Title: [NM] HR refused discussion of accommodations; communicated ADA info to my boss without my consent

Question:
I work for the state of NM.  18 months ago I was granted an ADA accommodation.  I filed extensive paperwork from my doctors documenting the disability and HR approved some minor accommodations to my workplace.

My health has gotten worse and, along with my doctor, I decided I needed to seek new accommodations in order to continue at my job.  My doctor suggested I request a more altered work schedule, and/or the ability to work from home part of the week. Last Wednesday I made an appointment with our department's head of HR.  The first thing I said (literally), when I entered his office was, "Thanks for seeing me. I need to discuss a confidential ADA-related matter with you."

I got as far as asking for a modified schedule as a possible accommodation, when the HR rep cut me off by quoting ERISA regulations and telling me no schedule accommodations were possible because they would conflict with ERISA.  He was very emphatic and verbally aggressive, and refused to listen to my request. It quickly became clear   I wasn't getting anywhere, so I apologized for taking up his time and left--I was out of the office in less than 10 minutes.

Yesterday I got pulled into my supervisor's office. She said the HR director had contacted her and told her of my ADA request, and that it couldn't be accommodated because of ERISA. I was so shocked at the breach of confidentiality that I just politely acknowledged the conversation and left. Of course I needed to bring my boss into the conversation at some point, but when I previously applied for an accommodation HR was explicit in telling me I needed to bring all such matters directly to them and not involve my boss in the request.

I'm very upset that the HR rep immediately contacted my supervisor, when I expressly said it was a confidential issue.  This job required us to take training which covered ADA issues and it was very clear that details of ADA requests weren't to be asked, or discussed, as it would violate the privacy of the disabled worker.

Did the HR rep violate ADA and/or HIPAA by contacting my supervisor when I explicitly said the conversation was about "confidential ADA" matters?  Did he violate ADA guidelines by aggressively shutting down my request for a schedule accommodation by just quoting ERISA guidelines, and repeatedly telling me my requested accommodations would not be available? (I'm not asking for opinions on whether the accommodations would have actually been considered reasonable--that's a separate issue.)  I'm wondering exactly what laws, if any, have been violated here.

Answer:
 Well I am fairly certain that the HR isn't covered under HIPAA unless they conveyed PHI, and even then I'm not 100% sure

The ADA does not prevent HR from telling your boss you requested accommodations.Answer #2: As employees typically do, you overshared. You don't need to disclose the medical reason you need accommodation, just that you have a disability and what accommodation your doctor says you need to perform your job.


Title: Drunk at my job

Question: Ok so i went out to lunch and have a few beers, was not totally drunk but i think one VP smell that i had some beers, can they fire me for that?? If he goes to HR and tells on me, can they legally fire me for this? Or do they need proof?? And if they try to fire me for that, what should i tell them if they pull me in the office and say they are firing me for this, just deny all of it?? Im in Texas by the way

Answer:
 >If he goes to HR and tells on me

Son. Your boss doesn't "tell" on you. He reports you. He's not your classmate in kindergarten, he's the VP of the company.Answer #2: >  i think one VP smell that i had some beers, can they fire me for that??

Yes, absolutely.  Either for intoxication, or just for drinking in general.

> what should i tell them if they pull me in the office and say they are firing me for this, just deny all of it??

No, don't lie.  That just makes things worse.  Either tell the truth or don't say anything.Answer #3: Can they fire you for working while intoxicated? Yes, of course they can. I doubt any union or contact would protect you but that is the only other option of you have one.

Say whatever you want. It is legal to fire you for being intoxicated at work. You may or may not qualify for unemployment


Title: [Hypothetical, EU]Would requiring asylum seekers to do community service (cleaning streets of trash etc.) for their application to be considered violate the Geneva Convention or the European Convention on Human Rights?

Question: This is for a hypothetical discussion I've been having. I know the ECHR has provisions banning compulsory labour, but I also know of several countries (that are signatories) where having a job or be actively looking for one is required for receiving benefits. Any help?

Answer:
 Yeah probably. States have an obligation not to return people to persecution, they make sure that they are fulfilling this obligation by giving people who claim asylum hearings to determine if their claims are well founded. Requiring some unrelated task to be performed in order for people to access their right is probably not acceptable.

Generally speaking "receiving benefits" is not a right that people have, it's a policy decision made by governments, and it can be conditional.


Title: Erotic content that I recorded and hold copyright is being used on online to make money. [CA]

Question:
I am a photographer and a videographer and I provide a service for nude/erotic content as well. There are several pricing tiers (e.g. personal where I own the copyright and they have access for personal use, I own copyright and they hold the right to monetize online, they own copyright, etc). There are contracts that precisely reflect these.

This couple got the personal tier which only allows them to use it for their own personal use however I've discovered that it hasn't been true at all. Several of the videos that I recorded of them are being used online (both for sale on manyvids and monetized on popular free websites).

I've contacted them about upgrading to a different license or buying the copyright and never heard back. After the email, they have both defriended me on Facebook. The content are still up.

What is the best course of action for me? Should I contact the websites to take down the content and sue for damages? Do I need a lawyer?

Answer:
 You should start by sending DMCA take-down notices to the sites that are hosting the content that is infringing your copyright(s).Answer #2: > should I contact the websites to take down the content and sue for damages?

DMCA takedown. Google it, it's easy. I'd register the copyrights first, even though legally they already exist.

> Do I need a lawyer?

Probably, and if you want to sue for *statutory* damages (which requires you register the works with copyright.gov) then you absolutely do.


Title: My S.O was hit by a car (CA) is there a way we could file a claim even if he was at fault?

Question: My S.O was hit by a car this morning while riding his bike to work. He was riding on the sidewalk and was waiting for the car to go, but the driver was waiting for whatever reason. My S.O then decided to cross and thats when the vehicle hit him. He flew onto the drivers hood and injured his shoulder badly. When the police and paramedics showed up to the scene they informed him that he was at fault because he was not following traffic. However, the driver should have seen him if my SO was in front of him, right? I need some advice to see what we can do because he probably won't be able to work for a bit. We just had our first son 2 weeks ago and I've been staying at home to tend to him and my S.O is the only one who works in our home.

Answer:
 First: many insurance policies cover damage regardless of fault.  Your health insurance would likely cover him.  Your auto policy *might* cover him since it's a vehicular accident.  You'll only know by asking.

If you want to gain recompense from a person or policy *other* than your own, you can only do so if they have fault.  If your SO is truly and completely at fault, you've got no one else to recover from.


Title: Photographer Issue (Not Getting Photos After Six Months)

Question:
Hello All,

My wife and I were married in November of 2018 and had a wonderful wedding. Our photographer showed up on time and took a great number of photographs and the day with off without a hitch. A few days after the wedding the photographer sent us five photos that served as a "sneak peek" and thats the last and only photos we have received. Since then I have messaged her countless times and have received little to no response, in January she said she mailed the photos out on a USB Drive and when I pressed her for a tracking number she said she didn't have one. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and waited a few months (we had terrible weather in Michigan and I assumed issues with the post office). However, in March when I messaged her again telling her I didn't receive any mail she agreed to meet up with me to physically hand me the photos, we set up a place and a day but she ghosted me on the day of when I attempted to set up a time. She has blocked my wife on Facebook and she has deleted her social media, website, and Instagram. I know I probably have a decent case for breach of contract, however, we have unfortunately misplaced the contract that we received ( I know rookie mistake, we moved a month before we got married). I am wondering what my legal remedy would be without a contract (if any), I have saved all communication and have the PayPal invoice that shows I paid her. Thank you for any advice!

Answer: You can sue her in small claims court for the photos or the deposit/money you have paid her to date in the hopes she would be willing to get you the photos.


Title: [Oakland, CA] One week ago I signed a lease on an apartment and now the landlord is backing out because his partners want to sell the house.

Question: Not sure what to do. He was supposed to drop off the keys to me yesterday, and instead texted me that he would be returning my deposit because his partners had decided to sell the house and they are now in escrow. I mentioned legal action, which I cannot afford, and he didn't care and told me not to threaten him. On Tuesday I will now be homeless with an entire apartment worth of stuff with no plave to go. What is my best option here?

Answer: Read your lease.  I want you to specifically look for language about the landlord and what happens if they are unable to deliver the premises to you.


Title: Hall for wedding reception creates one issue right after another for big day.

Question:
I'm located in Ontario, Canada.

I got married on November 24th of this year and although everything was beautiful the venue for the reception was causing one issue after another.

We booked the hall in October 2017 and were given a price list. Then in October 2018 we were given a brand new price list which resulted in being more.

We wanted wine for our guests and since they would not let us use their in house wine as table wine we had to get other wine. However we were not allowed to purchase it ourselves so they went to the LCBO and purchased it. The price their includes the tax. They then turned around and sold us the bottles of wine for use as table wine. When doing so they charged us a 14.2% tax/bottle and then a $7/bottle corking fee plus 13% tax.

Then the day before the wedding we get to the hall and find it decorated for a Christmas party happening on November 26. We asked if the decorations where coming down only to be told no. it wasn't until the bridesmaids negotiated with the hall manager that the red decorations could come down as long as they do it and they come back the next day to put them back up. So up the ladder the ladies went taking down Christmas decorations. The hall manager then decided that they don't have to come back the following day as she doesn't want to have to come in to open the hall and she'll just deal with it.
The big question is should those decorations have even been up in the first place? And should non hall staff been going up ladders to take down the decorations?

Then the day of the wedding. We had the hall until 12:00AM / midnight. Unfortunately the hall manager decided to take it upon herself to start taking down tables at 10:30pm which resulted in the remaining 30 guests leaving a lot faster.

