Right to Disconnect Plan in California Hits Employer Backlash

Table Of Content

• Company
• Working Ahead: AI, States Compound In-House Counsel Labor Headaches
• LinkedIn for Attorneys: Do Lawyers Really Need an About Section?
• State Policy Counsel
• Why So Many Lawyers Want In-House Counsel Jobs

Salaried employees typically have more flexibility with no strictly set work schedule like the one the bill requires employers to establish. Legislative staff for the Assembly’s Labor and Employment Committee recommended Haney amend the legislation so that the “right to disconnect” wouldn’t apply at all to salaried professionals who are exempt from minimum wage and overtime laws. For hourly workers, California law already includes stronger protections than federal statutes, such as overtime pay calculated daily for hours beyond eight per day.

Company

It’s also unclear whether a manager or a coworker sending a message after hours would be a violation, or only if the company penalizes workers for not responding to after-hours communications, Groff said. Not only are they dealing with new federal labor regulations—some of which redefine the employment relationship between company and worker—but a patchwork of labor policies is quickly developing in the states on a number of issues. France’s right-to-disconnect law has been in effect since 2017, but employment lawyers said a shift in corporate culture might be what’s needed in the US more than legislation. The shift to more remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the mindset that employees are always available via email, text message, and other digital communications, said Aymara Ledezma, attorney with Fisher & Phillips LLP in Los Angeles.

Working Ahead: AI, States Compound In-House Counsel Labor Headaches

US workers traditionally have other legal protections against nonstop work expectations, such as overtime laws that require businesses to pay them one-and-a-half times their regular rate for hours beyond 40 per week. But many office-professional and managerial positions are paid a fixed salary and considered exempt from overtime laws. “Communications, media, public relations, social media managers, or public affairs positions essentially exist to respond in real time to news,” Hoffman wrote in the California Chamber’s letter of opposition. That also could mean their employers would set those employees’ working hours as 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said. The California bill would apply to salaried as well as hourly workers, which is a strange policy choice that would complicate compliance, said employment attorney Joy Rosenquist of Littler Mendelson P.C.

LinkedIn for Attorneys: Do Lawyers Really Need an About Section?

For work beyond 12 hours per day, the overtime pay increases to double the worker’s usual hourly rate. I’m a former attorney and experienced career coach helping lawyers find and land jobs they actually like—legal, non-legal, and everything in-between. Employment lawyers are increasingly hearing from workers about the blurred boundaries around work hours, Mariko Yoshihara, legislative counsel and policy director for the California Employment Lawyers Association, told lawmakers at the April 17 committee hearing. The bill (AB 2751) would require employers to identify specific work hours for their employees and prohibit them from demanding workers respond to communications outside those hours, except for emergencies and scheduling changes. Whether you’re a GC or a CLO, leading a team of three or 300, in-house counsel tell Bloomberg Law reporters that on labor and employment issues, the constant addition of regulation is their biggest headache. Attorney-turned-career coach helping lawyers find and land jobs the actually like.

Learn About Bloomberg Law

“If you’re a client-facing industry, this could be a very hard law to jibe with your business,” said Susan E. Groff, attorney with Jackson Lewis P.C. Find employment opportunities with legislatures, states and public policy organizations. It’s going to open your eyes to your many transferable skills and how you can leverage them to get into your ideal in-house counsel job.

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It can be an all hands on deck situation where the in-house counsel are working law firm style nights and weekends. So when an urgent legal issue arises, there usually isn’t a deep bench of lawyers to call upon. In the wake of the Great Recession in 2009, most legal departments were ruthlessly downsized and since then more has been expected of in-house lawyers with fewer resources. “In order to determine if it’s an emergency, the employee has to read the email,” she said. Labor groups TechEquity and the United Food and Commercial Workers back the measure.

‘Right to Disconnect’ Plan in California Hits Employer Backlash

New York City and Washington state previously considered “right to disconnect” proposals but didn’t enact them. The Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis, a nonpartisan research and support staff to the Indiana General Assembly, is accepting applications for a fiscal/program analyst, including a senior-level fiscal/program analyst. Expertise in subject areas relating to criminal law, corrections, court operations,  environmental policy/regulations, and energy and utilities are preferred. Once you’ve identified the best-fit in-house role, you’ll need to make a compelling case for how your transferable skills will provide tangible value to the organization. For whatever reason, lawyers tend to view in-house roles as a monolith in which every in-house counsel job is pretty much the same.And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

State Policy Counsel

Most of us lawyers have this notion of in-house counsel being the “Promised Land” of work/life balance, but not all in-house roles are created equally. The bill seems likely to undergo revisions through the legislative process and could ultimately exempt some state and local government agencies such as law enforcement. The proposal to exempt after-hours communications for emergencies is confusing and unclear, Rosenquist said, in terms of the definition of emergency and how that communication would work in practice.

But several major business groups, including the California Chamber of Commerce and Society for Human Resource Management, oppose it. In-house counsel positions can be really rewarding when they’re the right fit for you.

