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Big List of Year-Round Discounts for Vets and Active-Duty Mil

12/16/2021

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The VA has a good summary listing of year-round discounts available to vets and active-duty folks.

https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/85765/veteran-discounts-available-year-round/?utm_source=VRfeature&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VetResources

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A reminder as the holidays approach -- beware of lonely heart scams!

11/26/2021

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How to Shop for a Car Loan

10/27/2021

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Great Consumer Reports article on how to avoid becoming part of the statistics about Americans being ripped off on car loans.

A MUST-READ if you are or anticipate being in the market to buy a car anytime soon. And for everyone else, a good article to read anyway -- you never know when someone will smash your car for you by driving inattentively and you will be in the market to buy a car on short notice.
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Americans Being Ripped Off on Car Loans

10/27/2021

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"Surprise, surprise, surprise" as Gomer Pyle used to say.

Consumer Reports has a good article on how car dealers rip you off on loans.

Well worth a read if you ever consider buying a car.

ProTIP: If you can't pay cash and must finance a car purchase, separate the loan deal and the car deal; never do them together with financing from the dealer.*

Get your loan approval from your own credit union or bank before you go car shopping so you can know exactly how much you can afford and the dealer can't bamboozle you by negotiating both deals at the same time. And, of course, you have to be willing to walk away from the lot without buying anything. And never buy any used vehicle without having your own independent mechanic to a complete pre-purchase inspection and test drive of the vehicle; if you can't afford the pre-purchase inspection, you can't afford the car anyway.

(* With the possible exception for the case where you are buying a new car and the maker is offering zero-percent financing and you are certain that you aren't being overcharged on the car.)

Experts say that CR’s analysis suggests a broad problem with the way car loans are arranged in this country: Dealers and lenders may be setting interest rates based not only on risk—standard loan underwriting practice—but also on what they think they can get away with. Studies show that many borrowers don’t know they should, or even can, negotiate the terms of a loan, or shop around for other offers. 

Discrimination could be part of it, too. Other research suggests that people of color are more likely to be offered high-interest car loans, even when they have similar or even better credit than whites. But unlike federal data provided on mortgages, the data CR analyzed did not include any information on the borrowers’ race, age, or sex.

The auto lending industry also operates in a regulatory morass. Many states have confusing and contradictory laws regarding how high rates can be set, according to interviews with regulators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. At the federal level, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has limited oversight of auto lenders. 
Those who do get stuck with expensive car loans can face serious repercussions. 

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Tell Your Senators and Reps in DC: End Double Taxes on Winning Consumer Claims

9/24/2021

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a-taxadv-groupsupportltredtscca082021final.pdf
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a-taxadv-consumertaxissuefacts.pdf
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Oregon Consumer Justice grants available for groups helping tenants access or apply for rent assistance

9/1/2021

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Oregon Consumer Justice (OCJ) is making money available to community-based organizations working to support tenants in accessing rent assistance payments or making applications for rent assistance.

There's more information and a link to the application here: https://lnkd.in/gu7JBAzz

Many organizations, community leaders, and individuals are hard at work trying to help prevent evictions, which are traumatic and have far-reaching impact on people's well-being.

Spread the word about this resource which might help reach community members who don't know there's help available or don't have the ability to access that help.

If you have questions, please direct them to either Janet Byrd at jbyrd@oregonconsumerjustice.org or
Joseluis Maldonado at jlmaldonado@oregonconsumerjustice.org


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Good review: Six Common Scams That Target Elders

8/12/2021

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Good review of some of the most common (most effective) scams that target elders. Always remember these safety rules:
     1) Never give any personal/private information to someone who called YOU out of the blue.
     2) Never buy anything from someone who found you and pitched you on it.
     3) You can just hang up! It's not rude to hang up on scammers.

Here are the six common scams in the article -- which is a short good read (just click on the picture).

