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mesrianilawgroup · 1 year ago

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What is Overtime Pay in California?

In the state of California, nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay of:

5 times their normal rate of pay for each extra hour worked over 8 hours in a day or more than 40 hours in a week.

2 times their normal rate of pay for hours worked over 12 hours in a day or if they work seven days straight and work more than 8 hours on the seventh day.

Sometimes, workers who are nonexempt may be paid differently than an hourly wage and their overtime pay is calculated accordingly. Exempt workers are those to whom the overtime laws do not apply. There are also some special exceptions that have their own guidelines.

What is the Regular Rate of Pay?

An employee’s regular rate of pay is the way their compensation for their work is calculated. This could be by the hour, per year, by piecework, or on commission. Regardless of how the rate of pay is calculated, it can never be lower than the minimum wage. It can also never exceed an 8 hour workday or a 40 hour workweek. There is however a standard under Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders that allows for alternative workweek schedules consisting of either 4 days of 10 hour shifts or 3 days of 12 hour shifts. For these schedules, the rate of pay is based on the 40 hour workweek.

Some agreed upon schedules come out to less than 40 hours per workweek. Although a set agreed upon work week may total under 40 hours, the employer is not obligated to pay overtime until the employee works more than 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours within that workweek.

How Much is Overtime Pay in California?

In order to qualify for overtime, the following parameters must be met:

Hours paid time and a half:

Over 8 and up to 12 hours per workday

Over 40 regular hours per workweek

The first 8 hours of the 7th day worked in a row per workweek

Hours paid double time:

Over 12 hours per workweek

Over 8 hours on the 7th day worked in a row per workweek

How to Calculate Overtime Pay in California

Step 1: Determine Workweek vs Workday

Workday – The default workday begins at 12:01 in the morning. However, employers are able to set their workday to be any block of 24 hours that begins at the same time every calendar day. If an employee works more than 8 hours in a workday, they are entitled to overtime pay for the extra hours worked. Employers are not permitted to average out hours across multiple days. If an employee works 6 hours one day and 10 hours the next, they receive 2 hours of overtime pay.

Workweek – A workweek is a set period of seven days that begins the same calendar day every week. While employees within the same company may have different workweek schedules, a workweek is set for each individual employee and can not be changed unless it is being permanently altered. If an employee works more than 40 hours within a workweek, they are entitled to overtime pay.

Step 2: Calculate Hours Worked

Employees must document the times that they punch in for work, out for break, back in from break, and out for the day. Most employers have a system for all employees to do this, so that the employer can then calculate the hours worked for each person.

Step 3: Determine Amount of Daily Overtime Hours

When calculating daily overtime for nonexempt employees, employers must pay

Time and a half for hours worked over 8 and up to 12

Time and a half for the first 8 hours of the seventh day worked in a row

Double time for hours worked over 12

Double time for hours worked over 8 on the seventh day worked in a row

Step 4: Determine Amount of Weekly Overtime Hours

When calculating weekly overtime for nonexempt employees, employers must pay

Time and a half for hours worked over 40

Step 5: Calculate Daily vs Weekly Overtime Hours

According to California state law, both daily and weekly overtime hours must be taken into account. The overtime hours themselves are only counted once, but they also do not negate each other. This is to protect workers in situations such as if someone works more than 8 hours a day, but they worked less than 40 hours that week. Determining overtime on both a daily and weekly basis ensures that employee gets paid properly. The way this works is:

When an employee’s daily overtime is the same or more than the employee’s weekly overtime, then they must be paid in accordance with daily overtime. In these cases, the weekly overtime is already included in the daily overtime.

When the employee’s daily overtime hours are less than the number of weekly overtime hours, then the remaining time must be accounted and compensated for.

Employers must also ensure that daily double time rules are being followed when calculating weekly overtime as well.

Employers can keep track of these hours by accounting for the hours worked and separating the regular rate of pay from the overtime. This ensures that all hours are accounted for and paid correctly.

No weekly overtime, but time and a half daily overtime for the seventh day in a row worked:

No daily overtime, but time and a half weekly overtime paid for hours worked over 40 in the workweek:

Both daily and weekly overtime:

Time and a half for daily hours worked over 8 up to 12

Time and a half for the first 8 hours of seventh day worked in a row

Double time for hours worked over 12

Double time for hours over 8 on seventh day worked in a row

Time and a half for weekly overtime hours over 40

Step 6: Determine Base Rate of Hourly Pay

Since overtime is 1.5 or 2 times the employee’s regular rate of pay, it is important to figure out what that is. An employee’s regular rate of pay is generally the amount of money earned by the employee each hour generally calculated by dividing the total compensation for the workweek by the hours worked. There are many different ways in which employers pay out their employees’ compensation, and so different ways for the regular rate of pay to be calculated.

Hourly Non-Exempt Employees

The regular rate of pay for hourly employees is the amount of money they earn each hour. If they also receive bonuses or commissions, those are divided by the number of hours worked.

So, if an employee makes $20 an hour, then their overtime pay would be $30 an hour or $40 an hour for double time.

Sometimes, employees are paid different rates within the same workweek. In these cases, the regular rate of pay is calculated by dividing all earnings throughout the week by all of the hours worked. The overtime premiums are then added to the applicable overtime hours afterwards. So, if an employee works 20 hours at $10 an hour and 30 hours at $15 an hour, their total earnings would be $650 which would be divided by 50 for a regular rate of $13. $6.5 would be added to every overtime hour that earned time and a half, and $13 would be added to every overtime hour that earned double time.

Sometimes, employees also earn flat-sum bonuses on top of their hourly rates. When this happens, the bonus is divided by the amount of non-overtime hours they worked, and then that amount is added to the hourly rate. The final sum is the number used to determine the overtime rate of pay. So, if an employee works 45 hours in a workweek at $10 with a weekly bonus of $100, the $100 would be divided by 40 making $2.5 which would make the regular rate of pay $12.5 which would be used to calculate the applicable overtime.

Piece Rate or Commission Employees

There are several different methods that can be used to calculate regular rate of pay for employees who are compensated by piece or commission:

The rate that the employee is paid by piece or commission is considered the regular rate, and that number is multiplied by 1.5 for hours worked over 8 up to 12 in a workday and multiplied by 2 for hours worked over 12 per workday.

The total amount of money earned for the workweek is divided by the total hours worked for the workweek. The overtime premium of that number is then added to the applicable overtime hours.

For group rates, the amount of pieces the group produced during the workweek is divided by the amount of people in the group. Each member of the group is paid accordingly, and that amount is then divided by the hours worked.

Salaried Non-Exempt Employees

When a salaried employee is nonexempt, their salary only covers regular hours worked. In these situations, those employees are entitled to overtime pay. To determine the regular rate of pay for a full time employee, the weekly salary is divided by 40. If the employee is paid monthly, the monthly rate is multiplied by 12 months in a year, then that number is divided by 52 weeks in year, then that number is divided by 40 hours in a week.

Are Salaried Employees Entitled to Overtime?

Some salaried employees may be exempt from overtime pay for many reasons:

Federal law

State Law

California Labor Code Provision

Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders

If the salaried employe does not meet the requirements for exemption status, then the employer must pay them overtime rates when overtime hours are worked.

Employees That Are Paid Different Rates Within the Same Job

When employees are paid two or more different rates at the same job within the same workweek, the weighted average is found by dividing the total amount of money earned by the total number of hours worked. So, if an employee worked 20 hours at $10 an hour, 20 hours at $12 an hour, and 10 hours at $14, the weighted average would be $580 divided by 50 hours, totaling $11.6 an hour.

Employees that Receive Bonuses

Nondiscretionary bonuses are included when calculating an employee’s regular rate of pay for the sake of overtime if that bonus is for how many hours they worked, a reward for high performance, or an incentive to stay with the employer.

When calculating regular rate of pay on a flat sum bonus for the sake of overtime, the amount of the bonus is divided by the number of regular hours the employee worked. That amount is then used to calculate the time and a half or double time to be used for any additional overtime hours.

When calculating regular rate of pay on a production bonus, the amount of the bonus is divided by the number of hours the employee worked during the bonus period. That amount is then used to calculate the time and a half or double time to be used for any additional overtime hours in the bonus period.

Bonuses that are not factored into overtime pay are discretionary bonuses such as holiday gifts or special rewards.

Who Is Exempt from California Overtime Laws?

The most notable exempt workers are those who earn a fixed salary that is equal to or greater than double the minimum wage.

There are specific salaried job categories that are generally exempt such as:

Normally Exempt Roles

These requirements reduce the likelihood that high salaried professionals are not able to enjoy the benefits of overtime pay. However, these roles are often rewarded in amounts of compensation that far exceed the need for overtime pay.

