their faulty Gryffindor Gauges were a breach of contract. Upon filing Hedwig Co.’s Complaint with the court, a US-based process server, Neville
Longbottom, was sent to serve process to Darkmark, Inc. in Potterstan. Mr. Longbottom, unfamiliar with the procedure for serving Potterstanian citizens and enterprises, flew to
Hogsmeade and delivered the summons and complaint to Mr. Malfoy in person. Potterstan law does not permit personal delivery of process but only permits service through local courts.

Answer: Is this homework? It feels like homework.


Title: Mexican Resort saying we owe them money.

Question: Hello, my fiancé and I just got married at a resort in Mexico last month. Now, 6 weeks later, the resort is saying they applied a discount/promotion incorrectly and we owe them $1000 for our wedding package. Can they legally come after myself and my husband for this money? Thanks for the help!

Answer:
 This will depend on what you signed/agreed to. Without knowing how they came to the conclusion you still owe money, it is impossible to say. If the additional money is valid, you do owe it. They can not change the price or say they accidentally applied a promotion in making the calculation presented to you and force payment.

Assuming they have your credit card information, they may charge it. If they do and refuse to show documentation of the new charge, you may dispute the charge, and the resort will need to provide the documentation.


Title: [California] Is my employer (soon former) trying to prevent me from collecting unemployment benefits?

Question:
I will provide a TL;DR at the end.

**Some background:**
I currently work for a charter school in California as a *"on call / temporary"* employee, although since I had been hired I have worked about 29 hours each week for the past year or so (barring two weeks off, unpaid, for Christmas). While teachers and other staff received bonuses, PTO, and health benefits, I did not and while I did want those perks, I enjoyed the environment and students so much that it was not a deal breaker for me because I recently went back to school to transition to a different field.
This company has been effected by the outcome of a lawsuit out of [Shasta, CA](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sd-me-charter-decision-20170118-story.html). The lawsuit found that charter schools must be located within the boundaries of the school district they are chartered for.
Because of the lawsuit, every position was opened up and everyone was made to apply or reapply for every position they were qualified for until we found out whether the schools would be chartered. In the interim, anyone who applied to anything was interviewed by phone.
A little over a week ago, we found out that the locations would not be getting a new charter, so the schools would be closing, except for the very few that received one year waivers. People who were hired to go to the waiver schools received notice and the word got around that if you hadn't received a call by the end of last week you were not being offered a position.

**The dilemma:**
I was under the impression that I would be getting laid off because I was not offered a position. I am currently in school and was hoping to use the time to transition to full time status and not worry about work distracting from my studies. Today, I received an email telling me that since I am an "on call / temporary" employee, they did not need to terminate me in the system and that today was my last day of work until further notice. The boss added that if I still want to be considered for as needed employment to contact him. He sent this earlier today and I just saw it recently.

While on the surface it seems like I am being offered an opportunity to stay with the company, I cannot help but think that the company is trying to get out of laying me off and paying me unemployment benefits. The reason I think this is because, as I mentioned, everyone was interviewed and, while I have no official word, all the positions that needed to be filled were filled. Everyone else at the school I work at who did not get a job is getting laid off, it seems strange I am going to be one of the only ones not laid off. Also, since I have started at the company, people who work my position, while labeled on call, has always had steady work at an assigned location. The fact that they are suddenly saying they will get back to me is very worrying to me. If they don't give me a call I am SOL and will not have any income.

**My quesion**:
Are they trying to avoid paying out unemployment benefits to me? Assuming I am right and they are just saying they are keeping me on the system and have no plans to call me for work, do I still qualify for unemployment benefits? Also, if I were to reply to him and tell him I would like to be laid off instead, would that be as if I am resigning and I would no longer qualify for benefits?

Like I said I read his email late and replied, basically asking if this means I am not getting laid off, if I have a position at one of the sites with a waiver, and if there will be alot of work for me to get called.

**TL;DR:**
Work at a charter school designated as *"on call / temporary"* that is going to be shutting down. Originally was under the impression I would be laid off since all available positions at the few remaining schools were not offered to me. Was told in email that because of my designation, they do not need to terminate me and will get back to me when they need me, although the position has never worked like that before. Are they trying to avoid paying me unemployment benefits?  Can I still get unemployment benefits?