So not sure if this manager had any right to do what she did or if I'm just becoming a grumpy old man. Any and all thoughts are welcome.

Answer:
 What does your initial signed contract say? Breakdown of tables is quote common before the end of an event. I know for our wedding the facility started breaking down tables around 9 pm- we still were dancing around midnight.

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Venues are entitled to charge whatever they feel right for alcohol. I would go over your contract with a fine tooth comb to see if there is anything about decor, liquor surcharges or early table breakdown.

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I wish you luck!


Title: Bought goods off of an American website, website failed to mention import tax fees in shipping costs, got billed with surprise invoice. Whose responsibility is it

Question:
I live in the UK, I bought £36 worth of goods off an American website during a sale. At checkout it charges $10.40 for international shipping, I payed for the goods and shipping and receive them after a few business days, fast forward to a week later and I receive an invoice from shipping for £19.33, which I believe Is unfair because it doesn't mention that these fees may apply on their website or anywhere during checkout so I infer that these are included in the shipping cost mentioned above. Whose responsibility is it to pay for this invoice. Thanks in advance for the reply
Topic:
Non-US

Answer:
 It's yours. Those are taxes and duties charged by your government on imported goods and will be charged whenever you order something from another country.Answer #2: >Whose responsibility is it to pay for this invoice.

The responsibility is yours.  It is your responsibility to know the laws of your country and the taxes and fees when it comes to importing things.  Not every American company is going to know UK laws dealing with import duties and taxes


Title: Would this be considered money laundering?

Question:
If someone picked up money made through illegal activity and delivered it, would this be illegal? No transactions involved, just taking the money from person A to person B.

Alabama, USA
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: It would not be money laundering. However, it would almost certainly amount to aiding and abetting, conspiracy, and a slew of other charges.


Title: [MA] Husband says he wants to split up. Can he kick me out of our house?

Question:
Hi all. First time posting, and on a mobile, please be kind.

So I will spare you all of the backstory and get to the point. My husband says he wants to end our relationship. He also says he wants me out of the house. He has made these threats before, they usually come when he has done something wrong and I am upset with him.

Last time he wanted to kick me out I let him know that I would not be leaving our house as all of my belongings are there and it did not seem fair. He told me that since he is the only one on the deed I had no legal rights to the house and to GTFO. I again said that all of my stuff is in that house and I would not be leaving without it. He told me to get on the phone and get a U Haul, to be out by the end of the day. When we cooled off we were able to talk things out. But I am afraid that this is where we are heading and want to know my rights.
Facts and questions:

- I am not on the deed, he purchased the house with the help of my "gift" (sadly my credit was not good at time of purchase) While he did put most of the money down I definitely helped.

- I contribute every paycheck towards the mortgage.

-I have done a little research and sites say that although I am not on the deed that it is our marital house. Is this true?

- In normal eviction cases I believe there needs to be 30 day notice. Am I allowed to ask for 30 days to move my belongings?

- All boils down to the question. Can he kick me out???

Answer:
 [No, he cannot](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleIII/Chapter208/Section34B). The only exception would be if he was able to get a domestic violence restraining order; which would prevent you from coming into contact with him - obviously meaning you couldn't stay together. The only other way is a court order during the divorce proceeding.

>M.G.L. ch. 208 § 34B "Order to vacate marital home". Answer #2: [This link](http://www.divorcenet.com/resources/divorce/marital-property-division/massachusetts-divorce-dividing) has some interesting information: "*a house owned by one spouse alone can become marital property if both spouses pay the mortgage or other expenses, or contribute to significant improvements*.". Bottom line is, even though you're not on the deed, you will be entitled to at least a portion of the house. I don't know how that will affect things if he tries to evict you, but at minimum he would have to go through the eviction process, which probably wouldn't do him any favors with the judge in charge of the divorce proceedings.

I would highly suggest you get yourself an attorney now and start planning for your very contentious divorce. I foresee you having trouble coming to an agreement about equitable distribution of all the marital assets and debts, and you need to make sure you protect yourself now and get as prepared as possible.Answer #3: Very very helpful. Thank you guys!!! Will be in contact with a lawyer.


Title: (California) medical marijuana card + owning a firearm

Question: Here’s a question - my (live-in) boyfriend has a medical marijuana card. I want to own a firearm and keep it in the house. Is that legal? Is he able to go to a range with me and shoot it for recreational purposes? This may be a silly question but you’d be surprised at how little info there is about this! I live in California. Thanks!

Answer: Federal law is the problem.  Guns + drugs together have sentencing enhancements, they should never be in the same place.  This is the same reason the dispensaries couldn't have armed security, despite all the cash on hand.


Title: Fiancé wants me to bring son back

Question:
Earlier this month my fiancé and I got into a pretty big fight and she told me to leave and I told her I wasn't leaving without our two and a half year old son. She said fine and I wrote up a paper stating where I was taking my son and that it'd be for 3-4 weeks or until she could get better transportation and we both signed and dated it. Fast forward to Now and it's only been two weeks and she's saying if I don't bring him back she's getting a ride from her friend to come get him. I need to know what legal standing I have and what rights I have.

Here's a little back story/info: I'm disabled and draw disability and have stayed at home with our son since the day he's been born. My fiancé works 40+ hours a week and is off two maybe 3 days at most. She is bipolar and has had a few mental breakdowns one of which she pulled a knife on me and I had to call the police and she was admitted for 72 hour psych eval. She was released under the assumption she was going to get help immediately. She hasn't seemed help or taken any of the medicine they prescribed her so her issues haven't gotten any better. She's constantly yelling and screaming my son and I and saying hurtful things and honestly I don't feel comfortable with the idea of her having him without me being there.

Now She insists that I bring him back and that she can handle him, and she wants to have primary custody. She says she can afford to pay rent, pay for everything he needs, and pay for day care/child care(which is what I've been taking care of by being home with him for 2.5 years)
My biggest concern is she's going to be constantly screaming and yelling at him like she's already doing except I won't be there to stop her or take the brunt of it, and that she'll find a babysitter that isnt fit or a good choice just stick him with them because they're cheap and he'll overall be suffering at home and at day care. And she hasn't gotten a reliable vehicle that could even meet me at a halfway point between us.

Should I bring him back to her, or what do you think I should do? I've spoken to a lawyer who suggested I write up the paper stating where I was going to take him and for how long. Please can anyone help. Thank you in advance.

Also all three of us are residents in Tennessee but  my son and I are currently in NC/SC with my family which She agreed to.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 >I've spoken to a lawyer who suggested I write up the paper stating where I was going to take him and for how long.

Did you hire this lawyer?

If you are named as the father on your child's birth certificate, you are entitled to keep your son, at least until you file for custody. And filing for custody is your immediate next step.

If you didn't hire the lawyer you referred to in your post, you need to hire one now. Any lawyer you hire will likely file a motion with the court, asking that temporary legal custody of your child be granted to you while the custody issue is being worked out.


Title: My wife being sexually harassed at my workplace, what can I do?

Question:
I work for a medical practice that has multiple physicians rendering service. One of which is a chiropractor (the company owner's brother), whom I have a good working relationship with (my role is IT). My wife got into an accident some time ago and has been receiving care from this chiropractor, but in her last visit, she told me he got a bit too handsy with her and touched her inappropriately on her butt while adjusting her. She didn't quite know how to react because she wasn't sure if it was necessary for him to make a particular adjustment work or not. What options do we have? Also, if more info is needed I am happy to provide it.

Edit: Forgot to include location. I'm in Florida.

Answer:
 *You* can't do anything.

If your wife chooses to do something about the matter, she can.  It's not clear from your narrative whether she works there.  If she does, she can report this to HR.  Otherwise, her recourse is:

1.  To complain to the management.
2.  To file a complaint with the medical board.
3.  To sue for damages, if any(unlikely)
4.  To report the matter to the police.


Title: [UTAH] Can someone be terminated because the police visit them at work?

Question:
Hey guys,

So, backstory: In 2010 my sister (then 19) illegally parked her car in a church parking lot and received a parking ticket while she was gone. The car is registered in my mother's name, not my sister's, so technically the citation went to my mother, but my sister never told her, and ignored the ticket.

A few months later, the court 'served' my mother with a court summons at our house. She was not home, and my brother (then 18) signed for the summons and just put them on the counter, never telling my mother.

My parents went through a divorce that same month, and my mother never saw the summons, never found out about the ticket or anything.

Now today she called me because the police came to her workplace (she works in an office building) and she was called down to the front desk. (She told me) they gave her the option of going with them right then to jail, or to pay her $300 ticket. She didn't have the money, but made a post-payment for Friday, and they let her go.

She went back to her office floor, and her boss was there and told her it was time for her to go home. She asked if she could retrieve her purse and keys from her desk, and he escorted her back to her desk, then asked her to leave 'for the day'.

She is now worried she doesn't have a job, as this supervisor won't return her calls from today (although he might just be busy, this all happened 3 hours ago).

In Utah, can you be fired for something like that? She says he muttered about it being 'embarrassing for the company', and she doesn't know what to do.

Any advice?

Answer: My advice is: Your mother should get a new family.


Title: Can my landlord make me sign every page of a 100 page lease? [Seattle, WA]

Question:
They asked me to sign my lease online.  It was over 100 pages of documents, but only about 30 pages were the lease, then there were several addendums, a voter registration form, instructions on how to get rid of mold, etc.  All the documents that our city and state requires to be included with a lease.

Some of the addendums didn't apply to me, though, and some were filled out incorrectly, so I asked for a physical copy to sign.  The property manager hemmed and hawed and said they could get me a physical copy but I'd have to sign each of the 100 pages or my lease would be invalid.