Executives

Administration

Professional Employees

Outside Salespeople

The requirements for being classified as an exempt outside salesperson are:

18 years old or older

51% or more of their work is conducted away from the business

They sell products, contracts, the performance of services, and/or the use of facilities

Unionized Employees

Not all union workers are exempt. Exemption for unionized workers requires:

That the collective bargaining agreement explicitly provides for wages and working hours and conditions

That the collective bargaining agreement explicitly provides for regular rate of pay and premium overtime rates that are 30% or higher than state minimum wage

Job Specific Exceptions

The California Industrial Welfare Commission outlines certain job specific exceptions to overtime laws such as:

Agricultural workers

Ambulance workers

Camp Counselors

Live-in household workers

Retirement home managers

Personal attendants

Some 24-hour residential childcare providers

The parents, spouse, and children of the employer

Independent Contractors

The requirements for being an independent contractor are:

Someone who is contracted to perform a specific service for a specific amount of pay

Someone who has complete control over when and how the service is completed

Alternative Schedules

Sometimes, employees may agree to alternative schedules such as working a 40 hour workweek as 4 days of 10 hour shifts. These schedules are not bound by overtime laws. A valid alternative workweek schedule must be:

Voted on via secret ballot by the affected employees

Approved by a two-thirds majority

Reported within 30 days by the employer to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement

Employers are not permitted to retaliate against any employees for their stance on alternative schedules. Employees working an alternative schedule are still entitled to overtime pay when:

They work more than the daily agreed upon hours

They work more than 40 hours in a workweek

Nonresidents

In the state of California, all nonexempt workers are protected by the state’s overtime laws, including those who are not residents of the state or citizens of the country. There is some back and forth about whether workers who work in the state for less than a day at a time should also be protected by those same laws.

Step 7: Calculate Total Overtime and Pay Balance

According to Labor Code Section 204, overtime in California must be paid by the payday for the next payroll period. The regular hours for that pay period must be paid on time, only the overtime pay may be paid the following payday.

Are Any Amounts Excluded from Overtime Pay?

There are some types of payments and compensation that may not be included when calculating overtime in California such as:

Discretionary Bonuses

Expenses

Gifts

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Can Overtime Be Waived?

In the state of California, all nonexempt employees must be compensated for any overtime worked. If an employer has an employee sign an agreement waiving their right to overtime pay, that waiver is unenforceable, and the employee is still entitled to their overtime pay.

Can an Employer Require Overtime?

In most cases, employers in California are allowed to require their employees to work overtime. One big exception is that employers are not permitted to require employees to work seven consecutive days in a row with no day off for rest. Employees are however able to waive their rest day provided they are aware of their right to take it if they choose.

Are Employers Responsible for Paying Unapproved Overtime?

In the state of California, all nonexempt employees must be paid overtime pay for all overtime hours worked regardless of managerial approval. While employers are permitted to discipline employees who work unapproved overtime, they can not refuse to pay them. In accordance with California law, employees must be paid for whatever time they were suffered or permitted to work. This means that the employer is responsible for any compensation owed for hours worked that they knew about or should have known about.

What Can an Individual Do if Overtime Isn’t Paid?

If an employee was not paid properly for overtime hour worked, they can contact the Department of Labor, file a claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or file a lawsuit to sue for the money. When suing a former employer, they can also file a claim for a waiting time penalty in accordance with Labor Code Section 203.

What is the Wage Claim Filing Process?

After an employe files a claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, that claim is then assigned to a Deputy Labor Commissioner. They will then decide whether to:

Refer the matter to a conference – The parties involved are brought together to meet and attempt to resolve the issue out of court.

Refer the matter to a hearing – The parties involved will testify under oath during a recorded hearing. Afterwards, the Labor Commissioner will serve an Order, Decision, or Award (ODA) to the parties.

Dismiss the matter

The ODA may be appealed by either party. The matter will then be sent to trial where the parties involved will present their cases again, without the initial hearing bearing primary weight on the court’s final decision. IF the employer is the one appealing the ODA and the employee can not afford legal representation, the DLSE may opt to represent them.

What Do I Do If I Win an Overtime Pay Claim But the Employer Fails to Pay?

Sometimes, an Order, Decision, or Award will be in the employee’s favor and the employer will not appeal but will refuse to pay. In this instance, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement will request that the ODA be entered as a court judgement.

Contact Mesriani Law Group if You Are Owed Overtime Pay

In the state of California, employers are legally required to pay all nonexempt employees 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 8 and up to 12 in a work day, hours over 40 in a work week, and the first 8 hours of the seventh day worked in a row in a workweek. They are also legally required to pay 2 times their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 12 in a workday, and hours over 8 on the seventh day worked in a row. Unfortunately, not all employers properly pay their employees. If you believe your employer has not paid you properly, call Mesriani Law Group today.

Overtime Pay FAQs

How does overtime work?

In the state of California, if an employee works more than 8 hours and up to 12 hours in a workday, those hours are compensated at 1.5 times their normal rate of pay. Also compensated at time and a half are hours worked over 40 in a workweek and the first 8 hours worked on the seventh consecutive day in a row. Hours over 12 on a workday and hours over 8 on the seventh day in a row are compensated at 2 times the normal rate of pay.

Do overtime hours count towards 40 hours in California?

All hours count towards total hours worked. Hours worked over 8 in a workday are daily overtime. Hours worked over 40 in a workweek are weekly overtime. If hours count as both daily and weekly overtime, they are only counted once.

Is 7th day double time in California?

According to California state labor laws, the first 8 hours worked on the seventh consecutive day in a row worked in a workweek are paid at time and a half. Any hours worked after those first 8 hours are paid at double time.

#California Employment Laws #Overtime #Overtime Pay #Wage and Hour Violations #Employment Law #Employment Lawyers #California Attorneys #Workplace Discrimination #Workplace Retaliation

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covenofagatha · 1 month ago

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Sugar, spice, and everything nice (Part 3)

Word count: 3100

Warnings: semi-public sex, sex toys, masturbation

You spend almost all of Saturday and Sunday at the bakery, just waiting for Agatha to walk in.

She never does.

It was especially hard on Saturday, opening up the box full of sex toys she had sent you and then having to come into work just an hour later, being more turned on than you ever had in your life. The only thing you were looking forward to was Agatha walking in and smirking at you. You were sorely disappointed.

So much so that you hadn’t even found it in yourself to use the toys she had sent. The vibrator, dildo, clit-sucker (you had finally figured out what it was), and the long distance vibrator had sat in the box on your floor for the whole weekend, you trying to not look at it whenever you walked in.

Was Agatha worried she had made a mistake? You hadn’t texted her Saturday morning upon receiving the package, assuming she’d be in the bakery that morning, but now it seemed too late to send a message.

Now it’s Monday and you’re supposed to go on a date tomorrow. Maybe you can wear the vibrator on Tuesday. Even just thinking about her letter sends thrills down your spine.

Is the date still on though?

And then the door opens and in walks Agatha. Your breath catches in your throat and you stand up off your stool. She is stunning.

She shoots you her signature smirk and all of your worries and doubts just melt away.

“Hey, doll,” she says, coming to a stop in front of the register.

“Agatha,” you sigh. “I haven’t seen you all weekend.”

She runs a hand through her hair and you find yourself transfixed. “Sorry, sweetheart. I got a new case and it’s very time-consuming. I kept trying to get away but I just couldn’t.”

And then you feel bad, because of course the excellent lawyer was working and wasn’t avoiding you.

A glint appears in her eyes. “Did you have a busy weekend?”

There’s only one thing she could be possibly talking about in that tone with that look on her face. Your cheeks redden and you look at the counter, wiping an imaginary speck of dust off it.

“I-uh-haven’t actually used any of them yet,” you answer sheepishly. You dare to meet her eyes to see that her smile has gotten bigger if possible.

“You haven’t? Why not?”

You shrug, too embarrassed to tell her that you were worried she was icing you out. It sounds stupid now, with her standing right there, but your thoughts tend to get the best of you when you’re alone.

“Do you need some help with them?” Agatha asks and you choke on nothing. You open and close your mouth a few times, not able to think straight but trying to formulate some kind of response, when she tosses her head back with a laugh. “I’m just joking, doll.”

“Do you really want me to wear the vibrator tomorrow?” Your voice falls to a hush even though it’s only the two of you in the store.

“You aren’t wearing it right now?” She teases and you gasp at the thought of her toying with you while you try to make coffee and talk to customers.

“No,” you squeak and shake your head furiously. “I didn’t know-”

“I’m kidding, doll,” she assures you. “Wear it tomorrow only if you want to. It connects to an app so you’ll have to send me the code on the manual once you open it. If you want to, of course.”

“I do,” you say hoarsely, feeling a flush all over your cheeks and neck. She smiles triumphantly and taps the counter.

“So, where are you taking me on our next date?”

You had actually spent a lot of time trying to figure it out. Obviously, as a college student making just above minimum wage, you couldn’t really treat her to a nice restaurant and you weren’t quite sure what she liked to do.

So you were settling for something simple.

A nice picnic in the park to watch the sunset. Maybe go for a walk after. Quality time is very important to you and you wanted to just be with the older woman.

You hoped it would be good enough for her.

“It’s a surprise. Pick me up at 6 tomorrow?” Not super classy to make her come get you, but you’d much rather ride in her slick, black Range Rover than have to pick her up in your ten year old Subaru.

“Any plans for after the date?” She asks casually.

Your mouth opens in mock outrage. “Do you think I’m the kind of girl to have sex after two dates?” With her, you are. You hope she says yes.

She smirks. “You seemed pretty desperate for sex after the first date, sweetheart. We don’t have to do anything though. We could always go back to my place and just watch a movie.”