Answer:
 You can file for unemployment for all weeks that you are not earning income.

Your best bet is to file and find more permanent work


Title: [WV] Former employer coerced me into handing over a large tip

Question:
For context, I was a gas station cashier. On one of my shifts a customer tipped me $1,750.00 after buying all of the newspapers in the store and instructing me to hand them out to anyone that wanted one. I tried to give the money back to him, but he told me he didn't have much time left and wanted me to have it. I'd only met him once before, a few days earlier. He had spilled gas on his new truck and I had helped him clean it off. I called the police and reported him, as I considered this strange behavior. By the time the police had arrived, he'd left and I was in possession of the money. The state trooper that arrived checked the money to make sure it wasn't counterfeit, and it was all real. I asked the state trooper what to do with it. He congradulated me and told me I just got one heck of a tip, and to put it somewhere safe for 90 days in case he returned or his family came looking for it, so I did.

The next morning, before my shift, my district supervisor called me at home asking where the money was. I told her what the state trooper said, and she told me that he had no right to tell me that and that the money was not mine. I asked her who owned the money, and she replied that it was the company's. She then told me to bring the money in with me and to put it in the store's safe. I asked her if I would be fired if I didn't comply and she told me that it was in my best interest to do as she said. All other questions were met with her repeating just bring the money in. I didn't bring it in, and my manager got very hostile. I told her I'd be more then happy to return the money to the man or his family if they contacted me, but I would rather it stay in my possession.

Later in my shift the district supervisor called and told me to fill out an incident report. I did as instructed but made it clear that the man had given me the money, not the company. She was very hostile after reviewing the report. I asked my manager if I was going to be fired, and she told me she didn't know. I asked her what I would be fired for and she told me the money wasn't mine and that it belonged to the corporation. She said that what I had done amounted to theft. I reiterated what the state trooper had told me, and she said that it didn't matter.

The following day I was on my way to work when I noticed that the parking lot was empty save for local police. This caused me to panic heavily, I thought I would be arrested. I went home and retrieved the money and turned it into my manager, hoping this would prevent what I felt like was my imminent arrest for the "theft". I had her verify the amount of money and then she put it into the safe. Later I found out that the distrect supervisor had arranged for the police to be there, but they were not there to arrest me. I filled out another incident report stating that I felt coerced into handing over the money, only did so to avoid retaliatory firing/arrest, and that I felt emotionally exhausted and stressed from what they'd put me through.

I had a long weekend, and when I returned to work I dissociated and began tearing up. Both customers and coworkers noticed that something was wrong, but when asked what I was unable to articulate what it was. This feeling kept building up until I started full blown sobbing and hyperventaliating. The stress that I had endured caused me to have some sort of breakdown, and I went home. I haven't returned to work since, and they have not contacted me. I currently have an appointment with the local mental health services, as I still have bouts of dissociation and extreme emotions.

Did I have to turn the money over? Can I get it back?
Is the company responsible for my impending medical bills?
If I am diagnosed with something is it personal injury received on the job? Will I qualify for workers comp? Do I qualify for unemployment?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated, I have no one to turn to and feel like I'm at my wits end. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this.

Answer: Small advice here but I’d try to get a copy of the incident reports and look into small claims court. You can argue your side of things to a judge who will decide who is entitled to the money. You should get as much evidence as you can and make your story as clear as you can.Answer #2: Your district manager is making a grab for that money. You can't just have a surplus of $1750 in your drawer at the end of the day. Inventory has to be sold for money. I think you just got robbed, and I would contact the police


Title: I left some volatile gummy bears on the desk now my co-worker wants to sue me

Question:
This is in Michigan. I am originally from Germany and very unsure how the law works in the United States so bear with me.

Last year I received a job offer to work as an assistant professor in the German language department at a large university in Michigan. I recently finished my PhD and was really excited to fill a research position (and possible post doc position) in the specific field I applied to.

Most of my time I give classes in German literature but additionally the university would like me to help students with writer's block so I joined an interdisciplinary workshop.

There are at least 4 people connected to this workshop and we get along fine most of the time. Sadly there is one elderly woman who made me out as a rival day one.

I do not know what provoked her but there is something about me that makes her mad.  Cue the incident...I had an appointment with a student, gave him some tips and instructions and left my bowl with gummy bears on the desk.