     1) Sweepstakes/lottery ("You have won! You just need to give us your banking info . . . ")
     2) "Tech Support" ("We have detected a virus on your system, you need to give us access to your system so we can remove it . . . "
     3) "Grandchild in Need" (Grandma, I've been arrested, send money . . . !")
     4) Romance ("Send money and I'll visit you . . . ")
      5) Social Security ("Give us your bank info . . . .")
      6) Natural Disasters/Contractors ("We'll take care of everything, just give us your credit card number and we'll get started. ")


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Corporate Pro-Forced-Arbitration Lobbyist Tries Selling Chicken S--t as Chicken Salad

8/10/2021

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The US Chamber of Commerce and other corporate power groups are terrified of the 7th Amendment to the Bill of Rights (right to jury trial) and the "FAIR" act, which would prevent them from forcing consumer and employee disputes into the lawless land of private arbitration controlled by and very favorable to, you guessed it, those same corporate power groups.

The American Prospect has a great story about an effort by these folks to disguise a corporate lobbyist-written editorial as an one written by a real consumer -- and an offer to pay a consumer attorney a $2,000 bribe if he would help find a consumer to put his name on the already-written editorial.

https://prospect.org/power/corporate-lobbyists-seek-grassroots-support-forced-arbitration/
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Are you behind on your rent or utilities?  Website directory shows the rent and utility assistance programs you may be eligible for where you live.

8/4/2021

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The federal Consumer Protection Financial Bureau (CFPB) has a website where you can see if there is rental assistance money available that you can access in order to help you avoid eviction for failure to pay rent.

Check it out if you are behind in your rent or utility payments.

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/find-help-with-rent-and-utilities/

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Cool:  Apple offers year-round 10% off Apple products for Vets/Active-Duty + immediate family members

7/16/2021

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Good Warning -- Why NOT to use debit cards

7/13/2021

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Why You Should Never Use Your Debit Card

Scammers are everywhere, and debit cards leave your business exposed. . . .

Skimmers are a popular way for thieves to steal card numbers from gas pumps, ATMs and other machines that accept credit and debit cards. The skimmer is slipped into the card reader slot and once connected, it can not only steal the card number but also PINs and zip codes as they're entered. They're pretty tough to detect, and once a number and PIN is stolen it can be used to create counterfeit cards, make purchases over the phone and carry out other forms of identity theft, like setting up other accounts or loans in your name. . . .

The reason why Abagnale and most IT experts I know avoid debit cards deals with cash flow. If a fraudster can compromise a debit card, that person can access your cash. He or she can drain you and your company's bank account. And then you're stuck chasing. If a criminal makes unauthorized use of your credit card, your cash is still in your account.

In either case, according to the Federal Trade Commission, your liability would be no more than $500 — and more than likely considerably less — depending on when you report the theft. . . .


Read the full article from Entrepreneur magazine here: https://apple.news/Am9EeoNQVTteiFykHKUvs9g
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Pretty Good Overview of How to Stay Safe Financially as You Age

6/29/2021

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Some elder advocate organizations have put together a pretty good online resource for helping you know how to keep your money safe as you age.  (Elders are the main target of scammers.)

https://thinkingaheadroadmap.org/money-path/intro

Even if you think you have everything all set, it's worth looking these pages over.

The Thinking Ahead Roadmap is for everyone, not just people with significant assets. It includes information specifically geared towards "solo agers" (who don't have an immediate family member or partner to step in) and people with complex personal situations.

This new tool was designed by Dr. Marti DeLiema of the University of Minnesota and by Naomi Karp and Steve Vernon, research scholars at the Stanford Center on Longevity, with support from AARP and the Society of Actuaries. It's based on extensive research through interviews with experts from multiple disciplines (including elder law attorneys on this list - thanks for your help!), focus groups and an online community forum of over 100 older adults.

In addition to the website itself, the roadmap is available in PDF form to download, as are additional helpful documents. In the future, it will be available for ordering in print.

Please help spread the word about the Thinking Ahead Roadmap to your colleagues, clients, families and communities.

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Timeshares are the worst -- except for timeshare resale scams, that is ...