“That would be nice,” you admit, even though you know you want her hands on your body. Fuck, if she wanted to come around the counter and slip her fingers into your pants right there and then, you wouldn’t be opposed.

She seems to know where your head is at and by the darkening in her eyes, she is feeling a similar sort of way. “And if you wanted to, you know, bring those toys…maybe we could finally put them to good use.”

Your eyes widen and you nod eagerly before you can stop yourself. She chuckles.

“Alright, well I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night at 6,” she says, drumming her fingernails on the counter one last time before shooting you a wink and leaving the bakery.

“Don’t you want-” Your attempt to ask if she wants coffee or cake falls upon deaf ears as the door opens and she’s gone.

You breathe a sigh of relief that she was just busy the past two days. And you’re sort of mad that you wasted those last two days not using the toys she had sent.

But that would end tomorrow.

Heat was already igniting in your stomach at the thought of it. You had never used a toy before and you were especially looking forward to trying the long-distance vibrator.

The rest of your shift is pretty quiet, not too many customers either on Mondays.

When you get back to your dorm, though, you realize that you are positively dripping. You guess your interaction with Agatha had more of an effect on you than you realize.

You chew on your lip and your eyes keep darting back and forth between your bed and the box of toys on the floor.

It couldn’t hurt to test one out, could it?

You grab the box with the vibrator and open it. Glancing at the instructions, you press the power button and gasp as the purple toy buzzes to life in your palm. You turn it off, heart pounding, and lay down.

You close your eyes and remember what it was like to kiss Agatha at the Winter Wonderland the other night. Her tongue in your mouth, her sucking your lip, her hand under your shirt. You shift and hike up the skirt you were wearing and place the vibrator on your clit over your underwear.

A whimper is forced out of your throat and your back arches off the bed. Quickly, you pull it away.

Holy fuck.

You’ve never felt anything so intense.

You take a deep breath and slowly place it against you again, mind wandering to Agatha.

Her veiny hands, her mouth, her confidence, the way she fluffs her hair. You imagine the way her fingers and tongue would feel on you. Your hips are rolling against the vibrator – that she gave you – and you’re already close. You truly cannot believe you’ve never used one before.

You cum harder than you ever have by your own hand at the wishful thought of Agatha laughing as she holds the vibrator against you.

It takes you a second to calm down and when you turn the toy off, you can still feel the rumbling in your hand.

And then you reach for your phone. Just used the vibrator. You click send before you can second-guess yourself.

Agatha’s response comes immediately after. And?

Changed my life lol.

She doesn’t reply for a few minutes so you go wash the toy, but when you come back, there’s a new message.

Just wait for tomorrow night, doll.

Heat flashes through you and you seriously consider using the vibrator again.

But you want to wait. You can wait.

However, the next 24 hours pass so slowly that you think time might have stopped.

There are countless times you look at the clock, expecting an hour to have passed, only to find that it was three minutes.

It’s like being a child on Christmas Eve again. Except instead of presents, you’re waiting to get fucked by an older woman.

Finally, finally, she texts you that she’s on her way and to get ready (she sends a winky face, as if there’s any doubt what she means).

You’re wearing a short lilac skirt so you bunch it up with one hand and slide your underwear to the side. You’re already wet just at the thought of seeing Agatha so you’re able to slide the bulb easily into you. It’s not too big but you can definitely feel it deep inside you. The other piece rests against your clit and you can only imagine what it will feel like when she turns it on.

You find the bluetooth connection instructions on the instruction manual and text it to her.

Barely a second later, she texts back Good girl. I’m about to turn into the parking lot.

It’s going to be a long night.

You wait until you see her car pull up before exiting the building, and as you’re walking to the car with the basket of food and a backpack with all the toys and some extra clothes, she turns it on. You almost fall to the ground. Thankfully you were holding onto the dinner tight.

If you thought the vibrator from yesterday was intense, it’s nothing compared to the sensation of it against your clit and inside you.

And just as quickly as the feeling came, it’s gone. You gasp and stumble hurriedly the rest of the way to the car before she can do it again.

Agatha’s smirk is dripping with smugness. “How does it feel?”

“Fuck,” is all you can say and she laughs.

“Fuck, indeed. Now, where are we going?”

You give her directions to the park. It’s in a pretty secluded area and there’s never really anyone there when it starts to get dark, so it should be empty. Even if it’s not, you’re just having a picnic.

And just as you suspected, there’s no other cars in the lot when Agatha pulls up to park.

“What are we going here, sweetheart?” She asks, curiosity tinging her voice. She’s not judging though. You knew she wouldn’t.

You hold up the basket. “I thought we could have a picnic?”

She smiles. “I think that’s an excellent idea, honey.” You lead her over to a spot by the perimeter by the hand and don’t let her do anything while you shake out the blanket and take out two plates of sushi and a bottle of wine. You pour her a glass while you finish making everything perfect and she watches you amusedly while sipping on the Rosé.

Dinner is so comfortable and filled with laughter and jokes and questions, and once you both are done with the food, you lay down on the blanket, Agatha’s arm around your shoulders and her other hand pointing out the constellations to you.

She shows you how to always be able to find the North Star, which is in Ursa Minor, and then points out the Big Dipper, and you lose yourself in watching her point to all the stars and hearing her tell you the stories. You’re having so much fun with her and she makes you feel at peace.

“I didn’t realize you knew so much about astronomy,” you say in awe, focusing on her face rather than what she’s showing you. She turns her head down so she’s looking at you.

“Have you been listening or have you been staring at me the whole time?” She jokes, kissing your nose and chuckling as you scrunch it at her.

“I’ve been listening!”

“Oh yeah? What’s that one then?” She points at a star and as you peer at it, her finger fumbles with something and the vibrator inside of you turns on, turning your thoughts to mush.

You had honestly forgotten that you were wearing it.

But it’s impossible to forget now, and your fingers dig into her side and you let out a quiet moan.

“Agatha,” you whine when it turns off.

“What constellation is that?” She turns it on again and your hips start undulating involuntarily as you rack your brain. Your eyes frantically dart to the surrounding stars as you start whimpering.

“Andromeda?” It’s partly a guess but you do remember her saying something about that one. You can vaguely remember the story too. Something about her mom being vain and then Andromeda being chained for a sea monster but Perseus rescues her.

The toy turns off and you gasp for breath. Your hips are still gently riding against nothing, missing the stimulation.

“Very good,” Agatha muses. “How are you feeling?”

“Why don’t you feel for yourself?” You challenge but your smirk turns into a gasp when she reaches over, pushes up your skirt, and rubs your slit over your underwear. Your hips chase her fingers but she pulls away.

You are throbbing.

She holds her fingertips up to the lamp and you both can see them glistening. You have soaked through your panties. Before you can say anything or be too embarrassed, she sucks them into her mouth and your jaw drops. She moans at your taste and when she opens her eyes, you can barely see the blue with how blown out her pupils are.

“Can we go?” You rasp.

“Sure, doll,” she says and helps you pack up so the two of you can get in the car faster. You’re checking the spot one last time just to make sure you have everything when Agatha turns the vibrator on. Your knees buckle this time because of how needy you are, but she catches you.

“Agatha,” you breathe, pleasure overtaking your body.

“Thought you wanted to leave?” She teases innocently and you wrap your arms around her so you can try to walk because she hasn’t turned it off.

You’ve become a moaning mess, face pressed hotly into Agatha’s neck while she basically drags you to the car. You can see goosebumps on the older woman and you can hear her breathing get heavier so you know she’s at least a little affected too.

“Please, please, Aggie, so close,” you babble and it seems like the car is a mile away.

“Aw, does my baby need some relief right now?” She asks, and as pathetic as it is, you nod your head eagerly. She turns it off and you’re able to stand on your own, but Agatha takes off in a different direction of the car.

“Where are you going?” You call after her, but then you realize she’s making a beeline towards a bench. You follow in a daze, not really sure what’s going on. She sits and pats her thighs.

“Since you’re so desperate,” she says with a smirk. You think you might cum right then and there. She spreads her legs when you get closer so you’re able to straddle one of her legs. “Grind.”

She doesn't have to tell you twice. You wrap your arms around her neck and bury your head back into her, moving your hips experimentally.

And then she turns the toy back on and you rip your face out of her shoulder to bite your hand before you moan loudly.

“Fuck,” you keen, rhythm getting sloppy but she moves her hands to her waist to help you out.

“You like this?” She pants into your ear and your resounding moan is all the answer she needs. “You like riding my thigh in a park where anyone could walk by and see how much you need me?”

You nod frantically, every single drag against her leg pushing the vibration against your clit. It feels so delicious and you’ve been on edge all day.

“So desperate for me, so desperate for mommy,” she whispers and her voice shakes a little on the last word, almost like she was nervous. Clearly she had nothing to be nervous about though, because your walls clench even more and you let out a loud whine. You can practically hear her smirking at you.

“Mommy,” you gasp, moving your hips faster, chasing your high. “Need to cum, so close.”

“Do you want to cum all over my leg right now?” She says lowly, peppering your jaw with kisses.

“Please, please, yes, mommy,” you beg. Agatha grabs your chin and tilts it up to lean in for a kiss, but she stops a breath away from your lips.