Mind you, these gummy bears a sugar free and volatile, if you eat more than a handful you are in serious fart troubles and you will occupy the toilet bowl for the rest of your day.

But my co-worker ate the whole bowl, first she excused herself from any commitments and then she called in sick. The next day she confronted me and blamed me for the whole ordeal, that I deliberately placed those gummy bears and it was all a ploy to humiliate her.

According to her she has already informed HR and her lawyer and that I will be kicked out of the country in no time. The only thing I can blame myself on is that me and my colleagues giggled at her bowel distress signals.

Picture of the culprits: http://imgur.com/a/waKAd

Answer: Sounds like she stole your food and now blames you for it. Classic narcissist! You should file a complaint with HR for her admitting to stealing your food.


Title: In Saskatchewan, Canada: Our apartment complex is failing to provide adequate/upgraded security for our property after numerous break ins.

Question:
Last week on Thursday morning, both me and my roommate's bikes were stolen from our lock ups located in the basement of our apartment. These bikes had a combined value of an estimated $7000, my bike cost was around $1000, while roommate's was $6000. Last night, the lockers were broken into once more and took our neighbour's bikes and other electronics that were kept in the other tenants lockers. We've already called the police and reported everything on both days. We submitted our insurance claims but our insurance is only covering half the cost of the bikes because, unbeknownst to us, doesn't cover them fully. This is obviously more upsetting to my roommate and is currently fighting it. He said that if things don't go well with the insurance, he'll be pressing charges against the apartment and the lack of security. This is the part that I think needs the most attention. I want to make sure that they are brought to justice on their lack of security.

The security of the building consists of several locked entrances that are only unlocked with a electronic keyfob. However, the doors themselves are known to not close properly and hardly ever locks rendering the keyfobs useless. We contacted the building manager and they assured us that the doors are fixed dispite the door we use to get in still isn't locking properly.

The door to the lock up requires a metal key. When we first moved in, they said that a limited number of keys were available. Since me and my roommate use our bikes every day, we got access to our own keys. We're not sure how they got a key to the lock up, but it could be a source from another tenant.

The lockers themselves are a joke. They can undo bolts on the hinges and near the lock from the outside and take the door off granting them access to anything in the locker. There is no privacy or anything obscuring the view to see what is in the lockers. So anyone can come in see what's in each locker and undo the hinges and take it.

The website says there is "video surveillance in the common area" but we cannot find these cameras anywhere and we suspect they have none at all and that there are certainly none in the basement or at any entrance. Everything listed above is the only security that is in the building.

We've contacted the building manager and they said that they took all the safety precautions and ultimately there is nothing more they can do. They said they can put in a request for security cameras that will likely get rejected. We contacted the Regional manager and they haven't returned our calls.

I have no prior knowledge of how to legally do this or any process I can do to take steps to make the apartment see that their security measures are a joke and need to be adequate. Any help in taking these steps would extremely helpful.

Answer:
 Key Fob entrance, second barrier with key access, to locked lockers all with security cameras, just becuase you dont see them doesnt mean they arent there. I have seen apartments with half that security.

On top of all that i wouldnt be surprised if that locker area was "store at your own risk" in your lease or soemthing to that measure.

Whats adequate? That crime isnt possible? This sounds more like someone in your complex is stealing from you.


Title: If i am 21, but my friend is 17. Can we legally have intercourse in Nebraska? is that legal or illegal.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It's borderline creepy under the "half age plus seven" rule, but [not illegal in Nebraska](http://www.ageofconsent.us/state-laws/nebraska-age-of-consent-laws/). This assumes you're not bringing her across state lines to do so, and that you do not take photos or videos of the encounter.


Title: [FL] Father passed away; aunt and ex-girlfriend are trying to take possession of everything; what are my next steps legally?

Question:
My father (57) passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack on Tuesday at work.

This has been a very difficult time for our family and a first as we’ve never experienced a death as of yet.

He leaves behind me (22), my brother (20), and my sister (17). Other immediate family include his mother (my grandmother, 82), his father (my grandfather, 94), and his sister (my aunt, 63).

Other members involved are my mother (ex-wife, 21 years married, 8 years divorced, 47) and my father’s  girlfriend (early 60s) of nearly 3 years of which he has no children or legal marriage or union with.