6/17/2021

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Based on the number of people who call me seeking help with timeshares they are unhappy with, I can safely say that, other than herpes, timeshares are just about the worst possible thing you can acquire on a vacation. 

Maybe the only thing worse than getting involved in a timeshare in the first place is then getting ripped off again while trying to get out of one. The "timeshare exit" field is full of pirate scammers who are only too happy to have another shot at separating you from even more of your money and preying on your desperation to unload what has turned out to be a horrible idea.

The FTC has some good guidance you should check out (click the link or download the document below the graphic) if you are even thinking of getting within 100 miles of a timeshare sales pitch, or if you have already been snared and are thinking of trying to unload your timeshare.

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Check and See -- Does Oregon Have Your Unclaimed Property?

6/14/2021

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Oregon has an unclaimed property registry, currently in the Department of State Lands but moving to the State Treasury Office on July 1.

You should check it once in a while - it's quick and easy.

Just click https://unclaimed.unclaimed.oregon.gov/oregon.gov/ and enter your name.
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Beware - Social Media is Perfect Vector for Ponzi Schemes

6/9/2021

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Death Row gifting club scam prevalent in Oregon

Salem – The pyramid scheme has a new look and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation is warning consumers to steer clear. Gifting clubs, such as Death Row, are illegal pyramid schemes that are scamming several Oregonians.

The Death Row gifting club, not associated with Death Row Records, was operating in Oregon last year. It advertised on social media and in online forums as a community wealth share group. More than 20 Oregonians lost their initial $1,400 investments. 

The Death Row gifting scheme promised financial returns of at least $9,000. The division was alerted to the scheme when an Oregonian reported not receiving anything in return for their $1,400 investment. The investment was not registered with the division and no one was licensed to sell investments in Death Row. Victims invested their money using a cloud-based payment platform and communicated with others about the investment during online forums for the Death Row program.

The division is still investigating the Death Row gift club. Anyone who has information about the scheme or was a victim of it are asked to contact the Division of Financial Regulation Advocacy team at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).

“If someone invites you to join a gifting club, just say no to their high-pressure tactics and stories of high earnings,” said TK Keen, Division of Financial Regulation administrator. “The simple reality is that only a few people profit from these schemes at the expense of everyone else who ultimately lose their investments.” 

Gifting club schemes are similar to pyramid schemes because no new money is created. Members of the scheme encourage friends, family, and co-workers to give gifts of cash to higher ranking members. The only way for a person to recover the initial investment is to bring new members into the scheme.


The division has three tips to spot an illegal gifting scheme:


  •      Promises of cash, gifts, or electronic payments via mail, email, or social media
  •      The primary focus is to recruit new investors – no goods or services are being sold
  •      No written agreements and the promoters boast about high earnings of a few people


Contact the Division of Financial Regulation’s consumer advocacy team if you spot a gifting scheme or believe you are a victim of one. Advocates can be reached at 888-877-4894 (toll-free), email dfr.financialserviceshelp@oregon.gov, or by visiting dfr.oregon.gov.  



Do not become a victim of an illegal gifting scheme. Be skeptical about investment opportunities, avoid giving your personal information to strangers, and remember – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
For more information about investments and protecting yourself from investment fraud, visit the division’s avoid investment fraud page.


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About DCBS: The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov.  


About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and http://dfr.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx.

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Attn: Vets Serving Before 7 May 1975: VA's Family Caregiver Expanded

6/7/2021

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Caregiver Act Seminar
ODVA's Aging Veteran Services team held an education session on the federal VA's recently-expanded Family Caregiver Program and how ODVA works to connect veterans and their families to earned federal benefits and programs such as these. The video is watchable below.
Ana Potter, Director of Aging Veteran Services and Kelly Breshears, Assistant Director of Aging Veteran Services will help walk you through the Family Caregiver Program and what the recent changes mean for you and your family.
For those that were unable to join the interactive session, please reach out below with your questions:
ODVA AGING VETERAN SERVICES
1-833-604-0885
agingveterans@odva.state.or.us

