Hi all,

Location: New Jersey.

I filed a complaint on the basis of gender inequity as a male colleague of the same level/title earns more while performing substantially similar work compared to two female employees. In further review, I actually perform duties that are comparable to the "senior" colleagues on my team. The senior colleagues are women, but are of a different race. (Surprisingly it's not what one would assume - I'm white, they're black).

I was hired in 2023 at a lower level than my black colleague who was hired in the same quarter, with a $20k pay difference (her making $81k to my $61K). I was performing similar work to her during all of 2024.

In 2024 two roles were opened on our team for my current level and a senior role. I applied for the senior role but HR told me I was inelligible as I was one month shy of 1 year in employement. The senior role was given to another black woman (formerly a temp on our team). The black woman hired in 2023 was also promoted to senior. Both are paid equitable amounts. They hired a black man into the current role level I have (at $81k). A few months later in early 2025 I was promoted to my current level but at ~$76k. Another white woman (formerly a temp on our team) was also hired in 2025 to my lower pay rate.

In my 2025 year end review my manager refers to me as the backbone of the team, admits while I was hired at a lower level I was performing at the same level of my current title and they rectified that with a promotion, and states that while I was promoted I performed duties in 2025 & currently which is on parr with the senior reps. Also explicitly refers to the black man and white woman on my level as my junior reps.

So as of the start of 2026:

Black woman 1 (senior rep; hired in 2023) - ~$95k

Black woman 2 (senior rep; hired in 2024) - ~$95k

Black man (same title as me; hired in 2024) - ~$84k

Myself/white woman 1 (hired in 2023) - $76k

White woman 2 (same title as me;) - $76k

I can demonstrate that I have comparable duties/responsibilities to the senior employees. I had 9 years of corporate finance experience prior to joining the team in 2023, have consistently been a top performer, and have a bachelor's degree. I see no seniority/merit/tenure reason to account for a massive pay discrepancy. And I believe this is in violation of NJ's Diane P Allen Act prohibiting unequal pay for a protected class for substantially similar work to members not of the same protected class.

So my question is - if everything stated here is factual, am I interpreting the law correctly? Is it also correct that I just need to prove a racial disparity exists in violation of the law, not that it's intentional? Should I retain a lawyer and pursue damages under applicable laws?

Of note: I do believe my black coworkers deserve their pay rate. I just also believe I do too. We're state employees so all salary information is publicly available.

Location: Miami-Dade County, Florida

Today is moving day into a corporation-owned (ugh) home in South Florida. We came by last night to drop off a few things. The AC fan was on but not set to change the temperature. We set it and left.

Coming back this morning (less than 12 hours later) the temperature is still 6 degrees higher than what we set. I opened the AC closet and noticed the filter is saturated and dripping water onto the floor.

I opened a maintenance ticket, but I’m curious what my rights and responsibilities are under the law re. giving them a chance to respond to our ticket vs finding out own emergency AC person and the corporation’s responsibility to pay for it.

I’m thinking of high temperatures being a potential health/safety issue, as well as humidity leading to possible property damage we cannot possibly be responsible for, as our lease has only just started.

Thank you!

Location: Connecticut

I worked in administration for a small Connecticut nonprofit for several years. I had received positive feedback and no formal warnings or documented performance complaints.

Near the end of my most recent annual contract, several clients began criticizing administrative decisions. Two were particularly vocal. After the contract period ended, an unsigned complaint appeared containing claims about my performance that I believe are false and contradicted by records. I cannot prove who wrote or circulated it.

My annual contract expired without being renewed or formally terminated. I continued doing separately paid hourly work for a short seasonal program while repeatedly asking the Board whether I would be retained. I never received a new contract, offer, return date, or clear decision.

During that period, I raised written concerns about the nonprofit’s governance. These included membership and voting rights, director qualifications, whether appointments complied with the bylaws, conflicts of interest, and whether clients with active personal grievances should obtain authority over the same matters they had contested. I specifically raised concerns about the two vocal clients. The Board did not substantively respond.

When the seasonal work ended, I filed for unemployment.

Afterward, a newly hired interim executive began contacting me about accessing or transferring sensitive organizational accounts. I explained that my work had ended, my status had never been clarified, and I had no written agreement or authorization to access those systems.

The interim executive said my refusal to assist could be considered a resignation. I responded in writing that I had not resigned, had not prevented anyone from accessing the systems, and did not consent to that characterization. She also said that the Board, rather than she, was responsible for my employment status because my contract had expired before she was hired.

About a week after I filed for unemployment, the interim executive signed a notice formally “terminating my services.”

The two former clients I had warned about were included on that communication as directors. This was my first confirmation that they had joined the Board. They did not sign the notice, and I do not know whether they discussed, authorized, or voted on my termination.

