tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1909111736081788552024-03-13T21:12:49.337-04:00PJRLAWPJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-44507705698605992342013-07-31T14:17:00.002-04:002013-07-31T14:17:30.354-04:00Beware of Accepting a Lump Sum Payment in a Divorce<div done0="71">
Divorcing Pennsylvania might be tempted to accept a lump-sum
payment for their share of a family house or other real property, or from
other<a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/Practice-Areas/Division-of-Assets.shtml"> <span style="color: red;">property division</span></a>
proceeds. Yet that payment option might create a false sense of security, as a
recent financial commentator reminds us.</div>
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The danger is that a sizable payment from a divorce proceeding might
discourage long-term planning. However, many divorce attorneys recommend
planning for at least 20 years of retirement at about 80% of one’s
pre-retirement savings. From that perspective, even a six-figure payoff from a
divorce settlement agreement might not satisfy projected retirement needs.<br />
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Continue reading <a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/blog/2013/05/beware-of-accepting-a-lump-sum-payment-in-a-divorce.shtml"><span style="color: red;">Beware
of accepting a lump sum payment in a divorce</span></a>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-87748165359022190162013-03-05T18:37:00.003-05:002013-03-05T18:37:48.370-05:00<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Connect with us on Google + at </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/111787266191865996284" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://plus.google.com/111787266191865996284</span></a></span></span>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-36332774293440731262012-07-31T16:43:00.001-04:002012-07-31T16:44:00.353-04:00Morbid Obesity & The ADA<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Discriminating against someone with morbid obesity may be a violation of the Americans with Disability Act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least it was in the case of Ronald Kratz II who was allegedly fired from BAE Systems for being morbidly obese in 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time Kratz weighed over 600 pounds and was employed as a material handler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">According to Kratz, "my supervisor told me to see HR. I didn't know what it was for and they told me they were terminating me due to my weight. I had good evaluations I was doing a good job I did what I was supposed to do. They just said it was because of my weight."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This happened two weeks after asking for a seat belt extender for the forklift he operated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">While Kratz claimed he was qualified to perform the essential functions of his job, it seems BAE believed that based on morbid obesity, Kratz could not do the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result BAE fired Kratz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly, there were not even discussions between the employee and employer about whether Kratz could be reasonably accommodated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Kratz recently settled the lawsuit for $55,000.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">www.pjrlaw.info</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">www.pjrllaw.com</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com</span></b></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-12491520341793440362012-03-07T01:42:00.000-05:002012-03-07T01:42:37.862-05:00No More Texting and Driving<div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"> <a href="" name="1318881766024"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;">Texting while your vehicle is in motion is now illegal and can subject you to a $50.00 fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title 75 has been modified to add the definition of a <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">"Interactive wireless communications device” or “IWCE.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>The definition if a</span></span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt;">n “Interactive Wireless Communications Device” includes devices that can be used for voice communicatio</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">n, texting, e-mailing, browsing the internet or instant messaging but specifically excludes a device being used <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exclusively</i></b> as a global positioning or navigation system; a system or device that is physically or electronically integrated into the vehicle; or a communications device that is affixed to a mass transit vehicle, bus or school bus.</span></span></span></div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"> Section 3316 of Title 75 was amended to prohibit a driver from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">operating</i></b> a motor vehicle on a highway or traffic way while using an interactive wireless communications device to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">send, read or write</i></b> a text-based communication <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">while the vehicle is in motion</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This does not apply when you are placing or ending a telephone call.</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"> A "text-based communication" means a text message, instant message, electronic mail or other written communication composed or received on an interactive wireless communications device.</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;">This can be a primary offense which, like failing to wear your seatbelt, can be the basis for you being stopped by an member of law enforcement. </span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"> Consider these issues with the new law – </span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> I</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">t is illegal to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">send, read or write</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are accused of writing or sending a message, we can look at your usage/history to determine if you did or didn’t send a message at a give time as the officer represents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the real curious one is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">read</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is presumed that all the officer will needs to say is that he saw a glow of a IWCE and the drivers head was in a position that he was reading the IWCE. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could you ever prove you weren’t reading a message?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no history of that type of use.</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> W</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">hile it’s possible that a website’s content could fall within the definition of “other written communication,” there is no prohibition on surfing the internet while driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">There is also a difference between operating and vehicle and<span style="text-transform: uppercase;"> </span>it being in motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is being stopped at a red light and checking your email a violation of this new law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While you are still “operating” your vehicle when you are waiting at the red light, you are certainly not “in motion.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about pulling over to the side of the road?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, not in motion but likely still operating the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where exactly do “in motion” and “operating” begin and end?</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">This may prove to be an interesting area of law with lots of<span style="text-transform: uppercase;"> </span>permeations</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 39.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;">Good luck, be careful and I wonder what you think about<span style="text-transform: uppercase;"> </span>the law?