The letter offers the position and the start date. I signed it and sent back to my HR department. Now they are pushing the start date back and saying first letter is not valid. In the letter there is no mention of changing hiring dates.

Unfortunately, an offer letter is not a contract, meaning it is not legally binding. While it is inconvenient for you, your employer is permitted to push your start date back and issue a new letter with updated terms.
My position is being eliminated. I'm taking severance pay. Want to get it as pay not a gift with huge taxes taken. Can that be done?

This seems strange. In a business context and where services are involved, it seems unlikely that any payment can be considered a gift. This sounds like taxable income to me. Regardless of how the employer treats it, you still have the responsibility to report all of your taxable income and if... Read more »
Can they chop up my wks on time card to get out of paying me overtime?

Hi the employer can use whatever period it wants for the workweek and pay period. If you work more than 40 hours in that workweek, you should be paid overtime.
I live in Kirkland, WA and am not currently employed.

A Washington attorney could advise best, but your post remains open for four weeks. From the brief description, it isn't clear what the matter involves, as it is posted across several categories. For starters, if you were injured (you posted under Personal Injury), you could reach out to... Read more »
I received a termination email saying I executed confidentiality and invention assignment agreement from amazon.
What does this even mean? All I do is work and come home so I'm not this makes sense to me

Termination Email sounds like termination from employment from Amazon. If you work or worked for Amazon then their terms of employment likely required you to retain in confidence and to assign any inventions you created to Amazon.

A Washington attorney could advise best but your question remains open for two weeks. Although you posted this under personal injury, it could be a more complex and fact-intensive setting than generic auto accident or slip and fall personal injury cases. If you contact an attorney, one of the first... Read more »
I am transgender, and stated that I am transitioning and would like to use my preferred name. They said they couldn't because their system would mess up when clocking in, despite using a numerical entry clock in. Furthermore, I was terminated the next day on the basis of I stated that I hoped... Read more »

It sounds like you may have a claim for discrimination on the basis of sex in violation of Title VII. Additionally, if your employer was aware of your arthritis and your request for an accommodation, and failed to offer you a reasonable accommodation for your condition, you may have a claim under... Read more »
My employer cut my hours and days due to my "negative energy" aka my depression. It has never affected me with my clients but my coworkers were "concerned" and told my manager who the district leader told her to cut my hours without talking to me before doing so.

I would recommend reaching out to an employment attorney in your state for a consultation. Your depression may qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so an adverse employment action (pay cut, termination, etc.) taken on the basis of your depression may be unlawful.
My employer restructured the business and eliminated my position. The separation agreement states in order to be paid out my severance and vacation, I must agree not retaliate or seek legal action against the company. I am an older employee with a 23 year work history. If I refuse to sign, can they... Read more »

Yes. The employee handbook is not a binding contract. I would recommend reaching out to an employment attorney in your state for a consultation and/or severance review. During the meeting, you can discuss the circumstances surrounding the position elimination, whether or not you have any legal... Read more »
The school was in Washington state and I was paid for being the mascot. I told them about it and had to stop working after I got a child’s skin infection from the suit.

A Washington attorney could advise best, but your post remains open for two weeks. Unfortunately, this looks like it would be a tough case. When you say "years," that raises concerns about statute of limitations issues. That aside, if other mascots did not suffer similar reactions to the... Read more »
I furloughed because of covid 19 and applied for unemployment benefits (in Washington D.C). My claim was not being processed, so I called their office and the representative I spoke with said that I was under investigation for fraud because I did not list myself as having a job in Maryland.... Read more »

I sounds like that you should be prepared to file an appeal. There are very good lawyers in Washington DC who handle appeals on unemployment benefits. Talk to any one of them, before the 21 days is up.

Do you work 40 hours per week otherwise? I would reach out to an employment lawyer in your state for a consultation. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires you be paid for time worked, and if you are not able to take an uninterrupted lunch because you are working, you may have a claim.
I miss 1 day and get written up and threatened to be fired. There is more to the story, but this one was brought to my attention 1 month after the fact. Can this be considered discrimination?

Whether you have a claim for discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 will depend on WHY you feel you're being discriminated against. If you are being treated differently than other employees based on your race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age (if you're... Read more »

Have you informed Human Resources or the payroll department? It sounds to me like this is a mistake, especially if there is a set PTO policy. I would contact your HR/payroll immediately so the amount they are paying you on your paycheck for the PTO does not get to a level you cannot pay back.
As a ski instructor I am required to be on site for the day but am only paid for the time I have a class.. Possible to be there all day and not get a class and receive no wage.... No pay at all for time between classes... Is this legal?

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees must be paid for all time spent performing compensable work. This includes "on-call" time, where employees are not actively performing work for the employer but where their freedom to perform other activities is restrained. If you are required... Read more »
I’m leaving my current company who relocated me to Seattle. Like many of my coworkers we signed a contract for relocation money. Some people have quit or been terminated and haven’t been pursued for the money but they are coming after me. Can the company pick and choose who they go after?

Generally speaking, yes they can. You may want to consider reaching out to an employment law attorney in your state for a consultation.
So my situation is this. I applied for this front desk job at this local hotel a couple weeks ago and in the interview I disclosed my severe anxiety disorder to them. (I have also been diagnosed by a doctor) and they still hired me. I worked for a little over a week and the job was making me have... Read more »

Your severe anxiety disorder likely qualifies as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It sounds like, because your anxiety was causing panic attacks at the front desk, you requested a reasonable accommodation of being placed in a housekeeping position. Your termination... Read more »

It would depend on what the basis of the lawsuit was, but an attorney in each of the categories you list could probably advise you on the downside of working off the books. Maybe one of the most pressing issues is workers' comp coverage for an on-the-job injury. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
Should your w2 info match info on your last pay stub

Many companies use two separate programs when creating paychecks and W-2 forms; and this is especially true in companies that use third party payroll companies and third party CPAs to prepare 1099s and W-2s. In most cases the difference is too tiny to be concerned about. When choosing which one to... Read more »
Mr. Y, is a religious man and head of a seafood company branch owned by the church he attends. 5 years ago, he hired his friend, Reverend K, who "quit" the company after 6 months. Recently, upper management received an e-mail they were not suppose to get. It was HR asking Mr. Y who half... Read more »

It could be argued that he was sealing money and committing fraud, especially if he turned in timesheets/employment applications/etc that contained false information.
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