Employees also could feel pressure by the nature of their jobs to continue monitoring and responding to after-hours communications, even if the law theoretically says they don’t have to. The bill calls for employers and employees to establish what counts as “nonworking hours” by written agreement, but doesn’t set any limits on how they define that term. The US Department of Labor is close to finalizing a rule to expand federal overtime protections, but would still cover a smaller portion of workers than California’s law. Since then, Annie has helped hundreds of lawyers land, lead, and succeed in the legal profession and beyond.

The arguments proponents have made in support of the measure apply largely to exempt employees, said Ashley Hoffman, senior policy advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce. “As exempt employees, we’re paid a salary for doing our work whenever we need to,” she said. Some days, that might mean leaving mid-afternoon to pick up a child from school and then logging into work later that evening to finish up the day’s to-do list. Many in-house counsel roles are more generalist than many lawyers would expect--especially after working in a highly specialized practice area in a law firm. A worker could complain to the state labor commissioner if their employer commits “a pattern of violation,” meaning three or more documented instances of violating the worker’s right to disconnect, according to the legislative text. “We have strict requirements about how much that worker must be paid and what kind of job duties they must be doing to get that flexibility that comes with being an exempt worker,” she said.

Should You Go In-House? What Lawyers Should Consider About In-House Jobs

Table Of Content

• Fiscal/Program Analyst - Senior Fiscal/Program Analyst
• Company
• ‘Right to Disconnect’ Plan in California Hits Employer Backlash
• Why So Many Lawyers Want In-House Counsel Jobs

Salaried employees typically have more flexibility with no strictly set work schedule like the one the bill requires employers to establish. Legislative staff for the Assembly’s Labor and Employment Committee recommended Haney amend the legislation so that the “right to disconnect” wouldn’t apply at all to salaried professionals who are exempt from minimum wage and overtime laws. For hourly workers, California law already includes stronger protections than federal statutes, such as overtime pay calculated daily for hours beyond eight per day.

Fiscal/Program Analyst - Senior Fiscal/Program Analyst

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“If you’re a client-facing industry, this could be a very hard law to jibe with your business,” said Susan E. Groff, attorney with Jackson Lewis P.C. Find employment opportunities with legislatures, states and public policy organizations. It’s going to open your eyes to your many transferable skills and how you can leverage them to get into your ideal in-house counsel job.

Company

For work beyond 12 hours per day, the overtime pay increases to double the worker’s usual hourly rate. I’m a former attorney and experienced career coach helping lawyers find and land jobs they actually like—legal, non-legal, and everything in-between. Employment lawyers are increasingly hearing from workers about the blurred boundaries around work hours, Mariko Yoshihara, legislative counsel and policy director for the California Employment Lawyers Association, told lawmakers at the April 17 committee hearing. The bill (AB 2751) would require employers to identify specific work hours for their employees and prohibit them from demanding workers respond to communications outside those hours, except for emergencies and scheduling changes. Whether you’re a GC or a CLO, leading a team of three or 300, in-house counsel tell Bloomberg Law reporters that on labor and employment issues, the constant addition of regulation is their biggest headache. Attorney-turned-career coach helping lawyers find and land jobs the actually like.

‘Right to Disconnect’ Plan in California Hits Employer Backlash

New York City and Washington state previously considered “right to disconnect” proposals but didn’t enact them. The Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis, a nonpartisan research and support staff to the Indiana General Assembly, is accepting applications for a fiscal/program analyst, including a senior-level fiscal/program analyst. Expertise in subject areas relating to criminal law, corrections, court operations,  environmental policy/regulations, and energy and utilities are preferred. Once you’ve identified the best-fit in-house role, you’ll need to make a compelling case for how your transferable skills will provide tangible value to the organization. For whatever reason, lawyers tend to view in-house roles as a monolith in which every in-house counsel job is pretty much the same.And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Learn About Bloomberg Law

US workers traditionally have other legal protections against nonstop work expectations, such as overtime laws that require businesses to pay them one-and-a-half times their regular rate for hours beyond 40 per week. But many office-professional and managerial positions are paid a fixed salary and considered exempt from overtime laws. “Communications, media, public relations, social media managers, or public affairs positions essentially exist to respond in real time to news,” Hoffman wrote in the California Chamber’s letter of opposition. That also could mean their employers would set those employees’ working hours as 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said. The California bill would apply to salaried as well as hourly workers, which is a strange policy choice that would complicate compliance, said employment attorney Joy Rosenquist of Littler Mendelson P.C.

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

Most of us lawyers have this notion of in-house counsel being the “Promised Land” of work/life balance, but not all in-house roles are created equally. The bill seems likely to undergo revisions through the legislative process and could ultimately exempt some state and local government agencies such as law enforcement. The proposal to exempt after-hours communications for emergencies is confusing and unclear, Rosenquist said, in terms of the definition of emergency and how that communication would work in practice.