</span></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.info/"><span style="color: red;">www.pjrlaw.info</span></a></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/"><span style="color: red;">www.pjrlaw.com</span></a></span></span></div><div class="subsection" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 21.85pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: 1318881766024;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><a href="http://www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com/"><span style="color: red;">www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com</span></a><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-75102649145290458052012-01-30T15:43:00.000-05:002012-01-30T15:43:52.692-05:00$2.5 Million Civil Penalty Assessed to Debt Collection Company<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>United States of America v. Asset Acceptance, LLC</u></i>, Asset Acceptance LLC, a major U.S. buyer of consumer debt, agreed to pay a $2.5 million civil penalty to settle charges that it used deceptive collection practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Asset Acceptance, LLC purchases old consumer debt from credit card companies, health clubs and other creditors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An investigation revealed that it failed to investigate when a consumer said debt information was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases, consumers would not learn that Asset Acceptance reported them to a credit bureau until they applied for a loan. Believing the debt to be invalid, consumers would sometimes pay the debt just to be sure they would get their new loan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Asset Acceptance, LLC<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would deceive consumers by claiming to sue in order to collect the debt, knowing that they could not because the statute of limitations to sue for the debt had already passed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> According to the Federal Trade Commission, Asset Acceptance's debt collectors would sometimes misrepresent the amount of a debt or give credit reporting agencies inaccurate information about what was owed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> In the complaint filed against Asset Acceptance, LLC, the government claims that as of September 30, 2010, Asset Acceptance had 34 million accounts with an original value of more than $42 billion which it had purchased for 2.54 percent of the face value.</span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-49960157183876615102012-01-26T16:24:00.000-05:002012-01-26T16:24:19.516-05:00PJRLAW: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DIVERSION PROGRAM<a href="http://pjrlaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/mortgage-foreclosure-diversion-program.html?spref=bl">PJRLAW: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DIVERSION PROGRAM</a>: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DIVERSION PROGRAM Looks like the Cumberland Court of Common Pleas is taking steps to assist homeowners facing foreclos...PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-7536708968597835802012-01-26T16:18:00.000-05:002012-01-26T16:18:54.182-05:00MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DIVERSION PROGRAM<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE DIVERSION PROGRAM</span></span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looks like the Cumberland Court of Common Pleas is taking steps to assist homeowners facing foreclosure. It is anticipated that later this year a mortgage foreclosure diversion program will be instituted. The program is designed to provide a sixty (60) day stay for all newly filed mortgage foreclosure actions where the property is an owner occupied residential property. During those 60 days, property owners will have the ability to participate in this program which will give them the opportunity to meet with a representative of the lender. A meeting will take place and the parties will attempt to work out reasonable arrangements before the mortgage foreclosure action proceeds. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">Homeowners will have the option of having an attorney appointed to assist them with the negotiations. This will be provided to homeowners without cost to them. MidPenn Legal Services will serve as the representative for homeowners who qualifying based on financial factors. Those households that do not qualify for assistance by MidPenn, the program will rely upon private attorneys willing to provide pro bono services pursuant to a limited representation agreement. T</span></span><span style="font-family: 'CG Times';"><span style="font-size: large;">he attorneys will not obligated to provide continuing assistance to the homeowner after the initial conference. If the matter is not resolved through the initial conference, the attorney<span style="color: red;"> </span>and the homeowner may enter into a separate agreement for legal services representing the<span style="color: red;"> </span>homeowner in the mortgage foreclosure itself. Look for more information from the County</span>.</span></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-80773554623656850352011-07-29T07:47:00.000-04:002011-07-29T07:47:29.237-04:00PJRLAW: Things that come in threes...<a href="http://pjrlaw.blogspot.com/2011/07/things-that-come-in-threes.html?spref=bl">PJRLAW: Things that come in threes...</a>: "With the death of Amy Winehouse people are again talking Celebrity Death Pools and Things That Happen In Threes. So here are some things t..."PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-2190981214250381482011-07-29T07:44:00.000-04:002011-07-29T07:44:13.000-04:00Things that come in threes...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With the death of Amy Winehouse people are again talking Celebrity Death Pools and Things That Happen In Threes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here are some things that I think will happen in threes…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Professional Lockouts</u>:</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact - The NFL – Thank got its over because I am ready for some football but my Denver Broncos may not be ready for a couple more years!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact - The NBA – their collective-bargaining agreement expired June 30<sup>th</sup></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - The NHL is next… </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Defendants Getting Off High Profile Criminal Cases</u>:</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact - Casey Anthony – No one is sure what happened there except… throw enough at the wall and something is bound to stick!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Dr. Conrad Murray – Michael Jackson’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>personal physician now claims that the pop star ingested the fatal dose of propofol himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This “unique” defense was such a surprise to LA County prosecutors that they needed to delay the trial in order to prepare their case in light of this defense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is OJ Simpson a consultant for Dr. Murray???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another miscarriage of justice in LA!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Former International Monetary Fund Chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn – Nafissatou Diallo claimed to be attacked by Strauss-Kahn at the Sofitel Hotel but now prosecutors are waffling in light of concerns about Diallo's credibility ala Kobe Bryant; Ben Roethlisberger; the ENTIRE Duke Lacrosse Team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Guys That Will Never Get Into Baseball’s Hall of Fame</u>:</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact - Pete Rose – While hold 17 Major League records, Rose’s voluntarily agreed to be placed on a permanent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hall of Fame ineligibility list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one is sure what happened there except… throw enough at the wall and something is bound to stick!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Mark McGuire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notwithstanding his impressive numbers, with only 19.8% of the vote last year, voters are sending a strong message to those players who have been connected to the performance enhancing drug controversy in baseball.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Roger Clemens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly, by statistics, the best pitcher who ever lived - 354 wins;.658 winning percentage; struck out nearly 4,700; 7 time Cy Young winner<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who is called a multiple affair, drug user by an ESPN personality may have a real hard time getting enough votes for the Hall of Fame.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<u>Celebrity” Layouts in Girlie Magazines</u>:</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Casey Anthony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will become a publicity hound and she’ll want to “flaunt” herself which may move he up on the “Celebrity” Death Pool! </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Danielle Staub – The Ex-New Jersey Housewife should really think twice about that and I am sure her children are soooo proud that momma sold her sex tape to Hustler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh and ill all in the same breath.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi – In the same category as Danielle Staub , the Jersey Shore member has watched her “rising star” falls booking appearances at wing joints and bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that would be the jolt her “career” needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Say it with me… ugh and ill!