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Warning About Insurance Gap Caused by Transfer-on-Death Deeds

6/2/2021

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This is a slightly modified letter I just sent to a handful of clients for whom I had prepared transfer-on-death (TOD) deeds.  If you have used a transfer of death deed in your estate planning, you should consult your estate planning advisor to be sure you understand the risk involved.
SUBJ: Warning: Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Deeds and Insurance Gaps
 
As you may recall, a TOD deed is helpful as an estate planning tool because it is a revocable deed that you record before your death that only takes effect at your death, and it passes the property to the persons you named as grantees on the deed. For many people, a house is the only asset that would require a probate, as all their financial assets are in accounts that have beneficiary assignments. A TOD deed is much like a beneficiary assignment for a financial account.
 
Recently, I have learned about a case that now makes me very reluctant to use a TOD deed, and I am writing to make you aware of the issue. Although the case occurred outside Oregon, I believe the results would be the same here.

In that recent case, an uncle used a TOD deed to leave his house to his niece. When the uncle died, his niece was unaware of the need to get the house insured in her name immediately. And, as luck would have it, the house burned down a few days later.
 
The uncle’s insurance company got out of paying for loss of the house because their policy ended the minute title to the house transferred from the uncle to the niece – which is to say, the minute the uncle died.
 
Thus, the uncle’s insurance policy lapsed as soon as the TOD deed took effect, and the house was instantly uninsured. The niece didn’t know to get insurance in effect immediately and so when the house burned down, the niece got ashes instead of a nice check from the insurance company that was collecting premiums until the uncle’s death.
 
[The actual case opinion from Minnesota is below if you care to read it.]

Although this was in the Midwest, I have done a little reading, and I now think all insurance companies would act the same way everywhere. Thus, when you die with a TOD deed recorded, your homeowner’s policy on that house will lapse.

In short, I understand it, if you use a TOD deed, you are at risk for this loss of insurance coverage if the person who gets your property under the TOD deed doesn’t immediately (a) know of your death, and (b) get a new policy in place.
 
Now, in most cases, the people you leave your house to probably will know when you’ve passed on – but it’s not a sure thing, for many possible reasons. None of us know when we will die, or where our grantees will be, or how long it will be from the time of our death until word spreads. The people we left our property to might die before us, or at the same time or be overseas or otherwise out of touch for a long time. We can’t foresee all the ways that this insurance gap could arise, especially with people living longer and longer, sometimes with failing memories.
 
Regardless of the many ways this gap in insurance could occur, it is a big risk. So I have decided to avoid writing new TOD deeds for clients until I find some way to protect against this risk. Although I really liked the simplicity and low cost of TOD deeds, I don’t like them enough to keep using them until we find a way around this problem.
 
If you too are concerned about this (as I think you should be), you should revisit your estate planning and reconsider the decision to use a TOD deed as part of your estate planning. You should consider whether the ease of the TOD deed is worth the risk that a gap in insurance coverage would occur at your death, leaving you uninsured against what can be a catastrophic loss.
 
Remember that probate is nothing to fear, especially if you have used beneficiary assignments for your other assets. A one-asset probate for a house or land is usually not too complex or too costly.

For some people, revising their will and revoking the TOD deed might be appropriate. For others, putting the real property into a trust might be appropriate. (Or selling the property and banking the money.) There are many options.

The important thing is that you take some action to ensure that your property doesn’t fall into this coverage gap. Unoccupied houses have a greater risk of loss than occupied houses, so the risk of a coverage loss with a TOD deed increases just when you need the coverage the most.
 
If you want to discuss this issue with me further, please contact my office to arrange a phone appointment.                                      
                                                                                 s/ John Gear
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Ask Congress to Undo Anti-Consumer Rule Implemented in Final Days of Prior Administration

4/15/2021

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Urge Congress to Support a Congressional Review Act Resolution to Overturn the OCC's "Fake Lender" Rule
Dear friends and allies,

Congress has a short window of time to pass a resolution under the Congressional Review Act to invalidate the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC’s) "fake lender” rule. The fake-lender rule enables predatory consumer and small business lenders charging 179% APR or more to evade state- and voter-approved interest rate caps.