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Employees also could feel pressure by the nature of their jobs to continue monitoring and responding to after-hours communications, even if the law theoretically says they don’t have to. The bill calls for employers and employees to establish what counts as “nonworking hours” by written agreement, but doesn’t set any limits on how they define that term. The US Department of Labor is close to finalizing a rule to expand federal overtime protections, but would still cover a smaller portion of workers than California’s law. Since then, Annie has helped hundreds of lawyers land, lead, and succeed in the legal profession and beyond.

LinkedIn for Attorneys: Do Lawyers Really Need an About Section?

The arguments proponents have made in support of the measure apply largely to exempt employees, said Ashley Hoffman, senior policy advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce. “As exempt employees, we’re paid a salary for doing our work whenever we need to,” she said. Some days, that might mean leaving mid-afternoon to pick up a child from school and then logging into work later that evening to finish up the day’s to-do list. Many in-house counsel roles are more generalist than many lawyers would expect--especially after working in a highly specialized practice area in a law firm. A worker could complain to the state labor commissioner if their employer commits “a pattern of violation,” meaning three or more documented instances of violating the worker’s right to disconnect, according to the legislative text. “We have strict requirements about how much that worker must be paid and what kind of job duties they must be doing to get that flexibility that comes with being an exempt worker,” she said.

State Policy Counsel

It can be an all hands on deck situation where the in-house counsel are working law firm style nights and weekends. So when an urgent legal issue arises, there usually isn’t a deep bench of lawyers to call upon. In the wake of the Great Recession in 2009, most legal departments were ruthlessly downsized and since then more has been expected of in-house lawyers with fewer resources. “In order to determine if it’s an emergency, the employee has to read the email,” she said. Labor groups TechEquity and the United Food and Commercial Workers back the measure.

But several major business groups, including the California Chamber of Commerce and Society for Human Resource Management, oppose it. In-house counsel positions can be really rewarding when they’re the right fit for you.

It’s also unclear whether a manager or a coworker sending a message after hours would be a violation, or only if the company penalizes workers for not responding to after-hours communications, Groff said. Not only are they dealing with new federal labor regulations—some of which redefine the employment relationship between company and worker—but a patchwork of labor policies is quickly developing in the states on a number of issues. France’s right-to-disconnect law has been in effect since 2017, but employment lawyers said a shift in corporate culture might be what’s needed in the US more than legislation. The shift to more remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the mindset that employees are always available via email, text message, and other digital communications, said Aymara Ledezma, attorney with Fisher & Phillips LLP in Los Angeles.

Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness Mold

Table Of Content

• Mould and your health
• How to remove mold from the shower
• Seal Moldy Areas After They Dry
• How to Get Rid of Black Mold in Your Home
• The 20 Best Lawn Care Products for a Lush and Healthy Lawn

For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath. In people with asthma who are allergic to mold, breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks. Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions) and irritants. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Mould and your health

The structural integrity of wood can also be compromised if mold has been left untreated for an extended period. Of course, it’s a normal occurrence to have some mold in a home. A typical home, without any signs of water damage or excessive moisture, can still have anywhere between 1 and 1,500 mold spores per cubic meter of air. Elevated levels beyond this range might suggest water damage or an environment conducive to mold growth, warranting further inspection and possible remediation. Mold spores that are naturally present in the environment can spring to life when they encounter damp conditions in a home. The excess moisture provides mold spores with the water they need to germinate and flourish.

How to remove mold from the shower

Fortunately, you don’t need to know the type of mold to get rid of it. Mold can cause health problems, especially for those with allergies or asthma. To avoid mold in your house, take action to eliminate it yourself or hire a professional if needed. Keeping an indoor space clean, dry, and well ventilated is the best way to prevent mold from developing.

Seal Moldy Areas After They Dry

But, never combine vinegar with bleach because it releases a lethal chlorine gas. Once the cycle is finished, leave the items to dry outside in the Sun. After this, you can potentially remove the mold with a simple combination of dish soap and water.

You don’t want the wood to stay wet for long, which could damage the finish, so work quickly and wipe dry any remaining moisture. The best thing you can do in your home is stop mold before it starts. The key to prevention is keeping the rooms in your house dry and cool. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, we find ourselves staring at those stubborn spots. When you’ve got a mold situation at home, here’s everything you need to know to handle it yourself quickly and easily.

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The test involves placing droplets of mold allergens onto the surface of your skin with tiny punctures. If more than one allergen is being tested, they will be placed at different spots to observe separate reactions. Your healthcare provider will likely use one or more of the following evaluations to determine whether you have a mold allergy.

The tips and techniques presented in this section will help you clean up your mold problem. Professional cleaners or remediators may use methods not covered here. Please note that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage. It may not be possible to clean an item so that its original appearance is restored. It will turn black or brown if not removed promptly and often looks like soil accumulation. Professional cleaners or remediators may use methods not covered in this publication.

An allergist or other healthcare provider can help you find the cause of a rash and whether it is linked to mold. This can help you get the treatment you need and relieve symptoms. Some species of Mucor can also infect blood in a condition called mucormycosis. Mucor grows quickly at room temperature or warmer, and can sometimes approach an inch in thickness. It’s generically called “pin mold” because the vertical growths with small heads look like sewing pins. One species called Serpula lacrymans is rare in nature and feeds almost exclusively on wooden structures.

