Supreme Court upholds pay for employees’ work despite lack of records IN some industries, employees perform work-related activities before they clock in. Some do it after they clock out. These are called preliminary and postliminary work. It is important to know because time spent for these activities, although not recorded, should be paid to employees. However,…
FOR those of you who itemize, the table below should be of interest. For those of you who play the odds (you know what I mean), this table should be of special interest. Having claimed too many exemptions at work to increase your take-home pay or failed to pay estimated taxes, you suddenly find yourself…
BEING in debt can be pretty depressing. I understand how you feel. When you’re drowning in debt, you may feel that your situation is hopeful and you have no motivation to even plan for your future. Your self-esteem may be shot. You may be experiencing anger, depression, guilt- or a combination of all three. You…
HAPPY EASTER! Where ever you may be in your journey of life — mourning in your Good Friday or rejoicing in anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promise in resurrection — know in your heart that Easter morning comes after the darkest night. This is the gift of rebirth, of new beginnings, no matter how…
The primordial thread that links the feminine essence of every woman to nurturing and caring had been deeply rooted since the dawning of creation. According to Diane Mariechild: “A woman is the full circle…within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform!” Indeed, women in the world deserve nothing but only the best accolade…
Today, we stop and breathe because there it is, the scent of hope, love and lust — spring. It is land’s perpetual gift of sudden grace. It is upon us in a scent that grows deeper — dizzying, probably because of the trees that are starting to spurt out dark, green leaves in covered with…
PASADENA, Calif. — Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California (APIDC), a non-profit volunteer-run organization that assists with bridging the services and cultural barriers faced by the Asian and Pacific Islander community, hosted its fifth statewide conference on March 18 and 19, at the Westin Hotel in this city. With over 400 people in…
Evidence of link to Paris attacks mounting SEVEN people have been arrested in a series of raids in connection with the bombings at Brussels Airport and subway station earlier this week, according to Belgian prosecutors. The attacks involved three explosions in Brussels on Tuesday, March 22, that killed at least 31 and wounded about 270….
NEW York lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Friday, April 1 on a proposal that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. If approved, New York would become the first state in the nation to enact such a wage for all workers. A coalition of low-wage workers, immigrant activists, unions and other…
Holy Week or Lenten season is the time when Christians, Catholic and other religious denominations remember Christ’s passion (his suffering and death) and resurrection. Ash Wednesday (forty days before Easter Sunday) marks the beginning of this season, it is when you will see Catholics with ash smudged on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. Holy…
AN explosion of new life and hope happened on that Easter morning when Jesus resurrected from the dead after three days in the tomb. It was an explosion that brought conversion to billions of people in the world. Peter and John run fast to the tomb of Jesus that Sunday morning upon hearing Mary Magdalene’s…
Creditor puts lien on client’s house for $16K identity theft credit card TWO clients with issues relating to known and unknown persons who used their names and social security information to borrow credit card in their names. The first client is 51 years old and married. She met this person who became her “friend”. Let’s…
REIGNING Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is no longer a member of “Team Sawi,” as the Filipina beauty queen is apparently dating Mikhail “Doc Mike” Varshavski, who was named the “Hottest Doctor Alive” by People magazine in 2015. Initially, the two met last month and the 26-year-old Filipino-German beauty diffused rumors that they are romantically…
SOME people, with only limited knowledge or understanding of immigration laws, try to strategize and handle their immigration case on their own. They follow the advice of friends or relatives, or listen to gossip or rumors they hear on the streets or at parties. But they may not be aware of all the critical facts…
ON March 11, 2016, the US Department of Homeland Security released its final rule enhancing the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for F-1 international students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The new STEM-OPT extension is a 24-month period of temporary training that directly relates to the student’s program of study in an…
AMLC COUNCIL, EXECUTIVES SHOULD RESIGN Set up in 2001 during President Gloria Arroyo’s term, it is only under President Benigno Aquino that the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC) along with its secretariat has been debased into a political weapon. The council has also failed to justify its raison d’être as proven by the fact that…
What is cardiomyopathy? Cardiomyopathy is a serious disease of the muscles of the heart, where they become enlarged, flabby, and weak, severely reducing the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. The heart may also be dilated (stretched out of shape) due to the loss of effective “recoil” contraction after it has relaxed open to accommodate…
President Obama, as is his right, has nominated to the US Supreme Court another white man from Harvard, Merrick Garland. Yet Mr. Garland is highly unlikely to ever be confirmed given the Republican leadership’s unanimous position that no Presidential nominee will be confirmed while President Obama remains in office. The question raised by California’s more…
Suicide bombers are brothers and believed to be dead, 1 suspect still on the run THREE explosions in Brussels on Tuesday, March 22, that killed at least 34 and wounded about 270, were conducted by two brothers and a suicide bomber linked to the Paris attacks in November. Ibrahim El Bakraoui, 29, and his brother…
“ A single taxpayer is only required to file if the overall value of his specified foreign financial assets is more than $200,000 on the last day of the tax year or more than $300,000 at any time during the tax year.” RECENTLY, the IRS issued rules that require you to attach a disclosure statement…
LAST DECEMBER 8, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Mercy of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, inaugurating the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Mercy is defined as getting the grace that we do not even deserve, including God’s compassionate forgiveness of our sins, liberating us from condemnation so that we could start life all…
“THE world today no longer counts on God. We count on money, arms, private armies, intimidation and connection, and if we continue to do these, it is very easy to lose mercy [for] our neighbors,” said Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as he celebrated a Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, March 20….
IN the Philippines, when someone is asked to work in the United States, it’s tantamount to winning the lottery. So when the option to do so was presented to Angela Guanzon, 38, a Filipina who relocated to America about a decade ago to work as a caregiver, she grabbed the opportunity and applied for the…
THE Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) outreach director for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has left the campaign. Lisa Changadveja, who was first appointed outreach director last August, is moving to Colorado to take a position with the Democratic Party, Clinton campaign spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa told NBC News. “The campaign is expected to announce a new…
PRESIDENT Barack Obama became the first sitting US president since 1928 to visit Cuba when he landed on the island nation for a three-day visit on Sunday, March 20. “This is a historic visit, and it’s a historic opportunity to engage with the Cuban people,” Obama said, according to the Associated Press (AP). On Monday,…
The Lenten season is the time for people to renew themselves with the teachings of Christ. Presented in words in a thousand pulpits across the nation, some may be true to the teachings, but some may self-righteous, mournful and/or violent. If I was asked about the rationale of my faith, I’d say that first, I…
FIFTEEN YEARS ago when she debuted her first fashion show at Reflections, I already saw the promising career that lies ahead of this amazing designer. From starting a couture shop and Barong Tagalog store to launching her own ready-to-wear line: those refining years have brought her this far. It is an honor to feature her…
CAN you think with your heart? In other words, can you have a critical mind and at the same time have intense feelings of love, compassion, sympathy and care for other people? Jesus was able to do this as he entered the city of Jerusalem before his crucifixion and death. He fully knew what was…
Client seeks chapter 13 again for default on residence WHO said that, first is chance, twice is coincidence and third is habit? I have two new clients who are actually previous clients. The first is 55 and she filed jointly with her husband 12 years ago for chapter 7 relief of credit card debt. To tell…
BECAUSE of the current economic downturn, some people are interested about bankruptcy as a relief to their financial dilemma. I deem it therefore appropriate to discuss bankruptcy and Chapter 7 bankruptcy in particular. Any person who resides or is domiciled in the US can file bankruptcy. In fact, a foreigner who owns property or has…