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Celebrity Death Pool</u>:</span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact - Amy Winehouse </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prediction - Zsa Zsa Gabor – A Celebrity Death Pool Favorite</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Wild Card Prediction - Lindsay Lohan – Hopefully I’m wrong and she has stepped off the path to self-destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-86387237149480683152011-07-19T22:37:00.000-04:002011-07-19T22:37:35.917-04:00PJRLAW: Things You Should Not Ask During A Job Interview<a href="http://pjrlaw.blogspot.com/2011/07/things-you-should-not-ask-during-job.html?spref=bl">PJRLAW: Things You Should Not Ask During A Job Interview</a>: "1. Are you married? - If you are looking for a date, try one of the online dating services, it will be cheaper in the en..."PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-12726352867795320032011-07-19T22:24:00.001-04:002011-07-19T22:36:56.994-04:00Things You Should Not Ask During A Job Interview<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Are you married?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If you are looking for a date, try one of the online dating services, it will be cheaper in the end.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0c076d; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">For you clever ones… What is your maiden name?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Also inappropriate</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How old are you?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hoping this one doesn’t need too much explanation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0c076d; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">Again, for the clever ones…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did we graduate together in 1990? – Not so clever!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Do you plan on getting pregnant?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If you ask this one, be sure to call us next.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What religion do you practice?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hopefully obvious… </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So what is your nationality?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However you can ask if the interviewee if they are legally permitted to work in the country.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">6.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Do you have any disabilities?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From an ADAAA, the less you know here the better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">7.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ever been arrested?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Philly has specifically outlawed this on the first interview.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">8.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Are you in the National Guard?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>You should be ashamed of yourself if you ask this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">9.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Have you ever filed a Workers Compensation claim?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Again, from an ADAAA the less you know the better for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">10.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What kind of organizations do you belong to?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The National Labor Relations Board could have fun with you </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;"> here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0c076d; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;">Good luck!!!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.info/"><span style="color: red;">www.pjrlaw.info</span></a><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/"><span style="color: red;">www.pjrlaw.com</span></a><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com/"><span style="color: red;">www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com</span></a></span>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-87494468994322390642011-07-10T23:03:00.000-04:002011-07-10T23:03:30.352-04:00PJRLAW: Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine<a href="http://pjrlaw.blogspot.com/2011/07/pennsylvanias-castle-doctrine.html?spref=bl">PJRLAW: Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine</a>: "The Castle Law Doctrine a common law doctrine of ancient origins which declares that a home is a person's castle. The Pennsylvania Legislatu..."PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-26186841766157401632011-07-10T22:49:00.000-04:002011-07-10T22:49:09.352-04:00Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine<div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Castle Law Doctrine a common law doctrine of ancient origins which declares that a home is a person's castle.</span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Pennsylvania Legislature suggested we modify the exists laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania based on the following concepts:</span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 51.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -29.25pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">a home is a person's castle </span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 51.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -29.25pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Pennsylvania guarantees that the "right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned."</span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 51.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -29.25pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">people have a right to expect to remain unmolested within their homes or vehicles.</span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 51.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -29.25pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">no person should be required to surrender his or her personal safety to a criminal</span></span></span></div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 51.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -29.25pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">no person should be required to needlessly retreat in the face of intrusion or attack outside the person's home or vehicle.</span></span></span></div><div class="statuteparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">As a result the following modifications to Title 18 were enacted to, in essence, provides that a person no longer needs to retreat if the that person is not engaged in a criminal activity; not in possession of an illegal weapon;</span><a href="" name="1274366009141"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> the person acting has a right to be in the place where he was attacked; the person acting believes it is immediately necessary to do so to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse by force or threat; and the person against whom the force is used displays or otherwise uses a firearm (or replica of a firearm) or any other weapon capable of lethal force</span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">The law now has a presumption that deadly force is immediately necessary to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse compelled by force or threat if the person against whom the force is used </span><a href="" name="1274365988549"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">is</span></a><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering a dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle; </span><a href="" name="1274365990156"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">has</span></a><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> unlawfully and forcefully entered a dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle;</span><a href="" name="1274365996271"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> or is or is</span></a><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> attempting to unlawfully and forcefully remove another against that other's will from the dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle and the person acting </span><a href="" name="1274365997738"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">knows or has</span></a><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> reason to believe that </span><a href="" name="1274365999079"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">the</span></a><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> unlawful and forceful entry or act </span><a href="" name="1274366000561"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">is occurring or has</span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"> occurred.</span></span></span></div><div class="statuteparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">As legislatures tend to do, there are exceptions to the presumption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The presumption does not apply if the person against whom the force is used has the right to be in the dwelling, residence or vehicle; is a lawful resident of the dwelling, residence or vehicle; is a child or grandchild or is otherwise in the lawful custody or under the lawful guardianship of the person; if both parties are engaged in a criminal activity or is using the dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle to further a criminal activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, you cannot use this presumption against a peace officer acting in the performance of his official duties and </span><a href="" name="1274366004243"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">the actor</span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"> using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a peace officer.