Mold Cleanup

If you see a house frame that’s dry all the time yet still crumbles to pieces, you’ve seen dry rot in action. This common family of molds is found in soils around the world. There are 89 recognized species of this mold, with Trichoderma longibrachiatum, a.k.a. “common house mold,” one of the most prevalent. Katie looks after everything homes-related, from kitchen appliances to gardening tools.

Symptoms from exposure to acremonium spores include eye irritation, breathing problems, pneumonia, or even arthritis or fungal infections, according to the research database Antimicrobe. If family members experience any of these symptoms and you suspect your home has Acremonium mold, call a mold remediation expert to test and eradicate it. Since testing is the only way to determine if the type of mold in your home is Aspergillus, your best bet is to clean away all types of mold as soon as you spot them. You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage and residents are reporting health problems. Mold may be hidden in places such as the back side of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top side of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc. Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding.

When your immune system recognizes that you have come in contact with mold, which it identifies as harmful, it makes an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Symptoms of mold exposure vary by individual depending on your sensitivity to mold. Symptoms can also be immediate or delayed, with minor symptoms that worsen over time. Reactions to mold depend on the degree to which you are sensitive to or allergic to mold. Like other allergies, this sensitivity varies widely by individual.

Most people can breathe in the spores of this fungus without becoming sick. However, people who have a weakened immune system or an existing lung condition can have a severe reaction. Molds can grow on a variety of different surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic.

Places that are often or always damp can be hard to maintain completely free of mold. It’s important to limit your exposure to mold and mold spores. This Guide provides information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and how to prevent mold growth. The content on these web pages is based on EPA's publication "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home." Updates have been made to some resources and links.

High indoor humidity levels increase the risk of Cladosporium growing. Inhaling the spores can cause respiratory symptoms such as a sore throat and irritated sinuses. The spores also can affect pets, causing runny eyes and sneezing. Frequent cleaning of carpeting and upholstery with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter-fitted vacuum can help remove Cladosporium spores from a home before they start growing. This allergenic type of mold often is found under wallpaper when it’s stripped from the walls; it also can grow on bare wood and painted surfaces.

Under certain conditions, some types of mold can produce secondary toxins called mycotoxins. Exposure to mycotoxins can increase your risk of more serious illness from mold exposure. Indoors, mold can exist under sinks, in bathrooms and basements, and around leaky areas.

How To Remove Mold: Mold Remediation DIY

Table Of Content

• Best Cleaners and Tools for Mold
• How to prevent mold
• Additional Tips to Keeping Surfaces Free of Mold
• Clean Up After Mold Removal
• Scrub Moldy Surfaces With Mold Cleaner
• Skin Prick Test
• How do molds affect people?
• The 20 Best Lawn Care Products for a Lush and Healthy Lawn

As they grow, they may digest the material they are growing on. There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions has not been proven.

Best Cleaners and Tools for Mold

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Be sure to take proper precautions to avoid getting bleach on any surrounding fabrics or plants. Remember that if you have a serious mold problem in your home, it's best to call a professional. The rule of thumb is if the mold covers 10 or more square feet, call in a professional. Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation.

How to prevent mold

It can check for many types of allergies simultaneously and provides results in about 20 minutes. A physical exam may reveal symptoms that indicate whether your rash may be linked to mold or another medical condition. For areas of Southern California that were hit hard by Tropical Storm Hilary, the aftermath can include mold inside homes. For those wondering whether there might be mold growing somewhere in their home, there are a few major signs to be aware of. Read on to learn more about the different types of molds and how to recognize them.

Additional Tips to Keeping Surfaces Free of Mold

But the thing all molds need most is moisture, so you're most likely to see mold in damp places such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, and crawl spaces. If the item is machine-washable, wash the item on the highest temperature allowed with regular detergent. You can also add a cup of vinegar or bleach once the machine is filled with water for more cleaning power.

Exposure to a large amount of mold can sometimes cause a more serious reaction known as hypersensitivitypneumonitis. This type of exposure is usually due to occupational or workplace hazards rather than from exposure to mold in your home. Some researchers have also found that high levels of mold in homes may be a risk factor of asthma in school aged children. If you have more severe symptoms, be sure to reach out to a healthcare professional. Having mold in your home won’t necessarily make you sick, but it does have the potential to cause certain health issues. Wash or wipe porous surfaces and check regularly to see if mold has returned, as it can infiltrate these materials.

Scrub Moldy Surfaces With Mold Cleaner

Diluted vinegar can also be an effective cleaner in this instance, although the wood may absorb the smell for a while. Apply using a microfiber cloth once again, then rinse with a damp cloth and leave to dry. Mold can often be found on walls nearer to the ceiling or windows where a leak may have formed. If this is the case, you should get the potential leak assessed and repaired first, otherwise removing the mold will be counterproductive. In the meantime, check out these 9 ways to prevent mold in your home.

