Sunday, February 27, 2011

Legal Interview Question...

…and Illegal Interview Questions


Be aware that there are a number of questions an interviewer should not ask you during a job interview, and that you should not answer. They include questions designed to elicit information as to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, religion, and disability, arrest and court records. The only exception is when a question is based upon a bona fide occupational qualification.


For instance if the employer is a government contractor and the position requires security clearance, the interviewer can ask: If security clearance is necessary, can this be achieved? They cannot ask:”Have you ever been arrested, convicted, or spent time in jail prior to employment?”


All questions an interviewer asks you should focus on your qualification for the job.

However, the person doing the interview, unless a human resources specialist, may not always know what is legal (or may forget in the midst of an energized interview) and what is not.

As a savvy job applicant, you should take it upon yourself to learn the basics about what can and cannot be asked. You do have the right to withhold information unrelated to the job during an interview. However, most research has shown that if you just refuse to answer such questions that refusal may be seen in a negative manner and hurt your chances of being chosen for a job.


There is an answer to this problem, however. Become familiar with the legal and illegal interview questions listed below. Determine how best to respond to them. If you find that you are uncomfortable answering any other them, compose an answer now, before the interview. Answer it in a way won’t offend or mislead the interviewer while at the same time maintaining your privacy.


Legal Questions that can be asked during an interview


These questions are generally easy to answer. In fact most of this information should come directly from your targeted resume.


What’s your education level?
What experience qualifies you for this job?
Do you have licenses and certifications necessary for this job?
Are you willing to travel?
What name(s) are your work records under?
Do you have the legal right to work in the United States?
Are you available for overtime?

There is also some information that can legally be requested after you’ve been hired. You should be ready to submit this information when requested:


copy of your birth certificate
Affirmative action statistics
Whether you’re married or single
Proof of citizenship
Photographs
Physical examination and drug testing
Social Security number

Illegal questions that an interviewer should not ask you during an interview


Here are a few illegal questions with rephrased questions (making them legal) that will provide the interviewer with the information he or she actually needs and still provides you with the privacy you deserve. These include what they cannot ask and what they can ask. You need to prepare your responses in advance, so that there is no hesitation on your part in providing this informationThey include:


Can’t ask: What’s your national origin? or Are you a U.S. citizen? Can ask: Are you authorized to work in the U.S.?
Can’t ask: What’s your marital status? Can ask: Would you be willing to relocate if necessary?
Can’t ask: What’s your maiden name? Can ask: Have you worked or earned a degree under another name?
Can’t Ask: What’s your date of birth or age? Can ask: Are you over the age of 18?
Can’t ask: What’s your sexual orientation? Period.
Can’t ask: What church do you attend? Can ask: What days are you available to work?
Can’t ask: How tall are you? How heavy are you? Can ask: Are you able to reach items on a shelf that's five feet tall?  Are you able to lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds?
Can’t ask: Do you smoke or drink? Can ask: Have you ever in the past been disciplined for violating company policies forbidding the use of alcohol or tobacco products?
Can’t ask: How many sick days did you take last year? or How many days were you absent from work because of illness last year? Can ask: How many days of work did you miss last year?
Can’t ask: What are the nature and or severity of your disabilities? Can ask: Are you able to carry out the necessary job assignments and perform them well and safely?
Can’t ask: Have you ever been treated by a psychiatrist or psychologist? If so, for what condition? or Is there any health-related reason that you may not be able to perform the job for which you are applying? Can ask: Are you able to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations?
Can’t ask: Do you use drugs? Can ask: Do you use illegal drugs?

As mentioned earlier, you have a right to privacy when it comes to personal information, especially when it has nothing to do with the job you’re interested in. All questions an interviewer asks you should focus on your qualifications for the job. The above can’s and can not’s are simply designed to help you develop responses to those questions. The interviewer will appreciate this and see you in a more positive light…as the professional you are.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Open a Cannabis Store Legally

Thinking about opening up a legal cannabis store? It would probably be a fantastic idea, more so now than ever. There is now close to 1 million medical marijuana patients in California alone, which is 3 percent of the entire state's population, estimates NORML.