And then the vibrations stop.

“No, no,” you cry, furiously grinding against her leg, trying to regain the stimulation that you just lost. It’s no use; it’s not the same. Her fingernails dig into your hip to stop your movements.

Your head drops against her shoulder in frustration and you can feel her body shake with contained laughter.

“Why?” You ask and you’re almost ashamed of how needy you sound. Her thumb swipes your bottom lip and then brushes your sweaty hair off your forehead.

“I’m not having the first time I make you cum be on a park bench using a vibrator,” she says matter-of-factly. “It’s going to be in my bed, with either my fingers or my mouth.” You bite your lip at the thought and your hips give another weak jump. She smirks. “After that, we’ll have all the time for toys in the world.”

And with that, she stands you back up and pulls you to the car, intending to make good on her promise.

#agatha harkness x fem!reader #agatha harkness x reader #agatha x reader #agatha x you #agatha harkness x you #kathryn hahn x reader #agatha harkness smut #agatha smut #agatha all along

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mostlysignssomeportents · 9 months ago

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Prison-tech company bribed jails to ban in-person visits

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in BOSTON with Randall "XKCD" Munroe (Apr 11), then PROVIDENCE (Apr 12), and beyond!

Beware of geeks bearing gifts. When prison-tech companies started offering "free" tablets to America's vast army of prisoners, it set off alarm-bells for prison reform advocates – but not for the law-enforcement agencies that manage the great American carceral enterprise.

The pitch from these prison-tech companies was that they could cut the costs of locking people up while making jails and prisons safer. Hell, they'd even make life better for prisoners. And they'd do it for free!

These prison tablets would give every prisoner their own phone and their own video-conferencing terminal. They'd supply email, of course, and all the world's books, music, movies and games. Prisoners could maintain connections with the outside world, from family to continuing education. Sounds too good to be true, huh?

Here's the catch: all of these services are blisteringly expensive. Prisoners are accustomed to being gouged on phone calls – for years, prisons have done deals with private telcos that charge a fortune for prisoners' calls and split the take with prison administrators – but even by those standards, the calls you make on a tablet are still a ripoff.

Sure, there are some prisoners for whom money is no object – wealthy people who screwed up so bad they can't get bail and are stewing in a county lockup, along with the odd rich murderer or scammer serving a long bid. But most prisoners are poor. They start poor – the cops are more likely to arrest poor people than rich people, even for the same crime, and the poorer you are, the more likely you are to get convicted or be suckered into a plea bargain with a long sentence. State legislatures are easy to whip up into a froth about minimum sentences for shoplifters who steal $7 deodorant sticks, but they are wildly indifferent to the store owner's rampant wage-theft. Wage theft is by far the most costly form of property crime in America and it is almost entirely ignored:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/wage-theft-us-workers-employees

So America's prisons are heaving with its poorest citizens, and they're certainly not getting any richer while they're inside. While many prisoners hold jobs – prisoners produce $2b/year in goods and $9b/year in services – the average prison wage is $0.52/hour:

https://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2024/0324bowman.html

(In six states, prisoners get nothing; North Carolina law bans paying prisoners more than $1/day, the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution explicitly permits slavery – forced labor without pay – for prisoners.)

Likewise, prisoners' families are poor. They start poor – being poor is a strong correlate of being an American prisoner – and then one of their breadwinners is put behind bars, taking their income with them. The family savings go to paying a lawyer.

Prison-tech is a bet that these poor people, locked up and paid $1/day or less; or their families, deprived of an earner and in debt to a lawyer; will somehow come up with cash to pay $13 for a 20-minute phone call, $3 for an MP3, or double the Kindle price for an ebook.

How do you convince a prisoner earning $0.52/hour to spend $13 on a phone-call?

Well, for Securus and Viapath (AKA Global Tellink) – a pair of private equity backed prison monopolists who have swallowed nearly all their competitors – the answer was simple: they bribed prison officials to get rid of the prison phones.

Not just the phones, either: a pair of Michigan suits brought by the Civil Rights Corps accuse sheriffs and the state Department of Corrections of ending in-person visits in exchange for kickbacks from the money that prisoners' families would pay once the only way to reach their loved ones was over the "free" tablets:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/jails-banned-family-visits-to-make-more-money-on-video-calls-lawsuits-claim/

These two cases are just the tip of the iceberg; Civil Rights Corps says there are hundreds of jails and prisons where Securus and Viapath have struck similar corrupt bargains:

https://civilrightscorps.org/case/port-huron-michigan-right2hug/

And it's not just visits and calls. Prison-tech companies have convinced jails and prisons to eliminate mail and parcels. Letters to prisoners are scanned and delivered their tablets, at a price. Prisoners – and their loved ones – have to buy virtual "postage stamps" and pay one stamp per "page" of email. Scanned letters (say, hand-drawn birthday cards from your kids) cost several stamps:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/14/minnesota-nice/#shitty-technology-adoption-curve

Prisons and jails have also been convinced to eliminate their libraries and continuing education programs, and to get rid of TVs and recreational equipment. That way, prisoners will pay vastly inflated prices for streaming videos and DRM-locked music.

The icing on the cake? If the prison changes providers, all that data is wiped out – a prisoner serving decades of time will lose their music library, their kids' letters, the books they love. They can get some of that back – by working for $1/day – but the personal stuff? It's just gone.

Readers of my novels know all this. A prison-tech scam just like the one described in the Civil Rights Corps suits is at the center of my latest novel The Bezzle:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865878/thebezzle

Prison-tech has haunted me for years. At first, it was just the normal horror anyone with a shred of empathy would feel for prisoners and their families, captive customers for sadistic "businesses" that have figured out how to get the poorest, most desperate people in the country to make them billions. In the novel, I call prison-tech "a machine":

a million-armed robot whose every limb was tipped with a needle that sank itself into a different place on prisoners and their families and drew out a few more cc’s of blood.

But over time, that furious empathy gave way to dread. Prisoners are at the bottom of the shitty technology adoption curve. They endure the technological torments that haven't yet been sanded down on their bodies, normalized enough to impose them on people with a little more privilege and agency. I'm a long way up the curve from prisoners, but while the shitty technology curve may grind slow, it grinds fine:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/24/gwb-rumsfeld-monsters/#bossware

The future isn't here, it's just not evenly distributed. Prisoners are the ultimate early adopters of the technology that the richest, most powerful, most sadistic people in the country's corporate board-rooms would like to force us all to use.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/02/captive-customers/#guillotine-watch

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

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#pluralistic #prison #prison-tech #marty hench #the bezzle #securus #captive audiences #St Clair County #human rights #prisoners rights #viapath #gtl #global tellink #Genesee County #michigan #guillotine watch #carceral state #corruption

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jewishvitya · 7 months ago

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Haaretz did this:

The full thing is under the cut, in case this link is paywalled for other people. The actual text has blocked out portions as well, to highlight what it's like to report on cases of administrative detention.

Highlights:

Like all administrative detention hearings, it was held in-camera, to obscure the fact that detainees' lawyers do their job without access to the facts of the case. Even the few details that are not secret are prohibited for publication. The administrative detention order was approved in full for a period of six months

And

In the past, it was considered, at least officially, a measure reserved for the most extreme of cases. This hypocritical position has always been false, but now there is no longer any need to save face. According to the Israeli army's own data, almost 5,000 arrests were made in the West Bank in the past eight months. These are very conservative numbers, as they don't include the many thousands arrested and released without being indicted.

The data shows that administrative detention, this so-called extreme of extremes, is now the norm. According to Israeli Prison Service numbers, Israel now holds 7016 people who have not yet been convicted in its jails – either awaiting trial or under administrative detention. Of these, 4,299 – more than 60%! – are held without charge or trial. And all that is without saying a single word about the torture, hunger and humiliation to which all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are subjected these days.

Administrative detention is based on secret suspicions, secret evidence and no charges being brought. To conceal its inherent absurdity, hearings are held in-camera and away from the public eye. As such, even the little that is revealed to the defense remains prohibited for publication.

On the morning of October 29, after a short farewell to his wife Nariman and their kids, Bassem Tamimi left his home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, north of Ramallah, and started heading east toward the Allenby Bridge. He was on his way to visit relatives in Jordan he had not seen in a long time. A little after 11 A.M., Nariman received a message saying, "The secret police asked for me. I'll write when it's over." And then, shortly after 3 P.M., a call: "I am being arrested. They're coming to take the phone. Have to go. Bye."

This, unfortunately, was not Bassem's first encounter with Israeli law. His village, Nabi Saleh, has waged a multi-year campaign of civil resistance against land grabs and settlement expansion. As a prominent activist, he was incarcerated repeatedly for his role as a protest leader, part of Israel's attempt to quell dissent.

In the evening, the phone rang again. The woman on the line introduced herself, saying she lived in Silwan and was currently at the Hadassa hospital in Jerusalem. She then went on to say that Bassem was there, surrounded by soldiers. He was taken there after his blood pressure soared dangerously. Nariman could faintly hear Bassem's voice over the line saying, "I'm fine, don't worry, everything's good." After a few more hours, at night, that same woman sent a picture of Bassem in the ER, undergoing a checkup; his hand bound with ziptie cuffs. That was the last time Nariman heard from him. Save for a single short lawyer visit before Eid al-Fitr in April, no one has been in contact with him since.