</span></span></span></div><div class="statuteparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 21.85pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">A nice addition to the law provides if the person using force satisfies the requirements of the law regarding force and prevails in a civil action initiated by or on behalf of a perpetrator against the actor, the court shall award reasonable expenses to the actor. Reasonable expenses shall include, but not be limited to, attorney fees, expert witness fees, court costs and compensation for loss of income.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-79346309328415896412011-07-08T17:41:00.000-04:002011-07-08T17:41:10.339-04:00PJRLAW: Tort Reform?<a href="http://pjrlaw.blogspot.com/2011/07/tort-reform.html?spref=bl">PJRLAW: Tort Reform?</a>: " Section 7102 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes was amended recently to modify the application of a legal concept kn..."PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-36155840859570886912011-07-08T17:22:00.000-04:002011-07-08T17:22:27.746-04:00Tort Reform?<div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Section 7102 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes was amended recently to modify the application of a legal concept known as joint and several liability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In essence the theory of joint and several liability provides if multiple defendants are named in a lawsuit and the plaintiff is awarded damages, the plaintiff can go to any one of the defendants and collect the judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The defendant who pays the judgment has the right to pursue the other defendants for their “share.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;"> The new “Tort Reform” called “The Fair Share Act” provides that except in certain circumstances, each defendant shall be liable for only that proportion of the total dollar amount awarded as damages in the ratio of the amount of that defendant's liability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in essence, each defendant only pays their fair share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="section" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;"> Joint and several judgments will continue to be entered in favor of the plaintiff and against a defendant in cases of </span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">(i)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Intentional misrepresentation case.</span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">(ii)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>An intentional tort case.</span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">(iii) <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Where the defendant has been held liable for not less than 60% of the total liability apportioned to all parties.</span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">(iv)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A release or threatened release of a hazardous substance under section 702 of the act of October 18, 1988 (P.L.756, No.108), known as the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act.</span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;">(v)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A civil action in which a defendant has violated section 497 of the act of </span></span></div><div class="statutesubparagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 50.75pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="citation"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21)</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">, known as the Liquor Code.</span></span></div><div class="enactingclause" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="enactingclause" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If a joint and several judgment is entered against a defendant that defendant pays more than their pro rata share of the judgment, they may still pursue the other defendants for contribution.</span></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-63533211554732558472011-06-27T19:11:00.000-04:002011-06-27T19:11:30.855-04:00No expectation of privacy in the world of Social Media???<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Rane Zimmerman recently learned that there is no expectation of privacy in the world of Facebook or MySpace and posting photos there can cost you a lot of unexpected grief and possibly a great deal of money.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While employed by Weis Markets, Inc., Rane <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was operating a forklift when he had an accident which caused injuries to his left leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rane claimed lost wages, lost future earning capacity, pain and suffering, scarring and embarrassment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a result of the accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Attorneys for Weis saw in the public portion of Rane’s Facebook page that his interests included “ridin” and “bike stunts” and his MySpace page contained recent photographs depicting Zimmerman with a black eye and his motorcycle before and after an accident. There were also photographs of Rane wearing shorts clearly displaying his scar from the Weis accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So what's the big deal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, during Rane's deposition he claimed never wears shorts because he is embarrassed by his scar. Based on the contradictory information between Rane's deposition and the publicly available portions of his Facebook and MySpace pages, Weis sought access to the private portions of his MySpace and Facebook accounts by the disclosure of Rane's passwords, user names, and login names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The request was granted.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The Court found that Rane had voluntarily posted photographs of himself to share with others, therefore cannot now claim a reasonable expectation of privacy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Remember Facebook and Myspace websites are public domains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Judge Saylor pointed out "By definition, a social networking site is the interactive sharing of your personal life with others; the recipients are not limited in what they do with such knowledge."… "With the initiation of litigation to seek a monetary award based upon limitations or harm to one's person, any relevant, non-privileged information about one's life that is shared with others and can be gleaned by defendants from the Internet is fair game in today's society."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To Review A Full Copy of Judge Saylor's Opinion - <a href="http://www.theemployerhandbook.com/Zimmerman%20v.%20Weis%20Markets,%20Inc.%20Opinion.pdf">CLICK HERE</a></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-84428454500598044962011-05-29T00:44:00.001-04:002011-05-29T00:44:27.614-04:0010 More Things I Think I Think...<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">I think Charlie Sheen has a great lawsuit against his former employee for breach of contract and a spectacular case for a breach of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sad... But true!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/50480270/Charlie-Sheen-Lawsuit-Over-Two-and-a-Half-Men-Firing"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KDtQRG32rTVX8u5fV-4XcH9WV5nea_2_ZjIRN5okSDxBHWvr-r_0ZVUrMkFTzjaEykt2YR9kNn_rXLFCaBaQD-Qixcsj7c1m2N3SYyc-eVUEHi6fUkRhXYGB6wbGjwYzTOZX8MMQXX14/s1600/Charlie.bmp" t8="true" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/50480270/Charlie-Sheen-Lawsuit-Over-Two-and-a-Half-Men-Firing"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Click on Photo For Lawsuit Details</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">With all this rain, I think building an ark just may end up being a good idea. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Is it time to forgive Tiger Woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's amazing how many people started watching golf or playing because of Woods. Much like Mike Tyson and boxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can't remember the last fight I watched that didn’t feature Tyson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The PA Liquor Control Board is think selling bottles of liquor in kiosks in supermarkets… Now that I no longer own a bar!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously... grocery shopping IS a pain but easier access to booze?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we really need that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://supermarketnews.com/news/Penn_WineKiosks_0422/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8V_UAEemjLpIGXFbfuP1fWBF5xOyCRuChOwlBDtqglg3Ysici4uQlXZl4s9JbUftNmlSX9NrndDTZnu5EkcFLGjn6ehU5zM-bR0PocOOc9NfwJUxEd1aH_67B1Iq-CbXHfQTSBr8BRcq/s1600/PLCB.bmp" t8="true" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Click on Photo For Additional Article</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Looks like EVERYONE was celebrating the Osama bin Laden’s killing</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/jamesfallows/assets_c/2011/05/292500378-50164.