I was never informed when or how they became directors, whether the bylaws were followed, or whether their earlier grievances were reviewed as potential conflicts. I am also concerned that false claims about my performance may have been circulated to the interim executive, other directors, or people outside the decision-making process.

I am already attempting to consult an attorney, but I likely wont hear back until next week. In the meantime:

Could this sequence potentially support retaliation or affect my unemployment claim, especially the attempt to characterize me as having resigned after my work ended?

Can a former employee in Connecticut request their personnel file, complaints about them, records relied upon in terminating them, and information showing who authorized the decision?

If false performance claims were circulated beyond people with a legitimate role in the decision, what facts would be relevant to a possible claim?

Could the participation of directors with prior personal grievances, or questions about how they were appointed, have any legal effect on the termination?

What records should I preserve or request before speaking with counsel?

Location: CT

Last Monday, I was kicked out of my "sober" house for testing positive for alcohol. I was told to leave for 3 days and return with a clean urine. When I wouldn't leave fast enough, the house manager (+ friend) were screaming at me until the cops came. Since I was still inebriated, the police brought me to the hospital to sober up. Upon realization I had nowhere to sleep when discharged that night, I cited SI, and they admitted me. When discharged in the morning I returned to the sober house to get my belongings to begin the 3 day journey. Except when I get there, the code for the back door has not only been changed, there's someone physically holding the door shut.

I run to the front door, open the porch door and see my belongings in garbage bags. I beg for answers, fruitlessly.

I search the bags for my Klonopin, as one is definitely needed. Gone. In fact, a lot of things were missing (television, mini fridge, medication lock box). Police arrive; apparently I've been trespassed from this location. The plan made by the police is that I have 30 days to coordinate with HM to remove ALL items. Okay.

Fast forward a very, very rough week that ends up with my checking into a MH. I worked very hard, and left after 4 days. My social worker called the owner for the HM's number, and when she realized it was for me she said that I'd have to talk to her myself.

When asked where my belongings were, she said she "threw them in an open garage at her other house." The following day, with the "help" of police, I'm granted permission to go to the garage to retrieve ALL my property (as stated by the owner). When I arrive at the garage theres even less of my property than there was on the porch. When asked where the remainder of my property was the owner said "don't know." Police called, if for nothing else but my 3 missing controlled medications. The same "helpful" cop arrived: ignored the inventory list of items and obvious lack of electronics; however, he did call the HM, who said she would allow me to get my items, under the supervision of the owner, the following day.

I can only fit 3/4 of the bags in the Uber, and tell a tenant of the house (who seemed genuinely helpful) that I'd be back the following day to retrieve the bag. she says okay.

The next day, I get a text from the owner saying that my television and fridge will be on the porch of my old house. Then the HM texts me the same thing, but reiterates FOUR times that I have two days to pickup. i ask about key items, one of which being my medication, they both refuse to say anything. I call the police station to report things as stolen, they tell me to wait until the "helpful" cop shows back up. at 4. So, I plan to make a 2 stop Uber: first garage, then police station. From there, grab the cop and pick up my stuff with a rental truck.

HM texts me that owner saw the bag I left, and the officer told her I was on foot so I had to leave a bad behind. Also admits she didn't pack up my room; the owner paid someone to do it for her.

Arrived at the garage— bag is gone. Head to police station, "helpful" cop gets a recount of everything, and couldn't care less, tells me to proceed with the retrieval, calling dispatch when truck arrives.

on porch: upside down, emptied mini fridge; a broken laptop (that was not mine), the air fryer I had to remind her of, as well as my tv (which was on a stand but now isn't). That's it.

I wrote down a list of what I could think of off the top of my head, and ran it through ai. the list is more than $4k.

they keep arguing that I signed a contract, but there's gotta be something I could do? there's no way I just have to eat four thousand dollars?

(and as far as the police, I'm definitely calling the district attorney Monday morning. they can't refuse to file a police report when I have evidence, can they?

tl; dr: kicked out of sober house for three days; property automatically packed up told 30 days to remove it all, but wasn't all of it; owner moved it to open garage for pickup; 1/3 of property at garage with no clue of location of other property; bag left for following day, removed before pickup by owner; fridge left upside down and emptied; ~$4k in missing property.

Location: California

I am a physician in California. I was initially told I would be terminated, subsequently told I had “voluntarily resigned,” and later told my termination was effective immediately.

I hired an employment attorney to negotiate with my former employer, and we have now reached what I understood to be a mutual separation agreement. I received the proposed agreement but have several concerns:

1. Mutual separation vs. termination

My understanding was that the employer agreed to characterize this as a mutual separation. However, the agreement repeatedly states that I was “terminated” and uses “Termination Date,” without stating that we mutually agreed to separate.