Skin Prick Test

The first signs may be subtle bubbling, warping, or wrinkling of the paint or wallpaper. Over time, this can become more pronounced, leading to evident peeling or lifting as moisture becomes trapped between the wall and its exterior surface. While mold is not the only reason for wallpaper separating from the wall, if the area also feels damp then mold is the likely culprit. It may be worth peeling back the wallpaper or scraping away paint in one of the affected areas to check for visible mold growth on the surface of the wall. It isn’t advisable to paint over mold, as the growth is likely to continue to reappear over time. The spores of Aspergillus fumigatus are found everywhere in the air, and this species is considered pathogenic.

How do molds affect people?

Certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can produce toxins (specifically “mycotoxins”). Hazards presented by molds that may produce mycotoxins should be considered the same as other common molds which can grow in your house. Not all fungi produce mycotoxins and even those that do will not do so under all surface or environmental conditions.

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The 20 Best Lawn Care Products for a Lush and Healthy Lawn

When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Other materials such as dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold growth.

In cases of large areas of mold, it is best to call in a professional mold removal service. To help prevent mold from returning, ask the local hardware store about antifungal paints and other products that can help prevent mold from developing. People with a mold allergy as well as asthma have a higher chance of having an asthma attack when there is mold in the environment.

Another allergenic mold, Cladosporium species prefer growing indoors in textiles, such as carpeting and upholstered furniture, although the mold also shows up beneath sinks and inside cabinets. It has a soft appearance and comes in shades of green to brown. Cladosporium usually enters the house on clothing or pets when airborne allergens are high; the spores then settle on carpeting or furniture and begin to reproduce.

In most cases, it is not possible or desirable to sterilize an area; a background level of mold spores will remain - these spores will not grow if the moisture problem has been resolved. If you choose to use disinfectants or biocides, always ventilate the area and exhaust the air to the outdoors. Never mix chlorine bleach solution with other cleaning solutions or detergents that contain ammonia because toxic fumes could be produced. Mold can damage household items and it may also cause health issues. People with immune suppression or underlying lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections. Individuals with chronic respiratory disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, asthma) may experience difficulty breathing.

Penicillin is a valuable antibiotic, but one strain of Penicillium mold is both allergenic and pathogenic. It produces spores that can trigger allergy-type symptoms such as sinusitis, difficulty breathing, and asthma episodes. In people with immune system disorders, the symptoms can be more severe and can lead to chronic health issues.

The risks of mold exposure include a variety of health complications, which can vary by individual. Reactions can occur immediately or as delayed symptoms that worsen over time. Symptoms that worsen in a damp, humid, or moldy environment can indicate a mold allergy. In addition to checking for mold in the home’s HVAC system, it might be wise to consider purchasing an air purifier to help address mold issues.

Generally, if you can see or smell mould, you need to clean up and remove the mould immediately, as mould can damage surfaces it grows on. Avoiding mold can be hard since it exists outside and inside all year round. Taking steps to reduce mold in and around your house can help you avoid a mold rash if you are allergic. Preventing a mold rash can be challenging since mold is virtually everywhere and its microscopic spores can be impossible to see. However, you can take precautions to reduce your potential contact with mold and your chances of having an allergic reaction or other ill effects.

How to Get Approved for a Home Loan in 3 Steps 2024

Table Of Content

• How to Get Pre-approved for a Mortgage
• The buyer’s credit score dropped below the minimum
• Online Mortgage Calculators
• Mortgage tips
• Receive a pre-approval letter
• Refinance Your Home Mortgage

Unlike the prequalification process, there are some standard documents you’ll need to submit for a mortgage preapproval. However, other documents may be required depending on the type of loan you want to get, the type of residence you wish to buy and the kind of work you do. If you start the mortgage preapproval process early, stay organized and keep abreast of your application, your preapproval is likely to go faster. And the sooner you get it, the sooner you can begin serious house-hunting. Each time you apply for a loan preapproval or approval, a lender checks your credit with a “hard pull.” This typically lowers your score by a few points.

How to Get Pre-approved for a Mortgage

In general, if you have your paperwork in order and your credit and finances look good, it’s possible to get a preapproval quickly. As part of your application, the lender will want to know how much money you have saved for your down payment. If you're receiving money from a family member to help with your down payment, you'll likely need to have them write a letter explaining that the funds are a gift. Lenders evaluate your monthly income to determine your ability to repay a home loan before approving it. It’s a quick assessment by a loan officer to estimate how much you might be eligible to borrow. Home loan approval is the final green light from a lender stating that you’re eligible to borrow a specific loan amount for purchasing a home.

The buyer’s credit score dropped below the minimum

As a home buyer, pre-approvals are for your benefit, so it’s never too early to get one. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is straightforward, simple, and among the most important things you can do when you’re planning to buy a home. Based on the information you have provided, you are eligible to continue your home loan process online with Rocket Mortgage. But the more complicated your application is, the more issues your underwriter is likely to raise. This tends to be the case with applicants who are self-employed, rely a lot on tips and bonuses, or who have a troubled employment history.

