Random Rants 76: Argh! Augh! Ahhh!

[hobbsyoyo]

Essentially useless info in this situation.

It's only really useless so long as you don't understand that it is a crime. I don't think it would be advisable to go to the cops about this as it wouldn't help her situation. But later on down the line it may be relevant. Outside chance, for sure, but at least she's now aware it was potentially a crime which has legal recourse - if she wasn't already.

I've had coworkers of mine get fired for talking about their pay and none of us knew that was even an illegal act on behalf of the employer at the time. I know that now (pretty sure I learned it here actually) and I have some idea of how I would react should a similar situation arise going forward. I don't know who to give credit to for pointing this out to me but I'd thank them if I could.

Edit: And yeah you did say 'essentially' useless - let me have my soapbox!

 

[Dachs]

As Dachs said, intelligence isn't just what you know, it's also how you go about finding things out.

that was @Synsensa but thanks anyway

 

[MaryKB]

Many states (like mine too!) are making it illegal for your employer to prevent you from discussing your salary, as part of gender equality progress. A big reason your employer doesn't want you discussing your pay is to keep women from realizing how under paid we are.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I believe the national labor relations act makes this illegal federally, with enforcement handled at the state level. States can pile on additional protections for employees but they can't lessen the basic protections of the act.

article courtesy of the almight googs:
https://www.insperity.com/blog/when-employees-discuss-wages/

Looks like the feds do get involved with enforcement too

 

[Synobun]

It's only really useless so long as you don't understand that it is a crime. I don't think it would be advisable to go to the cops about this as it wouldn't help her situation. But later on down the line it may be relevant. Outside chance, for sure, but at least she's now aware it was potentially a crime which has legal recourse - if she wasn't already.

I've had coworkers of mine get fired for talking about their pay and none of us knew that was even an illegal act on behalf of the employer at the time. I know that now (pretty sure I learned it here actually) and I have some idea of how I would react should a similar situation arise going forward. I don't know who to give credit to for pointing this out to me but I'd thank them if I could.

Edit: And yeah you did say 'essentially' useless - let me have my soapbox!

Aimee's life would basically end the moment she got her mother arrested. She'd have to move to a shelter. That's why it's useless information.

"You know how you're dependent on your mother for everything? You should press charges against her."

 

[Lexicus]

Many states (like mine too!) are making it illegal for your employer to prevent you from discussing your salary, as part of gender equality progress. A big reason your employer doesn't want you discussing your pay is to keep women from realizing how under paid we are.

One of the basic parts of most collective bargaining agreements is that salary information in the bargaining unit becomes transparent to everyone. So quite recently someone pointed out that Jonathan Chait was probably against a union at his magazine because then everyone would see how much he's overpaid for the mediocre crap he writes

Aimee's life would basically end the moment she got her mother arrested. She'd have to move to a shelter. That's why it's useless information.

"You know how you're dependent on your mother for everything? You should press charges against her."

For the record I was mostly just curious about the law in Canada, because I know it is a federal crime in the US to open mail not addressed to you. I'm aware that getting her mother arrested is not a viable option for aimee.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Aimee's life would basically end the moment she got her mother arrested. She'd have to move to a shelter. That's why it's useless information.

"You know how you're dependent on your mother for everything? You should press charges against her."

Things can escalate even if Aimee does nothing. If you are not aware of your rights, you can't ask for them to be enforced.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Here's a minor rant: My new bank card has a sticker on it telling me to destroy the old card. I can't figure out how to get the sticker off. I can't get my fingernail under it and using the letter opener just kind of tears it up.

 

[Synobun]

Here's a minor rant: My new bank card has a sticker on it telling me to destroy the old card. I can't figure out how to get the sticker off. I can't get my fingernail under it and using the letter opener just kind of tears it up.

Tip of a paring knife under the lower right side of the sticker works for me.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I actually ended up taking an alcohol swab and rubbing it over the edge of the sticker. After a bit of that it actually started peeling off.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Here's a new silly rant: I forgot to pick the Selection tool in Paint.NET and ended up scribbling all over it with the Paint tool instead.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Rant: The worst happened. She left, taking the mailbox key with her. I wasn't able to get downstairs before the mail carrier had already left in the truck. And when she came back she intercepted my bank card and opened the envelope and now she's mad.

Well, as long as being mad is all she does. Of course she did open your mail, which is illegal, so that's a fact to file away in case you ever have to tell a social worker or judge that she doesn't have your best interests at heart.

Has she asked why you got it? (and thank goodness you have it in your possession - find a good, safe place for it and do not write down the PIN number)

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

No, she just kinda screamed about how I didn't need a bank account and is now giving me the silent treatment. Aside from asking me to get her some toilet paper from the closet. I told her to do it herself.

 

[Arakhor]

that was @Synsensa but thanks anyway

Bah. Apologies to Synsensa, but it sounds like something you'd say.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

My apartment building has sections of fake grass around the perimeter that are for dogs to use the bathroom on. They spray it with sprinklers every few days or so to help keep it from building up crazy amounts of dried liquid waste and people are good about picking up poop but it is never really cleaned.

Then it rains. I can't tell if the present situation constitutes an actual health hazard but it certainly smells like one. The surrounding street is practically an open-air sewer at this point.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

My apartment building has sections of fake grass around the perimeter that are for dogs to use the bathroom on. They spray it with sprinklers every few days or so to help keep it from building up crazy amounts of dried liquid waste and people are good about picking up poop but it is never really cleaned.

Then it rains. I can't tell if the present situation constitutes an actual health hazard but it certainly smells like one. The surrounding street is practically an open-air sewer at this point.

Only human urine is bad. Dog urine is natural.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I was getting gas in my gf's truck, which I've been using as much as she has lately. So I wanted to put some of the gas on her debit card and pay for some with my cash. Yes, there are a lot of ways to do this, ranging from just paying cash and somewhere along the line tapping her debit card for cash, to just using her card and then giving her some cash.

But it occurred to me to ask, as I flipped a beef jerky onto the counter "Hey, can I split a transaction and pay part with a debit card and part with cash?"

"Sure," says girl behind counter.

At this point I'm tossing a twenty on the counter and fishing out my wallet as I say "Great, give me forty bucks on eight."

And she says, "Oh, not for gas."

I have a strong commitment about treating people who are stuck working in retail better than I treat almost anyone else, because I know that they have to deal with an extraordinary amount of asshattery and aren't paid anything like enough to make that worth doing.

But, c'mon. What was she thinking I was going to do? "Yeah, I want this beef jerky...put the dollar on this debit card but I've got the eighty-seven cents in cash..."

<sigh>

 

[Silurian]

@Timsup2nothin maybe she could not split the transaction but could ring up one thing then the other, so two transactions. You were there so what happened.

 

[Takhisis]

aimee, don't let that woman bully you into believing you're an idiot again.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

@Timsup2nothin maybe she could not split the transaction but could ring up one thing then the other, so two transactions. You were there so what happened.

I could have just gone backwards and used one or the other, but by then I was committed to the farce so I paid the twenty that I had on the counter, went out and pumped that gas, then came back in and started over and put twenty on the card.