ACT NOW! Email your senators and representative to ask them to support the resolution (S.J. Res. 15 or H.J. Res. 35) to overturn the OCC's "fake lender" rule.



The rushed “fake lender” took effect in December and protects “rent-a-bank” schemes whereby predatory lenders (the true lender) launder their loans through a few rogue banks (the fake lender), in order to claim that it is a “bank loan” exempt from state interest rate caps. The fake lender rule overrides 200 years worth of caselaw allowing courts to see through usury evasions to the truth, and replaces it with a pro-evasion rule that looks only at the fine print on the loan agreement.


Congress can use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the rule with only a simple majority vote in the Senate -- no filibuster. But the deadline is approaching, so Congress must act soon.


Please also urge your members of Congress to support the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act, which would stop predatory cost rent-a-bank loans by extending to all lenders, including banks, the 36% APR rate cap that currently protects active duty servicemembers.


Tell Congress to overturn the OCC's "fake lender" rule!
Thank you!

Lauren Saunders
Associate Director
National Consumer Law Center

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Good piece on why you DO NOT want to buy a salvage/reconstructed car

2/23/2021

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The author of this piece says "almost never" -- I will go further and say that should be "never" for consumers.

That is, unless you are a professional auto rebuilder, stay far away from salvage title/rebuilt title cars and trucks, period. 

They will be nothing but grief for you.

Why You Should Almost Never Buy a Salvage or Rebuilt Title Car
While a salvage or rebuilt title doesn’t necessarily mean the car is a death trap, the bad usually outweighs the good.

It may be tempting to buy a car with a rebuilt title because of its low price point, but what’s tricky is you don’t always know the extent of the damage that gave it a salvage title to begin with. 


“It’s very hard to determine if a car is back to pre-accident condition,” says Jack Gillis, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America. “I recommend just staying away from those types of vehicles.” 

Sometimes a rebuilt car can look shiny and new on the outside, but still have some serious internal problems. Flood damage is a prime example of this. Cars that have been damaged in a flood are especially dangerous to drive because it can take months or even years before the water corrodes the electric and mechanical systems. You should always ask an experienced mechanic to inspect a rebuilt car before deciding to make the purchase, but even then, it’s a risky move. 

“If a vehicle was in a flood, you can’t fix it. It’s not rebuildable. If it was wrecked so badly that it was salvaged, chances are the frame or unit body was compromised,” says Shahan. “So if you’re in a subsequent collision, it’s not going to give you anywhere near the same protection that you would’ve gotten if it was an undamaged car.” . . .

Much more at link here.

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Help Consumer Reports Understand Credit Report Error Frequency

2/11/2021

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Please Help Consumers Like You --
Check Your Credit Report for Errors and Let Consumer Reports Know What You Find

Dear friends and allies,

The National Consumer Law Center is partnering with Consumer Reports to finally hold powerful credit reporting agencies accountable for errors, and we need your help.


At least one in four of us probably has an error in our credit report. And the COVID-19 financial crisis has made that bad situation even worse. So what’s the big deal about a little mistake on your credit report? It can cost you serious money. Getting a credit card, renting or buying a home — even landing a new job — can all hinge on the accuracy of your credit report.


Can you check your credit report for errors, and let Consumer Reports know what you find? 

You’ll be a key part of a groundbreaking Consumer Reports’ people-powered research project, 
where thousands of consumers like you use their credit report to finally hold these powerful credit agencies accountable!


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Check Your Credit Report


 We’ve made it super easy for you to do. Click the link and you’ll be taken to a page where we show you how to check your credit report for FREE. When you do, be on the lookout for basic mistakes such as a name misspelling or wrong address, to bigger mistakes like late payments that weren’t late, or even someone else’s debt on your account.
Checking your credit report is critical for your financial future. In one case, a couple almost lost out on a home mortgage because the husband’s birth date was off by one digit. Another consumer told us a ticket he got while driving a rental car was sent to the wrong address, causing it to go into collections and knocking 80 points off his excellent credit score.