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2244bb; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhO6_L09aTdgTEw-xWmawa2WBR35OTsLDh7xurf75Ssnmzwz9jM16cxc3GDfSRUJsgsu5qHjlu7A1FvgbnW-d3-UZoi25O8Nc58MYoVB3UfI71gjZXJZ3JzOCovW3NrMDJmrEpz1Jg_uD/s1600/Royal.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhO6_L09aTdgTEw-xWmawa2WBR35OTsLDh7xurf75Ssnmzwz9jM16cxc3GDfSRUJsgsu5qHjlu7A1FvgbnW-d3-UZoi25O8Nc58MYoVB3UfI71gjZXJZ3JzOCovW3NrMDJmrEpz1Jg_uD/s320/Royal.bmp" t8="true" width="259px" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Since I touched on the Royal Wedding… What was with those hats???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they break all the mirrors before a Royal Wedding?</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJzwuCsxFkeozC0NBZIUwDzx9a6fN5PcwLFrruHRRtNOFesv9C_C0vqQYbjqhsv3o5I7wMnpDsAZCSBBKD3tZ_NwqzLktHAMY1vYVRRaFhy_UVhdZUGVwD5YGnPfNNA3eo6OAeJFb7e6n/s1600/Hat.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJzwuCsxFkeozC0NBZIUwDzx9a6fN5PcwLFrruHRRtNOFesv9C_C0vqQYbjqhsv3o5I7wMnpDsAZCSBBKD3tZ_NwqzLktHAMY1vYVRRaFhy_UVhdZUGVwD5YGnPfNNA3eo6OAeJFb7e6n/s1600/Hat.bmp" t8="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The “May 21, 2012 Judgment Day” is came and went…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually got a letter in the mail asking me to “Save the Date”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who are these people???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">With the new Judgment Day (October 21st) coming up I’m wondering if we all have our priorities straight…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An Abbeville, South Carolina man was on his way to get a haircut, when he ran out of gas. He ends up walking the rest of the way into town for that haircut and rather than get gas, he buys a lottery ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scratch-off ticket he bought ended up being a $200,000 winner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bet he’s hoping the zealots are wrong!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Many of us know that when a land developer wants to build houses, the scariest thing is to find bog turtles, some protected flower or artifacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those things can stop you dead in your tracks… UNLESS you’re digging for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out an excavation at a Westmoreland County (Pennsylvania) site once occupied by Monongahela Indians produced abundant evidence of two villages and allowed researchers to piece together the violent end of the later settlement at the hand of invaders who sacked it, massacred its inhabitants and burned houses and food stores but when researchers returned they found a drill rig and catchment basin sitting on half the village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out that while we don’t even tax those drilling companies for what they pull from the ground, Pennsylvania's laws offer little or no protection for archaeological resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So maybe if all you land developers (those of you still left) keep a drill rig handy you can bypass all that red-tape while you dig out those pesky bog turtles, protected flowers and artifacts.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Central PA has some amazingly generous people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to thank you all for making Jump Street’s 10<sup>th</sup> Annual Derby Day Fundraiser a huge success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have even hit the Washington DC social scene!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/out-and-about-baltimore/2011/apr/1/harrisburg-pas-derby-day-benefit-jump-street-make-/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EJK1LZ30NJe9FGPdCmk-omFbJs1Z_u9t6kzdc0toOAM7ULYlNUvntKDurLltf-6FEivOPpfaZ8grZIrqLCYyG6_voZHgiuoAD-CBtzx_n0eTGtGaARMtuxDmZo_Q7yZZG7V_cPfj-vTz/s1600/Derby.bmp" t8="true" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Click on Photo For Washington DC Story Link</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-2361145328791897562011-05-05T13:47:00.000-04:002011-05-05T13:47:16.106-04:00Check The Box...<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Employers beware!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The City of Philadelphia has adopted a new trend in employment law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The City's "Check the Box" rule, in essence, provides that an employer cannot inquire whether a prospective employee has ever been convicted of a crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">About one in four adults, or 65 million people across the country, has a criminal record, which can often make it difficult for those who are also unemployed to find a job, as many Philadelphia residents can imagine.</span></i></div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">A recent report from the National Employment Law Center showed that many employers, including large companies such as Domino's Pizza or Bank of America, will announce job openings that often exclude applicants with a criminal record. One employment ad from Bank of America, for instance, states "candidates must be able to pass: background check (no felonies or misdemeanors)."</span></i></div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">Another study conducted last year revealed 92 percent of employers may dismiss some or sometimes all applicants who have a criminal conviction. According to the </span></i><em><span style="color: #333333; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Philadelphia Inquirer</span></em><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">, jobseekers in Philly are even required to <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/118756254.html?viewAll=y" title="Ex-offenders hope Philadelphia passes 'ban the box' bill this week"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">check a box on job applications</span></a> when asked whether they have been arrested or convicted for a crime.</span></i></div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">However, the City Council is seeking to pass a "ban the box" ordinance that will remove the box from both online and paper job applications. Employers would also be prohibited from asking candidates about their criminal history until after their first interview, which is when they are allowed to run any background checks and ask any questions related to the applicant's criminal record.</span></i></div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;">"[The ordinance] requires the employer to give candidates the opportunity to be judged strictly on their merits during the application and the first interview ..." explained William Nesheiwat, the director of legislation for City Council member Donna Reed Miller, who sponsors the measure. "Our goal is to create something that helps the individual with a record but does not hurt businesses and their clients."</span></i></div><div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Criminal Records May Prevent Jobseekers From Finding A Job<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Erline Aguiluz</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Seemingly with the passage of that ordinance, the City Council and Mayor added one more thing for employers to be concerned with when trying to locate a competent & productive new hire. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Those employers concerned about hiring ex-cons - like a bank, security company or anyone that needs to bond their employees - can take solace that the ordinance allows you to ask that same question after the first interview. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Interesting law which intended to help ex-cons secure employment but will likely result in a lot of wasted employer time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully the trend, in its current state, will not continue.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What do you think?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-75443401564374533812011-04-10T20:48:00.000-04:002011-04-10T20:48:00.220-04:00An interesting day….<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">I was at a meeting yesterday where a gentleman from a trade association (who I will not name to protect the …. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not sure what word to use here but innocent is definitely not the right word).