Articles

Can you punish workers for griping about their jobs on Facebook?

You might think that it’s okay to fire or discipline employees who complain about their jobs on Facebook or other social media sites – especially if they start calling their supervisors names, or bad-mouthing the company in a public way. But you need to be careful. In many cases, disciplining an employee for a Facebook rant could violate federal labor law, and result in a civil complaint being filed against you by the National Labor Relations

Tenants could be kicked out for smoking

A cooperative’s board of trustees could refuse to approve a lease renewal because the tenants smoked a lot, a New York judge has ruled. The co-op board had the right to approve or disapprove leases in the building, although it couldn’t do so “unreasonably.” In this case, the tenants lived in the building for a year and wanted to renew. During the year, the board sent two letters to the tenants complaining about the “tremendous amount

Who’s responsible for damage from a fallen tree?

A big storm comes up and knocks down a tree in Bob’s yard. It falls over the property line and damages his neighbor Janet’s car. Is he legally liable for the damage? As with much in the law, it depends. Generally, though, Bob would be responsible if he knew the tree was in danger of causing damage to Janet’s property, or if a reasonable person in his position would have noticed the danger. For instance, Bob

What you need to know if you’re hiring an architect

Hiring an architect to design a home, a commercial building, or a new addition can be very exciting. But there can be some traps for the unwary in the fine print of the contract, and you’ll want to have an attorney look it over in order to protect your rights. Here’s just one example: Who owns the architect’s drawings and plans? You might assume that you do, since you’re paying for them. But one of the

More apartment and office buildings are allowing pets

Many landlords – both residential and commercial – have been trying to set themselves apart and attract more tenants by allowing pets. It’s true that pets can cause damage to a building, but it’s also true that there’s a growing demand for pet-friendly environments, and allowing pets can make a rental property much more attractive. Some 17 percent of businesses across the U.S. now allow pets at work, according to one recent survey. Most of these

Be careful if you’re buying a condo that’s new construction

With the real estate market still in the doldrums, a lot of people are thinking that this is a good opportunity to buy a brand new condominium, rather than one in an older community. New construction has a lot of advantages – but it can also be more complicated, and there are some potential trouble spots as well. You should definitely speak with your real estate attorney before you sign anything in order to make sure

Tax Filing Reminder

July 31 is the deadline for filing 2011 retirement or employee benefit returns (5500 series) for plans on a calendar year.

Quick Quiz: Taxable income or nontaxable?

You only have to examine your paycheck to realize certain income is tax-free. For example, health insurance premiums paid by your employer are generally not includible in your income. Do you know the tax status of other types of income? Here’s a short quiz to test your knowledge. 1. You tell your son he’ll be the sole beneficiary of your estate, and that you’ve decided to give him an advance on his inheritance. You hand him

What to consider in making the social security decision

If you’re approaching retirement and are eligible for social security, you have three broad options for drawing your benefits: start early, wait until your “full” retirement age, or hold out a few years longer to qualify for the monthly maximum. *Early withdrawals. Starting your withdrawals at the earliest allowable date (age 62) may be a good idea if you (a) plan to stop working or cut back to part-time status, and (b) really need the income.

Cancelled debt can result in taxable income

With the recent economic downturn experienced by many taxpayers, there is a tax concept that is very important: cancellation of debt. You would think that the cancellation of debt by a credit card company or mortgage company would be a good thing for the taxpayer. And it can be, but it can also be considered taxable income by the IRS. Here is a quick review of various debt cancellation situations. * Consumer debt. If you have

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