Checking your report also will help us reform how the major credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — do business. Already we know that people with monthly student loans postponed under the COVID-relief package are seeing missed payments on their credit reports, a clear violation of the law. Yet it’s almost impossible for them to get those damaging delinquent payments removed.


Check your credit report for FREE here. It will help you, and help us, make sure no one’s finances are wrecked by the credit agencies mistakes!


The more people who tell us what problems they find, the better armed we are to take on the credit bureaus. Please share this with friends and family so they get the reminder to check their credit reports, too!

Chi Chi Wu
Staff Attorney
National Consumer Law Center
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Learn the Two Key Red Flags of Someone Trying to Scam You Remotely

2/3/2021

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Wage Theft Needs to be Treated as What it Is: Theft

1/26/2021

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Good article by the Oregon Center for Public Policy on the very real problem of wage theft -- employers not paying workers the wages owed.  If your employer isn't paying you, or isn't paying you all that you are owed, you should consult an attorney.

Lack of True Penalties Exacerbates Wage Theft in Oregon
January 20, 2021
By Janet Bauer
 
Oregon employers face almost no downside to stealing the wages of workers, given that the boss rarely pays a penalty when caught. Although the state may compel employers to pay the wages owed, in only 1 percent of wage claims found to be valid by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) do employers wind up paying a penalty for their wrongdoing.[1] The fact that employers risk little when they violate labor law exacerbates the problem of wage theft in Oregon.

BOLI rarely penalizes employers for wage violations; employers rarely payWage theft is a persistent and widespread problem.[2] Wage theft is a catchall term for the many ways employers fail to pay workers the wages they have earned, such as failing to pay overtime, requiring people to work off the clock, and stealing tips. By one estimate, it costs low-paid workers nationwide over $50 billion annually.[3] In Oregon since 2006, workers have submitted claims for unpaid wages worth more than $50 million.[4]

Despite the pervasive problem that is wage theft, BOLI rarely imposes penalties on employers as a way to deter misconduct. When a worker suffers a wage violation, they may file a claim with BOLI. Of the wage claims filed over the period 2013-19, the Bureau found most of them — 3,703 in total — to be valid. Even though the agency has the authority to impose penalties in addition to requiring payment of wages, it does so rarely. BOLI levied penalties on just 16 percent of valid claims over the six-year period.

(Read the rest at link: https://www.ocpp.org/2021/01/20/lack-true-penalties-exacerbates-wage-theft-oregon/?blm_aid=28620)

Download PDF

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Don't Fall for the Anti-Lawsuit Propaganda - Lawsuits can be lifesavers

1/19/2021

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There is a serious, well-funded push by many business organizations and chambers to demonize lawsuits and the lawyers who bring them. This is because a lot of lawsuits are brought against businesses who harm ordinary people -- and those are the businesses that make up these organizations and they hate the parts of the legal system that mean that a regular person can force a business to account and be responsible for harms it causes, no matter how much more power and money the business has.  They especially hate class actions because class actions are the only practical way for ordinary folks ripped off for small amounts of money can make the business answer for doing so.

The war on lawsuits and class actions, campaigns for immunity laws, and the relentless media propaganda against the jury system is fundamentally anti-American -- the Founders thought that access to the jury for civil trials was so important that it's the 7th Amendment to the Bill of Rights.

Nice to see someone doing a serious study that shows the other side of the story, about the lawsuits that protect us all.

The Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School (CJ&D) released today Lifesavers 2021: CJ&D’s Guide to Lawsuits that Protect Us All. The study describes over 125 lawsuits that have led to major safety improvements benefiting large numbers of people, spanning well over 50 years. According to co-author Emily Gottlieb, CJ&D’s Deputy Director for Law & Policy:

“Lifesavers shows how lawsuits serve an invaluable purpose by causing manufacturers, employers, polluters, hospitals, law enforcement and other entities to stop their dangerous or negligent behavior, and gives them the proper economic incentive to become more safe and responsible. These cases protect us all, whether or not we ever go to court.” 