From a contract standpoint this is obviously bogus, but I'm guessing they can still require me to do this (sign every page including instruction sheets, etc) if it's their policy?  Is there any way to make them treat this rationally or not if I want to live there?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Your landlord is entitled to ask you to sign / initial / draw a flower on each and every page of the lease.  And not choose not to execute or perform on the lease themselves unless you do.

Obviously you can negotiate with them.  You can't force them to do differently.  And in Seattle a landlord approaching things with *extreme caution* is perfectly reasonable.


Title: Munchhausen syndrome by proxy (Oklahoma)

Question: Hello, I have a question about Munchhausen syndrome by proxy. Growing up my mother would always make my brother and I go see psychologists and make up symptoms for us to get put on medication that she would then occasionally sell. She would also tell me what to say if the doctors asked me about anything to do with things such as ADD or depression. I am currently trying to get a job as an Air Traffic Controller, a career I've spent the last 8 years working towards (through the military.) I was straight forward with the FAA doctors and explained to them the situation, but they tell me I am pending medical disqualification due to many of the things found in my records form when I was a child. Is there any protection for me since it was fictitious and against my will?

Answer:
 That's not Munchhausen. That's your mother being a drug dealer.

You would need to demonstrate this to the FAA. Answer #2: Has your mother ever had a documented psychiatric diagnosis of munchausen by proxy?  It's exceedingly rare, and if she actually had it, she would have been making you take the drugs, not selling them.

Go to a doctor of your own and get a complete workup and review of your old records.  You're going to have to pay out of pocket for this.  Then have the doctor write a letter for you with the findings.Answer #3: I do not know about ATC medical qualifications.

But, as a pilot, I know that for complicated pilot medical questions, there is one authority:  I am not going to name him specifically, because we do not make specific referrals here.  But, if you head over to /r/flying, he will well known.

In the pilot community, he has a reputation for not only being the absolute best authority on the matter, but also surprisingly responsive for a guy who is the go to guy for pretty much everyone for complicated medical issues.

But, again, I do not know if his expertise would apply to ATC medical disqualifications.


Title: WA: My rapist comes to my work, and it causes me emotional harm.

Question:
TL:DR at the end, plus my questions.

So, he raped me back in 2009, so the statute of limitations has expired from my knowledge. We were really young when it happened. I was 13. My mother had me convinced I wasn't really raped because that was the kind of mother she was back then.

After middle school we went to different high schools, and I thought "oh cool, I won't ever have to deal with him again." But alas, he's back.

I work at a big blue box store.

About a year ago I actually sold him cigarettes, I could no longer recognize someone who occasionally haunts my dreams because his face is so poc marked from doing meth.

Now about a month ago I am at the customer service desk, and he strolls up wanting to return something. I look up and he says "how have you been?" And smirked at me in a way that said "yeah, I know I am causing you harm" so I stammered out "I'm going to go get my manager" let her know of the situation and ran to the back room and I wouldn't come out until he left the store.

Today, he was in my store trying to steal stuff. AP said he was twitching like a tweaker, and that he wouldnt stand still because he was over heating. He was eventually deterred and said he "left his wallet at home" and would be back for his basket. We totalled up his basket, and it was well over $400 of stuff he was planning on stealing.

So I let AP know that the guy makes me extremely uncomfortable. They told me they can't ban him until he actually steals something, or if I can get a restraining order.

TL:DR man who raped me in 2009 shows up to my store, causes me great mental anguish, and tries to steal from my store. He cannot be banned until he actually steals something, or I get a restraining order.

My questions, can I actually get a restraining order even though the statute of limitations has past? Is it true that consultations with lawyers are usually free? I really need advice. I am scared to go to work.

Answer:
 How old are you now?

According to this,the statute of limitations for child rape is 3 years..

http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=4.16.340

BUT..the statute is tolled until the child is 18. So..if you were 13 in 2009 and turned 18 in 2015,the statute of limitations has NOT expired.

So I would consult a lawyer and possibly the police.Answer #2: Go to the police and report everything: the rape, your age at the time, and his current harassment of you. I don't know whether you are correct about the statute of limitations, but there may be exceptions to it. Even if the police cannot charge him with anything at present, they can still connect you with victim's services.

You may be able to get an order of protection /restraining order. Victim's services can point you in the right direction.

I'm so sorry you were hurt, and that no one stood up for you. It's not too late to get the help you deserve.  Answer #3: Consultations are generally free, but even if they aren't for whatever reason in your area you're talking less than $50.

You can get a Temporary order any time you fear for your safety. Whether or not it sticks and turns into a permanent protective order depends.

Stores can refuse service to anyone for any (non discriminatory) reason. They can refuse him service and trespass him from the property, but they won't due to some policy or other.Answer #4: I'm sorry that happened to you. Are you sure it's past the statute of limitations? Looks like there's exceptions for rape. You might fit into those exceptions. Even if you don't, you'll need to report that as the reason for your wanting to get a restraining order.


Title: Employer retroactively "prorating" hourly wages when employees work overtime.

Question:
This is not my employer, I work for a neighboring company. This is at an Amazon Delivery Station. All the companies here are shady and they all have their ways of perpetrating wage theft on the delivery personal. This one made me chuckle though, it seems absurd. This cant be legal??
California
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 Unless they are salary, then they should file a [wage and hour complaint](https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageClaim.htm). You can't change someone's hourly rate without prior notice.Answer #2: So I worked on a similar case as a law clerk in an employment firm. Defendant was a contractor that delivered for Amazon in several states. None were CA, but this is under a federal law, so it's going to be the same, unless CA has an applicable state law that is contrary.

It is perfectly ok to pay a weekly rate, so long as that rate is not less than the minimum wage. It is often listed on the paystub as a fluctuating hourly rate, but what it's called on the stub is less important that how it actually gets paid out. Many will often include "bonuses," which adjust the rate. The effect of the "bonus" is one situation where what it's called, not how it functions, is the key, but that is different from the base pay above.

Also, these workers likely fall under the motor carrier exemption to the FLSA, and would generally not be entitled to OT pay, although the status of these drivers is not settled in the caselaw nationwide and varies some between circuits as it's still a fairly new industry.

Further complicating things, is that many of the drivers themselves are independent contractors, not employees under the meaning of the FLSA. This isn't universal, and many contractors are mischaracterized and are indeed employees. This status is dependent on several factors, and there is some minor variation between circuits, although the differences are not great (largely turning upon the weight that circuit gives to each of the individual factors).

**TL/DR:** This may or may not be entirely legal, depending upon several factors.


Title: 16 year old girlfriend is pregnant

Question: Ok so my 16 year old girlfriend is pregnant in the state of Iowa I would like to know what kind of supplemental help she can get what rights she has now as an "adult" like what she can and can't do now without her parents permission and what are my rights as the father?

Answer:
 Unrelated to the issue at hand (or maybe related) if you are truly 16 years old, for the love of god delete the nude photos right now.Answer #2: There are no "additional rights" she has just because she has a kid.

She still needs to obey her parents and figure out how to take care of a kid at 16.

Are you the father?Answer #3: You have no rights until a baby is born.  After she gives birth you should take a DNA test to make sure it's your child.   Then you can go to court and assert your rights.  You will have rights to visitation and to pay child support.  Newborn visitation is short and usually at the mother's house or a agreed upon place.  Newborns eat every two hours so the court won't take the baby from Mom for very long if at all.  But as the child gets older you will get longer visitation.  After the baby is weaned you can get overnights.Answer #4: Courts can give permission for minors to marry without parental consent. Since you are not married you don't have parental rights until the child is born and you get a paternity test or she names you as the father on the birth certificate.

You will definitely need a family lawyer to help you navigate this. Best of luck.


Title: Large chunk of glass found in ice cream

Question:
I was at a restaurant in my hometown known for its ice cream. Halfway through my sundae, I took a bite and felt this huge chunk of what I initially thought was ice, but then I realized it wasn't cold enough to be ice. I spit it out and it was a huge chunk of glass that had been buried in the ice cream.

I called the waiter over and he said something along the lines of, "Oh sorry, sometimes things are dropped and break in the kitchen and when the ice cream tubs are open things can fly in". Ok...

Can I sue for this? This is in Connecticut.

Answer:
 No, you can't sue.  You weren't hurt.  You have no damages to recover.  You can report the restaurant to the health department.Answer #2: For?

A new sundae? How much did you already eat? You'd likely be better going for a cone/scoop.

Demand a banana split, settle for a waffle bowl and sprinkles. Answer #3: Complain to the restaurant, get a new ice cream. Problem solved!


Title: Mentally challenged 15 year old strangles 4 year old

Question:
A friend's of mine was at one of those indoor trampoline parks this weekend and out of no where a 15 year old boy who is mentally challenged and on a field trip with a home he is in begins to grab her 4 year old daughter by the throat and choke her. Luckily within moments the parent realized and struggled to remove the 15 year year olds hand from her daughter's throat. Obviously a very emotionally charged moment. The young girl was taken by ambulance and was luckily ok. The police and paramedics said 2 more inches to the left and she was dead.

The question is who could be legally responsible for this? The trampoline park? The home for not supervising their charges close enough? The police have said there is basically no criminal charges to be filed.

In addition the police have stated that the trampoline place has had incidences before.

The mother has run into dead ends so far as what to do. This seems like a civil matter. Her desire is the kids in the home for challenged kids shouldn't be allowed to socialize with such young children at this place of business which gets into the ADA probably.

Does anyone have any experience with this or advice as to the next step?

She is in Massachusetts

Edit: so home is in reference to a group home where the kids are sent and then watched by "qualified" supervision. In my experience these supervision are young people outnumbered by their charges by 1 to 10 who generally have very little control over their groups

Answer: His parents or guardian.