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This gentleman was discussing why business owners should <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>join his association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on to seek the support of local business owners to help pressure legislators into passing what he called reforms to the current legal system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explaining that trial lawyers needed to be controlled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Between the speaker and the associations website, they addresses many issues such as joint and several liability, products liability, forum shopping and filing of frivolous law suits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">The association has targeted comments made the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge who runs their Complex Litigation Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The judge basically invited lawyers representing plaintiffs to file their actions in Philadelphia’s Complex Litigation Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went on to note that the increase in suits would increase revenue to the court as well as the city and local businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The speaker also noted that a person who fell in a Hershey Pennsylvania (Dauphin County) sports arena sued in Philadelphia County based on the premise that the Hershey based sports team played a sports team in Philadelphia County several times a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i></b> examples of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">abuses of the system</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Oddly, these are the rules…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It called venue…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Rule 2179 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure provides:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">(a) Except as otherwise provided by an Act of Assembly, by Rule 1006(a.1) or by subdivision (b) of this rule, a personal action against a corporation or similar entity may be brought in and only in</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(1) the county where its registered office or principal place of business is located;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) a county where it regularly conducts business;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3) the county where the cause of action arose;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(4) a county where a transaction or occurrence took place out of which the cause of action arose, or </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(5) a county where the property or a part of the property which is the subject matter of the action is located provided that equitable relief is sought with respect to the property.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">(b) An action upon a policy of insurance against an insurance company, association or exchange, either incorporated or organized in Pennsylvania or doing business in this Commonwealth, may be brought</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(1) in a county designated in Subdivision (a) of this rule; or</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) in the county where the insured property is located; or</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 31.5pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3) in the county where the plaintiff resides, in actions upon policies of life, accident, health, disability, and live stock insurance or fraternal benefit certificates.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">These rules may be modified by the legislature at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the legislature found is appropriate to modify them for medical malpractice cases, limiting venue to the county where the action arose. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">There are other rules that lawyers can use to “remove” a case from the wrong court, specifically Rule 1006(e).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inference that venue (or forum) shopping is an abuse of the system is a frightening commentary from any association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Associations seeking to “protect” consumers, business people, their insured, themselves should look to the legislature to modify the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If plaintiff’s lawyers play within the rules how can it be an abuse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may not like the result, until you’re<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a plaintiff and want to be in a different venue but until the rules change – like they did for malpractice matters – there are a lot of places you can be sued and you can file a lawsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">By the way, this is no different than Cameron County and Potter County — those courts figured out that the local court system can make extra money by hosting out-of-county divorce cases even where venue may not be properly placed in their counties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their extremely low filing fees for divorces makes them attractive to divorcing spouses who want to save money compared to what they might have to pay to file their cases in the proper venue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However Cameron County and Potter County will typically look to transfer your case if issues arise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">I didn’t hear that gentleman expressing concerns about this tactic, which is an abuse of the system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess divorcing couples looking to save a buck don’t do too much to fund Political Action Committees!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 59.85pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Kind of makes you really think about the motives,,, </span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-36779102888413774462011-03-04T15:37:00.000-05:002011-03-04T15:37:25.219-05:0010 Thinks I Think I Think....<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>In no particular order:</strong></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently read a Realtor suggesting … Do not turn anyone away from an Open House, especially nosy neighbors. Turn the tables and invite them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm… How does that help sell YOUR house?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re right it doesn’t but it helps the Realtor market themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should you get a referral fee for the clients they get as a result of YOUR Open House?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If employers can say that you need at least a college diploma to apply for a job, why can’t the NFL and NBA require the same before an athlete can participate in the draft?</span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></strong></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Speaking of professional sports, when was the last time that YOU were able to renegotiate a contract BEFORE it was over?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure Verizon would love it if you called them to say, Hey If you don’t charge me less, I am going to break my contract, sit out and not use my cell phone for the next year … Those who know me, know that could NEVER happen in my world.</strong> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbQDMsq7hdlJHR0TYx7LqoKT2J6IsOEBsI8JsB9j87NdzSV1lt7Lm4MFD3IN6cWrsCR6pSIs_PW2GymDA6WARLQfeytSLx6B_dbK4D6B_kP0J5kS19Orhrs8v8BpRyiMM_BLKUQ1VSyhg/s1600/Charlie.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbQDMsq7hdlJHR0TYx7LqoKT2J6IsOEBsI8JsB9j87NdzSV1lt7Lm4MFD3IN6cWrsCR6pSIs_PW2GymDA6WARLQfeytSLx6B_dbK4D6B_kP0J5kS19Orhrs8v8BpRyiMM_BLKUQ1VSyhg/s1600/Charlie.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Charlie Sheen’s publicist resigned???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a missed opportunity in my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw it as a win-win.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the guy gets back to his old self, the publicist will be able to taut their skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Charlie keeps acting like he had Two and a Half brain cells, the publicist can say no one could have helped him but we stuck by him. </strong></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kindle<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the Kindle Store will make many writers who can’t get publishing deals a lot of money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sells books for a couple of dollars, writers will make money on readers looking for a “deal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>E-books cost nothing to publish, print or store and the author typically gets more than half of the sales price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do the math.</span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think the United States Supreme Court missed the boat on the Matthew Snyder / Westboro Baptist Church decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I understand the First Amendment is meant to protect free speech, I would have hoped the Court would have made some exception for the funerals of persons who died in the defense of our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not likely to be appointed to the bench anytime soon. </span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think people take this end of the world thing too far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want to latch onto something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait… Maybe this is a marketing angle I didn’t think of.</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeN_ROXZ20BknqnZCRfkQRrDbY7xfN-CwvXHvivy7UNYrAeUbAnH_kEM04nHkzdsJG5wxAnK_7enE451fRxoRDUPl1SRfyJrU69X6JKGdE8UMk-KqKNlUXmRmIkvc5dOxX68c1y8U9Fsy/s1600/Mayan.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeN_ROXZ20BknqnZCRfkQRrDbY7xfN-CwvXHvivy7UNYrAeUbAnH_kEM04nHkzdsJG5wxAnK_7enE451fRxoRDUPl1SRfyJrU69X6JKGdE8UMk-KqKNlUXmRmIkvc5dOxX68c1y8U9Fsy/s320/Mayan.bmp" width="263" /></a></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">END OF THE WORLD ESTATE PLANNING SPECIAL</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: green;">NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 1, 2011</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc;">ALL OF YOUR ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF $5,000</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">REMEMBER…. YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU!!!