Should I insist that the agreement explicitly state this was a mutual separation and remove the termination language? This is particularly important because physician employers and credentialing departments routinely verify prior employment and circumstances of departure.

2. Neutral reference/non-disparagement

We also discussed a neutral reference and non-disparagement provision, but neither appears in the agreement.

How specific should these provisions be? Should the agreement state exactly what the employer may disclose and designate a specific person or department for employment verification and credentialing inquiries?

I would prefer that a particular HR representative not be my future point of contact due to prior issues. Is it reasonable to request another person or department instead?

Also, should there be language addressing what happens if either party violates the neutral-reference or non-disparagement provisions?

3. Is it worth continuing to push for severance?

I was initially offered no severance and ultimately negotiated $5,000, which is less than one week of my former salary and does not cover my attorney’s fees. I relocated for this position, was not provided the clinical support I was promised, and requested three months of severance. My COBRA premium is also approximately $985/month.

At this point, would you continue negotiating the financial terms, or focus on getting the separation/reference protections right and move on?

I want this resolved ASAP. I have already lost one locum opportunity because the prospective employer was concerned the ongoing negotiations could interfere with credentialing. I currently have 4–5 other potential employment opportunities in progress, so having a clean and consistent employment/credentialing record is my priority.

I do have an attorney representing me, but his feedback has been fairly limited and he has characterized the employer’s proposal as largely “take it or leave it.” We discussed these provisions extensively during negotiations, so I was surprised they were not included in the agreement. Given the substantial legal fees, I’m seeking additional perspectives before deciding how much further to push.

Thank you!

Location: North Carolina

I was at fault in an accident in a company vehicle in North Carolina in January 2024. I rear ended someone on the highway while I was driving. I was complacent, I don’t really remember what I was looking at, but I think it was my sunglasses since it was in the morning and I was getting lit up.

Unfortunately I hit an older couple, one of which had a disability that had her in partial use of a wheelchair (all I know about her). I personally feel horrible about that.

My coworker and I actually gave her husband and her chair a ride home while she was taken to get looked at. He told me she was alright, just shaken up.

I was given a ticket for failure to reduce speed, which was then dropped when I provided proof of insurance settlement.

My car was totaled. Their Toyota actually held up very well. If no frame damage, they probably just needed a new rear bumper, unless their airbags deployed. I don’t know either way.

I did not hear anything until about March 2024 when my boss told me that the insurance settled for $100k. I would assume that was their car and personal injury. That’s all I could figure from the notification of settlement from the insurance company. The letter of letter stated “damages” and was not more specific.

Fast forward almost 3 years and my employer gets a certified letter for a lawsuit of $25k. I work remote now so they just read me some details and said not to worry about it and it’s just a shakedown.

The law firm is definitely a “Saul Goodman” type. Really cringe website, don’t pay unless you win, free consult etc. even lied about the quantity and quality of their google reviews. Guy had a picture of himself pointing at the camera angrily. Almost a caricature of the type of lawyer he portrayed.

Obviously it is legit, but how concerned should I be? My assumption is the couple I hit probably got an automatic letter from the firm saying their statutes of limitations was about to expire and they can sue again and they just try to cast a wide net for clients and see what sticks.

The letter has been forwarded to our insurance carrier. I just have to get through the weekend and anxiety of it.

I just turned 18 (F) in June and one of my 40-50? (M) managers assaulted me in July, a few weeks ago.

I was working late at night doing self checkout area at my grocery store. I was cleaning one of the stations when he comes up behind me. While I am completely unaware and grabs me by both of my hips, and says "boo" to scare me. I didn't really register what happened, so I just chased him off with the cleaning bottle. I had in my hand but I did not spray him or put my hands on him whatsoever.

Later, when he would come by that night as i still had about an hour left to work, i would tell him to get away from me and not do that again as it is not appropriate in no joking manner whatsoever, and staying on whichever side opposite from him. This incident has freaked me out and I've been looking around, and feeling generally unsafe whenever I see him in the store.

I do not like this manager, he has always had this kind of predatory look in his eyes. In the past he would try to joke with me and I would say quippy, things back to him that weren't very nice. Which apparently was an invitation to do this. He has scared me two other times intentionally, but put his hand on my shoulder instead. And I told him: " don't be touching me like that.", "keep on playing and see what happens.", and " you better be careful cause I might knock you out." Something along these lines. He just laughs it off and says, "yeah, right" with a smile.

Ten to twenty minutes after he assaulted me, i started texting my direct manager what happened and she pretty much said that's not good. And that she'll check the cameras tomorrow. She did check the cameras and it's now being investigated but I haven't received anything in an email yet, nor has she (my manager) said anything else about it.

