| Volume 117 Number 2 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Very little on the Internet is truly "free." For example, most people know Google lets you use its email and search services in return for the chance to learn about your preferences and to sell ads for products it's algorithms determine you might be interested in. What you may not know is that many websites you visit plant cookies or tracking software on your computer, and continue to monitor your computer activity after you leave their site. Firefox, one of the major browsers, has just added a "tracking protection" feature which you can use to block such activity. Click here for more.
HEB Announces New Employee Ownership Plan
HEB, the largest private employer in Texas, has announced that 55,000 of it's employees will be eligible to receive stock in the company under a new employee ownership plan. While the Butt family will retain control of the business, the plan is to award employees stock worth up to 15% of the company. HEB conceded that being good to its employees also benefits the company, since research indicates that employee owned companies are 5-10% more productive than traditional companies. Click here for more.
Your Money
Are you excited about getting a great deal on Black Friday? Be careful, because many of the "deals" are really just gimmicks. You should know that many of the electronic products that are "discounted" on Black Friday are in fact just cheaply made lesser versions of the better products available year round. The best way to save money on Black Friday might be to stay at home and enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. This is a list of businesses that are going to be closed on Thanksgiving Day so that their employees can enjoy the holiday as well. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Arbitration agreement signed by nursing home resident’s attorney in fact not enforceable. The Kentucky Supreme Court held that the power-of-attorney instruments did not authorize the resident’s attorney-in-fact to waive the resident’s right to access to the courts. The court held that (1) without a clear and convincing manifestation of the principal’s intention to do so, delegation to an agent of the authority to waive a trial by jury is not authorized, and the principal’s assent to the waiver is not validly obtained; and (2) the arbitration agreements in these cases were never validly formed. Extendicare Homes, Inc. v. Whisman. Click here for more.