Workplace Issues

Seattlepi.com offers this quiz in Dr. Joyce Brothers’ column today:

1. Bullying is a much smaller problem in the workplace than sexual harassment.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

2. A "tough" boss who yells at employees to turn in their reports on time and an angry colleague shoving his way into the cafeteria line at work after a tough morning both are examples of bullying.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

3. Bullying in the workplace can cause mental and physical issues as serious as suicidal thoughts.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

4. Bullies almost always are the boss or someone to whom the victim is a subordinate.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

5. The best thing to do in the face of health issues brought on by bullying is quit the job.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

6. Confronting the bully is just a waste of time.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

7. It may be better for your mental health not to leave quietly.
TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

Click on this post's title to be taken to seattlepi.com for the answers.

Note: Not all bad-boss behavior is "bullying." Bullying is more obvious than many other less apparent, but equally or even more insidious behavior.

What is the number-one, best-ever gift you can give to a working mother?

Time.

No, not a watch or a magazine, silly. Free time—to do with as she pleases without worrying about things that need to be done.

How do you give the gift of free time—worry-free; guilt-free time—when there are only 24 hours in a day? Find a way to get necessary things done for her. For example, hire someone to do her housework; grocery shop; run errands; find a responsible, reliable babysitter to take over while she goes out; pre-arrange a vacation or personal day with her boss. You get the idea.

Is she the type who’ll spend her free time on others? Add gifts that will require her to spend this time on herself. Ideas include certificates to a spa; a manicure/pedicure treatment; a facial; a makeup makeover; a new hairdo; a massage; a meditation session. Think relaxation and you’ll choose well.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The judge can choose from the option of cash, annuity , or a combination thereof. If lump sum cash is the option for payment, the judge will usually require the settlement proceeds be restricted in a bank account until the legal age.

There is, fortunately, a better alternative than the restricted lump sum cash account. This form of payment is most preferred by judges. This is the structured settlement annuity for minors.

Why is it preferred? A structured settlement annuity can be very beneficial for the minor recipient. It can address several issues that parents or guardians face for their child's best interest in the long run.

These annuities provide guaranteed payments that are in fact exempt from taxes. It can actually provide guaranteed payments to fund college tuition and post-graduate expenses as well. Structured annuities are also a form to get away with expensive account supervision over the years and the complexities for annual administrative filings.

The federal government now recognizes structured settlements as a great alternative to lump sum payment. This is parallel to their effort in assisting the minor child in having some form of control over the financial gain from a third party lawsuit.

It is with the structured settlement that the plaintiff, who is a minor child, and the defendant can agree the settlement dollar value and how those dollars are applied over the years.

When establishing the structured settlement specifically for the minor recipients in a personal injury case, the settlement payments are created with the purpose of meeting the health care needs of the child in the future.

Structured settlement payments established for minors will not only provide for monthly annuity payment of the recipient but will also let for a specific allotment of monies to the benefit expense payments like for education purposes. In addition, it is common to include provisions for lump sump payments at specific life events like high school graduation.

For the benefit of the minor, the settlement payments are spent on the service for which they are designed for. This prevents the spending on other expenses outside the terms of the settlement agreement which parents or legal guardians may be tempted to do. This usually happened in the past without much regulation or with lump sum payments.

Also known as periodic payments, these could be made for the duration of the life of the claimant. The payment can be in the form of equal installments or installments of varying amounts. Because these are long-term payments, it is important to get an assurance of the credentials of the annuity provider to ensure that it is capable of meeting the terms of the settlement .


The start date, duration and frequency of the payment are also specified in the settlement agreement. These are calculated based on the claimant's monthly expenses, present age, extent of hazard in occupation and retirement plans. Under certain conditions, transferring of obligation from the insurance company making the payment to a third party is allowed.


Periodic payments from a structured settlement are tax-free, but only if the structure of payments is not altered once both parties have agreed upon it. While this may give recipients a sense of security, some are concerned that the payments will lose their value over the term of the payout because of inflation. It is also possible that their financial situation has changed, so that they need money sooner rather than later to meet expenses or they find that the payments no longer fit their budget.


These are some of the reasons that drive people to sell structured settlement payments. Selling future payments in part or whole for lump sum cash allows them to decide what to do with their money to secure their present needs and future financial standing. They can use it to purchase big-ticket items such as a home or a car, to finance their education or just reinvest it where the dividends are greater.


There are many institutions that buy structured settlements , with transactions running in the tens of thousands up to millions of dollars. In choosing a settlement purchaser, it is important to look into the past payment records and working relationships with insurance companies. A consistently good payment record and working relationship with various insurance companies means a good chance of the transaction being approved quickly.


Purchasers should also be licensed, insured and bonded. This is to protect clients and ensure that they get their cash if the purchaser goes out of business. It is also advisable to take advantage of the free consultations offered by settlement purchasers, not only to assess a prospect, but to get different opinions on whether selling the settlement is the best option and if there are other options as well.


The decision to keep a structured settlement intact or to sell the payments is a major one. A structured settlement annuity can be a source of great comfort for retired individuals or people with impaired earning ability, since it offers the advantage of a regular income without having to worry about managing it. On the other hand, people who sell structured settlement payments gain control of their own finances, and can use the money from the sale for an alternative investment plan that could earn them more than what they were getting from the settlement . Ideally, however, the latter should be resorted to only if the individual is confident of managing his own finances in a competent manner.

An annuity settlement or a structured settlement uses annuities as a mode of compensation. However they have a basic difference. A regular annuity is a result of an investment or retirement option, whereas a settlement is a result of an injury or insurance settlement .


To ensure an annuity settlement payment remains tax-free and protected for its tenure, a beneficiary cannot ask for payment augmentation or payment advances. At times this is a predicament incase the receiver needs quick cash or a large sum of money. In such scenarios one may search for an annuity buyer.


Through an annuity buyer, one can sell settlement payments for money. The process allows a person to get the cash that is needed at a time, while the buyer takes over ones annuities and collects the payments as prearranged.


If one has an annuity settlement , it is beneficial as it provides a continuing and steady income in case of accident related disability. Nevertheless, need for money may arise at any time. Hence, in situations like this it is advisable to sell annuity settlement at a bargained price to be able to use the money to its full potential.