Title: [US, NJ] Friend's landlord doesn't seem to know how laws work. Showing up whenever he wants, goes through mail, rewrites contract, etc.

Question:
My gf's sister rents in Garfield, NJ. The landlord thinks it's perfectly fine to show up whenever he wants and walks around the apartment, moving furniture, unplugging things from the outlets (saying it wastes electricity), and snoops around. He also peeks through the windows, goes into bushes to look through side windows, and has been caught multiple times watching through the window when he things no one is home after he's been caught going into the apartment unannounced. Next up, he goes through her mail. He's been caught 3+ times going through her mailbox and taking things out saying "It's junk mail"... His wife called and yelled at us for yelling at him not to go through the mail and she said "He's just old school". And finally, my favorite, he sent her a new a contract with whiteout over the part that says she was entitled to one parking space when she first signed the lease. She had a one year contract but after she complained about the unannounced visits, he retaliated by sending her an updated contract with whiteout. She never signed this new contract but he believes it's enforceable. The only reason I'm seeking help is because she just received a cease and desist letter from the landlords lawyer saying she can't have her boyfriend over because he is believed to live there, even though he doesn't, and a few other complaints he has against her, mainly as a retaliation because she called the inspector when she found out the fire alarm and monoxide detectors weren't working so the landlord put plastic bags over them and put electrical tape over 90% of her outlets.

I know it's very illegal to go through someone's mail and to let yourself into a tenants apartment without their knowledge or a heads up. I also know it's not legal to just change a contract whenever it suits you. But I lack the legal vocabulary to discuss these issues with the landlord or his lawyer. She can't afford a lawyer so I'd like to at least know some of the laws that he is breaking and what it's called. Thank you for any help!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > His wife called and yelled at us for yelling at him not to go through the mail and she said "He's just old school".

Tell his wife the next time he does it, he can tell a federal jury about how old school he is. [This site may help you find the resources you need.](http://www.njto.org/)Answer #2: [This handbook has some helpful information for her](http://www.lsnjlaw.org/publications/pages/manuals/tenantsrights.pdf).

The landlord showing up whenever he wants and snooping around is violating what's known as the "covenant of quiet enjoyment". If he enters the apartment without permission or proper notice, that's tresspassing.

Ultimately, though, it doesn't sound like the landlord is going to stop just because she says to. So she needs to decide what she wants to accomplish here.Answer #3: Next time she catches him peeping, call the police. It's possible he could end up on a sex offender registry. Is it possible to get a lock for the mailbox? Afaik, stealing someone else's mail is a federal crime. You should definitely report him (presumably to the post office or a postal inspector??, though I'm not sure).

Perhaps make it clear to him that if she finds someone in her apt. without permission she will assume they are there for nefarious purposes and shoot.

TL;DR: Document everything and start calling the police every time he does this shit. Also, see if it's possible to get a key for the mailbox (you may need to give a copy to the postal carrier/post office).


Title: [CA] Years ago I agreed to buy a car stereo from an acquaintance for a combination of cash and bitcoins, I paid the cash part but then lost contact with him. Now he is chasing me and demanding I give him the exact number of bitcoins we agreed on years ago.

Question:
Years ago I was introduced to a guy who was happy to sell me a car stereo for a combination of cash and bitcoins which I used to be into back then. Sadly I lost interest and sold them all but at the time I struck a deal to pay the guy mostly in cash and a small (back then) number of bitcoins - about 15 of them. To be honest, he was only interested in the cash and I threw in the bitcoins as a gimmick so while I got the stereo and paid him the cash for it we never got around to sending him the bitcoins before we lost contact.

Fast-forward to last week and I happen to run into the guy again and we have a brief conversation. Seemed friendly enough except a couple of days later I get a phone call from him (he had somehow gotten my number) and in a much darker tone reminded me I still owed him the bitcoins and he wanted them - all 15 of them - ASAP. Of course I don't have any since I lost interest way before the price of them skyrocketed. I tried to explain that to him but he wasn't having it and continued to insist that "a deal's a deal" and how I got them wasn't his problem. I tried offering him $50 and then $100 which was way more than their cash value at the time but he was absolutely insistent that I needed to pay him the exact amount of bitcoin we agreed on at the time. He claimed that the law was on his side and that if I refused to pay he would talk to some of his "friends" who would make sure I did. I don't believe that was intended as a physical threat as he had mentioned earlier in the conversation that one of his friends was a lawyer.

So I need advice. Does he have a case and could he force me to pay him 15 bitcoins which I don't currently have? I definitely don't have the money to buy them for him at current prices but at the same time I don't have the money to afford a legal defense or lawyer.

Answer: The statute of limitations has most likely run out.  Also, no court anywhere is going to make you pay $80,000 for a car stereo.  That's just ridiculous.


Title: Banned from Warhammer Store/Club, Refusing to Refund Purchased Merchandise [CA]

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 How did your miniatures lose value? They should be worth the same whether you are allowed in the store or not.

(And it seems as if trespassing you from the store was appropriate. I commend them for taking care of their employees.)


Title: If batman was real what crimes would he be committing in his fight against crime?

Answer:
 What state is Gotham city in?

Generally though,

- Assault

- Battery

- Causing public disturbances

- tonnes of traffic laws

- tonnes of FAA regulations

- Possession of explosives and weapons charges

- Destruction of public property

- False imprisonment

- Code violations (Bat Cave)

- Child endangerment (Robin(s))

Might be quicker to list crimes he hasn't committed...


Title: Police show up with two angry men accusing my brother of stealing I-phone, were trying to enter home. Afraid of vigilantism. Need help how to get sheriff to be accountable/protect home.

Question: A cop and two men knocked on my door and straight away began accusing my brother of stealing their I phone. They were saying find my iphone showed my house. Cop seemed to know suspects, since incident reportedly happened mere hours before at restaurant they were at. My brother repeatedly told them that this wasn't possible and that no one was at that restaurant. But the officer kept trying to find a way to come in and kept accusing, acting as if find my Iphone is the hand of God telling him who took it. When I asked for officer's name and complained about the disturbance he did the whole dismissive/angry "Want my badge too? A phone number to call??" The two men seriously looked like they were going to come back. I am now afraid, mainly because my mother mainly lives alone in this home and she is old and speaks little English. What are my rights here? Are the Police obligated in any way to make sure that the two men do not seek vigilante justice? That their officer's hostile behavior could enable this behavior? I need to know what to tell the Sheriff to make sure he takes action. This happened in Texas, which is another reason why I don't feel I'm too paranoid thinking the two men (don't judge me, but they were rednecks) will show up again and perhaps with firearms.

Answer:
 No the police are not obligated to do anything to protect you or your home.

You can file a complaint about the officers conduct. You can call the police if anyone shows up at the houseAnswer #2: Tell them to listen to the podcast "Reply All," episode #53, "In the Desert." This couple had multiple people come to their house accusing them of something similar. It turned out that the address service used by "find my phone" was messed up in their area, and sparse wifi coverage resulted in phones being mistakenly "located" at this house.

Then again, these vigilantes don't sound like the types that enjoy reasoning or podcasts.


Title: Do I have to return extra items mailed to me? (Canada)

Question:
I recently ordered some boots from www.shoeme.ca

I ordered size 8.5 then realized I needed size 8 so I emailed them to send me size 8 instead. However, they ended up sending me BOTH the size 8.5 and the size 8. They politely asked me to return the size 8.5 but I am wondering, am I legally obligated to do so?

In the US isn't there a law that states that if something is mailed to you then it is legally yours, or something along that line? Is it similar in Canada?

Thanks for the advice!

EDIT: I AM returning the boots. I am just curious as to the legality of the issue.

Answer:
 >In the US isn't there a law that states that if something is mailed to you then it is legally yours, or something along that line?

No

>Is it similar in Canada?

No

Stop being an asshole.


Title: Personal information and walmart

Question:
This is whats going on. I bought a nerf gun for my son at Wal-Mart for Christmas. I found the same nerf gun $40 cheaper, so naturally returned it to Wal-Mart. I got a call yesterday (well voicemail) from a Wal-Mart customer who bought the nerf gun.. it gets weird here.. they said Wal-Mart put my personal information on the box and decided to use it to contact me to see if there is anything wrong with it. I am naturally paranoid with my personal information as is most people. Why would they do this? What should I do? sorry if I am in the wrong sub-reddit.. Thanks in advance

p.s. I do not frequent Wal-Mart often, it was the only place for this particular nerf gun at the moment

I am in the chicago area

Answer:
 Your information is personal in nature, but is by no means private.  Your full name, birth date, home address, and sometimes phone numbers are all generally a matter of public record and readily available to anyone who wants them.

It may be weird, but I don't believe it to be illegal.  You can choose to answer or not answer their questions, and you can tell them to not contact you about the Nerf gun in the future.


Title: If you injected someone with hormones such as estrogen or testosterone without them knowing, would that be considered assault?

Answer: You injected them? Yes


Title: Texas - Possible hell neighbor property problems incoming.... Please help!

Question:
First off, if you clicked on this, thank you! There is a tl,dr: at the end.

So have you ever wondered why there are those hell neighbor youtube videos where some crazy lady is ripping up a fence or spraying their neighbors with a hose? Do you ever think, "wow, that sure is immature and stupid. People can't really be that nuts, right?!"

Well, I'm starting to understand. My family owns a house with a relatively large backyard and my mom is weeks away from retirement. She has spent almost a year building a small 1 room structure in the back yard. About 800 square feet maybe? She wants to use the space as an art studio to paint and stuff and later move in if she needs to, rather than go to an old folk's home.

