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This column is written and sponsored by Alan Lescht and Associates, PC, an employment litigation firm in Washington, DC, that handles cases involving contract disputes, wage and hour issues, discrimination and retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation and security clearances.

Social media makes it easy for people to engage in politics and to voice their opinions about important issues. However, using social media to engage in political discourse may negatively impact your job.

What is the Hatch Act?

The Hatch Act is a federal law that applies to certain federal government employees, as well as some state and local government employees who work with programs that receive federal funding. The purpose of the Act is to prevent political coercion and discrimination and to ensure that government programs are carried out in a fair manner. The District of Columbia has its own Hatch Act that applies to DC government employees. Both the federal and DC laws restrict when and how affected employees can participate in political activity.

How does the Hatch Act affect me?

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel website provides guidance and answers to FAQs about the Hatch Act and social media. In general, employees should not engage in political activity while on duty, in the workplace or in their official capacity. Employees should also not solicit or accept political contributions.

The same restrictions don’t apply to all employees. Restrictions vary based on who the employee works for and his or her job duties and position. For example, if you are a “less restricted” employee under the Hatch Act, you may use your personal cell phone, from your home, during non-work hours, to tweet about the president’s stance on health care. However, the Hatch Act prohibits “further restricted” employees from ever sharing the social media post of a partisan group. (more…)

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

A good real estate property description should be detailed and compelling, and give the reader a good idea of whether a property is something that they might be interested in. I often find descriptions and listing remarks filled with the same ambiguous phrases and vague euphemisms that lead to more questions than answers. The MLS listing remarks are limited to a short 400 characters, so it’s sometimes necessary to read between the lines and consider both what is included and what isn’t.  Below I’m sharing some insight into what these overused statements really mean.

Cozy = I hope you don’t like a lot of space or have a lot of stuff. Potentially too small for normal sized furniture.

Charming = Sometimes a synonym for old or “vintage.” Most often, not recently updated.

So much potential = Be prepared to spend time and money realizing that potential.

Solid bones = Usually used when there isn’t anything positive to say about the rest of the house.

Perfect for entertaining = Is any house not perfect for entertaining? I haven’t yet figured this one out.

Possible mold or water damage = There’s definitely mold and water damage, enter at your own risk.

Possible off street parking = Depends if you have a smart car or SUV, or, once you remove a concrete wall and regrade the yard you may be able to park there.

Lots of development in the area = The neighborhood might not look like much right now, but just wait! Maybe a good idea to do some research on the area first.

Close to commuter routes = Not walkable, but if you have a car, you can get anywhere, even to work. May also indicate traffic noise or volume. (more…)

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

Question: I’m thinking that I’m going to be ready to sell my condo and move in a year or two, and I’ve set aside some money for improvements. I’d like to try to make improvements that result in a higher sales price or at least get back the money I spent on them. What do you recommend?

This is a great question and is a common discussion that I have with prospective sellers when they are preparing to sell their home. I strongly recommend starting this process as much as a year in advance (or more), and it’s always a good idea to consider the resale value of any money that you invest in your home. That imported Italian tile may be the most beautiful that you’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t mean the buyer who buys your home is going to be willing to pay any more for it.

To start with, I’m going to assume that all of the major systems and appliances of your condo are in normal working order. By major systems, I mean the HVAC, water heater, electric panel and wiring, plumbing — all the big ticket expenses. If they aren’t, you should start there.

It may seem obvious, but if your furnace is 30 years old, the chances of it coming up as a buyer objection when you go to sell are pretty good. Unfortunately, replacing mechanical systems doesn’t make your home LOOK any better, but I recommend saving receipts and creating a list of improvements (with the amount spent) so that buyers can better visualize the value of that new air conditioner. It’s not a bad idea to keep a running spreadsheet so that you have this info ready to go without having to dig through your records.  (more…)

This column is written and sponsored by Alan Lescht and Associates, PC, an employment litigation firm in Washington, DC, that handles cases involving contract disputes, wage and hour issues, discrimination and retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation and security clearances.

News of sexual harassment has dominated the media over the past several weeks. What are the signs of sexual harassment? What behavior rises to the level of illegal sexual harassment? And what are the solutions?

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of unwanted behavior. The law recognizes two distinct types of sexual harassment. The first type is hostile work environment. This occurs when a supervisor or coworker subjects an employee to unwelcome sexual conduct, which may include touching and/or comments. Unwelcome conduct does not necessarily have to be sexually explicit. For example, requests for dates or comments about physical appearance may constitute harassment, depending on the circumstances.

However, harassment is only illegal if it is “severe and pervasive,” which means that the harassment was so bad and occurred so frequently that it basically changed the employee’s work environment.

The second type or illegal sexual harassment is quid pro quo, where employment, or aspects of employment, are conditioned on satisfaction of a sexual demand. An example is when a supervisor hints that he/she will give an employee a promotion or a raise in exchange for a sexual favor.

How do I stop sexual harassment?

Your options depend on who you work for and where you work. Federal government workers must contact their agency’s EEO office within 45 days of the harassment. After the agency investigates, employees have several options, including the right to request a hearing before a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) administrative judge, or to file a lawsuit in federal court. (more…)

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

This week, we had a special “Development News You Can Use” request for information about the St. Elizabeths Hospital East Campus redevelopment. It’s no secret that there are many development projects under construction in wards 7 and 8 right now (21 to be exact), but this is one of the ones that hasn’t gotten as much recent publicity.

History: St. Elizabeths was established in 1855 as the Government Hospital for the Insane. In 1916 the name was changed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. There are 2 campuses on 176 acres, and approximately 70 buildings — to put this in perspective, the national mall is 146 acres. The West Campus is owned by the federal government and under the control of GSA (the award winning U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters are located there). The East Campus is owned by the District of Columbia, this is the redevelopment project that we will explore in this column. While the buildings are vacant and disrepair, there is something both eerie and beautiful about them at the same time.

Location: St. Elizabeths is located in Congress Heights, the east campus is bordered by Martin Luther King Jr Ave to the west, Alabama Ave SE to the south and the Congress Heights Metro Station adjoins the south east corner of the property.

Development Summary: The redevelopment of Saint Elizabeths East is a multiphase project. Progress has been slow but steady since the release of the new Master Plan in 2012.  Phase 1 will include the 15 acres nearest the Congress Heights Metro station and the highly anticipated 4,200 seat arena that would host Wizards practice, Washington Mystics home games and other entertainment. (more…)