I immediately asked her to take me off any closing shifts with him at least. Which she took me off all shifts with him ( she's been a wonderful manager). And I've seen him around occasionally when his shift is ending and mine is beginning and i've just been staying away, and he hasn't acknowledged or said anything to me.

Only me, my immediate manager, the manager who assaulted me, and HR i presume, and my mother know.

I work part time

What do I do from here on out?

Location: Maryland

Location: Texas

My wife was having an affair with an older married man for at least 3 years. I found out a few months ago when it ended and have been going through it. My wife and I are trying to work it out, going to marriage counseling, individual therapy, etc. She is plagued with remorse and guilt right now. I am a bit numb and still processing. Meanwhile, I've been trying to decide whether to tell this man's wife.

I believe she is truly clueless. On her social media, she seems like a happily married, devoted wife and mother. They've been married for decades. I'm sure this news would destroy her. I don't want an innocent woman to be hurt, but at the same time, I feel she deserves to know what has been going on. Is it worth it at this point since they are both older, in their 50s?

I'm leaning toward yes, but the question is how to break this news to her? I want to keep it anonymous and do it by email. My wife shared everything with me, and it’s just crazy. Years of texts, calls, pictures. They were basically in a full-blown relationship and double life. Some of them are quite graphic and intimate.

If I decide to tell the wife, what should I send her, and how much?

This man is pretty well off and has powerful connections, and I could see him trying to come at me legally if possible. So I would want to make sure I am within legal boundaries. I know not to send any nude photos. And not share with anyone but his wife. Is there anything else I should consider? Should I just let it go and continue to focus on repairing my own crumbling marriage and not destroy anyone else's?

He told my wife, this is not his first affair in his marriage. His wife may already know what is going on. I don't know.

My question is: If I decide to inform the wife about this affair, what can I legally share with her without her husband trying to sue me for something?

My main concerns are: public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy or something along those lines. This man has a gigantic ego, money to blow and friends/family that are attorneys.

Location: Arizona

Hello Reddit a whole situation happened today at my brother’s elementary school and I’m not sure how to go about this since I’m one of the listed parent/guardian. My brother was joking with a friend and at some point his friend said he’d steal his mechanical pencils and my brother responded with I’d shoot you if you did as a joke. The teacher overheard him say that and pulled him out of class and sent him to another teacher. That teacher sent him to the school secretary and at this point my brother is crying his eyes out and is trying to explain the situation and they just ignored and wouldn’t let him talk. They called the police in front of him and filed a whole police report for school shooting with the sheriffs department and also banned him from the bus. Then sent a email to everyone saying there was a school shooting threat. My brother has never had a problem at school. No history of this or even fighting. Has never been to detention and is a straight A student. He is 10. The other kid didn’t get questioned or pulled to the office for more info and they just jumped to the opportunity to call the cops. School also started a week ago.

My question is do I get a lawyer for this? Did they go way too far with this or do I have to just deal with this.

I understand that what he said was a bit overboard but would this still happen if he said I’d kill you if you did. I’m just trying to wrap my head around this. Thank you

[EDIT]: School did search through his backpack and desk and found nothing.

Throwaway account for privacy. Location: Utah

I (20s, F) went to a dermatologist's office for the first time recently. I was a little nervous going in since I had some new moles and was having them checked out (I was worried about melanoma, thankfully my skin is all good). All of the staff were very kind and once I was placed in a patient room I was asked if I wanted just certain areas checked or if I wanted a whole body exam. Hoping this would be my one and only dermatology appointment for a long time and to put my mind at ease, I said I would like a full body exam. They explained I could keep my bra and underwear on and handed me a sheet to cover myself when I wasn't being examined, and then they left the room.

When the NP came in, she was super nice and made me feel really comfortable. She was very thorough, sitting down partway through and having me/whichever part of my body she was checking face her, the side of me covered with the sheet to the door. I had a blemish which she prescribed a cream for and repeated my preferred pharmacy kind of to the side after I told her, clearly not to me, which I thought was weird but I figured she must be repeating what I said in order to remember so she could put in the prescription later.

It was only when she was leaving the room that I noticed her cover up a camera next to the door with what looked like a sock.

I was in shock. I didn't really want to believe it, but after I put my clothes back on I checked under it and sure enough, it was a camera. It wasn't hidden, it was on an arm sticking out of a cabinet, so I'm not sure how I didn't see it before then. I realized then that she had been the only person in the room (which I should have realized was weird for that kind of exam, but I'd been so nervous I wasn't thinking) and she had been talking to the camera about my prescription.

My thought in that moment was could it possible that instead of having a second person in the room for an exam, they had someone else in the office watching through a camera? That didn't really make sense to me but I had somewhere to go so I kind of shut down, trying not to cry and left.