Before building, she got all the proper permits, talked to architects (including the building company) and real estate agents about her plans, and then after all that was in place, started the process of building the structure. It is now maybe two weeks away from completion, at a cost of around $50,000 (I think). It's fairly nice.

Today, the neighbor comes by and says that there are deed restrictions from the 60s that prohibit building the structure. He's been living next door this whole time, watching the workmen come and go, and never said a word. He added that he hated looking at the structure (though it is not visible from the street and is mostly blocked by trees and a large wooden fence from his back yard) and that he would literally pay to take us to court to establish precedence to make sure the deed restriction could be enforceable (sp?). He also offered to pay for the demolition, which of course doesn't come close to covering the building costs and was basically an insult as far as I'm concerned.

My mom is devastated. Literally weeks from retirement she's dealing with this stuff over the hobbies she wanted to undertake during her retirement. She spent her savings on this thing. There isn't really that much left for legal help. So any time you give this is incredibly appreciated.

tl,dr: Built 800 sq ft structure in back yard. Supposedly violates deed restriction, but deed restriction not currently enforced by the city. Neighbor wants to sue to establish precedence. How to fight with little money?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 If she got the proper permits from the city, county, or whatever planning and/or zoning authority her property falls under, he can go pound sand.

That being said, she needs to look at her deed. If he's right, that's still going to be a drawn out legal battle on his part that will get expensive for not just her, but him as well. I think he's full of shit and bluffing. Don't let her freak out about it just yet, but get the deed info from the county register (or where ever) and see what's exactly in it.

Not a lawyer.

Edit: I don't know where in Texas you are but you might find this link helpful: http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/Neighborhood/deed_restr.html


Title: Can I sit in my car in parking lot of a shopping center after it has 'closed.'

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 It's private property you have no right to be there at all let alone if told to leave. Do you want a trespassing charge?Answer #2: > The security guard approached my car and politely asked me to leave

The security guard is the authorized representative of the property owner. He asked you leave. If you do not, they can call the local police to remove you.


Title: Is it legal for a 18 guy year old to hang out with a 14 year old girl as a friend?

Question: One of my friends just turned 14 a few weeks ago. Now my parents say we can't hang out as friends because there afraid that she's gonna want to have sex with me. Her father doesn't want me talking to her because of the same stupid reason except he thinks I want sex with her. I just don't get why being friends with a younger girl has to be so complicated.

Answer: It's perfectly legal to hang out with someone as friends regardless of age.  Legality notwithstanding, her parents' rules control, so if they want to prohibit her from seeing you, they absolutely can.


Title: [CA] False accusation with a side of harassment

Question:
About two years ago, exercising poor judgment, I had a one night stand with a woman. Some alcohol was involved (think 2 or 3 drinks.)

The next morning, I drop her off to her home with her boyfriend (surprise!!) standing outside. Cue the next two weeks of constant texts and calls accusing me of sexual assault of someone impaired. I was so frightened that I went to an attorney, followed his advice and have enough text evidence and other witnesses prior to the affair to feel safe about any involvement from the police. At no point since have I spoken a single word to her in response.

I ran into her a few months ago, cue histrionic scene and my immediate departure. I am still being harassed. Are there legal steps I can take to protect myself and stop the harassment?

I am concerned about life ruining accusations now and moving forward. I am concerned about her showing up where I am. On the other hand, I am further concerned any legal steps I may take could further provoke the situation.

Thanks for any advice

Answer: Whats the harassment? She can legally cause a scene when in your presence. You can depart, you can alert people she is causing a scene. Unless your saying she is following you in order to cause a scene, theres nothing illegal here.


Title: Is it legal for employers to "require a donation" as penalty for a late response? (IN)

Question:
Is it legal, in Indiana, for your employer to charge you for not responding to something work-related even though you aren't on the clock in the first place?
Background:
I work for a fairly small, locally owned customer-service business/company. Company has a newsletter that they "require" employees to read & respond to within 4 days (typically posted on a Thursday and employees have to respond by Tuesday). However, because some employees do not respond in a timely manner, company is introducing a policy that if employees miss X number of timely responses they are required to pay $5 to company (for a company gathering fund). Typically, I am not on the clock when I read and respond to this newsletter (due to my shift schedule) and the company does not ask/require its employees to read and respond during their working hours.

Let me know if there are more details needed!

Answer:
 read up on the 1929 fair labor standards act .
My first guess would be no. They aren’t allowed to “
Fine you” which is what they are doing. Especially off the clock or even if you were on the clock. If you’re a sub contractor there may be a different rule but if you’re hourly. They cannot force you to pay anything.


Title: [Georgia] Charged with simple battery for slapping husband, what to expect in court?

Question:
This past weekend my husband and I had a loud, wine-fueled argument. I slapped him in the face, he left the room, and I threw a bowl against the wall. I then went to bed. The neighbors in the next apartment heard the arguing and called the police when they heard the bowl. The police officers spoke to us separately and I was terrified it sounded worse than it was. I told the police officers that I slapped my husband. I was arrested and charged with simple battery. My husband paid my bail the next day and I was given a date for state court.

My question: what to expect in court? I am so worried and confused. I am already seeking counseling for anger management. My record was spotless before this (not even a parking ticket) and I have never been violent before. (My husband never has either.) The police told me that, when we go to court, my husband can tell the judge he doesn't want to press charges, and then we'll just be able to go. Is that true -- would the judge just drop the charges? Do I need a lawyer for this? Will I be expected to make a plea?

Thank you for any help you can give.

Answer:
 You should plead not guilty and hire a lawyer.

The prosecutor might take your husband's wishes into consideration, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.


Title: LGBT Adoption in New Mexico. Lawyer threatening to sue and have partner thrown in jail.

Question: Long story short, birth mother and partner want the partner to legally adopt child. Birth father 100% supportive. Began adoption process in NM. Lawyer said should only cost between 2-3k. Now near 10K in cost and no further developments until recently. Birth mother and partner moved out of state for work. Now lawyer demanded 2k, and said court date set for next week. Lawyer is threatening to sue for extra 2k and if it is not paid, partner will be sent to jail. How is this even possible?

Answer:
 In the USA there is not such thing as debtors prison.Answer #2: Shouldn't even have cost that. Are mother and partner married? My quick view leads me to believe they would need to be married for partner to adopt. Answer #3: >and said court date set for next week

They can say all the want, what do the court documents and summons say?

You can't go to jail for a debt.Answer #4: Sounds pretty sketchy, probably a scam. You can't be thrown in jail for any kind of debt


Title: I just found out my apartment complex is in foreclosure and being bought out, but they've been collecting payments and pocketing them. What can I do?

Question: I have ~3 months left on my lease, but since they're in foreclosure doesn't that mean I can receive an eviction notice at any moment? Should I keep paying? I'm located in Florida.

Answer: Nothing. You pay until you have documents saying to pay someone else. Your lease goes with the apartment unless your lease says otherwise.


Title: TX USA - Middle School Teacher and liability in collecting cell phones.

Question:
So, i teach at a 7-8 school of about 900 kids. The current administration policy is that if a kid has a phone visible for any reason that's not academic (the teacher didn't request it) we're supposed to label it with the kid's name, and at our earliest convenience, walk it up to the front office. The problem being that sometimes that earliest convenience is hours later, so I have a cell phone that's not mine sitting in a locked part of my desk all day.

Questions: What's my personal liability for collecting that phone, especially if it were to get stolen out of my desk before I turned it in?

If a parent really pushed out $15 phone retrieval fee that the school puts in place, would it stand up?

What's the best way to handle this situation, outside of taking zero possession of something like this?

Answer:
 The [teachers union](https://tcta.org/node/12059) has an FAQ about confiscation, not sure who wrote that so take it as you will.

It's charging the retrieval fee that sounds the most dodgy to me though. Taking a kids phone away as a punishment and returning it later is one thing, depriving them of their property and not returning it until they pay a fee is another thing entirely.Answer #2: My school leaves it up to the teacher's discretion what to do about phones in class. A colleague gave me a great idea -- envelopes. If a kid misbehaves with a phone, have them put a phone in an envelope and seal it. They can't get it back in your class without drawing your attention (by ripping the envelope) and if you want to be a hardass (I do) put a sticker on the envelope with something about cell phone infraction and points off and make them get a parental signature.

I don't have to touch the phone. The kids can use their phone again the second the bell rings. The parents are notified without me having to make calls. And I get a nice record of who is routinely having phone problems.

There's only one problem. I told my kids about this policy, and not a single kid this year has needed an envelope. A friendly, "Hey, put that phone away or you get an envelope!" once every few weeks keeps them in line just fine.

So far this idea has spread to about 15 of the teachers in my school.


Title: Driving with suspended license in VA

Question:
As the title says, I was driving w/ a suspended license, I was actually not even driving when we got pulled over, but was seen driving the vehicle about 30mins before we got pulled over.

Git of the story:

I was driving on a suspended license (got a speeding ticket in WV and forgot to pay it), police vehicle turned around towards us. I parked at a fast food, we ate, when we left, my wife drove the vehicle. We get pulled over (the vehicle had expired tags too, digging my hole deeper...) wife provides her license. I get called out of the vehicle and 3 police officers "sortof" surround me. I get my Miranda rights (at this point i'm thinking they want me to admit I was driving) one of them tells me, "...we saw you driving the vehicle earlier before pulling into the fast-food. Why did you change drivers?" Since i have security clearances etc, I did not want to dig deeper, so I admitted to being driving the vehicle and that we swapped cause i knew my license was expired.

My wife gets a ticket for driving a vehicle w/ expired tags... I get a ticket (and summons) for driving w/ and suspended license.

