Sponsored

This column is written and sponsored by Alan Lescht & 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.

You’re filling out a job application and get to the section about job references. Who do you list? A good job reference can make all the difference in you getting a new job.

What you may not realize is that your former or current employer doesn’t have to give you a good reference. Generally speaking, your boss is free to tell your prospective employer the truth about what kind of employee you were. If it is true, your former employer can say that you were fired for misconduct, that you quit without giving notice, or that your last performance review wasn’t so great.

How can I prevent my employer from giving me a bad job reference?

In most cases, a valid contract is the only way to limit what your employer can say about you. For example, a settlement or severance agreement may guarantee you a neutral reference that includes only certain information, such as your dates of employment and job title.

However, even a signed agreement will not guarantee a neutral reference for security clearance and government suitability determinations. Despite a valid contract, the law requires employers to provide honest information in connection with security clearance and suitability investigations.

What if my boss gives me an unfair job reference?

Your current or former employer has the right to provide truthful information to prospective employers. However, they don’t have the right to falsely criticize you or lie about your performance or conduct. If a former or current employer lies about you, he or she may be liable for defamation (i.e., making a false and harmful statement about you to someone else).

Do you have questions about job references?

If you have questions about job references, employment contracts, or security clearances, contact Alan Lescht and Associates today. Call us at (202) 463-6036; send us an email; or visit our website and blog. Our 13 attorneys have vast experience in all areas of employment law. Super Lawyers, Washingtonian, Newsweek, AVVO, and others have recognized us as a leading employment firm in DC.

DISCLAIMER: This article is for general information purposes and is provided only to permit you to learn about Alan Lescht and Associates, P.C., and its services. This information is subject to change, may not apply in all cases, and does not constitute legal advice. Contact an attorney to obtain legal advice about your case.

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

Ahh September, some days you feel like summer and others you make us long for the sun. Congress is back in session, kids are back in school, and we’ve officially entered the fall real estate market. While we don’t have a crystal ball to predict exactly how things will go this fall, we can look at the seasonal trends of the past few years and anticipate similar conditions this year.

Here’s what we expect:

• Renting? September isn’t quite as crazy as August when the DC rental market hits its peak. There is some carry over demand this month from people who haven’t quite secured their long term rental option, and demand will remain high through September. If you are thinking about moving and can wait until October, I think you will find less competition, more availability and potentially more negotiable rental rates.
• Buying? After a bit of a lag in late August, we should see a strong influx of new listings this weekend and throughout the rest of the month now that the holiday weekend is over. Some markets are more seasonal than others (ie. single family homes, suburbs, etc) but throughout the DC area we should see an increase in new listings from the August lull. If you are looking to move before the end of the year, September will be the month where you will have the greatest number of options to choose from, new listings will decline through the rest of the year and we won’t see new listing volume levels this high until next spring. That doesn’t mean you should rush, but if you find the right place, you may not to wait on it either.
• Selling? One of the reasons for the strong influx of listings in September is that the end of the year is quickly approaching and sellers who want to have everything wrapped up before the holidays should think about listing now. The period of time between Thanksgiving and New Years historically tends to be one of the slower, lower demand times of year, and having your home on the market then can require more patience and perseverance than other times of the year. That being said, if you know your home is going to be a “home run” and you plan to price it in line with the market value, there really is no bad time to list since. Buyer demand continues to exceed supply and there are ready, willing, and able buyers who will continue their search through the depths of winter (when their real estate agents will pull out their snow boots for another season of fun).

Looking for more? Check out our full blog post here (complete with colorful graphs). Or, reach out here and we would be happy to send you any data or info you are looking for.

homezen saves you thousands by making it easy to sell your home without an agent.

Alexa and Matt were ready to sell their condo, but found agents to be too impersonal and wanted to save the 3% seller’s commission. After reading about homezen in a local blog they decided to set up a call. “After the initial call we knew homezen was right for us,” said Matt.

They discovered that homezen would not only list their home on the MLS, Redfin, Zillow and other sites, but could help them set a price, offered professional photography, provided all the paperwork and guided them through the entire home selling process.

Paying the initial fee was simple, and after homezen photographed their condo and uploaded the pictures, the listing went live within 24 hours.

Thirty minutes later, they received their first request for a showing. Every step of the way, homezen was available to answer their questions — via email or on the phone.

“The individualized assistance felt like we were part of a helpful and supportive organization,” said Alexa. “We never felt alone.”

(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].

“Just needs a little TLC”

This ubiquitous phrase is a frequently trending topic in the world of MLS remarks. Is TLC the newest and greatest home feature? Probably not, but every once in awhile you may also find a “diamond in the rough,” “excellent bones” or “character” as well — the trifecta of DC fixer uppers!

Although these homes haven’t reached unicorn status, if you have a little extra TLC to give, here are 5 homes that could use it!

3871 Halley Ter SE – $272,990

This 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom home features a “breathtaking view,” along with a large lot and long private driveway. With enough textured ceiling to try all of the Pinterest hacks you can find, the only thing missing — “a little TLC and your personal touch.”

2215 13th St NE – $345,000

Located in Brentwood, this home presents a chance to live in “Little Rome.” Slightly mysterious with its limited internal photos, we’ll trust the remarks that, along with its convenient location, and loads of character this one “just needs TLC.”

110 49th Pl NE – $450,000

This “lovely 4 sided brick rambler” has features that include vintage kitchen cabinets (that may be coming back into style at some point), a party-ready basement, rec room with a built-in bar, hardwood floors, and 2 fireplaces! As an added bonus, this one also comes with “lots of love to give.” As you may have guessed it “just needs some TLC and vision.”

(more…)

The following is a sponsored post from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

In the event of a financial crisis, there is one person you want around: economist Lawrence H. Summers. As the director of the National Economic Council under President Obama and the Treasury Secretary under President Clinton, Dr. Summers played a key role in addressing the major financial crises of the last two decades at home and abroad.

On Wednesday, September 6, Dr. Summers’ expertise and intellect will be on display in a one-on-one conversation with economist Tyler Cowen at the W Hotel in D.C. The discussion will be open to the public free of charge.

Click here to register for the event.

(more…)