Four days after his arrest, police ████, ████ ████: "███████ ███ ████ █████ ███ ████████, ██████, █████? "███████ ███ ██████: "████ ███ ██████." And that was that. Eight days later – the maximum time afforded to the authorities by article 33 of Israel's military law in the West Bank before a detainee must be presented before a judge (who also is a soldier in uniform) – a six-month administrative detention order was issued, which did not suggest any specific allegations, but rather only a very general statement regarding ███████ ██ █ ███████ .

Eleven more days later, the Kafkaesque proceedings of judicial review over the order took place. Some of it was held ex-parte between the soldier-judge and the Shin Bet. Like all administrative detention hearings, it was held in-camera, to obscure the fact that detainees' lawyers do their job without access to the facts of the case. Even the few details that are not secret are prohibited for publication. The administrative detention order was approved in full for a period of six months, until April 28.

Administrative detention, however, is not really bound by the limits of time, and can be extended indefinitely. And indeed, as the six months passed, a new six-month order was signed, citing the same meaningless cause of ██████ ████ █ ██████ ██ █. This time however, and unlike the state of affairs in almost any other administrative detention case, the defense had a pretty good insight into the details of the case. Administrative detention is such a mundane phenomenon in Israeli military courts, that , , , .

A few hours prior to Bassem's arrest, Israeli forces arrested █████ █ ████ █ ██████ ███ █████ █ ████████ ███ ███, Bassem's friend from their days together in Israeli jail at the beginning of the millennium. Then too, under administrative detention. ██████ ███ █████ █ ███ ████ ███ ███ ██████ █ ██ █████ █ ███ █████ ███ ███ █ ███ ███ ████, █ ████ ███ ███ ████ ███ ████ █ █ ███ █████ ██ ██ ██ ██ ███ ████ █ ███ █████ ███ ███ █████ ███ ████ █ ███. █████ ███ ███ █████ ███ █████ █ ███, █████ ███ ███ ███ ███ ███ █████ █ ████ ███ ███ ████ ███ █████? █ █████ ██ ███ ███. ██ ███ ██ ███ █ ██ █████ ███ ███ ██████ ███ █████ █ █████ ███ ███ ██████ ███ █████.

█ ████ ███ ███ ███ █████ ███ █████ █ ████ ████ ███ ███ ████ ███ █████ █ ████ ██ ███, ██████ ███ █████ █ ███ ████ ███ ███ ████ ███ █████ █ ██ ███ ███ ███ ███ ██ ███ ███ █ "██████ ███ ███ ████ ███ ████ █ ██████ ███ ███? █████ ███ █████ █ ████ ███ ███ █████ ███ ████ █ ███████ ███." ███ ██████ ███ ████ █ ███ ███ ███ ██ ███ █████ █ ██████ ███ ███ 25 ███ ██ █████ █ ███████ ████, long after the administrative detention order against Bassem was reviewed and approved by the court, ██████ was unconditionally released.

On his release, ██████ contacted Nariman and told her what had happened, thinking that his release must also mean Bassem should soon follow. This is how the defense learned the details it knows, and not through discovery by the prosecution. Even though there is no gag order on ██████ ██████'s case, discussing its details in conjunction with Bassem's administrative detention is prohibited for publication. Despite everything that was revealed – and that is the nature of administrative detention: there can always be more hidden evidence, secret, almost mystical – Bassem is still being held under administrative detention even now. Almost two weeks after the hearing, ███ █ ██ ██████ ██████ ████████ █████ █ █████ █ █████, the judge partially confirmed the second administrative detention order against Bassem in violation of military law provisions, ████████ ████ █ ███ █ ███████ ███ █ ████████.

Like Bassem, thousands more are held captive by Israel under administrative detention. In the past, it was considered, at least officially, a measure reserved for the most extreme of cases. This hypocritical position has always been false, but now there is no longer any need to save face. According to the Israeli army's own data, almost 5,000 arrests were made in the West Bank in the past eight months. These are very conservative numbers, as they don't include the many thousands arrested and released without being indicted.

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simply-ivanka · 10 months ago

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Tyson Foods BOYCOTTED as it sacks 1,300 staff at Iowa pork plant and offers 'job-and-lawyer' packages in bid to hire 42,000 asylum seekers in New York | Daily Mail Online

BOYCOTT TYSON FOODS

#Boycott Tyson Foods

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ajokeformur-ray · 3 months ago

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My thoughts on Joker: Folie à Deux

Now that I'm done sobbing and it's been a few hours since I left the cinema with my roommate, I've put the first Joker on for comfort while I write this.

Spoilers below the cut for anyone who hasn't seen it.

We all know that I was one of those "I don't want a sequel" girlies and in a way, I still am. I maintain that Joker didn't need a sequel, it was a perfect standalone. But, surprisingly, I enjoyed this film as it was.

It was very dark, gritty, the things we didn't get to see because they were only implied were things which stuck with me long after leaving the cinema, it was ambitious with Lee but didn't quite go as far as I would have liked with her; she had so much more potential and I thought we were gonna get that when she smashed the shop window to get a small TV with which to see her Joker on with a very sweetly spoken "excuse me" and then walked away without a fuss. It was gorgeously arranged, the songs were perfectly selected and I adore that That's Life played during the start and end; it brought our beloved Arthur to a full circle. And, most importantly, it was faithful to our Arthur. That's what I and so many others were afraid of, that this sequel would butcher our boy, but it didn't. It was faithful to him to the bitter, tragic end.

Joker was gorgeous. He was... so realistic, so raw and real and in pain, he was everything I always wanted this universe's Joker to be. I've always said in my fics and posts that Arthur didn't want to be Joker, it was something which the general public put onto him and he never wanted it, he just wanted to be seen, heard, accepted and loved for who he was, and even when he exposed his pain on national TV, he wasn't given that. He was ignored, spoken for rather than listened to, and then in this new film that carried on happening until yet again he stood up for himself and took what he knew to be right. He's the best advocate for himself and it's a lesson I need to learn from him a bit more than I have done before. But I digress... Joker was so perfect. And his little comedy moments did have me giggling, even through my tears at various points in the film.

I enjoyed the difference between how Joker and Arthur were considered, though we all know that the lawyer's initial defense, as well meaning as it was, was not it. Arthur was never gonna walk out of there without consequences and we all knew it. The constant switches between his delusions as Joker and the way he was stood still in Arkham or the courtroom were so well done, and I liked how murder was used against himself while he was waging between doing what people were telling him to do, and what he wanted to do for himself.

I was begging for Arthur to do the right thing the whole way through the trial, even though I knew what it would mean for him, and in the end he chose himself just like he did in the first film, and it was the bravest thing he could have done. It was utterly devastating, but in the end I think the way he chose to go down was the right way. He could have either continued being Joker and gone down being known for someone he wasn't and someone he had never been, or he could stand up, admit to who he is and display emotional maturity and speak for himself.

He chose the latter and I'm, in a very bittersweet way, grateful. I sobbed through most of the film but in the end, Arthur was himself, and it was so brave and so heartbreaking. This film was, at the end of it all, as true to Arthur as Arthur ended up being to himself (and I think it was because Gary's testimony and tearful "why are you doing this to me?" that was the catalyst behind Arthur making this fateful decision), and it was... it was so hard to watch, very difficult to stomach, but also I am proud of myself for going. I really didn't want to, I didn't, but Arthur would have gone to see us if the situation was reversed, and not going to see this film would have felt like abandonment of our boy... I didn't want to do that. I'm glad I went, but I'll probably take a long time before I'm able to watch it again, if I ever can.

The last scene especially shattered me, but I think that from a narrative point of view, it makes sense. Arthur was a tragedy, through and through. Though, he's an unreliable narrator, so who knows if we saw what we all think we saw? It was the perfect end for Arthur, as horrific, cruel, and brutal as it was, but the inmate was wrong... it wasn't at all what he deserved.

Our Arthur deserved sunshine, cuddles for days, kisses in the rain, dancing, singing, he deserved comedy nights and a dancing partner, he deserved so much more than what he got.

And the irony is that the people complaining that this Joker wasn't the Joker they wanted are literally proving the core message of the film; Arthur isn't Joker. He was never Joker, and that's why he was abandoned by so many in the film; by Lee, by those dressed like Joker, by everyone who wanted him to be someone he wasn't... he was given that title by people who didn't know him, people who didn't want to know him, Gothamites who used him and his crimes to justify and further their own political agenda, and, in the real world, by those complaining that this Joker isn't the Joker they wanted.

Arthur is Arthur Fleck, he's always been Arthur Fleck. He was willing to die to make that point, so in the end he died for himself, and it was so brave and courageous and heartbreaking.

I walked out of the cinema sobbing the hardest I've cried for a long time, but so much more in love with Arthur Fleck than I was before. I just want to tell him how sorry I am, and how loved he is by all of us. That's what he deserves.

