Misclassification of workers is a form of wage theft
THIS column has often stressed the general rule that most employees should be paid overtime rate if they work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week….
Read More
Do you qualify for earned income credit?
HERE are the top 10 things the Internal Revenue Service wants you to know about this valuable credit: 1. If you qualify, it could be worth up to $6,143 this…
4 ways filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case
COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law…
Bankruptcy: leave your debt troubles behind in 2015
FILING Bankruptcy is a serious decision for most people. Most don’t have a clue about how the process works until they actually consult with an attorney. Confusion often results from…
Understanding the spirit of the right to bear arms
FOLLOWING the San Bernardino massacre that claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 21 others, people ask: when will these senseless killings end? When will Congress pass sensible gun…
Battle of the bulges
WOMEN who are terrorized by tape measures and scales know that there is nothing relaxing about this kind of fight. The result is apparent: a race among women to be…
Should we even celebrate Christmas this year?
It’s hard not to be affected by the recent terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California. It’s so close to home, only less than a hundred miles away. It makes us…
Study: Binge watching TV as a young adult could lead to decline in brain function
WATCHING excessive TV can lead to cognitive decline over time, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) conducted a study on more than…
Supreme Court refuses to hear case challenging assault weapons ban
THE Supreme Court has declined to review an appeal of an Illinois ordinance banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, marking a victory for gun control advocates. The decision on Monday,…
LA County Board of Supervisors votes to accept Syrian refugees
A DIVIDED Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved on Tuesday, Dec. 8, a motion to welcome Syrian refugees to the county. The vote comes days after a mass shooting…
Fil-Am survivor speaks out after San Bernardino massacre
AS reports continue to develop regarding the Dec. 2 shootings in San Bernardino, California, survivors of the attacks carried out by a radicalized Muslim husband and wife are beginning to…
Gov. Brown’s Appointments Secretary demystifies process in becoming governor’s appointee
EVERY year, more than 2,700 appointments are made to various boards and commissions in the State of California, each of whom have to go through California Gov. Jerry Brown’s Appointments…
The January 2016 Priority Dates
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…
Actress Cristine Reyes to wed fiance next year
ALTHOUGH her wedding to fiance Ali Khatibi was supposed to take place this month, sexy actress Cristine Reyes said that they had to move the date to January next year. …
Aspirin daily: Safe or risky?
MY column on “Aspirin, the Wonder Drug,” came out in 2002, when this common household item was in the spotlight for some time for its new role in staving off…
SIPA Crew offers cost-free hip-hop dance & visual media arts classes to youth
ONE. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Standing before a wall lined with seven large mirror panels, Fil-Am Van Jovi Wong, 21, counts out loud while demonstrating a dance…
May angal, Circa 2015
IN April 2010, towards the end of the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, I wrote a biting piece entitled, “May Angal???” I wrote it out of sheer frustration over the…
Do you agree with Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the US?
Donald Trump once again shook the nation with yet another plan to purportedly keep America safe following the San Bernardino massacre that killed 14 people and injured 21 others. The…
Global commitment
RECENT climatic and environmental events warn that the world is doomed for disastrous consequences. The Philippines—who is among the countries that bear the brunt of this phenomenon—seeks adaptive measures that…
The world of gossip
Some love or hate it, others write or repeat it. But the obsession with gossip seems here to stay. From what we read about the unholy and unchanging trinity of…
Pope Francis opens door to the Jubilee Year of Mercy
TUESDAY, Dec. 8 marked the beginning of an important year in the Catholic Church–the beginning of the Year of Mercy, a special holy year for Catholics. Pope Francis opened the…
Gov. Brown calls for comprehensive gun reform
CALIFORNIA Governor Jerry Brown is calling for action on the part of the federal government, pushing for stronger gun laws and vigilance against potential terrorist threats. Speaking from the convention…
Trump calls for ban on Muslim entry to US
Controversial remarks condemned Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday, Dec. 7, called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, following a Dec. 2 mass shooting in San…
Obama: ‘Threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it’
House passes bill to restrict visa-free travel PRESIDENT Barack Obama somberly addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday, Dec. 6, outlining his administration’s strategy for fighting the war…
Single mom with conditional loan modification seeks chapter 13 relief to stop foreclosure
CLIENT is 53. She has two sons who are just entering college. She divorced ten years ago. Ex-husband does not pay spousal or child support but left her with the…
Online shoppers beware: Advertised prices may be different from what you’re paying
IN February 2011, Michael Rodman signed up on Safeway.com to buy his groceries online and have them delivered to his home for an additional delivery fee and fuel surcharge. After…
USCIS’ draft policy guidance on extreme hardship
AS you may be aware, an alien seeking permanent residency status in the US must be “admissible” to the US. Admissibility means the ability of an alien to receive a…
10 tips on excluding gain from the sale of your home
• AMOUNT of exclusion. When you have gain from the sale of your home, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain from your income. The…
4 ways to get out of debt
WHEN people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their debts and avoid contact with creditors. They think…
After San Bernardino mass shooting: more Fil-Ams want stricter gun control laws in the US
FOURTEEN people were killed and 21 others wounded when a couple opened fire in San Bernardino, California last Wednesday, Dec. 2. FBI Director James Comey said they uncovered “indications of…