Said co-author Joanne Doroshow, CJ&D Executive Director, “The report’s release coincides with several national crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of violent hate groups and the use of excessive force by some law enforcement. It shows how civil lawsuits have helped mitigate each one of these crises by holding wrongdoers legally and financially accountable. Its release also comes as a time when special interest lobbyists are pushing for legal immunity laws in states around the country. Lifesavers stands as irrefutable evidence that immunity laws are dangerous. Lawsuits save lives, and we as a society would suffer tremendously if our civil justice system were weakened in any significant respect.”


According to the report, “The study includes some cases recently brought against COVID-19 super-spreader establishments,” which led to safer workplaces. Other cases have resulted in “the redesign or recall of a product, a changed hospital procedure, safer law enforcement, a more secure public area, the bankruptcy of a hate group, the protection of sexually-abused children or a cleaner environment.” 


The study explains that when it comes to the recent rise of violent hate groups, “it is everyone’s hope that the criminal justice system will function properly to hold accountable those responsible for current violence and insurrection. However, it should be noted that in the past, more was needed than criminal prosecutions to weaken hate groups. Particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, civil lawsuits by hate crime victims were used effectively to bankrupt several white supremacists and Nazi organizations, while also directly responding to the financial needs of victims. These cases demonstrate that civil lawsuits can sometimes provide the only effective means to put dangerous hate groups out of business.”


Said Doroshow, “The civil justice system is one of the great achievements of American democracy and an important safeguard of freedom. Unlike other, weaker democracies which have abolished the civil jury, our system, thus far, has largely withstood the assaults. The jury’s roots are deeper here. The American colonists fought the Revolutionary War in significant part over England’s repeated attempts to restrict jury trials. Over the last 40 years, the civil justice system has been battered. But as Lifesavers shows, after 245 years and just as the nation’s founders had hoped, the system still works.”


A copy of the study can be found here: http://centerjd.org/content/lifesavers-2021

lifesavers2021f2.pdf
File Size: 1934 kb
File Type: pdf
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Don't Throw Away Your Second COVID Relief Payment with Your Junk Mail

1/6/2021

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Great Idea -- a public credit bureau

12/13/2020

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thehill.com/opinion/finance/529675-after-5-decades-of-private-credit-reporting-its-time-for-a-change?rnd=1607626407

After 5 decades of private credit reporting, it's time for a change | The Hill
Amy Traub and Chi Chi Wu, Opinion Contributors

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Credit reports contain far too many errors for something so vital to our economic well-being, with one in five consumers having an error, and one in 20 having a serious error that would affect their ability to obtain credit or its pricing. Consumers are frustrated by the Kafka-esque system devised by the credit bureaus to process disputes, which often blocks them from getting relief. Credit reports and scores are used for inappropriate purposes, such as employment, insurance, and even immigration (their use is required as part of the Public Charge Rule.) Most critically, credit scores reflect and perpetuate thorny racial disparities, playing a role in financially entrenching America’s original sin.
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Many of the problems with credit reporting stem from its very nature. An oligopoly of three private companies governs our financial reputations, trading in and profiting from our data. We are captives because we cannot opt out of the system. Instead, creditors and other companies are the credit bureaus’ customers and constituency. There’s not much incentive for credit bureaus to create a system that works better for consumers, including disadvantaged communities. We can see the upshot of this dysfunction where credit reporting issues are often the number one source of complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, including during this pandemic.

But there is a way forward. Among President-elect Biden’s economic proposals is an innovative plan to establish a public credit reporting agency, based on policy developed by Demos. This solution recognizes that access to consumer credit is a public good and would promote that public good by establishing a public institution to replace the private companies that now control credit reporting. A public credit reporting agency or registry would also be an effective way to build economic power for Black and Brown households by putting equity at the center of its decisionmaking and enabling them to exercise greater control over their economic lives. . . .

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