❤️💚💙🤍

#joker 2 #joker: folie à deux #arthur fleck

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hussyknee · 3 months ago

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Made in the USA: Wage Theft, Fraud and Hidden Sweatshops

Unrolled twitter thread by derek guy (@dieworkwear)

4 Oct 24 • Read on X

ALT enabled on all images. Video has closed captions but is not transcribed.

Not trying to create a pile-on here. But let's talk about why something might still be made in unethical conditions even though it bears a "made in USA" tag. 🧵

The first thing to understand is that not all workers are covered by US labor laws. You might assume that workers get paid a minimum wage (after all, it says "minimum"). In fact, many garment workers in the US toil under what's known as the piecework system.

Piecework means you get paid not by the amount of time you work but the number of operations you complete. This system should be familiar to many of you. As a writer, I get paid per word. The pay is the same whether it takes me 100 or 10 hours to write a 1,000 word article.

My situation is fine bc I get paid enough to eat. But for a garment worker, the pay structure can be peanuts: three cents to sew a zipper or sleeve, five cents for a collar, and seven cents to prepare the top part of a skirt. These are real numbers for LA-based garment workers.

Piecework is how companies skirt minimum wage laws. Among labor organizers, the term "wage theft" refers to the difference between what a worker should have earned under min wage laws and what they actually earned through the piece rate system.

This system is incredibly common. A 2016 UCLA Labor Center study showed the median piece-rate worker in Los Angeles scrapes together $5.15 per hour—less than half the state’s mandated minimum wage. Labor conditions are also very bad: poor ventilation, dusty air, rats and mice.

A Federal Department of Labor investigation the same year found that 85 percent of Los Angeles garment factories were breaking labor laws. In 2016, these violations amounted to $1.3 million in back wages owed to 865 workers in a sample of 77 factories. This is wage theft.

In 2021, labor organizers won a fight to get piecework banned in California. But two years later, it's still incredibly common. I interviewed an LA-based garment worker who toils 12 hrs a day for $50. She sleeps in the corner of a kitchen. From my article in The Nation:

Currently, there's a new fight get piecework banned nationwide through the FABRC Act. I would link, but Twitter throttles threads that have outbound links, so I would prefer if you Google how you can support this legislation. Or follow @GarmentWorkerLA for more info.

The other reason why a "made in USA" tag may not mean much has to do with how the label is applied.

When you see this label inside your garment, what do you assume? Think about this before moving on to the next tweet.

The Federal Trade Commission has pretty strict rules on who gets to apply that label. For clothes, the item has to be cut and sewn in the US using materials that were made in the US. The FTC tries to match its rules with the common understanding of what "made in US" means.

If you're a giant company like Levi's or LL Bean, you may have lawyers who are advising you on these rules. This is why you see labels like "imported," which means the item was made abroad. Or "made in the US from imported materials" when they can't meet the MiUSA standard.

But it's incredibly common for companies to violate FTC rules. In 2022, the FTC fined the pro-Trump brand Lions Not Sheep $211k for labeling their t-shirts "made in USA" when the shirts were actually imported from China and other countries.

The company was basically importing blanks from China, ripping out the "made in China" label, screen printing the shirt in the US, and then applying a new screen-printed "made in US" label. CEO Sean Whalen claimed he was being persecuted for his pro-Trump views.

But the whole thing started bc Whalen made a video about how his customers are price sensitive, so he imports blanks from China. That's what kicked off the FTC investigation. So while this mislabeling is common, it's hard to get caught unless you make a video about your crimes.

The truth is that making a t-shirt in the USA according to FTC standards will result in a relatively expensive garment. Heddels and Velva Sheen both produce shirts in the US from US grown cotton. The first is $26; second is $90 for a two-pack.

Once you add things such as screenprinting—or if you want a more unique cut and not just basic blanks—the costs go up. This is why Bikers for Trump sourced their merch from Haiti. They knew their customers would not pay an extra $8 for true made-in-USA production.

Today, there are countless companies that make merch for other organizations. They source their t-shirts from a variety of places—some made in the US, most not—and then screenprint a design and fulfill orders. This way, the other org doesn't have to do any work but marketing.

When you see a screenprinted t-shirt for $20, ask yourself: Where was the material grown? Where were the yarns spun? Where was the cutting, sewing, and finishing performed? Where was the screenprinted done? What were the wages and labor conditions along these steps?

I'm not a nationalist, so I don't prioritize American jobs over foreign ones. But I do care about fair wages and labor protections. Just because something was made abroad doesn't mean it was made in a sweatshop. Just because it was made in the US doesn't mean fair wages.

Paying more for a garment is also no guarantee of ethical manufacturing. But when the price of a garment is so low, you leave little on the table for workers. Just because you see a $20 t-shirt that says "made in USA" doesn't mean it was made fairly.

Please don't harass the person who posted that original tweet. My intention is not to cause harm or stress for anyone. Only to help shed light on what goes into garment manufacturing, fair labor, and labeling. Hopefully, you will consider these issues when shopping.

For the inevitable question: "How do I make sure my clothes were made ethically?" This is very difficult to answer in a thread. My simplest answer is that we should elect pro-worker politicians, fight for pro-labor laws, and empower unions so workers can advocate for themselves.

--------------------End----------------------

TL; DR: Doesn't matter if it's the US, if it's not union it's probably a sweatshop. And not all merch is priced high because of fair labour conditions (looking at Taylor Swift and Beyoncé). Look for supply chain transparency.

#sweatshops #fashion #american sweatshop #chappell roan merch #sweatshirt #chappell roan #merchandise #made in usa #garment industry #fast fashion #worker rights #labour rights #labour unions #capitalism #worker exploitation #us politics #us law #knee of huss

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ww2yaoi · 2 months ago

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Yesterday was quite a day, I mused as I hurried back from the medics: I caught diarrhea and voted for Roosevelt. Now I was bound for the barn on the west side of Uden where we had moved from an outpost in the north several days after returning from Best. The ballot had gone on its way to the States, but I still had the diarrhea; it made me hurry faster. The first platoon had taken over a large barn and made itself at home in the hay. Supposed to be on the M.L.R., we had posted a couple of men on 24-hour guard in the field behind us while we slept on soft hay in thin, one-man sleeping bags which had caught up with us with the last of the regiment’s rear echelon. It was our most comfortable position in Holland. But I couldn't enjoy it, because I had the worst diarrhea I had ever caught in the Army; I couldn't lie still for more than twenty minutes. Cramped and irritable, I had spent most of the day and night running back and forth to the slit-trench latrine behind the barn, with time out for a mile walk to the medics and a dose of sulfa pills. It was all the cooks’ fault, I mused as I came in sight of our quarters. Bastards always were dirty. They kill a cow and butcher it and boil it hard in pasty gravy and call it beef stew. It almost broke my teeth, but the stew wasn't to blame—it was the wash water afterward. Vile as the British seamen on the Samaria, who had set out cold pans of salt water for us to wash our mess kits in, they gave us a single garbage can of soapy water as a battalion rinse. By the time I got to the can, the scum was an inch thick on top. The grease clung to my pan, breeding germs, and gave me diarrhea at the next meal. I had spent last night on the run, unable to enjoy the comforts of my sleeping bag. Well, anyway I had voted. That made me happy. I had to walk almost two miles to cast my ballot, but I would have walked ten, if necessary, because this was my first vote—I was 22 in June—and I had always wanted to cast it for Roosevelt, the greatest President we had ever had and the only one who ever gave the working man a break. Roosevelt had faced and overcome the two great crises America had ever suffered: the worst depression in history and the world’s biggest war. He was a politician, as crafty and conniving as any, for politics is a cesspool of lying lawyers, but his work was greater than the man, and the country was better for it. The rich Republicans hated Roosevelt for helping the working man, for encouraging the labor unions to wring a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work out of employers who had never heard of such a thing before and for putting into effect fair-employment practices that they considered outrageously Socialistic. Roosevelt helped the unemployed when Herbert Hoover, the last Republican, an engineer who never quite understood humanity, had said, “Let every man help his brother,” when he knew perfectly well that the rich weren't about to help the poor, never had and never would. I had grown up with Republicans and gone to school and college with them, and sickened by their selfishness, their cold avarice and lofty contempt for the common people, had early sworn to vote for the Democrats, who, for all their rotten political faults, were more concerned with the welfare of the country as a whole. Delighted that I had at last fulfilled that ambition, I snapped back to the present when I saw a dozen people standing in front of our barn. A wild-eyed crone was shrieking and cackling at some soldiers while several Dutch children looked on.

David Kenyon Webster, Parachute Infantry, pg. 142-144.

Happy election day, USAmericans! If David Webster can walk two miles with bad diarrhea in an active war zone to vote, so can you!

#or don't idgaf I just wanted to parachute infantry post #david webster #band of brothers #long post

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ena-writes-stuff · 2 months ago

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— a fine line.

˒ ⌕ you end up being enchanted by your boss' son in a law firm. between deadlines and tensions, an invitation changes everything.

— warnings: female reader, use of his real name

— words count: 1.0k

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

It was honestly so glaringly obvious. The glances he shot your way whenever something absurd unfolded in that office were unmistakable, electric. Each time you caught his eye, your heart raced a little faster, a thrilling reminder that at that very moment, he was watching you too. There were those moments when he would casually approach your desk, a warm smile lighting up his face, asking if you needed anything. Each interaction sent a jolt through you — a silent, shared understanding that felt like a secret just between the two of you. It was so painfully obvious.