Online Mortgage Calculators

Any lender can quickly preapprove a buyer for the maximum amount that their company permits based on certain variables. A listing agent will have learned over time, though, that these lenders’ customers are more likely to encounter issues before closing. This is one reason why real estate agents are a good source for finding a lender.

The pre-approval process can take a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the lender and your financial circumstances. If you're considering a substantial move that could change your income or credit status, first consult with your lender to make sure you're not sabotaging your mortgage pre-approval. If you’re self-employed or own a business, you’ll also be required to provide your tax documents and business returns for the past 1 to 2 years, depending on your lender’s requirements. These documents will also help the lender determine your DTI and whether you can afford an additional mortgage payment.

Mortgage tips

When a pre-approval expires, it’s no longer valid as proof for purchase. You should never use an expired pre-approval to set a maximum home purchase price or to craft a household budget. Getting pre-approved lowers a buyer’s credit score by about five points temporarily. Mortgage pre-approvals are available for free through most mortgage websites with no obligation to proceed. Many home buyers get their mortgage from a different mortgage company that pre-approved them.

Ultimate Mortgage Preapproval Checklist

Essentially, preapproval ensures a smoother transition from house hunting to closing, which is especially valuable in competitive real estate markets. When your mortgage preapproval reaches its expiration, your first step should be reaching out to your lender. They may request updated financial documentation, such as recent pay stubs, bank statements or credit reports, to reassess your financial standing.

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From there, we’ll check your credit so we can offer you accurate mortgage solutions. Once you’ve submitted all your information to the lender, expect to receive your loan estimate within 3 business days. Although this may be much shorter if you use an online mortgage lender.

Some mortgage lenders recommend reaching out for preapproval as early as 12 months before you plan to buy a home to get a head start on addressing any issues that might come up. But overall, the time between when you apply for preapproval and when you begin house-hunting depends on your unique situation, how prepared you are and how ready you are to commit to the process. For almost any potential home buyer, the preapproval process offers substantial benefits.

Some online lenders can pre-approve you within hours, while other lenders can take several days. The timeline depends on the lender and the complexity of your finances. Our Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) are accurate as of on and may change throughout the day. A home loan expert can help you understand whether a fixed-rate mortgage or adjustable-rate mortgage is right for you. Mortgage preapproval lets you receive a personalized floating rate for your desired loan amount and term as the lender has verified your income and assets. Lenders evaluate factors such as credit history, income stability, employment status, debt-to-income ratio, and the amount of funds available for a down payment.

If you’re an account holder with a local bank or a member of a credit union, these institutions might be more willing to work with you to get you preapproved. House-hunting with a preapproval letter provides a tool to show you are serious about purchasing a home, and financially equipped to do so. As soon as you know you’re serious about buying a home — that includes getting your finances in homebuying shape — you should apply for a preapproval from a trusted lender. For most buyers, getting preapproved for a mortgage is vital as it gives you a solid idea of how much you can borrow. But in most cases, getting denied is due to the buyer’s financial standing being negatively impacted.

How to Get Preapproved for a Mortgage

Table Of Content

• Monthly Income and Combined Housing Expense Information
• The difference between mortgage preapproval and prequalification
• How to Choose a Mortgage Lender
• The Bottom Line: Be Prepared For Mortgage Preapproval

Ultimately, no matter which lender a buyer uses, a good agent will work to establish a relationship with that lender as part of building a strong team around the buyer. Agents have an incentive to work with lenders who can guide buyers appropriately and help ensure that they’re prepared to complete the transaction. In reality, though, a home buyer is more likely to close on the house that they want if they contact a lender at the beginning of their search.

Monthly Income and Combined Housing Expense Information

This is because, above all, a lender wants to ensure you can repay your loan. Lenders also use the provided information to calculate your DTI ratio and LTV ratio, which are essential factors in determining the interest rate and ideal loan type. As you search for a home, getting pre-approved for a mortgage can be an important step. Now that several large, national mortgage lenders have shifted the preapproval process online, buyers may feel tempted to proceed with the fastest or least-invasive option. Yet, small differences in mortgage lenders can help to avoid regrettable decisions and even secure meaningful savings over the long term. For most people, mortgage lenders hold the key to completing a home purchase.

The difference between mortgage preapproval and prequalification

Borrowers with low to moderate incomes searching for homes in rural parts of the country may be eligible for a mortgage backed by the U.S. No down payment is usually required for a USDA loan, but income limits apply. If you’re ready to dive into the home buying process, apply for mortgage approval today. Your most recent pay stubs help verify your monthly income and show proof of employment. If you’re paid with a physical check, you should have the actual stub, which can be copied and sent to the lender.

How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

Mortgage preapproval and prequalification are terms that are often used interchangeably, even by lenders. You may see prequalification described as being less reliable than preapproval, since lenders don't verify your financial situation with a prequalification. In a preapproval, the lender tells you which types of mortgages you may be eligible to take out, how much you may be approved to borrow, and what your rate could be. Being preapproved for a mortgage doesn't mean you'll ultimately receive full approval. This is the moment when you should comparison shop for the best mortgage lender and rates. In other words, you should apply to several lenders to find which offers you the lowest mortgage rate and best overall deal.