We are figuring everything out legally but we are worried about his possessions and estate. His sister years prior had attempted mortgage fraud to get the house under her name to sell for profit, which got her kicked out. She is back in the picture since his death and we are keeping vigilant.

Every place we call—HR at his job, social security, the funeral home, all begin with “yes, we already spoke to his sister” and they have all been given wrong information such as who to contact or who his immediate family is. For example, upon calling the funeral home yesterday, we were told his “step-daughter” (girlfriend’s daughter from another relationship) had authorized my aunt and herself to make changes to arrangements for the viewing. I quickly corrected this by making it clear that he only had us three children and threatened legal action.

The girlfriend is also very bitter about my mother being in the picture to help us and my grandparents get through this when she does not have to. Every time we go to my grandparents home, she locks the doors to my father’s bedroom and leaves the house in a rage due to our presence. Because of this, we can not retrieve any mementos or belongings of his or ours.

Basically, I’m posting because 1.) we’re afraid the girlfriend and my aunt are going to sweep house and leave back to where they live about 3 and 4 hours away, 2.) that her and my aunt are going to do something shady in order to get as much equity and property as possible from us, and 3.) that she will convince my grandparents to move out of the home so that she can sell it.

She does not know that my grandparents and father have a written will discussing that the house will go to me and my siblings upon both of their deaths.

I don’t know how to move forward legally or what my brother and I are entitled to, all I know is that I’m the next-of-kin and am the only one authorized to sign paperwork.

Any advice would help aside from our grieving process. My siblings and mother do not care about whatever money he may or may not have—we just want to help my grandparents and retrieve as many memories, clothing, old gifts, and other items from his home that we feel belong to us. The money comes second, as it would obviously help in settling whatever mortgage is left on their home. We want things done legally and for things to go to who they rightfully belong to.

Thank you.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Cops to report them for fraud and lawyer to probate the will. That written will is being held by an attorney? Did sister ever catch charges for attempting to fraudulently obtain ownership of the house?Answer #2: Assuming you are the executor of the will, and it sounds like you are, you have most (if not all of) the power concerning the will. I'd start the filing for the will as quickly and discreetly as possible on the off chance that your father or his girlfriend catch wind and try to change the will.

I'd also pre-emptively contact anybody else you can think of and let them know of the situation.

Finally, I'd get an estate lawyer. They deal with these kinds of things all the time and are much more reliable than some random person on the internet like me.


Title: Please Help! Low income and Debt collectors ruining my credit and demanding $3000 over an apartment lease me and 2 others signed. Debt collector wont accept monthly payments. Should I file bankruptcy? What services are available? Federal Aid? Can I get a free Attorney if I cant afford one?

Question:
So my mother, her boyfriend at the time, and I all signed a lease and moved into an apartment together. The boyfriend turned in his key and left us high and dry and never took his name off the lease. When I moved out my mother had me go to the apartment management and request that I have my name take off the lease and they had me sign a 30 Day Notice to move and Waiver of security deposit which she and I both thought freed me of any responsibility. Shortly after my mother left on bad terms and the apartment said she owes $2415.03.
Today I logged into credit karma to see what my credit score is and found that it is 524 because there is an Open TransUnion Balance of $2,415 placed for collection opened Oct 27, 2015.
I spoke with the Corporate Trust Recovery Agency which the apartment complex hired to collect the dept and he said that the 30 day notice to move and waiver of security deposit isint enough and that the burden of proof falls upon me. He said that I would have needed a signed letter from the management office removing my signature from the lease. He also said that there is an interest of $510 bringing the total up to $2925.16. He also said that if I paid off the amount in full he would try to get my credit restored and said he had an attorney with him. I tried to ask him if I could pay off the debt in monthly payments and he said no I have to pay it all off at once. So then I asked him to email me proof that I never signed off as well as any relevant information regarding my case. My family advised me to tell him that I am declaring bankruptcy and that I do not have the money to pay off the dept all at once. He then said "Oh ok I'll just put that you're filing bankruptcy and hung up.