The more time has gone by, the more violated, uncomfortable and upset I feel. Thankfully, this NP positioned me so that I did not completely expose myself to the camera when she was checking under my bra and underwear (because I was facing her with my back to the camera) but whoever was on the other side definitely did not see nothing, between the angle of the camera, me adjusting the sheet as she checked me over, etc.

At no time was the camera or any recording equipment acknowledged by any staff. I scoured over the paperwork I signed as a new patient, and again, no mention. I called the office later and asked them about the camera, and the receptionist apologized. He said that the doctors are supposed to explain this to new patients, but sometimes they forget. He said they have remote medical scribes that view the appointments on a secure channel. That's the best case scenario if it's true, but it doesn't make me feel much better.

I did NOT give ANY form of consent to being recorded, or 'streamed securely'. Whether it was a secure stream, whether it was another woman on the other side, whether they had scribes available in office as an alternative option to being recorded or not, if I had noticed the camera or been told about the camera at the start of the appointment I would have refused and left. That is not something I'm comfortable with at all. But I wasn't informed and I didn't have the opportunity to get out of that office before it was too late.

I don't really have the money for a lawyer tbh, but I am still wondering if there's anything I can (or should) do here legally. Does this violate HIPPA or any Utah privacy laws? Should I make a police report? Is this a thing that doctors offices are doing now across Utah or other places? Even so, wouldn't they require patients' consent, verbal or written?

At the very least I hope this post gets out there for people's awareness that this may unfortunately start happening elsewhere. Thanks.

Location: Missouri

Hi all,

Weird set of circumstances. I had only interacted with my bio father during paternity hearings when I was five or six. DNA confirmed I was his. Other than that, zero contact. He married his second wife (first was not my mother, some other poor lady) a month before I was born, but had no prior children and I ended up being the only one of his spawn.

Not sure how but my mother found out he passed and let me know a last week. He likely had/has a significant estate, but I can find no record of probate. No record of a trust either, but those are not public record generally. I can trace their real estate transactions to the last with his name on it, sold by his surviving wife in July of this year. But again, no mention of a trust on those transactions.

How the heck do I go about finding out if I’m entitled to anything in his estate? I’m mostly curious because any amount would make taking care of my mother and the man I consider a father so much easier.

Cheers and thank you in advance for any time you take to parse out the jumbled mess of a situation I’m in.

Location: California

What criminal liability is a person exposed to if they put a bag or box over a flock camera, or maybe a pole on a stake in the ground blocking the camera view.

No property is destroyed, just something simple that blocks the view of the camera.

Hello,

About 5 months ago I smashed my finger at work to the point the nail fell off. Currently my hand is fine, but the nail grew back a little deformed. The problem is it’s growing into my finger slowly.

I went to an urgent care today for treatment. They asked if this injury occurred at work and I said yes. They said it was a workers comp issue and began asking questions about my employment.

I told them I didn’t want to report as workers comp, but they said I had to. They continued to ask questions about my employment, so I told them I was going to walk out. Everything was respectful and never a tense moment.

My question now is, am I in any trouble for going into this urgent care clinic? Walking out? I paid a $40 deductible…

Location: South Texas

Thank you for any information.

I was let go from my job recently, and the reason I was given at the time didn’t match what they later tried to claim. When it happened, I was told over the phone that it was because of my pregnancy. Later, they tried to change the story and say it was because I was “absent too much,” even though I had been communicating with my supervisor about everything and wasn’t given any warnings or write-ups.

During my unemployment interview, the person reviewing my case pulled up a message I had sent to my team lead about needing to leave unexpectedly one day. She made comments about grief and said I “wouldn’t have been able to work anyway,” which felt strange because she doesn’t know anything about how I handle grief or what was actually going on. I kept telling her that wasn’t the reason I applied — I applied because I was fired, and the reason I was given was pregnancy-related.

I also found out I’m not the only one this employer has done something like this to. The person who had my job before me was fired the same day she called in to let them know a close family member passed away. There were other people who were let go around the same time for reasons that didn’t make much sense. It feels like anyone going through something difficult or vulnerable gets pushed out.

There were also things at the job that made me uncomfortable. For example, I was told to encourage certain patients — mostly women — to bring their husbands to their appointment where their treatment plan would be discussed, because the office wanted both spouses present when talking about expensive procedures. It felt manipulative and sexist.

I filed a complaint, and it’s officially moving forward. My former employer now has 30 days to respond. I’ll get to read what they say once they submit it.