Chronic pain is the number one medical reason accounting for the majority of all cannabis patient recommendations. Studies from numerous sources have shown that marijuana is especially effective for neuropathic pain, a condition that afflicts 7 to 8 percent of the entire population.

Patients who use cannabis to mitigate pain commonly report a significant reduction in their usage of other medications, especially prescription opiates which many complain cause negative side effects.

The patient figures above numbering over 1 million in California alone are an exponential increase from earlier years - 75,000 in 2004, 150,000 in 2005, and 275,000 in 2007. Because California's law is older and has more liberal criteria, patient figures there are likely to be much higher than reported figures, states NORML. Patients have been doubling almost every year, and this is in line with patient figures in other comparable states that offer wide access to medical cannabis stores and dispensaries.

Patients demand safe and legal access to cannabis. With patient demand growing far quicker than the amount of dispensaries that can keep up with it, patients fear they may have to go the black market to get the medication they need. A cannabis store provides a much needed service in protecting patients and their rights to safe and legal access.

Dispensaries also provide numerous different types of legal medical marijuana, all used to treat various ailments. A patient can go inside a dispensary and choose up to a hundred different types. There are also edibles, tinctures, sprays, and several more methods of ingesting cannabis and knowledgeable people there to educate them. There is no way a new patient could do this on his own.

A dispensary provides medication 24/7 and the patient does not have to worry about using alternative means of procuring what they need in an unsafe manner. Most dispensaries have the latest technology, cameras, security measures and even security guards. Patients can feel safe in having a choice of readily and widely available medication by visiting a dispensary.

Ron Hyman, the state's registrar of vital statistics for Colorado, knows that the influx of medical marijuana applications his office receives daily has to cease eventually. Last month his office received over 100,000 applications to start a dispensary, over 99 percent of which were denied because they were filled out incorrectly. "We are aware of people moving to Colorado because of this," he says.

Ever optimistic, Hyman looks forward to the day when his office's storage closets will finally be free of dispensary applications for the marijuana business. "That will be a day to celebrate," he says. And he's sure it's coming. After all, he repeats, "There's only five million people in the state," and sooner or later people will figure out how to fill them out correctly.

We are in the infancy stages of the legal medical marijuana business. Only 1/3 of the states have it legalized for medical use. Patients are starting to flock towards marijuana for medicine and the number has been nearly doubling every year. Opening a cannabis store will be a sizzling market for the next 10 years for anyone who gets into it now.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Are You Legal To Drive In NJ?

Some laws are common sense and common courtesy. For instance, in the state of New Jersey (and throughout the United States), it is against the law to break into someone else's home, commit murder or drink and drive. While you may jay walk or drive a few miles over the speed limit every now and then, you probably think of yourself as a law-abiding citizen. However, there are certain laws within the state of New Jersey that pertain to car insurance that you could be breaking, at this very moment - without even realizing it. If you drive in the Garden State, you must comply with the state minimum requirements for auto insurance, if you wish to avoid legal and financial consequences, as well as, the risk of losing your license. Find out what you need to know about New Jersey Car Insurance by reading the following information.

The Essentials: Auto Insurance in New Jersey

In the state of New Jersey, there are two primary types of auto insurance coverage: Basic Policy and Standard Policy.

The Basic Policy refers to liability insurance, only, which is a requirement in the state of New Jersey. A Standard Policy is also known as, a comprehensive policy. Before choosing a policy, it is important to understand both types of car insurance in the state.