I want to get my credit restored and this issue resolved but my current situation is as follows:
I work for minimum wage and make under 10k a year.
I am on medical and food stamps due to my low income level so paying this off in a monthly payment was the only way I could pay off this dept.
I do not know where my mothers Ex Boyfriend is, or have a way to get his phone number and I'm not sure that he would pay off his dept even if I gave them his contact information.
My mother is currently living in her car due to her burning bridges and being homeless so I doubt she would be able to help me solve this issue.
My mother had me sign the lease when I was 19 without letting me read what I was signing and I trusted her advice.
I am also a little slow didn't/do not understand all of the legalities that were involved when I moved into the apartment and signed the lease.
My grandparents who I am currently living with said I should get federal aid for a free attorney and file bankruptky but I do not know how or where to look for these services or how to contact them which is the main reason I am here. I'm also afraid filing bankruptcy will further ruin my credit. Please help, I only have my job, debit card, and a temporary home with my grandparents while I try to sort out my life and this has already ruined my credit before I could even start or understand credit.

UPDATE #1
So I asked him for the proof and he sent these: http://i65.tinypic.com/2il0i8x.jpg http://i64.tinypic.com/v7bm9y.jpg http://i63.tinypic.com/v4842a.jpg

The dept collector pointed out that on the rental agreement addendum it says that all resident(s) need to turn in thier 30 day notice and that I'm still held liable.

Here are the papers I have. Are these enough to free me from legal responsibility? http://i66.tinypic.com/2aj442d.jpg http://i66.tinypic.com/2j0fi8w.jpg

UPDATE #2
I spoke to legal aid and they found no record of me even living in those apartments and said I should file a dispute with transunion which I did today explaing my situation and providing the documents I posted here. They said I should hear back in 30 days.

In the mean time the dept collector has my number now and is calling from an restricted # so I can't block him.

Answer: Where is your copy of the paperwork you signed to get out of the lease?  It should say what your legal obligations are and any money you owe to get out of the lease.   What does it say about damages and if your mother defaults on the lease?  Have they sent you proof that you owe the debt?  They have to send you proof of the debt.


Title: If I never had to pay taxes before, opened an Only Fans account, then delete it before I make any money off it, do I have to list it on my taxes?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: No. You only have to list income where you've actually received income. Nice boobs, btw


Title: Apartment complex lost my Notice To Vacate form, now are saying I didn't give them 60days notice and owe them $1500.

Question:
Hi, thanks for reading. So over 60 days ago I signed a notice to vacate my apartment since I was switching apartments. It was signed digitally and I have the email with all the signatures to prove it.  But my apartment complex is saying they don't have it on their end, I guess they didn't save it or deleted it. So they are saying we owe $1500 for not notifying them within 60 days of vacating.  I am meeting with them on Monday and will show them the email I received from DocuSign which has the completed Vacate Form with all signatures from the apt. agent and I. The email and form is dated over 60 days ago.

 I should be fine right?

Answer:
 If you have proof you sent it to them and they signed it, you are fine.Answer #2: Show proof of proper notice and tell them to pound sand, if you state allows single party recording; record the interaction for future legal protection.

I'd also make sure to document everything you do vacating, provide a variety of pictures showing the cleanliness of the unit once vacated, prove key drop or hand-in; most likely the agent/landlord will try to keep any security deposit.

An ounce of careful documentation can pay dividends down the road.

 Answer #3: I had a similar thing happen to me in Maryland. I had them make a copy of our signed notice to vacate and had their leasing office person sign it. When they tried to pull this I showed them the copy and told them to fix their records or we would see them in court. Saved me about $6k.


Title: Condominium Association is trying to force all condo owners to sell their condo!! (Trying to help my parents & other owners)

Question:
Hello! I would appreciate any advice/suggestions/help before my parents and other owners get potentially duped.

My parents invested their retirement money into 1-2 cheap condominiums in a condominium-neighborhood (in U.S.) about 8 years ago. They renovated the inside and it has served them well as a source of income since they don't work like they use to. Now, the association is trying to force my parents as well as other condominium owners to sell their condos. They are claiming that renters must be tenants, but this really doesn't make sense since there has always been a bunch of owners that bought the condos and them out rented. Is this even possible?

