Author: Brian Lund
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DC Water will pay nearly $217,000 to settle claims it fired a worker over his age
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority had written policies covering performance notification, progressive discipline and internal appeals. When it fired a member of its own human resources department in September 2023, federal regulators say it followed none of them. That gap between the rulebook and the firing became part of an age discrimination…
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The FTC is mailing more than $2.7 million to 62,893 Handy workers over fees taken from their pay
Envelopes from a refund administrator are landing in 62,893 mailboxes this month, and the checks inside them come with an instruction printed on the paper. The Federal Trade Commission says recipients should cash them within 90 days. Together the checks total more than $2.7 million, and every dollar traces back to fees and fines that…
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Callers posing as grandchildren stole over $5 million from 400-plus victims averaging age 84
The call arrived in two parts, by design. An employee the operation called an “Opener” phoned an older American and claimed to be a grandchild who had just been in an accident. Minutes later a “Closer” called back, this time posing as that grandchild’s attorney, and named a sum for legal fees. Federal prosecutors in…
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Significant credit-card rate or fee changes generally require 45 days’ advance notice
A credit-card issuer generally cannot make a significant account-term change effective tomorrow without warning. Federal rules usually require at least 45 days’ advance notice for major changes such as certain interest-rate or fee increases, a higher minimum payment, or changes to a grace period or interest calculation. The word “generally” is essential. Rewards changes, properly…
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FTC-covered funeral homes must quote prices by phone and give visitors an itemized price list
Funeral decisions often arrive when a family has little time and even less appetite for comparison shopping. The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule gives consumers dealing with covered funeral homes the right to request price information by phone and to receive an itemized General Price List when they visit in person. Those rights make it…
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Denied a checking account based on a report? You can request a free copy of the report the bank used
A bank’s refusal to open a checking account can come from a specialty consumer report rather than the familiar credit score people usually watch. When the bank relied on that report, the denial notice should identify the reporting company, and the applicant can request a free copy of the report that was used. That copy…
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The Labor Department’s wage tool lets workers search by employer for unclaimed back pay
The U.S. Labor Department may already be holding back wages for a worker it could not locate after an investigation. Its free Workers Owed Wages tool lets people search by current or former employer to see whether money connected to a Wage and Hour Division case may be waiting. This is narrower than a general…
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Public-service workers may qualify to erase remaining Direct Loan balances after 120 qualifying payments
Public-service work can lead to cancellation of a borrower’s remaining federal Direct Loan balance, but the result is not automatic after ten calendar years on the job. Public Service Loan Forgiveness requires 120 qualifying monthly payments, eligible loans, an eligible repayment plan, and qualifying full-time employment. That combination makes routine verification important. A worker can…
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Five dealership workers will share $925,000 under a court-approved harassment and retaliation settlement
Five workers at three affiliated Austin car dealerships will share $925,000 under a federal court-approved settlement of sexual-harassment and retaliation claims. The money and the dealerships’ required workplace changes resolve the case before trial, so the alleged conduct should not be described as a final court finding. For employees elsewhere, the case is a reminder…
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Six deli workers received about $83,000 each after being paid $100 for 11-hour days
Six workers at a San Diego deli have now received roughly $83,000 apiece after a federal investigation found they were paid a flat $100 for days that often lasted 11 hours. The recovery shows how quickly unpaid minimum wages and overtime can grow when a pay practice continues week after week. The payment is specific…