When you stepped into the law firm as an intern, you braced yourself to be utilized in every conceivable way by the busy lawyers. From sprinting to the courthouses on behalf of your boss to collect case updates, to battling tight deadlines that pushed you into sleepless nights, struggling to meet the absurd expectations placed upon you. And then there was the ritual of brewing coffee — an incessant demand from your boss for it to be fresh, as if the flavor of each sip held the key to his productivity. But what you truly hadn’t anticipated was the way your boss’ youngest son would occasionally drift into the office, like a restless spirit, occupying space with no clear purpose.

You knew his name. Alexis. It was a name that rolled off your tongue in your mind, prompting you to silently move your lips, as if whispering it was a secret act of intimacy. The tip of your tongue would rest behind your upper teeth as you formed the syllables, relishing the satisfying hiss of the "X," a small indulgence amidst the daily chaos of office life.

“Have you filed the appeal for the current case?” The question sliced through your reverie like a sharp knife, as if the devil himself had heard your thoughts and decided to materialize before you. There he stood, relaxed yet imposing, one arm casually resting on the desk. The air around you seemed to constrict, and the scent of his cologne, a rich, woody aroma, invaded your senses, unmistakably expensive. Expensive enough to rival a month’s wages from your underpaid internship. And there he was, enveloped in that fragrance on an ordinary Tuesday, as if he had nothing to lose.

For a fleeting moment, you hesitated, time stretching infinitely as your gaze wandered to the gold cross necklace he wore. It gleamed under the harsh office lights, visible only because the first button of his dress shirt was undone. The sight made him even more alluring, and you found your thoughts drifting to how that small detail could easily become a distraction in the midst of your mounting responsibilities.

Finally, you blinked, as if awakening from a dream, and reality rushed back in. “Was the deadline today?” your voice emerged, a bit louder than intended, betraying your sudden anxiety. Alexis nodded, his eyes locked onto yours, seemingly assessing not just your response, but the very essence of who you were.

A sigh escaped you, echoing in the stillness of the office, as your gaze fell to your palms, almost as if expecting an answer to materialize there. It felt like a crushing defeat to forget such vital details about a case — your work, not merely an internship. And that encompassed everything from brewing coffee to enduring overcrowded buses during rush hour to reach the courthouse, all without earning a single cent. The weight of failure settled in, a heavy burden pressing down on your shoulders.

“I can take care of it if you haven’t already,” he offered, rolling up his sleeves as he shifted his stance. Now, with his arms crossed, he kept his gaze firmly on you.

Your instinct was to deny him. How could he possibly offer help? A storm of doubts swirled in your mind: did he truly know how to draft that document? More importantly, you questioned whether he had any skills beyond being handsome, drifting around his father’s law firm, and flaunting expensive cologne. You hesitated, a tumultuous mix of pride and uncertainty swirling within you.

“You know I have a law degree, right?” he added, as if he could read your thoughts. Your mouth opened to respond, nearly affirming that, of course, you knew, it was such basic information, like the color of the sky. But your reaction drew a laugh from him, a light, infectious sound that filled the space between you. “No worries, I know I don’t look like someone who went to college.”

You couldn’t help it; laughter bubbled up, spontaneous and unguarded, and you instinctively covered your mouth, as if trying to hide your amusement and the enjoyment it brought.

“We can grab lunch together so you can tell me about the case,” he suggested almost immediately, biting his lower lip with a hint of nervousness. His eyes closed for a brief moment, as if mentally scolding himself for making such a sudden invitation. A soft blush crept onto his cheeks, and he ran a hand through his hair, fingers brushing through the strands in a distracted manner, as if trying to sort through his own thoughts.

The offer hung in the air, leaving you torn between surprise and intrigue. It was a chance not only to discuss work but to delve deeper into who he was — the person who always seemed so distant and unreachable. The way he proposed lunch, tinged with a touch of shyness, starkly contrasted the confident facade he usually projected in the office.

For a moment, the world around you faded, and you pondered the possibility of sharing a meal with him. The thought of sitting side by side, away from the cluttered desks piled high with papers and the pressure of work, felt incredibly enticing. You could finally glimpse what lay beneath his facade of beauty and charm, and perhaps he could provide a fresh perspective on the case that was consuming your thoughts.

“I would love to,” you replied, feeling a thrilling mix of excitement and nervousness flood through you.

#alex quackity #qsmp x reader #quackity #quackity drabble #quackity fanfic #quackity imagine #quackity x reader #quackity x y/n #quackity x you #quackityhq #quackity fluff

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eggs-attorney · 29 days ago

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CASE 1: TURNABOUT ASSEMBLY

8:00AM - Egg Quarters: Judge's Office

Eggman: Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.

???: No! I, uh... Thank you for the opportunity.

???: (How can I be saying this? After everything he's done!?)

Eggman: Well, let's make this quick, as I have a lot to attend to today - why don't you tell me about yourself?

Reiker: Well... My name is Reiker Strait, I'm 26 years old, and a recent graduate from the Acorn Kingdom's School of Law. I've volunteered at-

Eggman: The Acorn Kingdom, hm? Why come to Sunnyside?

Reiker: ... Sunnyside?

Eggman: You don't know the city's name?

Reiker: Oh, everyone outside of this place has been calling it Robotropolis... That's what this island was called before it became Eggmanland, wasn't it?

Eggman: Heavens, no! I gave up on that concept a long time ago. This one is entirely new!

Eggman: ... [Ahem]

Eggman: Regardless, you have yet to answer my question. Why come here?

Reiker: Uh... Let's just say there aren't many opportunities for new lawyers in the Acorn Kingdom. I was hoping some positions might become available once the Restoration was finished with their cleanup. I guess now that everything's settled, most people just want a return to form.

Eggman: Hm, I see. I wont lie, this city itself is new blood - only a year old - but we're a bit desperate in the legal department. We can actually start you today.

Reiker: Oh! Like, agreeing on a salary? Setting that up?

Eggman: No, I have a case for you to defend. If you meet my expectations, I'll sign you on full time.

Reiker: WHAT!? There's been a crime already!? I've only been here 30 minutes!

Eggman: No, no... This case has been on hold for quite a while. We simply haven't been able to assign a suitable lawyer for the defendant.

Reiker: ... You're kidding.

Eggman: I wish... The last buffoon ran off weeks ago. I've tried to reach out to other "well respected" lawyers, but most people don't trust a man hellbent on world domination who waged a global war and destroyed their livelihoods to hold a fair court of law.

Reiker: Oh, yeah... So I just-?

Eggman: You're due on stand at approximately 9 AM. You will find your client in the defense lobby.

Eggman: ... Oh, you'll also be needing this.

Attorney's Badge has been added to the Court Record.

Eggman: That badge will grant you free access to the judicial areas of the building. That being said, I'll see you in an hour.

Reiker: ... Wow.

Reiker: (I guess I got the job... But is this really happening? I'm still not sure of what I'm doing, but he's just... Tossing me into the deep end.)

Reiker: (... Is this a trap? Is this how I get roboticized?)

Reiker: (Well, I better get going. Definitely shouldn't no show on my first case... That wouldn't look good on my record, if it ever leaves this island.)

Reiker: (This must be the defense lobby. Now where is-)

???: ...

Reiker: (Is this... My client?)

???: ... Oh, um... Hello.

Reiker: (Gah, I'm freezing up! I need to say something...)

Reiker: Uh... Hi?

???: .........

Reiker: (Oof, that's no good... Why am I blanking now?)

Reiker: (Think, Reiker. You can be personable! Just take a breath. Ground yourself, visualize your Thought Pool and... Jump!)

Reiker doesn't always know what to do or say. That's when he needs help from his Thought Pool (that's you guys)! Simply reply to this post with what you think he should do next (actions, statements, questions, etc)!

[Next >]

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic #sth #ace attorney #eggs attorney #turnabout assembly #dr eggman #reiker strait #yanshu dryll

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mariacallous · 3 months ago

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Driven by hardline prosecutors and tough-on-crime governors, the number of executions jumped 64 percent in 2022 and increased again in 2023 to a total of 24, the highest in five years.

Perhaps the most crucial player in the death penalty’s resurrection, though, is the U.S. Supreme Court, whose historic role of maintaining guardrails has given way to removing roadblocks. Under the conservative supermajority put in place by President Donald Trump, the justices are far more likely to propel an execution forward than intercede to stop it, including in cases where guilt is in doubt or where the means of carrying it out could result in a grotesque spectacle of pain and suffering.

...

In 1976, the Supreme Court famously declared that “death is different,” and demanded an extra level of scrutiny because a mistake is irreversible. Historically, in particularly troubling instances involving state misconduct or abysmal defense lawyering, the Court sometimes intervened at the eleventh hour — from 2013 to 2023, it stayed an execution just 11 times and vacated stays of execution 18 times, according to Bloomberg Law.

Since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her replacement with Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, the Court has stopped an execution only twice and reversed a lower court to permit an execution nine times. In 2023, 26 condemned prisoners asked the Court to hear their cases; 25 were rejected. The message is clear: Prosecutors eager to seek and swiftly impose death sentences can reliably do so without judicial interference.