The association has always been terrible to the owners and have jacked up prices here and there. They also cut off insurance even though they were receiving money for it. \[This is another whole story - fire caught onto a house and they didn't inform an owner that they didn't have insurance even though owners paid fees for it\] They are some other shady stuff they have been doing and they don't have a legitimate office. My parents are really close to just selling the property because they aren't sure what to do. A lot of the owners are foreigners so I just want to make sure they aren't being duped into selling their condos b/c they figure that the owners don't know much about real estate law or accessing legal services. The owners have tried to restructure the association but it has been difficult for them.

TLDR: Shady association is trying to force all owners that rent the condos to sell them to the association or be charged 25$ per day they rent it to another person. They claim all of a sudden (after 8+ years of owner and association interaction) that ALL owners must be tenants. Are they trying to dupe the owners?

*Note: I am far away from my parents right now so I can't actively help them or figure things out by going to a lawyer near them. I would really appreciate any legal advice since I don't want my parents to just be duped into selling the condos and am trying to see if they can do anything.*
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: I have seen rental limitations put in place in condos or townhouses, but generally they are not retroactive.  Those that are currently renting out their units are able to continue doing so, but future owners would be prevented from doing so until the percentage of rented out units falls below the limitations.


Title: My ex stole my dog, how do I get him back

Question: My ex girlfriend and I broke up a few weeks back and she asked to have my dog for the weekend to say goodbye. I should've known it was a tactic to fuck with me, but I am a nice guy so I let her have him for the weekend. Now she wont give him back. She texted tough shit when I told her, "it's my dog and I want him back." I live in Houston and decided to call the police to press theft charges, but the dispatch said I have to take it to civil court. I asked a prosecutor friend of mine and he informed me that if a cop called him while he was the ADA at intake, he would take these charges. What can I do to get my dog back? This dog was not communal property and my ex and I don't live together.

Answer:
 > What can I do to get my dog back?

You'll need to sue her.  If the police don't choose to take action, then there's little you can do to force it.  You can try speaking to a different officer, to see if they'd be willing to take the case.  In general, though, with a breakup, civil court is the right answer.


Title: [California] My brother (21) was hit by another car who failed to yield and both cars were damaged. Driver at fault was driving a friends car and was not insured. Parents want to take driver to small claims, is it worth pursuing?

Question:
As the title states, my younger brother who has insurance was t-boned by another car who failed to yield. As a result, my brother's car was totalled and he had to go to the hospital to get stitches on his wrist and knee.

Apparently, the driver who hit my brother was driving someone else's car and was not insured whatsoever. The driver also ended up crashing into one of the neighbouring houses after the initial hit.

My parent's want to take this kid to small claims, but given his age and him not being insured, is it worth pursuing legal action? A part of me feels this isn't the right thing to do on a moral level as there won't be much gain on the defendant's side.

Answer: Of course it's moral. Kid screwed up, time for him to learn the consequences, or rather his idiot parents for letting him drive. He just learned the most expensive lesson of his life. If you don't have uninsured motorist coverage sue him for your damages.


Title: Employer is three days behind in paying me. Expects me to continue to show up or be fired.

Question:
There was a major problem with some accounting software and my employer has been trying to fix for three days. Basically, they messed up and took out triple the deductions for health insurance,etc. leaving a lot of people with little to no pay check. They have no immediate plan for action saying their hands are tied until the software glitch is fixed.

I've stuff to pay for, including daycare, so that I can work. Gas to buy etc. And although I have a bit of a pad, I'm not keen on wasting my savings coming in to work when all I'm getting from them is " We aren't sure when you are getting paid. When the glitch is fixed we will pay you."

They also aren't doing mileage paychecks this week but still expect us to continue driving our own vehicles. Saying that we will get reimbursed when their system is up.

I requested to use my vacation time so that I didn't have the daycare expense this week (we can take a week vacation from daycare without paying with no penalty per their rules). I was denied this saying that I had to continue to work.

They said if I don't show up it will be abandoning my job.

I'm salary exempt.

Let me to reiterate. They aren't saying they will pay us in a few days. They are literally saying they have no idea when the glitch will be fixed but are working on it. So there is no timeline. There is no, "work with us and we will pay you in a few days." It is just we don't know.

I'm not keen on working for a company that doesn't pay me so I am not that worried about getting fired but I am worried about losing out on unemployment.

So, if they fire me for not showing up after not paying me, could I be kept from getting unemployment?