The first court hearing was "continued" to this upcoming week because the officer was sick and could not appear in court. I've tried to get legal representation but every lawyer in my-neck-of-the-woods wants $1k to represent me. Normally i would be all for it BUT I'm still reeling in from the financial havoc the Government shutdown cause on my finances (I'm about to catch up my mortgage and other bills now in the month of May). I sat on some of hearings on the day mine was "continued" and I feel like i can represent myself (not asking if its legal) on this issue.

&#x200B;

My question (finally) is, how can I defend myself so this is not something that stays on my record (like a wreck-less driving). FWIW, my driving record is clean. The WV ticket has been paid, my license has been reinstated already and the vehicle in question is legal now.

&#x200B;

I know the politically correct answer is get legal representation, and if it boils down to that, I will ask for another continuation (due to my current financial struggles?) But I would rather get this over with buy paying whatever fine as long as it does not stay on my record permanently. I get lots of "Public trust" checks as i get added to multiple projects, and don't want this to keep me from being able to work. I'm the sole financial provider for my family.

&#x200B;

Thanks in advance!.

Answer: You absolutely need an attorney. You're looking at up to a year in jail. Have you asked for a public defender?


Title: [US] Friend is asking for my DOB and other personal information for a government position

Question:
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I haven't found any information pertaining to this particular situation.

An ex-housemate has accepted a job with the government and claimed that he needs to provide them a list of everyone he has ever lived with and he needs my full name, date of birth, place of birth, and current address. What is the legality behind this? Am I required to give this information? After a few days of not answering, he claimed that he met with his background investigator and that they will not hire him if I don't provide the information he has asked for. I feel like this is sketchy at best and I am not comfortable giving this information, no less to the government.

Has anybody dealt with this and can anybody give me a clear answer on the legalities of not providing information? Is this illegal for an employer to ask for this kind of information?

Thanks

EDIT: I know that the government already has my information, I was just curious on the part about him not being able to get the job if I didn't provide him what he was asking for.
Topic:
Background Checks and Expungements

Answer:
 Pro-tip: The government already has your information.

Don't be a dick, help him out.Answer #2: This is a normal part of the US Gov security clearance process. You are not obligated to give it to him. He will not be denied a clearance because of this. Answer #3: This is likely needed for an SF86. This is the form for clearances with the government. You don't have to provide it, but if you think the government doesn't already have it, you are crazy.Answer #4: Sounds like an SF-86 background check. They're common for people who need a security clearance. Just give them the damn info so your friend can get the job.


Title: I'm not sure how much trouble I am in with my university (21, Male, Virginia)

Question: Today I received a case filed against me from my public universities judiciary system at about noon on 10/17/14. I found out that an complaint was filed against on 10/16/14 for "Abusive Conduct" and "Disorderly Conduct/Conduct Infringing on the Rights of Others". Basically, what happened was that on 10/04/14, I got blackout drunk in my dorm room, and had an fight (and apparently also threatened) with one of my roommates (he may have been drunk also). The next morning, I didn't really remember what the fight was about or how we got into it, but I saw that we didn't have any visible wounds (black eye, busted lip, etc.) and that the police were never called. We didn't really talk much after that, but he never really said anything to me since. And while I was working today (10/17/14), I saw that the complaint had been filed against me on 10/16/14. The email also said that I had 72 hours to schedule an initial conference to discuss what happened and they would pick an appopriate punishment. I went in to the office at about 3:00 the same day and met with a woman from our judicial system. I got a little emotional and mentioned that how if I was kicked out of university, that I didn't really have a place to stay or any family or friends to turn too (this is true). She seemed really nice and approachable and we scheduled a meeting for Monday at 3:00 to talk about the pending case and the punishment I would recieve. She also told me that my roommates "felt unsafe" around me and that I had to move into a different room in the same building. I was polite throughout the whole meeting and finished moving that same day (10/17/14). She also mentioned that I was to have no contact with either roommate.However, I was really confused about how my roommate felt "so threatened" but didn't file the complaint into 12 days later. Also, I really don't understand why the other roommate "felt unsafe" since he wasn't there (from my fragment memories from the night, it was just two our friends and one of their girlfriends, they may have broken the fight up?) and we never talk more than casual greetings. I don't know if I should mention that I was blackout drunk since that basically makes his story the more credible one. Also, I was drinking alcohol in my room, and alcohol is forbidden in our dorms, so I don't know how to go about saying that and potentially getting myself into deeper shit. I honestly have no idea how public universities punish things like this but the lady at the schools judicial system told me that students usually don't get expelled for things like this (but she also said that the didnt know about the case that deeply) but when I accidently asked her again she said it was a case by case thing. I really need advice on what to do since I don't want to get kicked out of my school during my senior year, and I have no idea how universities handle cases like this since it is my first time with an case filed against me. Please help, thanks guys!

Answer:
 > Also, I really don't understand why the other roommate "felt unsafe" since he wasn't there (from my fragment memories from the night, it was just two our friends and one of their girlfriends, they may have broken the fight up?) and we never talk more than casual greetings.

Maybe he feels unsafe because you have a habit of getting blackout drunk and getting into fights with the people around you?

"No, don't worry Stan, it wasn't you that I assaulted, because you weren't here that time!" Not exactly reassuring.

Anyways, not legal advice but advice nonetheless, lay off the sauce.
Answer #2: You might be at that point where you need to choose between alcohol and a future.Answer #3: Ever hear the phrase "throw yourself at the mercy of the court"? That's what you need to do now. You are not a victim here. You broke some serious rules, acted in a dangerous way, and now you have to answer for it.

If you can, lawyer up. If they let you stay in the dorms, thank your lucky stars, because I saw kids kicked out for less.

And, if you're only in college and drinking enough to black out, you have a serious drinking problem, and probably need to go to rehab or at the very least a 12 step program. Black out drinking is a serious, serious, serious condition. You are going to hurt someone, and/or yourself, even kill someone. Black out drunk is no defense, either - just because you can't remember it, doesnt mean you're innocent. You need help, and you need to help yourself. A degree is less important, in my opinion, if you're abusing alcohol badly enough to black out.


Title: I need serious help 😭😱

Question: I had a slip in fall in a major store . The room I entered had water 💦 all over the floor no wet floor sign and the door wasn’t looked .. I took 2 steps and fell .,, ok so I got a lawyer .so treatment and pain. This was in 2016 . Now my Mediation is in a week ... I’m still in pain that fall messed up my life .my back locks 🔐 just from standing over the sink too long or washing my hair . I want this to be over so I can seek treatment from a specialist for back and spine pain . My Question is . I have 35k in tax liens will the money I get for my back injury be taken to pay the federal tax liens.???????? Help

Answer: Yes, they can take it to satisfy your tax debts.


Title: How could one challenge the constitutionality of Ted Cruz running for President?

Question:
Ted Cruz was born in Canada, and so could *possibly* be forbidden from being President if it were determined he wasn't a "natural born citizen".

I'm not saying that is the case (and in any event, I think the whole ban is stupid), but it would be nice to ultimately have the Supreme Court rule on what exactly natural born citizen means.

How could a regular citizen challenge Cruz?

Answer:
 [Here's a relevant Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_presidential_eligibility_litigation) with a long list of people who lacked standing to sue in the "I think Obama is from Kenya" case.
Answer #2: Contact your senator and ask them to put it to a ballot in the Senate. [Here is John McCain's Senate resolution](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/sres511/text) where the Senate confirmed that he was indeed a natural-born citizen.


Title: Just got caught vaping in a park [CA]

Question:
Hi guys,

So I just got caught vaping in a public park on my college's property (there were multiple signs saying I couldn't do so but I absolutely forgot them as I was looking at my phone) and a security member came and basically gave me a 362$ ticket (I live in Quebec, Canada). There were almost nobody around and I don't feel like I have bothered anyone.

I don't want to have to pay for this as I don't have a lot of money, is there anything I can do to get out of this situation ?

I am 18yo if that can help.

Answer: You did something that was illegal, and posted as such. I'm not even glancingly familiar with Canadian law, but I'd bet you're going to have to pay that ticket. "I was engrossed in my phone" isn't a very convincing legal defense.


Title: Paycheck amount sent over email?

Question: My paycheck was not deposited on Friday. My boss sent an email to HR. They replayed with how much my check is. Is HR allowed to post that?

Answer: Yes I get pay stubs emailed to me all the time


Title: Just got served and sued for Pain and Suffering. {NJ}

Question: Earlier today I was served some papers and being notified that I am being sued for Pain and Suffering by the Plaintiff who I happened to rear ended him in a traffic accident about two years ago. The Stature of Limitation was gonna expired less than a week. I still remember the accident vividly. I remembered the airbags in my car was deployed, I filed a claim with my own insurance to get it fixed. I was issued a summons for careless driving. On the police report it clearly stated that no injuries were reported. That guy drove off in his car, I remember there was hardly any visible damage to his bumper, I don't think he ever filed a claim with my insurance to get his car fixed or anything, cause my insurance company never notify me that anyone filed a claim against me. I am intending to notify my insurance company tomorrow about the civil summons. Is there anything else I need to be aware of or inform my insurance company? This is the first time that I am getting sued and I am at lost and no idea what to do next. Please help

Answer:
 Just call your insurance.  They will tell you what they need.Answer #2: Injuries often don't crop up until days after an accident due to adrenaline masking problems.

Contact your insurance asap


Title: Mother in law is threatening to destroy wife's deceased fathers belongings

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice,

We are in CA.

My wife got into a fight with her mother about a month ago, and tonight, my wife asked her mother if she could get her things that were left to her from her father who passed away when she was a child. They are all at MIL house.