</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*So You Might As Well Give It To Me</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NCAA Pools… Crime or Just Good Old Fashion American Fun?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a trinity among even the most abstinent gamblers, weekly football pool picks, Super Bowl Boxes and – yes – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The standard NCAA Tournament bracket pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FBI estimated at $2.5 billion in wagers will be placed during the NCAA Tournament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a small percentage will be placed legally so…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>does the government really have that much time on their hands that they need to bust up office pools?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people have analogized it to speeding. Depending on how bad you break the law is almost determinative of whether the law is going to break you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the way…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you employer fire you for organizing a NCAA Pool…. Hmmm… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say so… </span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Privatizing Liquor Stores in Pennsylvania will not result in an overall positive experience for the consumer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our PLCB has AMAZING buying power and with that buying power comes the ability to demand a below market purchase price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those savings are passed along to the consumer in PA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People often moan and groan about the limited selection – got me there – but is everyone willing to pay a lot more so that the store will get your favorite wine or vodka?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bottle of my favorite Grey Goose cost me over $90 in a NY liquor store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I questioned it, the clerk said because the stores are individually owned, they had no buying power <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and actually paid more, wholesale, than we pay retail for the same bottle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NFL Lockout… Ugh… Where do I start…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about here – DON’T DO IT!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scab Football will be a disaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A delayed or locked out season will lead to more injuries than an 18 game season!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZrhwtACd5ZNsV3vpn4CmdO_FtsfDPyc8aBDOjCvvr1yDBuxqY2hjC0_9dza_u4axDLyhyv9dtb9AWiRK9hE53Gg0gmEQgHiHBTdWQoy246g7fccgYaSsX7kabFgSHdQVMqzu_o4m_0fx/s1600/UnNike.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZrhwtACd5ZNsV3vpn4CmdO_FtsfDPyc8aBDOjCvvr1yDBuxqY2hjC0_9dza_u4axDLyhyv9dtb9AWiRK9hE53Gg0gmEQgHiHBTdWQoy246g7fccgYaSsX7kabFgSHdQVMqzu_o4m_0fx/s1600/UnNike.bmp" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Just DON’T do it!</strong></span></div><br />
<a href="http://www.pjrlaw.info/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.PJRLaw.info</strong></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.PJRLaw.com</strong></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.LawOfficesofPeterJRusso.com</strong></span></a><span style="color: red;"><strong> </strong></span>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-59618541439807880052011-03-01T21:05:00.000-05:002011-03-01T21:05:59.577-05:00Third Parties MAY Have Right to Claim Retaliation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a unanimous decision written by Justice Scalia, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that some third parties can sue their employers for retaliation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eric Thompson who was allegedly fired because his fiancée, Miriam Regalado filed a claim against their employer, North American Stainless with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) was permitted to sue North American Stainless for retaliation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thompson was treated as an "aggrieved person" who falls within the allowable "zone of interests." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eric Thompson and Miriam Regalado both worked for North American Stainless and were engaged and their engagement was common knowledge among other employees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2002, Regalado filed a complaint with the EEOC claiming that North American Stainless had discriminated against her, based on gender. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The EEOC notified North American Stainless of Regalado’s claims in February of 2003.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thompson was fired about three weeks later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thompson alleged that his firing was due to Regalado's complaint of discrimination. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>North American Stainless asserted that it terminated Thompson due to poor job performance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thompson filed a separate complaint with the EEOC claiming a retaliatory discharge under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The EEOC determined that there were reasonable grounds for the complaint to move forward because Thompson was an "aggrieved person" under the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>North American Stainless challenged the EEOC’s decision.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thompson argued that Title VII prohibits retaliation and allows a third party to sue an employer directly for damages. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contrarily, North American Stainless argued that Thompson lacked standing to sue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The trial court awarded summary judgment to North American Stainless saying that Thompson didn't fit within the class of persons Congress intended to protect by statute. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thompson’s appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court was unsuccessful as the Sixth Circuit Court affirmed the lower court's ruling reasoning that the Court did not believe that Thompson was engaged in a protected activity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Supreme Court determined that plaintiffs have standing to sue if they fall within the "zone of interests" sought to be protected by the law in question. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This test permits a right of review unless "the plaintiff's interests are so marginally related to or inconsistent with the purposes implicit in the statute that it cannot reasonably be assumed that Congress intended to permit the suit." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thompson, was an employee of the employer and the purpose of Title VII is to protect employees from unlawful actions of employers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Utilizing this analysis, the Court said Thompson was entitled to be treated as an "aggrieved person."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Justice Scalia reasoned that firing Thompson "was the employer's intended means of harming Regalado. Hurting him was the unlawful act by which the employer punished her... He is a person aggrieved with standing to sue."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Justice Scalia called Thompson "collateral damage." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.info/"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">www.PJRLaw.info</span></span></a></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">www.PJRLaw.com</span></span></a></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com/"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">www.LawOfficesofPeterJRusso.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-35109040237241264622011-02-25T23:40:00.000-05:002011-02-25T23:40:20.901-05:00Unemployed Treated Disparately???The Employment Opportunity Commission seems to have a lot of time on its hands. The EEOC has decided to look into if companies may be excluding job applicants simply because they don’t have jobs. EEOC Commissioners stated at a hearing this week that they are investing whether excluding unemployed applicants from applying for a job could have a greater effect minorities.<br />
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The EEOC noted that the overall unemployment rate is 9% equating to nearly 14 million people out of work. As compared to the general population, the unemployment rate is higher among percent among Blacks and Hispanics, 15.7% and 11.9% respectively.<br />
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So a friend asked what I thought about this. Was the EEOC serious? While it’s seems that the EEOC DOES have too much time on their hands, notwithstanding that, it is true that the racial discrimination cases can be supported by the use of statistics. I wonder what the true motivation of the employers who employed these hiring methods. <br />