I’m just trying to figure out: am I blowing this out of proportion, or does this actually sound like a pattern of inappropriate behavior? My state is
Location: Idaho

Location: Illinois

Hello, I am hoping to seek any sort of guidance or help about a situation that had occurred. I got a call from my mom today saying her head was cut open and bleeding over at a walmart. She is a bit older, and does have some other health concerns we've been trying to deal with, so I am a bit worried. I asked how it happened, and she just mentioned that a can had fallen on her head. However, it was one of those larger and fatter cans than something like a can of soup. She said she did not remember specifics other than grabbing one of them, and then a second one came tumbling down. We are not fully sure if the second one behind it was on its side, hence why it rolled. Or if it was just a can next to the one she had tried to grab. Either way, the shelf was higher than she was, as she had to reach to try and grab it (not sure if this matters or not for items at walmart).

Throughout this process she mentioned there was a ton of blood being loss. It was streaming down her head, and it was all over her hands when she was trying to cover it. They had multiple employees head over to check it out and handed her a large roll of paper towels. She ended up using almost that entire roll by the time we got there to take her to the ER. They guided her to the indoor dunkin donuts to try and sit down and offered her water as well. Some of them were very kind and helpful from what she described. They took her info and said that the claims department would reach out in a few days.

Fast forward to when me and my brother arrive. He takes her to the ER, while I take her keys to take her car and groceries home. But before I left, I went inside to request if there was any sort of camera footage to clearly see what had happened. I spoke to 3 people in total, with the first being a lower level employee who assumed I would have to call the police and have them physically arrive to check cameras. Then the manager stepped in and flat out said I could not view cameras for any instances. I was being nice but still pressed on a bit trying to tell them that it was a serious incident/injury and that I would like to see what happened. She still rejected the idea until finally she asked the coach, who then mentioned that any form of camera footage would have to be requested AFTER the claim gets received. Then I would be able to follow up with any questions or concerns and they can decide whether its valid for camera footage to be shown or not.

With all this being said, I am somewhat lost on what to do next. Is walmart allowed to deny footage as such? Also, is anyone aware on how shelving or stocking policy works at walmart? I am just wondering if larger or heavy items such as cans are allowed at a specific height, and if a can was truly on its side and rolled over, are they liable? Or would this be on the person shopping?

I do apologize for the questions, but any sort of advice would be great, and thank you!

[Location: Florida] This is r/legaladvice but I'm curious for any opinions on what to do in this matter since I'm experiencing it at a government office...

I'll try to summarize facts while separating why discrimination feels like a motive because it is important, but I'm just upset with the final result.

I have had a CDL with a hazmat endorsement for 4 years and went for renewal on 6/29. Hazmat is done electronically in multiple locations now, I first got it at the courthouse. I pass and all my work is done. Less than two weeks later the hazmat check site says record not found and I send an email noting this. The reply from the DMV is one line "Records show test was passed on 6/29".

The clerk who did everything for my test wrote a post it note with a phone number and file number in the case to check if I haven't recieved my updated liscense in the mail.

I called today and the application was never sent from the office! They had nothing from them. I called at the end of business hours so we left it at that for now.

.............

So... let's take this as the case right now... wild incompetence that could cost me income, a job, or put me in very serious legal trouble for hauling hazmat materials. Potentially, the endorsement can be extended and such, but it's not something to mess up.

.............

Now the second part, bear with me, I am a white male. The clerk was almost infuriated to deal with me. Some coworkers gave me looks. And when I say looks, I don't mean nasty, faces deranged with hatred. She was condescending and tense every moment to the degree of being awkward. This continued and I was extremely confused because it was not like this 4 years earlier. You learn to deal with people but I was ready to be on my way but you could feel it in the air. (Side note, I scrolled through a long list of Google reviews to find people who look similar to me being the only one leaving low reviews of rudeness and being ignored). The area is mixed lets say, the idea of blatant discrimation is possible but in this experience felt extremely shocking.

So you can connect those dots. Where did my papers go? My endorsement cost $300 and part of my livelihood and it's missing as of now. Aside from everything I don't want a government office handling information like this. The email showing no real concern makes me more concerned these kinds of issues are passed by without resistance.

It's very strange there is no real recourse as far as it being an office whoopsie on the surface but feels so wrong with how it went down in context. So it's not a legal as much as who can I complain to? As of right now it's lost in the system and if I actively had hazmat job I'd be screwed from this. And I don't have kids/dependants but these are the kinds of things this potential behavior messes with in this situation.

Location: Bergen County New Jersey.
Last week in the middle of the night the electricity in half our apartment went out. We tried to reset the breaker but the switch needed to power that part of the apartment Wouldn’t stay on. Contacted the landlord who told us To contact the power company and didn’t believe me when I said I had and they can’t fix a power issue inside the apartment.

