The MBTA offered a job to a man who wears a hearing aid, conditioned on his ability to pass a physical examination. During the exam, he wasn’t allowed to wear his hearing aid, and he flunked. The man sued, claiming he was discriminated against because of his disability. Five years later, the MBTA settled the case by hiring the man and giving him five years of retroactive seniority. However, the union objected. It said the MBTA
The number of bankruptcy cases filed in Massachusetts increased by 18% in the last year, and by a stunning 72% over the past two years. The vast majority of the cases are personal bankruptcies as opposed to business bankruptcies. While some businesses are going under, the spike in cases is largely the result of people losing their jobs in the recession. Other common causes of bankruptcy include divorce, sudden large medical bills, and an inability to
Suppose a Massachusetts employee signs a non-compete agreement, but then leaves to work for a competitor in California – a state that generally doesn’t approve of non-compete agreements. Can the agreement still be enforced against him? Yes, according to a recent decision by the Massachusetts Superior Court. The employee was a vice president at the EMC computer company in Hopkinton, Mass. After 20 years with EMC, he quit to become vice president at Hewlett-Packard in California.
Here’s a common scenario: Both parties to a real estate deal are ready to close, but for some reason the seller can’t move out by the closing date. Maybe the seller is moving to a new home or place of business, and the new place isn’t quite ready yet. Maybe the closing date is the last day of the month, a notoriously difficult day on which to hire a moving company. One solution is to go
You can now borrow up to $625,500 with a federally insured reverse mortgage – up from $417,000 – as a result of a change made by Congress that will help some seniors. In a traditional mortgage, you borrow money against your house and pay it back in monthly installments over time. With a reverse mortgage, you borrow money against your house, but you don’t have to pay it back until you die, sell the house, or
Many people who are having trouble making their mortgage payments are turning to consultants who promise to help them modify their loans. The problem: Often, these “loan modification” businesses are actually scams. In a typical scam, a consultant demands a large upfront fee – sometimes as much as $3,000 – and then disappears without doing any work. Prosecutors in 19 states have taken legal action against various “foreclosure rescue” businesses, as has the Federal Trade Commission,
A landlord could evict a tenant who sued the landlord for a personal injury, according to the Alaska Supreme Court. The tenant was a handyman at a motel who rented a motel room at a reduced rate. He sued the motel after he slipped and broke his leg. The motel owners responded by throwing him out. According to the handyman, this was illegal retaliation against him that violated the state’s landlord-tenant law. But the Supreme Court
Over the past year, there have been a number of instances where a bank has agreed to provide a mortgage, then has changed its mind and reneged on its agreement at the last minute. In the past, such conduct was unheard of. It’s still rare – but the credit crisis has changed a lot about the way banks operate, and this is one result. As a buyer, you might want to protect yourself by spelling out
Here’s a common scenario: Both parties to a real estate deal are ready to close, but for some reason the seller can’t move out by the closing date. Maybe the seller is moving to a new home or place of business, and the new place isn’t quite ready yet. Maybe the closing date is the last day of the month, a notoriously difficult day on which to hire a moving company. One solution is to go
Ordinarily, people over 70½ are required to receive a minimum distribution from their retirement plan each year. But this minimum payout won’t be required in 2009, thanks to a law passed by Congress. However, this law is creating widespread confusion, and if you’re concerned, you might want to ask for advice quickly on how to handle your particular situation.
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