Arkansas.

Answer:
 If you are fired or laid off in Arkansas, the boss has to pay within 7 days. The worker has to ask to be paid(sample letter available online). If the boss doesn’t pay within 7 days, he has to pay wages for every day since the worker was last worked, up to 60 days.Answer #2: Bullshit.  Not a lawyer; used to do finances for businesses.
There may be a glitch in the software,  but it's only software.  They can write you (and everyone else) checks for the correct amount while they work out the glitch, and then update the software after the fact.  It doesn't matter which software they're using, it's an easy work around.

I don't know about Arkansas  specifically, but many states have statues that say you need to be paid in X amount of days or it's double or triple damages, you should look into it.Answer #3: I don't know about your state, but in my state (PA) they have 2 weeks to pay from the end of the pay period. Usually, businesses I've worked for in the past would pay 1 week after the end of the pay period which gave them a week cushion in the event that something like this happened.


Title: Someone has claimed a false video copyright on my facebook page ! Please Help

Question:
Hi,
I'm from this page https://www.facebook.com/SaisTuQuee

I'm from Morocco, but our page target france

We post videos with permission from the owners

Recently a video got reported from a company "TheSoul Publishing" which the video copyright is not belong to them.

and i have the permission from the owner : http://i.imgur.com/CSyUiqG.png

Facebook deleted the video from our page
http://i.imgur.com/ArqB0A6.png

is there any solution to fix this ?

Thank you

Answer: You got permission from someone to post the video.  However, they may not be the actual owners of the video in question.  They could have stolen it from somewhere else, and are asking you to give them credit rather than the person the video belongs to.


Title: My apartment burned down due to negligent neighbors, what are my legal options? [TX]

Question:
My apartment building recently burned down, due to a neighbor throwing away still smoldering cigarette butts into a plastic flower pot with no water in it. The wind helped to ignite the whole thing and tossed it onto the roof, which quickly spread to the rest of the building.

I lost everything I owned in the fire, and had not yet bought insurance(I had literally just moved in the month prior). Is there anyway to find out if they had Renters Insurance? If they do, could I sue their insurance over this?

I'm doubtful they do, but If there's even a little chance I would be interested.

Answer:
 If they don't volunteer the information, the only legal way to compel an answe is to serve them with a discovery demand after you sue them.Answer #2: > could I sue their insurance over this?

You never sue insurance. Insurance didn't cause the fire. You sue him and then his insurance may offer you a settlement.


Title: Should I really be considered exempt? Entry level employee 75k a year in California

Question:
I work for a consulting company. I am a project coordinator. When I first started, I more or less worked 40 hours a week. If we worked less than 40 hours a week, we were forced to take PTO.

More recently, I have been getting forced to work overtime and work early hours of the day. My manager is talking about weekend coverage.

I have been looking into the labor laws for the state and it does not seem like I should be considered exempt. In my job, I am a project coordinator. I am working primarily with one client. We are contracted to build a software/ IT system for the client.

In my day to day role, I do everything from project management tasks (keep tracking of project deliverables), ad hoc client requests (new process workflows, emailing documents, general communication with client), conducting application testing, creating test plan documents for external testers, helping external testers figure out how to test the system, troubleshooting bugs, etc. We are forced basically to do work on basically every single side of the project.

My manager does not let us make any real decisions though. We always have to do everything based on how she wants it done. For example, we have to record meeting notes for every meeting with the client. Before we can email them to client, we have to have her review them. Any large client requests must be approved by my manager before we can send them. For most requests by the client, my manager must approve it before she sends it and she usually entirely redoes our work before sending it. Moreover, we are forced to do extremely tedious tasks at request of my manager. For example, my manager requests that we create a certain document to track every single email sent by the client. We have to create this on a weekly basis and she has to approve it before we send it. We have no choice but to create the document, even though we all think it's useless and would not want to create it if given the choice. Given that we have to get our manager approval before performing most tasks, it does not appear we exercise discretion in our job role.

Additionally, we are never involved in the hiring process of new staff. We had three new people hired and we were not included at all.

Is there some type of exemption my job falls under where I should not be paid overtime? It seems to me that I am not paid enough to be considered an exempt employee.

Answer: You are paid far more than enough to be considered exempt. The minimum is 41,600.