Saving for a home, retirement, a vacation or anything else can be difficult. The median retirement savings of all working-age families in the United States is $5,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Given that many financial advisers recommend having about $1 million in retirement, that leaves many families far short of their retirement plans. Don’t let such big goals…
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Dear Christine, I am 24 years old and only recently came out to my parents. I’ve been with women for many years but due to a strict upbringing, high expectations etc I never felt comfortable telling them. I eventually told my mom just before my 24th birthday, and I expected the worst! But all I got was “It’s your life,…
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ONE EMPLOYER, TWO LOCATIONS – DOES OVERTIME APPLY? QUESTION: I work part-time at two different medical clinics, in different towns. One of them is owned and operated by two doctors, who also own the company that manages both medical clinics – does payroll, sets hours, and pays benefits – although the doctors don’t actually own the second clinic. Between the…
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“This is how I keep myself from killing people!” This is a line I hear pop out of my mouth when showing off my abundantly blooming gardens. The first time I heard myself say those words, I was uncomfortable. I am not a violent person. I never have been. I have painful memories and traumas and spent many years in…
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It is extremely normal for our eyelashes to thin and fall out as we age. This happens for a number of different reasons. One main reason for eyelash hair loss is due to hormonal changes which is completely normal but unfortunately can slow production and growth of eyelashes. As we age, our skin starts to get a little dryer and…
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WORKER CAN’T SAY WHEN HE’LL BE ABLE TO RETURN AFTER SURGERY, DOES BOSS HAVE TO HOLD JOB OPEN? QUESTION: One of my employees needed heart surgery several months ago, and our firm approved three weeks’ leave as paid time off, plus another nine weeks unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. There were complications after his surgery, so…
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Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your search, but it should not be your end all be all. Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather…
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Dear Christine, I have been with my partner for several years but for the last few years, we’ve been more like roommates. We don’t share a bedroom, we do a few things together, but mostly we do our own things. A few months ago we talked and confirmed officially that indeed we are just roommates and not “partners”. I was…
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EMPLOYERS MUST VERIFY AN EMPLOYEE’S LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES QUESTION: I think one of my employees might be an undocumented alien. The papers he provided when he was hired looked OK, but his lack of English and knowledge of the country make me suspect his papers might not be good. Since I’m not sure, do I…
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EMPLOYER’S DISCRIMINATORY APPEARANCE CODE MAKES WORKER’S HAIR STAND ON END QUESTION: Our company recently announced a new “Appearance Code,” which not only limits what people can wear, but how we style our hair. Men are forbidden to wear their hair in any length more than 2”, and both women and men are banned from wearing Afros, cornrows, twists or locs.…
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Dear Christine, My partner and I love each other very much. We have been together for 35 years. However, our skills of effective conflict resolution are very weak. Would you be able to help us get better at resolving conflicts. Just recently I was feeling I’d have to leave her to get the peace I want to live with for…
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Losing just 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure, get your blood sugar back on track and make you feel better. As we get older, it gets harder to lose the weight but with a little will power, it can be done in less than a month. Cut out the bad carbs. This includes breads, pastas, potatoes, pastries, crackers, chips…
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WORKER WANTS CLOSED CAPTIONING ON TRAINING VIDEOS, DOES EMPLOYER HAVE TO PROVIDE IT? QUESTION: I’m a professional worker with a slight disability – I am hard of hearing. Most of the time, as I interact with people one-on-one, it is not an issue, but I have a lot of trouble with anything recorded – audio or video. My employer recently…
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Dear Christine, She did it again! I emailed you a couple years back about my cheating wife. It wasn’t easy but I forgave her. That was two years ago. I appreciated your advice to decide to follow my heart and do what I needed to at the time. I just found out she recently cheated again and now has confessed to…
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Unlike humans, most pets aren’t covered by medical insurance. In fact, according to the 2017 – 2018 American Pet Products Association’s National Pet Owners Survey, only about 10 percent of dogs and 5 percent of cats have pet insurance. While trips to the veterinarian can become a costly endeavor over a pet’s lifetime, pet insurance can help lower these costs.…
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