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A counter to the EEOC’s position is that if the employer has a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for its decision, it may avoid liability. If the employers can create a rational business basis for not permitting ANY unemployed persons from applying for jobs, I suspect that the courts may not find a basis for allowing the suits to proceed to trial. I guess we’ll see if how much money our government will spend on analyzing statistics rather than trying to figure out how to create incentives so business owners will create new jobs!<br />
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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) assessed the largest civil penalty in its history, $2 million, against Delta Air Lines for violating rules meant to protect air travelers with disabilities. “Ensuring that passengers with disabilities receive fair treatment when they fly is a priority for the Department of Transportation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We take our aviation disability rules seriously and will continue to enforce them vigorously.”<br />
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The U.S. Department of Transportation requires all airlines to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities while boarding and deplaning aircraft. Airlines are required to respond within 30 days to written complaints of disabled passengers and specifically address the issues raised in those complaints. <br />
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An investigation of disability complaints filed against Delta revealed many violations of the requirement to provide Delta passengers with assistance getting on and off the airplane. The complaint about Delta showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to disability complaints nor did it properly report each disability complaint.<br />
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Delta will only need to actually part with $750,000 of the $2,000,000. The balance may be used by Delta to improve its service to passengers with disabilities beyond what is required by law. Delta may the money toward the development and implementation of an automated wheelchair tracking system at the carrier's major hub airports, developing and distributing customer service surveys for passengers, and/or enhance its website to improve air travel accessibility. The actual costs of these improvements by Delta is expected to be significantly greater than the credited amounts by the fine.PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-4943105194716641662011-02-14T18:54:00.000-05:002011-02-14T18:54:41.505-05:00Impact of The Souza Settlement<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So what does Dawnmarie Souza’s case against American Medical Response of Connecticut Inc. mean to Pennsylvania employers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most experts don’t think it will have much of an impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all remember than Souza was a union employee and a large part of the claims in her suit were that AMR violated the collective bargaining agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of us don’t have collective bargaining agreements with our employers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The National Labor Relations Board’s website says that the Nation Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects employees’ rights to act together, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with or without a union</i></b>, to improve working terms and conditions, including wages and benefits. These are known as protected concerted activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some examples of protected concerted include:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Two or more employees addressing their employer about improving their working conditions and pay</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An employee speaking to his/her employer on behalf of him/herself and one or more co-workers about improving workplace conditions</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Two or more employees discussing pay or other work-related issues with each other</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Refusing to do any or all of these things</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While an employee generally does not have a protected right to free speech when dealing with private employers, the NLRB tried to assert that Souza’s conversations with her co-workers on Facebook were in the nature of self-organization and collective bargaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally as an "at will" employee, an employee can be fired for any reason as long as they are not fired based on race, age or other protected status.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In order for the same argument to be effective with a private employer, it is my opinion the NLRB will need to argue and prove that the Facebook postings were meant to initiate, advance, or discuss self-organization or collective bargaining otherwise it is not likely covered by the NLRA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nonetheless companies should periodically review their internet/social media policies to ensure that they are not overly broad.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.info/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.PJRLaw.info</strong></span></a><span style="color: red;"><strong> </strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.pjrlaw.com/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.PJRLaw.com</strong></span></a><span style="color: red;"><strong> </strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.lawofficesofpeterjrusso.com/"><span style="color: red;"><strong>www.LawOfficesofPeterJRusso.com</strong></span></a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>PJRLAWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07693378556757124825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190911173608178855.post-84299033397925835762011-02-12T08:33:00.001-05:002011-02-12T08:36:50.606-05:00Can Your Facebook Posting Get You Fired?<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Employee Fired For Facebook Posting “Wins” Lawsuit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The title of this posting is a little confusing to the average person but so is the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Dawnmarie Souza, a paramedic for American Medical Response of Connecticut Inc., posted comments on her Facebook page on the same day she was suspended from work after refusing her supervisor, Frank Filardo's request to write up a report on a complaint about her own performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Souza Facebook remarks sparked supportive postings from her co-workers to which Souza responded with additional negative comments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the suspension, Souza was ultimately terminated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Souza was a union employee she requested union representation which Management rejected.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Souza case caught the attention of the National Labor Relations Board which claimed AMR “illegally terminated [Souza] who posted negative remarks about her supervisor on her personal Facebook page” and that the company “maintained and enforced an overly broad blogging and internet posting policy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further contending that [Souza’s] Facebook postings constituted protected concerted activity, and that the company’s blogging and internet posting policy contained unlawful provision, including one that prohibited employees from making disparaging remarks when discussing the company or supervisors and another that prohibited employees from depicting the company in any way over the internet without company permission. Such provisions constitute interference with employees in their right to engage in protected concerted activity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">AMR’s response was that Souza was terminated “based on multiple, serious complaints about her behavior” which included her negative Facebook postings related to her supervisor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This case which some have called “groundbreaking” was scheduled for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge on Tuesday, where the NLRB would have argued that Souza's firing was improper, in part because her Facebook postings about her supervisor, outside the workplace, were protected activities, even they were posted on the Facebook or the Internet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rather than participate in the hearing, AMR agreed to settle the case with Souza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The terms of the settlement which have not been completely disclosed are reported to include payments to Souza and conditions she must meet as well as AMR’s agreeing to revise its "overly broad” policy regarding blogging, Internet posting, and communications between employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This position has obviously concerned many employers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since Souza was a union employee, the legal community is questioning how this case will impact private employers in Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My perspective … in the next blog.</span><br />
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