Doree Armstrong wasn’t worried about the package she’d ordered arriving on an early December Saturday. An email from Amazon had confirmed it would be delivered later that day, and—in response to previous thefts—Armstrong and her husband had installed front- and back-door cameras that alerted their phones every time a camera’s motion sensor was triggered. So…
Should Your Startup Hire an HR Firm?
Most small business owners understand the frustration of spending time on non-revenue generating activities. Be it recruiting and compensation or benefits and training, managers and directors can spend a significant proportion of their workweek engaged in necessary but time-consuming human resources tasks. The answer may lie in outsourcing part or all of your human resource…
People are watching you change—and it’s legal
When you enter a store’s dressing room, do you assume you’re alone with your selection of clothes? Don’t count on it. As a theft prevention measure, many retail stores use surveillance cameras to monitor dressing rooms. The practice is on the rise, owing to improving technology, particularly the availability of smaller, less expensive cameras. Ever…
Boo! How to avoid a Halloween lawsuit
Halloween: a night for costumes, trick-or-treating, ghostly thrills, candy, and innocent fun. But in the eerie dark of All Hallows’ Eve, everything from poorly lit walkways to jack-o’-lantern flames to the family dog can pose a safety risk for trick-or-treaters and homeowners. So for those into safety—and interested in avoiding a terrifying Halloween lawsuit—here are some…
The Trump tape, and the legality of secret recordings
Recently, the release of an obscene 11-year-old audio recording sent the campaign of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump into a tailspin. Over a “hot mic,” the former reality star was captured speaking to then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush about making unsolicited advances on women. “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It’s like a…
Caring for a loved one with dementia
When Lesa Abajian-Sullivan’s mother, Marianna (not pictured), was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in 2008, the Seattle chef understood it to be “an ultimately deleterious condition.” Initially, Marianna seemed relatively well: able to tell time, aware of current events, capable of carrying on a lucid conversation. “But in time, Dad and I noticed Mom was…
Can you legally spy on your nanny?
Many parents consider using “nanny cams,” often for the best of intentions: to glimpse their child’s activities throughout the day, to feel a part of their little one’s interactions with a caregiver, or simply to have some peace of mind. But for some parents, a nanny cam is installed to quell doubts about a nanny…
How to legally get out of your timeshare property
The resort was beautiful, the amenities were abundant, and the location couldn’t be beat. At the time you bought it, your timeshare felt like a sound investment in guaranteed vacation getaways. But maybe the cost and hassle of air travel have turned your vacations into “staycations.” Or maybe you’re chafing under that annual bill in…
Can talking politics earn you a visit from the Secret Service?
In early August at a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump asked his supporters to imagine what actions they could take in the event that he loses the upcoming election to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. “If she gets to pick her judges—nothing you can do, folks,” Trump said, adding, “Although,…