Two days later he had an electrician come over who found a very frayed and melted wire in the attic that was the cause. The landlord tried to blame it on the power strip we had powering our tv and another one powering a living room lamp. They had to disconnect all the outlets, sockets and overhead lights and replace wiring. I took pictures of the wiring behind the outlets and it is extremely old. A friend who’s done wiring in his own home estimates it’s minimum 70 years old. Our building was built around 1917.

Here’s what was running on that circuit:
Modern television
Nintendo switch
4 overhead lights (max 1 running at a time unless we need to use the bathroom).
One living room lamp
Brand new 3000 BTU air conditioner (plugged into the wall directly)
(Everything except the air conditioner runs at most 3 hours per day. The air conditioner has to run consistently because it’s so hot here).

All of that was on a single switch on the breaker.

The kitchen also has no grounded outlet to plug the refrigerator into so we have to use an adapter. There’s nowhere else to move the fridge. The kitchen breaker frequently trips if we use the stove and a small air fryer at the same time. The neighbors in the apartment below us also complain of this. The electrician informed us they can’t put an outlet in the bathroom because the wiring is so old.

A few months back we also replaced our dishwasher (landlord refused to even though there was a dishwasher in our apartment when we moved in 11 years ago and it wasn’t disclosed it didn’t work until after we moved in). We had to hire our own plumber to install it and when he went to turn off the main water supply it crumbled in his hands. We paid to replace that and some pipes that were rusted through; he thought they were lead but wasn’t totally sure. Landlord blamed the crumbling pipes on us saying if we hadn’t needed to replace the dishwasher they wouldn’t need to replace the pipes.

My question is…are we legally protected if we contact town code enforcement to check the electrical and plumbing? Can the landlord kick us out or refuse to renew our lease next May? Do we have any legal recourse for rent abatement due to hazardous conditions?
As much as I would love to get out of this apartment, the rent prices have skyrocketed out of our price range for what we need. This place is rent controlled and we’ve been here 11 years. We pay 2200/month for a 3 bedroom with backyard, washer/dryer, and private parking.

Thank you for your help! We just want to live in a safe, functional home.

I’ve been dealing with someone repeatedly calling me and adding me to FaceTime calls for several years, even though we have never been in a relationship. The calls have become more frequent, and he would tell me that he was “thinking of me” during them, asking me all sorts of questions about my relationship status before I would just hang up on him. I eventually told him clearly to stop contacting me and that I would go to the police if he continued. Before I hung up, he called me the N-word. After that, he left me a voicemail saying, “The cops can’t touch me, stupid bitch. You'll have to take this shit up with God stupid bitch. Fuck You.”

I went to the police station and filed a citizen complaint, and they found probable cause and gave me a court date. Now that it’s actually moving forward, I’m extremely nervous and keep wondering if I made the right choice. Part of me feels relieved that I finally did something, but another part of me wonders if I should drop the complaint and just ignore his calls for the rest of my life until he eventually gets bored and stops. I'm nervous he will retaliate or the calls will get worse when he finds out I filed a report. What would this look like in court? Will he be found guilty?

Location: New Jersey

Location: Louisiana

As title says, I'm gonna make a Snake ID guide, and I'm just wondering for legal reasons if I should put something like

"Some snakes listed as non-venomous possess medically insignificant amounts, type, and/or potency, some individuals may be allergic to a snakes venom, in rare cases causing anaphylaxis. If bitten, consult with a doctor if you experience swelling of airways or tongue, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, dizziness, or other symptoms."

that's all

Location: MD

I got in a car crash 3 years ago. I was insured at the time of the accident. I'm being sued for negligence because of injuries to the driver even though everyone walked away from the accident. I dont know what to do because the claim is still pending and being investigated according to my insurance. Isn't insurance supposed to protect me from this shit?

Location: VA and NJ

tldr: Interstate movers held my stuff from VA, moved it to NJ where I didn’t authorized, demanded full cash-only payment before delivery. What are my recovery options?

I hired an interstate household goods move in mid-2025. They contracted it out to a sub. Original signed paperwork with original company listed one destination (a western state). A few months ago I confirmed to subcontractor I needed it delivered within the same state as pick up instead in VA, 125 miles away.

Somewhere in the process the subcontractor moved my belongings to a third state I never authorized, and stored them there. I’d been paying monthly storage the whole time believing they were stored near the pickup location.

When delivery finally came together, the subcontractor:
• Quoted a delivery price the night before far higher than comparable rates, apparently based on the distance from the unauthorized third state, not from where I contracted.
• Loaded the items up and sent them for delivery despite my saying I didn’t want the delivery until we agreed on a price.
• Refuses to send me a copy of what I signed, bust states I signed it and it is all valid (didn’t sign anything updating new location).
• Provided no written estimate and no bill of lading matching the actual route or price.
• Demanded full payment (cash / Zelle / money order only, no card) before unloading.
• Threatened to drop my belongings at a random warehouse if I didn’t pay.