When you apply for preapproval, a mortgage lender takes a precursory look at your finances and decides whether or not they're willing to lend to you based on the information is looks at. Your DTI ratio is a comparison of your total monthly debt payments by your gross monthly income. This ratio helps lenders gauge how much additional debt you can handle and maintain timely payments. Lenders evaluate your payment history to assess your ability to handle financial obligations. This includes examining how you’ve managed your credit card, student loan, car loan, or other debt repayments.

In addition to providing documentation, you’ll also have to agree to a hard credit check by the lender. It needs to make sure you have a high enough credit score to buy a home. To get the best rates and fees, it’s important to shop around before you select a lender for your mortgage preapproval.

This increases the likelihood of sellers viewing your offer favorably and can contribute to a smoother overall process for everyone involved. Before you kick off the home buying process, securing mortgage preapproval is crucial for a streamlined and strategic experience. It not only provides you with a clear financial picture but also assists in focused property searches within your budget constraints. Beyond that, it strengthens your negotiating position and helps preemptively address potential financial obstacles.

Lenders will also need a list of your monthly debt payments, such as student loans and credit cards. Be prepared to provide bank, retirement and investment account statements to show proof of your assets as well. The hard inquiry will drop your credit score by a few points, but the impact decreases over time until it falls off your credit report after two years.

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How Can I Increase My Mortgage Pre-approval Amount?

In this section, we’ll delve into three essential tips for buyers contemplating preapproval. From organizing financial documents and monitoring credit scores to shopping around for the right lender, we’ll guide you through key considerations. Obtaining mortgage preapproval demonstrates your genuine commitment to the real estate process and also positions you as an appealing buyer to sellers. In competitive markets with multiple offers, having preapproval gives you a significant edge by providing a clear budget and enhancing your overall credibility.

Remember, however, that multiple credit checks in a short time period can hurt your credit score. If you’re a self-employed borrower, you might be asked to provide additional documents to show a consistent income and work history of at least two years. Depending on the loan type, borrowers should maintain a DTI ratio at (or below) 43% of their gross monthly income to qualify for a mortgage. The higher your DTI ratio, the more risk you pose to lenders; you could be more likely to struggle to repay your loan on top of debt payments. These preapproval benefits, however, come with some important conditions that buyers will want to note.

LAFCU offers some of the lowest home mortgage refinance rates you’ll find. We can help you lower your monthly payment, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars over the life of the loan. Your credit score plays a pivotal role in determining your eligibility for a mortgage loan. A higher credit score often means more favorable loan options and interest rates.

The lender will also pull your credit and verify your employment status. Most lenders have digital application portals nowadays where you can upload these documents digitally instead of bringing physical copies to a brick-and-mortar office. It’s based on a thorough examination of your financial situation, including your credit history, monthly income, and down payment. Getting approved for a home loan means you’ve passed all the necessary checks, and the lender is confident in your ability to repay the mortgage loan.

Once the lender finishes the underwriting process, they can issue the loan commitment letter. If the buyer hasn’t gone under contract at that point, a lender will need to run through the preapproval checklist again, using updated financial data as necessary. For these reasons, the preapproval doesn’t guarantee a loan or any particular terms. The mortgage that the lender ultimately extends will depend on the exact conditions at the time the buyer needs the funds.

This process is to verify financial stability, a key factor in mortgage approval. And you may need to renew yours several times during the house-hunting process. The last thing you want to do is find your perfect home, make an offer, and then discover your letter has expired. Certainly, you have the option to view houses without obtaining mortgage preapproval, but it’s highly advisable to secure preapproval before diving deeper into the home buying process. Without preapproval, you may encounter challenges and uncertainties that could limit your ability to make competitive offers. Remember that pre-approval is a statement that you are considered generally qualified to pay back a mortgage, whereas the actual mortgage approval is on a specific purchase.

To lower your LTV ratio, you either need to put down more money or buy a less expensive house. When you are ready to make offers, a seller often wants to see a mortgage pre-approval and, in some cases, proof of funds to show that you’re a serious buyer. In many hot housing markets, sellers have an advantage because of intense buyer demand and a limited number of homes for sale; they may be less likely to consider offers without pre-approval letters. In this way, a mortgage pre-qualification can be useful as an estimate of how much you can afford to spend on a home. However, the lender doesn’t pull your credit reports or verify your financial information. Accordingly, pre-qualification is a helpful starting point to determine what you can afford but carries no weight when you make offers.