Liability: The Bare Minimum

Most states, including New Jersey require drivers to carry a minimum amount of New Jersey car insurance, in order to be considered - legal to drive on the roads. In the state of New Jersey, drivers are required to have at least 15/30/5 liability coverage, these numbers indicate Bodily Injury Liability, Total Bodily Injury Liability (for each accident) and Property Damage Liability. Therefore, if you wish to meet the state's minimum liability requirements, you will need to have at least ,000 liability coverage (per injured person) with a total coverage amount of at least ,000 per accident AND at least ,000 in Property Damage Liability Coverage.

Standard: Full Coverage

A Standard Policy in the state of New Jersey offers the same liability coverages (personal injury and property damage) as a Basic Policy, but there is also so much more to it, as well. In addition, to meeting the state requirements, a Standard Policy extends coverage even further by providing New Jersey motorists with additional coverage options. These more extensive coverage options offer NJ drivers with Personal Injury Protection, Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Bodily Injury and Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Property Damage protection, as well. Therefore, no matter what your auto insurance needs are, there is a car insurance option in New Jersey that will give you the coverage you need, most.

If you drive in the Garden State, you need to understand the basic facts about New Jersey Car Insurance. Choose a type that meets your coverage needs (Basic or Standard) and compare rates to find the cheapest policy for you.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Pre-Paid Legal Business Opportunity

Often it's interesting to know what led to the start-up of a company. Pre-Paid Legal was started by a man named Harland Stonecipher. In 1969, Mr. Stonecipher was in a head-on accident, which led to considerable legal expenses for him. At this time it occurred to him that he had insurance to cover his car and his health expenses, and that he had life insurance that would have protected his family, but he had nothing to help him cover his legal expenses. That?s when his research into legal expense plans began.

And as a result of all this, today we have a very viable business opportunity with a very low start-up cost which includes marketing tools and training so ambitious entrepreneurs can sign up and get started right away.


No sales or marketing experience is required for Pre-Paid Legal associates. Rather than "selling," associates are encouraged to explain their services.

Many folks may not have even given a second thought to needing these services until a Pre-Paid Legal representative enlightens them and brings to the forefront of their minds something they feel they should have been thinking about all along. This is among the reasons most active associates are very happy with the company. They?re providing a service they believe in, plus earning commissions.

Pre-Paid Legal?s product might be explained as a kind of litigation insurance, not unlike what medical insurance is to the health industry. Thousands could be saved by clients should they find themselves needing legal representation at some point. And with the Pre-Paid Legal plans costing per month or less, comparing this to the cost of obtaining an attorney truly looks like quite a bargain.


Pre-Paid Legal associates make money different ways.

They are paid for marketing several different types of memberships. As an example, depending on the level with the company, representatives are paid up to 2.50 for every membership they sell. They also receive override commissions from their organizations, and residual compensation.

And, unlike many other companies, Pre-Paid Legal pays their associates on a daily basis. They post compensation details on their PrePaidLegal.com website, so those considering this opportunity can make an educated decision upon whether or not to join.


Not unlike many MLM opportunities, Pre-Paid Legal encourages their associates to present the Pre-Paid Legal service and opportunity to family, friends, and acquaintances, and to bring them to meetings, etc. Hopefully new reps won't be disheartened when the eventual inevitability comes about and they realize that their "list" of people is starting to get short.



Here's the reason. Pre-Paid Legal appears to be a very viable business opportunity. This new Internet frontier has provided pipelines not previously available for entrepreneurs willing to work and really wanting to "grow their list, " and in turn grow their business. Seems MOST of us are no longer going to be able to retire at 65. (And who wants to, anyway, really?) Might as well work online from home marketing products you believe in, and those offered by Pre-Paid Legal could be just what you?re looking for.


Visit SandraLeeOnlineMarketing.com (not affiliated with Pre-Paid Legal) to learn valuable Internet marketing techniques.


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Sandra Lee is an Online Marketing Coach, representing a company that trains Internet Marketers and gives them a marketing platform to promote their online businesses. Learn more at her website: SandraLeeOnlineMarketing.com, Online Marketing Techniques