MIL responded by saying that she will burn all of the things left for her, and mail her the box of ashes.

Normally id figure that this was an empty threat just to piss off my wife, but after I talked to my wife further, she said that MIL has done things in this caliber of insane before. Such as smashing all of her shot glass collection that she had collected from travelling after a previous fight.

I'm not sure what legal right we have to these things. Would we be able to have the police come with us to pick up these items? My wife has never lived at this house with her, so I don't think that will work.

I'm fearing that there is nothing that we can do about it.

Answer: Were the things left to her via a will? And do you have a copy of the will?


Title: Can an animal commit assault (not battery)

Question: If I possess an animal (say a chimp) and I train it to charge at people in an angry fashion so I can film it for my Youtube "prank" channel has my chimp committed a crime? Have I?

Answer:
 You would have committed a crime.

An animal cannot form the needed mental state for criminal culpability.


Title: new job left personal, sensitive info for everyone to see

Question:
so pretty much as the title states. I have started a new job at a small, local bank (small bank operational on only three states). the job is in TX.  I only wanted something part-time to get me out of the house for a few hours each week.  I was asked to come in for an orientation, which involved myself and an assistant branch manager filling out forms during a conference call with their HR. one of the forms we filled out was the I-9 employment verification form. we got one of the items wrong and needed to redo it. once the form was correct, we printed, signed and it was supposed to be sent in a sealed envelope to HR.  this was on Tuesday.

The orientation was done in a small, glass wall office - most of the time the door is propped open, there is chair right outside for customers waiting for help to sit in. Other than the glass door, there is no other security measures as far as entering the office goes. On Saturday, at the end of my shift, while getting my things around - my new employee folder and purse - I noticed my I-9 form laid out on the office desk. It caught my eye because it had my name on it.  This form was filled out with all my info - SSN, A-1 number (green card number), date of issue & expiration birth day, address and other personal info. I grabbed the form, stuffed it in my purse and left.

Later that day, I texted the branch manager to say that I was quitting the job. She immediately called me and I explained to her why I was quitting -there are some other issues, but nothing that I could not work through, no job is perfect and there is periods of adjustments, but the tipping point is the fact that such sensitive, personal info was laid out for all to see. she asked if we could talk about it and if I would reconsider -  I tentatively agreed, but I'm still very uneasy....I concerned about the ID theft issues - there are three other people working in the branch and I have only known them for three days. what should I do?

Answer: You have no damages. There is nothing you can do.


Title: [TX] Wondering what the laws are for apartment temperature while pregnant?

Question: Nothing exciting and no trees here, sorry. Our AC sucks ass and there have been several days that it’s been over 90F inside the apartment because the unit can only get around 20 below the outside temp, and it’s been over 110 all week. It’s bad enough that my husband and I are having trouble sleeping because every night when we go to bed it’s 85+ and three fans help but it’s still hot air getting pushed around. We were talking to a contractor friend and he said our best option is those meshy sunscreens on the windows. Mostly asking if there are different considerations since I’m pregnant so I can try to ask the complex to pay for the screens. I tried googling a bunch of different phrases but I think I just don’t know enough to search the right things lol. Really appreciate anyone that can point me in the right direction!

Answer:
 There are no temperature specific requirements.  Depending on what the lease says about the amenities provided they may have to ensure that the amenities are working in good order, but I doubt there is any way you could force them to pay for screens to try and lower the temp further.

* Edit - meant to but forgot to note in my initial reply that while there are no requirements at the state or federal level there might be some locality rules that would need to be investigated.Answer #2: There are no laws that have to do with your pregnancy—it’s not different from other medical conditions people in apartments might have. There may be laws about the temperature parameters in general. Where are you?Answer #3: Does the complex provide A/C or do you?  Answer #4: I suggest you spend $300-400 on a high-BTU window unit. You can get a portable one and move it from the living room to the bedroom at night.


Title: Neighbor is possibly killing my dad's trees with oil and/or diesel.

Question:
This is Ontario, Canada before I forget.

I come over every week or so to help my elderly father maintain his property. He has some large white pines towards the back of his property that the new neighbors that back on his property are complaining about. Apparently they are really "obstructing" their view of the nearby lake and have tried to get my father to cut them down. He has refused because he likes the trees and there is no actual need such as for safety.

For the last little while the trees started looking off. I thought I was imagining it at first but then they really did look like they were dying. So I went to dig up part of the root to see if I could find any nematodes in case it was pine wilt and not a needle disease. When I did start digging I found that the some of the soil was coming up black and thick in places, a lot like [this](http://rdoenvironmental.com/images/enviro/P4290201.png). I dug around some of the other pines and it the soil seemed more like this towards the new neighbors house. There was also what I think was a sulfur smell coming off of it so I'm fairly positive it is diesel oil of some sort.

My dad has a gasoline powered truck and the only people nearby that have diesel vehicles are the neighbor on his right that he is very close friends with, and the new complaining neighbors. The new neighbors have an old Peterbilt the guy uses for work so chances are pretty north of reasonable to think they've been dumping oil to kill the trees.

I set up a trail cam and hid it best I could but I'm pretty sure they saw me digging so I doubt they'll be back anytime soon to incriminate themselves. I've never dealt with anything like this before so what can I do to help my dad legally? I'm sorry if I didn't do everything I should have but I've never been in a position like this before and I don't want to just go off and do something that could cause us trouble and make us entirely liable for the cleanup if it's actually diesel.

Answer: Definitely get a tree specialist out ASAP.  If the trees are large and otherwise healthy you might be able to save them.


Title: Truancy Court Advice

Question:
Okay, so I have truancy court this month, and I'd really like some input on the matter. Me and my sister has been absent a lot(I will be honest and say the reason for our absences were we didn't feel like going), but my mom has always excused our absences for us.

From September to later October my mom went out of the country. My dad is an extremely busy man, and our other siblings weren't very reliable. Our source of transportation was my sister who had her license(the one who was always absent with me) and we missed a bunch a days(My sister actually missed more than me, but she had her reasons which I will get to later)

Anyway when my mom came back we also had racked up additional five unexcused absences. My total absences all together has been 29, with 17 of those absences being unexcused. My sister on the other hand was around mid thirty mark I believe, and her unexcused absences being around mid twenty mark.

You see, my mom went to me and my sisters doctor to get us a note. During our absent time period, my sister has had a few medical problems(a kidney stone, and an on and off again sinus infection) The doctor knowing about these problems wrote a note that would excuse her of all of her absences during that time. Me however, we had to try a different angle. From September to late October(where a majority of our absences accord) my sister with the medical problems was my only source of transportation. The doctor wrote me a note saying that I'd be excused from September to beginning of November because my sister in her poor health couldn't take me.(Plus we did school of choice, meaning there was no buses that came to my neighborhood)

The next day my mom went to the school and gave them the notes and talked to them. She left thinking they'd clear both of our absences, but they only excused my sisters. 3-4 weeks ago we got a note saying I'd be attending truancy court February 10.

Where do I stand legally on this?

edit: Bot informed me I need a location. I live in US, Florida

Answer:
 A doctor can excuse you for medical reasons, not transportation reasons. You weren't sick.

Your parents are failing in their responsibility to provide you an education. They are leaving themselves open to interventions from child services and criminal prosecution.


Title: [WV] Can a police officer direct me to come to his window instead of coming to mine?

Question:
Backstory: I was coming home late from work and my route takes me through a tiny little town with a school on the main road. Speed limit is normally 25 but they have a 15 mph speed limit when school is in. I was going the "normal" speed limit and got pulled over.

I pulled into a parking lot and waited for the officer to be able to present my documentation to him. After about 2 minutes I noticed he still hadn't gotten out of his vehicle and had his hand out the window motioning to me. I rolled my window down and he announced on the loudspeaker for me to come to him.

I thought it odd but did so. It turns out the officer is morbidly obese and didn't want to get out in the heat.

I don't have an issue with the ticket itself since there was no school today and I can argue that the ticket is invalid since there were no children present but I just wanted to check if that is something that he could legally direct me to do. I don't want to get him in any kind of trouble and he seemed a nice enough guy, just trying to satisfy my curiosity since I have never encountered this before.

Thank you.

Answer: Well that's an interesting one.  At the legal level, yes he does have that authority.  On a traffic stop police can tell you to exit your car for any reason.  In this case he broke every officer safety rule in the book when it comes to traffic stops except maybe standing in the middle of the road at night wearing dark clothing.  Any supervisor with their salt would be all over his shit for doing that.Answer #2: Ordering you to approach his car was sloppy, lazy, and dangerous, but not illegal.


Title: I'm a consultant, and I'm going to sue a client who refuses to pay - but I don't have their address. How can I find it?

Question: I'm a freelance tech consultant/engineer.  I worked a few weeks with a client, being paid weekly.  I live in San Diego, and the company is in San Fran. But the last week, he said he'll pay after we "go over some things".  He ended up unhappy with the work, with me, with everything, and saying he wont pay a dime. (which is more about his tech company going down in flames from poor business sense and no tech knowledge, but that's another story).   He can't do this, right? So I'm suing for the total owed, damages, and court costs.  Any comments, suggestions, questions?  NEED ADVICE

Answer: Do you have a written agreement with this client? You'd be entitled to sue for the amount he owes for your services, but what damages are you referring to?


Title: Is it legal for someone to blackmail me with my nudes?

Question: I'm 16 and I live in Texas. I go to a private school where I can get kicked out for "Biblical Immoralities" and the kid (15) is threatening to spread my nudes around school and literally send our school and church administrator emails with cops of them. He said this will happen if I don't pay him $500. But I dont have that kind of money. Is what he doing illegal?