...

In Bucklew v. Precythe, a majority of the court opined that the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment “does not guarantee a prisoner a painless death — something that, of course, isn’t guaranteed to many people, including most victims of capital crimes.” In the court’s reasoning, the excruciating pain the defendant might suffer during execution paled in comparison with the terror and mayhem he inflicted during his crimes.

In that same opinion, the Court indicated an impatience with pausing executions while it considered whether to hear the underlying claims from appellate attorneys. Justice Neil Gorsuch warned his colleagues to be skeptical when reading eleventh hour death row appeals: “Last minute stays should be the extreme exception, not the norm.”

It has been. Consider the 13 federal prisoners who were sent to the death chamber in the final months of Trump’s presidency. In a series of terse orders, issued without briefing, argument or public airing of the legal issues, the court blessed the rushed, furious pace. Using this opaque process, which legal scholars call the “shadow docket,” the justices erased lower-court injunctions against executions in seven cases and turned away last-minute requests for stays in the other six. During the 16 years in which Barack Obama and George W. Bush occupied the White House, the Court had invoked the shadow docket to rule for the government a total of four times and “never in a death penalty case,” according to Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law. In Trump’s single term in office, the number jumped to 28, including non-capital cases.

More recently, the Court has rejected cases that advocates say are riddled with error or rest on shaky evidence.

...

Death penalty cases are notoriously rife with racism, questions of innocence, mental health of the accused and whether they received competent legal counsel. Sometimes the facts are too dire for courts to ignore, and even some pro-death penalty politicians are unwilling to take actions in flagrant violation of established norms. The total number of executions over the past decade is still a fraction of its peak in the 1990s.

And yet, the death penalty machine continues to crank on. These days, the battles over who lives and who dies are increasingly local — waged courtroom by courtroom because the Supreme Court has largely abdicated its decades long role as the final arbiter.

“It is becoming more and more clear that the Court is reluctant to interfere in state court cases even to enforce its own precedent,” said Robin Maher, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. “They are saying, ‘This is not our problem to deal with.’”

An ‘Execute-Them-At-Any-Cost Mentality’: The Supreme Court’s New, Bloodthirsty Era

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gingiesworld · 1 year ago

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Fatal Attraction

Chapter Eight

Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader/ Wanda Maximoff x Jarvis Stark

Warnings: Angst. Fluff

Taglist : @natashamaximoff-69 @canvascoloredin @wizardofstories @louxbloom @wandanats-goodgirl @the-ox-fan20 @ladyqueenxoxo @aemilia19 @wandaromamoff69 @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop @marvelogic @dopeyouth @karsonromanoff @bimad (if you want to be added to my taglist, please DM me or comment)

18+ MINORS DNI

Y/N had spent endless hours thinking of what Norman had told them, also thinking of every moment they’ve shared with Wanda. It has been a week since Wanda had been into work, leaving messages so Y/N could find her daily replacement. But today, Wanda was ready to get back to work. Getting herself ready in the new clothes she bought herself. Feeling a new independence within as she moved towards the kitchen, accepting the coffee that Nat had made for her.

“You look good.” She smirked as Wanda smiled.

“I feel good.” Wanda told her. “Maybe tonight we should talk about rent and other utilities.” Nat tried to wave her off. “I can pay Natasha, I earn my own money.”

“Fine.” She sighed in defeat as Wanda beamed. “But you need to let me help you with the lawyer.”

“Deal.” The two girls shook on it before Wanda grabbed her bag and headed straight for the door, a smile on her face as she walked to work. Sitting at her desk before Y/N had even arrived, going over everything she has missed, catching up on emails and deadlines.

“Wanda?” Y/N’s voice broke her from her thoughts. “I wasn’t expecting you here.”

“I know, I guess I need to come back to work.” She told them shyly as Y/N gestured for her to follow them into their office.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” They spoke tenderly as they sat beside her.

“I am getting a divorce.” Wanda told them with a smile. “I have moved in with my friend and I am completely cutting ties with Jarvis and his family.”

“That’s amazing.” They smiled. “Although, our company has an amazing Lawyer.”

“I couldn’t.” She tried as they shook their head.

“Please Wanda, Divorce Attorneys are expensive and it will eat away at your savings and wages.” They told her.

“But you’ve already done enough for me.” She told them gratefully.

“Look, I have the means to help you, so please.” They told her softly. “I don’t want him to take advantage of you and take more than you have.”

“But he’s already taken a lot.” She whispered as they took her hand in theirs.

“Then let’s not let him take anymore.” They told her with a soft smile. “Besides, I don’t really have a lot going on today, so I can call to arrange an appointment with Opal.”

“Opal?” Wanda’s eyes widened. “Opal Sanderson?”

“Yeah.” They nodded as they moved to their phone, getting her number up. “She is also the company’s lawyer, she has gotten us out of some nasty binds in the past.” Wanda watched as they spoke on the phone to the other woman, she admired them and she knew that this feeling she has for them can either ruin her or make her. “Ok, so she is free for lunch.” They told Wanda as they hung up.

“Did you and Jarvis have a prenup?”

“Yeah.” She answered. “He wanted to protect his assets if we were to split.”

“Well, you are going to be fine.” They told her.

“How? When Jean comes back, I’m gone.” She reminded them as they sighed.

“I will find you a position.” They told her as they thought. “Although, I will need a hands-on assistant.”

“But you have Jean.” She reminded them again.

“She is more of a secretary, she deals with the calls I don’t want to and makes sure I have my daily schedule.” They told her. “Besides, I may need someone to run this place when I’m gone.”

“I couldn’t possibly.” She whispered as Y/N smiled at her.

“You could do it.” They told her. “I’ve seen how you have been with me, you just need to get over the fears he instilled in you.”

“How?” She whispered as she looked in their eyes.

“First step, lunch with Opal.” They told her as she nodded, making the two a coffee as they spoke some more before heading to the restaurant.

“I’m nervous.” Wanda whispered as she sat in the passenger seat beside Y/N.

“Don’t be.” They reassured her, placing their hand on her thigh in a comforting manner. “This is the start of your life Wanda.” They flashed her a smile before turning their attention back to the road and traffic ahead, while Wanda’s eyes remained on their hand which remained on her thigh, her skin tingling beneath as she took a shaky breath before looking out of the window. The rest of the journey was silent, apart from the music playing quietly in the background.

Wanda smiled shyly as Y/N opened the door for her before handing the key to the valet. Leading Wanda inside the restaurant with their hand resting on the small of her back.

“Reservation for Y/L/N.” They told the hostess who led them to a secluded room, Opal was already sitting waiting for them.

“Y/N.” She beamed as she stood up, opening her arms and engulfing them in a hug. “How are you, child?”

“I am great.” They told her as they gestured for her to take a seat before pushing her in, moving to pull out Wanda’s seat for her. “How have you been?” The two started to converse as they ordered their food before she turned to Wanda who sat there nervously.

“Y/N here tells me you are looking to divorce the Stark boy.” Opal smiled as Wanda nodded. “Good, I never liked those Starks. I used to work for Howard when I first started out, but then Norman approached me with an offer I just couldn’t refuse.” She took a sip of her drink before turning serious once more. “I guess you want this over quick.”

“As quick as possible.” Wanda spoke quietly.

“Well, I only work quickly, dear.” She told her with a smile. Soon talking over the case, the prenup and everything else. As soon as she heard about the Charity Gala, her face contorted into one of rage. “I am going to take that bastard down.”

“No.” Wanda shook her head. “I just want a divorce.”

“No Wanda. I will not just get the divorce for you when that trust fund brat raped you.” She told her.

“I didn’t stop him at first.” Wanda whispered as Opal shook her head. Y/N sat between the two, watching the back and forth as they ate.

“But you told him to stop, you told him no.” She told the younger woman. “Whether you say stop before or during, it is still rape.”

“But.” Wanda whispered as Y/N stepped in.

“We can keep all of this hush hush Wanda. No one outside of this circle will get wind of it.” They told her. “We will even get NDA’s drawn up for each of the people involved in this divorce case. If someone breaks the contract, they will face lawful action against them.”

“Ok.” Wanda nodded as Opal gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“I will make sure that the Stark name means nothing in this city or any city.” Opal told her with determination, Wanda only nodded with a smile before she went on more about her tactics and organising appointments to meet them.

“I think my office will be the safest place.” Y/N told her as they waved for the check. “Wanda already works there and for however long you need to use the office, it’s yours.”

“But your work?” Wanda asked them.

“I can just use your desk for the time being.” They told her with a smile. “I want you to be happy and safe, as far away from anyone like him.”

“Thank you.” She whispered before the three exited the restaurant. Y/N opened the car door for Wanda, only to be stopped by Opal.

“You need to be careful Y/N.” She told them softly. “I have a bad feeling about all of this.”

“As long as Wanda is safe is all I care about.” They told her.

“I care about your safety.” She told them. “You know I promised your mom.”

“I know.” They smiled before hugging her and heading towards the driver's side.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff #marvel #elizabeth olsen #wanda x you #elizabeth olsen x reader #wanda x reader #wanda x y/n #wanda maximoff x you #natasha romanoff

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