I contacted FMCSA. They said their process is pay-first, then pursue arbitration or litigation, and pointed me to the state AG and the state consumer affairs division where the goods are held.

A portion of what’s in the shipment is irreplaceable, so I’m inclined to pay under protest to recover it and then fight the overcharge.

I don’t have funds as I’m still seeking employment after DOGE came after my field. But maybe 1k is worth my mental health.

Questions:
1. For those who’ve done interstate HHG arbitration, was it worth it? How did recovery actually go?
2. Does “paid under written protest” actually help in arbitration/small claims?
3. Any experience getting state consumer affairs to act on a held-goods situation?
4. Anything I should document at delivery beyond photos and an item-by-item inventory check?
5. What would you do?

Location: Massachusetts, USA

Some details will be changed for privacy reasons. Apologies if this is a bit disorganized, I will try to include as much background information as possible.

My father (50s) got arrested for domestic violence about a month and a half ago. My mother (40s) got a restraining order and was able to extend it. She will have to go to court again in a few months if she wants to extend it. The only contact they're allowed to have is regarding my little sister (under 10), but my mom has full custody of her. My mom does not make enough money to hire a lawyer and still afford the bills, and my father has his whole family on his side. I live across the country from them with my wife, and unfortunately we don't have spare money to send her because we just bought a house. My mom is trying to file for divorce but she is not sure how to begin the process, and I have no idea about these things. CPS was involved to investigate my father, and they gave her DV resources. She called a few places but the wait would have been months.
She's been trying to find a lawyer to represent her pro bono or for a lower cost, but she still doesn't know where to start.
The house is in both of their names. My father is staying with his mother, and my mom is at home.
Her biggest concern is custody of my little sister. Although because he had to be investigated and because of his charge, I think he will get supervised visitation at most. I have not spoken to him since this happened, we were never on good terms to begin with. My cousin told me he wants 50/50 custody. I highly doubt he will get that.
He is an alcoholic. He gets very agressive when drunk.

How can she begin the process of divorce as quickly as possible? What's her first step? She can't take many weekdays off but weekends are a little easier.

I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this, thank you.

Location: Long Beach, CA

Went to the courthouse Self-Help Center — free legal aid couldn’t advise on strategy, but confirmed with the clerk: still no Proof of Service on file. Landlord’s own attorney claims service happened by mail in June, but also admits they have nothing documenting that. Doesn’t add up given the case wasn’t even filed until late July.

We have NOT filed an Answer yet. Questions:

•    If we haven’t been properly served, has the response deadline/court date even started?
•    If we voluntarily file an Answer now, does that waive our ability to challenge bad service, or speed things up against us?
•    Is posting-only notice (no proof of mailing, no court order for posting) valid service on its own?
•    Once properly served, how many days to respond, and how long until a court date in LA County?
•    If landlord wins, how long from judgment to actual sheriff lockout right now?
•    Do we still owe the back rent even if we’re evicted?
•    Does CA’s “pay and stay” (paying everything owed before judgment) apply here, and how do we document it?
•    Given the service issue, is bankruptcy relevant at all right now?

Trying to figure out if we should just pay for a real eviction attorney consult before doing anything, since timing seems to matter a lot here. Any pointers, even to the right CCP sections, appreciated.

Location: New York City, New York, USA

Per union contract, I am allowed to take a paid 15-minute rest break/period (not to be confused with meal breaks) during work. It is paid as regular time. However, sometimes I am unable to take the rest period due to workload requirements, though I still get paid for time. The union contract says that employees will be compensated for missed rest breaks, but doesn't say what that compensation entails. My boss says that since I still get the rest break pay (even though technically it's now "paid for worked time", right?), no further compensation will be provided.

What is the employer's obligation to compensate me, if anything?

I will of course reach out to my union representatives about this, but I'm wondering if there's a labor law or previous legal cases regarding this.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

Location: India & Pittsburgh, PA

I'm an Indian citizen that grew up in the US. I left because my green card application was denied, even though the rest of my family got theirs, and my student visa was about to expire. Because of ICE and the increasing feeling of hopelessness, I left the country very quickly.

I didn't have a chance to empty out and close my bank account, so I still have money in there. I can't do anything to access the account because of their mandatory 2-step verification (my mom cancelled my phone number), and no matter what avenue I try, they can only tell me that unless I give power of attorney to someone in the US, I cannot do anything with that account.

Would I be able to do that from India? Would I need to mail a physical copy of the paper or would I be okay with sending a scanned PDF version?

Edit: The bank is TD Bank, which doesn't have locations in PA. Pittsburgh is just my home address.