Answer: No, that is not legal, and blackmail is the least of the issues here. It sounds like you produced CP and distributed it, and he has possession of said CP and it threatening to distribute it.


Title: (USA/CA) My cousin (mid 20's) wants me (18yrs old) to be her third party to serve her future ex husband's divorce papers.

Question:
Hello, so basically TLDR of their relationship: he's been taking her money and they only got married because she had to, and now she wants a divorce. Nobody knows where this guy lives or where his location is at, nor do we have any forms of contact with him.

This is what my cousin texted me (names have been changed):

"So I'm getting a divorce from Tucker, Nuna's boyfriend. The court requires that the other party, him, gets served with the divorce paper by a third party. He'll have 30 days to respond. If not, I'm divorced by default. There are several options to serve, but the most feasible one is that a person delivers those papers to him, since his location is unknown. Can you be my server person? You don't have to deliver anything, or do anything at all. You'll just have to conform on a short notice that you did, which I can complete on my own. It's most likely that they'll never contact you to verify it. I asked other experienced people and they said that it never happened. But even if they did, you'll be able to tell when and where you give it to him. Remember that that is very unlikely. And again, you can say no to this. No pressure at all... I can't bear the thought of being free after 30 days from tomorrow..."

I really want to help my cousin out, but at the same time I also want to cover my ass. I'm 18 and still in college, so if there's any fines from this, I really won't be able to pay anything. Plus I don't know shit about divorce laws, or much about laws in general. My cousin is also not a US citizen but I am, so if she gets deported (please no), I don't really want to get in trouble for anything too.

Please help, what should I do?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 She is asking you to commit a possible crime. Tell her to pay a process server to do it.

> Can you be my server person? You don't have to deliver anything,

DANGER! DANGER Will Robinson!


Title: [CA] Our underage, minor-son has recently "made" over $100,000 in crypto-investments. Is there a way we can legally acquire "his" money?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 InB4 it is obvious that this is the kid looking to protect himself from his parents. Answer #2: First, shame on you for lending a substantial sum of money to your minor child who presumably lives with you.  That's a one-sided deal that carries with it an unfair emotional burden that you should shield your child from, not foist upon him.

Second, the kid made the money.  You can diminish the accomplishment by putting quotes around it but at the end of the day he did something with a highly speculative investment that paid off.  Whether that was because of intelligence, luck, or because he's too young to not chase every wild idea is immaterial.  The fact that he didn't spend a summer making cotton candy and wiping down sticky soda fountains doesn't make the accomplishment any less.

The law presumes that minors cannot enter into contracts because they're vulnerable and lack foresight.  I suspect that you didn't bother creating a promissory note or any kind of recorded instrument showing that he intended to repay you.  I similarly suspect you didn't establish a revolving lien on his business' holdings.  I am **guessing** this kid isn't anywhere near 17, either, and is actually near 13-15 based on how you're writing about him.  Tell the kid you're going through financial hardship and would like to be repaid.  **Insist** on him filing taxes now so that it doesn't ruin his life.  If he doesn't agree, tell him you'll report him to the IRS because you're not going to be able to afford to absorb the tax burden and he cannot hold onto cryptocurrencies that are highly volatile without eliminating risks as they emerge.


Title: One of my uncles passed away recently. Another uncle had him sign a will giving him everything 12 hours before he passed. My mother is upset that hes trying to keep her in the dark.

Question:
I will try to keep this as short as possible while giving as much detail as possible. My uncle (I'll call him A) passed away at the end of March in Ohio. My other uncle/ his brother (I'll call him B) drafted a will and had him sign it 12 hours before he passed. It was witnessed by two people. The will simply stated that uncle B would be the sole beneficiary of everything and estate. Uncle B now wants my mother to sign a waiver of notice of probate of will. My mother is uneasy about this situation since uncle B is now being pushy and agressive about having her sign it. Uncle A probably doesn't have much in the way of money. He owns a home, retired from the state, and maybe has life insurance.  I have a few questions about how to help her moving forward.
1. What is a waiver of notice of probate of will?
2. Is there a reason uncle B would be so adamant about her signing?
3. What will happen if she does or doesn't sign it?
4. What rights does my mother have?

Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 In general a waiver of notice of probate is a routine document that allows an estate to be opened without a formal hearing before a judge in open court, which can take months to schedule and obviously involves more time and effort by attorneys. However, if you have doubts about the validity of the will or any document presented to you, don't sign anything and contact an estate attorney for advice.Answer #2: Mom should consult a trusts and estate attorney. Was A of sound mind 12 hours before he passed?

It’s quite possible he wasn’t and B is trying to railroad your mother Answer #3: This smacks of bad.  Do not let her sign the waiver until she's spoken to an estate attorney in the jurisdiction that Uncle A lived in.  Waiting on probate will give her attorney time to look into challenging the last minute will if he feels there are grounds.

1.  waiver of probate gives Uncle A a chance to start passing out money (to himself) without going before a judge first.

2.  He wants all the money he just stole right away!

3.  Eventually a probate hearing will be held and Uncle B will either be given permission to proceed, or not, depending on what's raised at that hearing.

4.  She has all of the rights any other sibling of a deceased person has, including the right to ask the court to determine if that will is valid.

I'm assuming Uncle A has no surviving children or parents?  Was there an old will that would take effect if the new one is thrown out?


Title: Received a Job Offer for "Personal Business Assistant"

Question:
Hi there guys, I have been looking for some jobs on Kijiji, and applied to a "Sales Associate Position" which supposedly got taken. I was offered by the guy for a personal business assistant position.

Here is how the email goes:

Email 1: http://pastebin.com/8tnWsnpN
Email 2: http://pastebin.com/0fhwehK5

I got two checks, one is $1920, and the other is $1980. The guy hasn't contacted me, and his email account is disabled. Also no phone calls...What do I do with these checks?

Answer:
 *bang head against wall*

I don't even have to look at the emails to tell you this is a scam.

Shred the checks and look for a real job. Answer #2: I don't know what the angle is, but my Scam-O-Meter ^^TM is redlined.

The odds that this is legit seem pretty slim.  I would not do anything with the checks at all and continue looking for gainful employment elsewhere.


Title: I got called in for questioning?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Your best bet here is to just not acknowledge it any further. Don't go without an attorney present. In fact, don't go at all.


Title: Possibly caught doing cocaine on camera in the apartment lounge.

Question:
Long story short, I let some friends stay for the night about a week ago.  We went out to the bars downstairs my apartment building.  Picked up some girls to take back to my apartment.  I let them stay in the private lounge upstairs while I went ahead and straightened things in the apt.  Unfortunately my brothers puppy had an accident and upon cleaning the mess I overflooded the restroom.  So instead of going to my place, we chilled in the lounge.  One of my friends busted out some cocaine, and as a drunken idiot, I didn’t protest how I should have.  We went to one of the areas where I thought there wasn’t cameras and we did lines in there.  We cleaned up after ourselves when we left, but I suspect there were more cameras than I thought in there.

Fast forward to today and my brother got a phonecall from the apt manager asking for a meeting with him and me for tomorrow which didn’t sound very good.  I have no problem taking responsibility, but since my brothers name is on the lease, if they decide to terminate the lease, he will be equally punished for something that he had little control over.

What can I do if this is the case?  My idea was to say it was workout supplement cut with baby powder and not admit to doing illicit drugs as they can’t prove it wasn’t without physical evidence, thus Not violating terms of the lease.

I know what I did was idiotic, and I’m a moron, but the possibility of my brother being punished for my actions is killing me.  Please help with any advice

Answer: Don't compound a bad decision with lies. You don't have to meet with the manager at all and you probably shouldn't.


Title: Company bills me after each pay period. Net pay is less than minimum wage. Illinois

Question:
I work on commission plus an hourly wage ($4.25 an hour) for a large company here in Illinois. Recently, they have had to make some cutbacks, so they changed the commission rates and payscale for all commissioned employees.

My average commission rate on items I sell has gone from 12% down to 1.5% after the last changes. Also, they have started billing us $4 an hour for every hour we go without a sale. In addition, if our commissions earned during that hour do not exceed $4, we get billed for the difference. (E.g. If I only earned $3.80 in commission during an hour, I would be billed $.20 for the hour.)

When I get my paycheck, first they deduct everything they can from my commissions earned, then they send me a bill for the remainder of the 'allowance' I've earned over the course of the last two weeks. After paying back my workplace, my check for working 60+ hours in a pay period was under $200.

Obviously, I am searching for a new job. This situation is just not working. I was just wondering how in gods name this could be legal. Throwaway because they would fire me if they saw this.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 Thank you. I've been collecting all of my paystubs and making copies of every bill they sent me since they changed their policy. I just didn't know how to go about reporting this. I'll make sure to send those in with the form. Answer #2: If you didn't sign anything saying you agreed to the deduction policy, they're breaking the law. See [here](https://www.illinois.gov/idol/FAQs/Pages/Deductions-From-Pay-FAQ.aspx#faq3).

Definitely contact the DoL.Answer #3: My question mainly is whether this is just a legal, yet entirely shitty, thing to do to us or if they have broken the law. Also, if they have broken the law, do I have any recourse for getting the money they billed me for back?


Title: TX, Guy says he'll beat my ass up at school.

Question:
Guy says he'll beat my ass up at school, he texted me this so I have proof. I am currently handicapped cause I broke my right wrist.

If he actually does try something, would stabbing him in the cheek be self defense.
What should I do?

(Doubt he will do anything but just in case)

Answer: If you can plan in advance with enough specificity to know *where* you'll be stabbing this guy, I don't think you can also say you've done everything you can to avoid having to.