Wonder House Historic Tours

Table Of Content

• A Brief History of Scent With Saskia Wilson-Brown
• Post navigation
• Christmas tours available by reservation are now available- click here to book!
• Looking for more posts on Central Florida? Start here:
• Wonder House Historic Tours
• Left untouched since a double murder-suicide in the 1960s, Los Feliz murder mansion remains a neighborhood mystery.
• See what guests loved the most:

Fortunately for all of us, they are saving a marvel for generations to come. Conrad was of German heritage, and several stories about him being a spy. At one point, he was arrested and jailed for three days during World War II, then released. Conrad was not a spy; ultimately, the FBI issued a press release declaring that Conrad Schuck was not a German spy. If you take the current tour, which I highly recommend, you’ll learn more about what people came to see.

A Brief History of Scent With Saskia Wilson-Brown

In 2008, Variety reported that Wonder had put his house on Chislehurst Drive in Los Angeles up on the market. “When I was just a little kid, I told my dad I wanted to restore historic homes and be an archeologist and live in a museum. I love antiques and history and I delve into them in my free time,” Kreis said. With guided tours once again filling the 18-room home, this is an exciting time for visitors and locals alike to experience an important piece of Central Florida history.

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Expecting to live another year, he moved south to Florida with his wife and nine children. Despite his diagnosis, Conrad embarked on building his dream home in 1926. Fortunately, he got to see the project because he lived to the ripe age of 94 and passed away in 1971. Stevie Wonder and wife Tomeeka Robyn Bracy were married in the same area he lives in – Bel-Air. Wonder and third wife Bracy were married at Hotel Bel-Air in 2017, as reported by People. The couple dated for five years before tying the knot and had two children together at the time.

Christmas tours available by reservation are now available- click here to book!

Passersby would marvel at the two concrete bridges, each spanning 30 feet, which led up to the house over a pond stocked with koi carp. Then there was the house itself, an 18-room structure with four stories. Ms. Apel, a retired law professor, is having trouble climbing stairs. Room 1523, with a closed-circuit audio-visual feed, will serve as an overflow courtroom for press and the public. Proceedings will take place on weekdays, excluding Wednesdays.

Learning about the Wonder House and its history was presented very well by teacher, owner Krislin. Parking for the tour is located in the rear of the property, accessible via El Paso Trail. Before Cypress Gardens and Walt Disney World Resort, tourists flocked to this one-of-a-kind mansion in the heart of Central Florida.

Wonder House Historic Tours

There's a rainwater cooling system flowing through the house, a third-floor koi pond, a moat, concrete bridges, secret tunnels and two basements. Justifiably proud of what he had achieved, Shuck opened his home to the public in 1934, and it became a popular local tourist attraction for about 30 years. The Wonder House in Bartow was once a popular tourist attraction in post Depression-era Florida. Built by a man who thought he was dying, the magnificent mansion was later abandoned until restoration began in 2016. Rudy Enriquez, now a retired music manager, has refused to sell the property, though he has admitted to frequenting the site to feed his two cats who live there. The exterior of the mansion is in slow decay, and the local neighbors have had to pitch in to help maintain the property.

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The current owners have re-created some of the prior attractions. I won’t give it all away; you’ll need to visit to witness all the attractions. When you visit the Wonder House, you’re treated like a guest, rather than some patron to a museum.

See what guests loved the most:

So he decided to take his wife and nine children to Bartow, and to use his architectural knowledge and his fortune, to build the house of his dreams. The porches were also designed to cool the house, as they were built with hollow concrete columns. Cold rain water from the roof ran through the inside of the walls, and could be turned on with a spigot to water the plants growing on the outside of the house. You will be the first to know about new historic tour dates and specialty tours. It’s hard to imagine the original brilliance when you see the house today or view pictures of it.

Bartow's wild weird 'Wonder House' is open for tours again

Stevie Wonder is a music icon who lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife Tomeeka Robyn Bracy. Get to know more about where Wonder calls home and his life outside of the spotlight. You'll need to let the property know in advance what time you'll arrive. Wonder House is a holiday home set in Coveland in the Washington State Region and is 12 km from Port Townsend.

The Wonder House is open year-round with a variety of different tours and events. However, you must book ahead on their website as the owners live on site. “It’s really just so fascinating to own a piece of history here in Bartow and be able to bring it back to life for people to enjoy,” Kreis said.

Conrad Schuck and his family never lived in the Wonder House. So in 1926, he dreamed, and built, big, really big, all without blueprints. "The Wonder House" in Bartow is truly an architectural marvel, around 10,000 square feet of concrete and tile and sheer ingenuity. BARTOW, Fla. — One of Florida's first-ever tourist attractions is weird, wild — and once again open for business. When the foundation was dug, a pump room was built 22 feet down. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders.

But when it was purchased in an online auction that same year, its new owner, attorney Drew Davis, stated his intention to return the mansion to its former glory. And while that will likely take many years, the Wonder House does at least appear to be in good hands once again. Considering his short life expectancy, it was an ambitious project indeed. But 13 years later, Schuck and his sons were still working on what would become known as the Wonder House.

Nikki Webster is a travel writer who covers how to travel while grinding a day job without breaking the bank. Nikki is always in search of off-the-beaten-track experiences and unique stays. She is particularly fond of Florida and writes extensively about the state. She flies around 60,000 miles annually and has visited 74 countries, 50 states, and six continents.