Harman Law - September/October 2020

Harman Law - September/October 2020

September/October 2020

THE HARMAN HEADLINE

HARMAN LAW

Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, and Employment Lawyers

HARMAN LAW’S QUEST TO GIVE BACK

Meet Our Community Partners: The YMCA and Great Smiles

Here’s something you should know about me: I’m a lucky guy, and I know that I’m lucky. Hard work did play a part in my ability to open three offices of Harman Law, but in a lot of ways, I’m a product of my circumstances. Being an entrepreneur is hard sometimes, but I have a loving family, a great support system, and a really good education to fall back on. Not everyone has the same advantages, which is why my team and I make it a top priority to share some of our luck and give back to the community. Sept. 5 is International Day of Charity, so I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce you to the two organizations we work with the most: the YMCA and Little Smiles. As you might remember from past newsletters, the YMCA has been a big part of my life for years. I met my wife at the Y when I worked there before law school, and she’s still on staff there today. Catherine, the attorney who runs our Hickory office, also relies on the YMCA for child care, so the Y really impacts our whole firm. To give back, we donate regularly to the Greater Charlotte and Hickory YMCAs, and I volunteer at the Greater Charlotte Y in person every summer for the Y Readers program. The program lasts 10–12 weeks and pairs adults with kids in first, second, or third grade who are struggling with literacy. The idea is that about once a week, we come into local schools and read with the kids one-on-one to help them improve. Studies have shown that kids who are already behind in reading at that age tend to drop even further back during the summer, so this program comes in to fill that gap and keep them learning. The teachers definitely do all of the real work of teaching the kids to read, but I’m proud that I can at least help motivate and encourage them! Volunteering with the Y Readers program has been one of the highlights of my summer for more than five years, so it was a real bummer when the program closed because of the pandemic. Of course, what’s most important is keeping the kids safe. In the meantime, my team and I will keep donating monetarily to make sure the Y can keep providing great programs going forward.

Our partnership with the YMCA has been established for a long time, but this winter we started looking for another nonprofit to get involved with. I was really excited to discover Little Smiles, which is kind of like a mini Make-A-Wish Foundation based in Huntersville. The staff at Little Smiles works behind the scenes to cheer up kids facing difficult circumstances in hospitals, hospice facilities, shelters, and temporary homes. The process is pretty simple. First, nurses and social workers submit ideas to Little Smiles for fun surprises their kids would love. Then, Little Smiles makes them happen! They deliver snacks and treats on “Junk Food Runs,” host pizza parties and movie nights, and even drop off birthday presents. I think it’s amazing how Little Smiles comes in to bring a “little smile” to a kid’s face. It’s a really neat organization with an office that’s just a mile from ours. Because of the pandemic, right now our partnership with Little Smiles is only on paper, but we’re excited to work with them once restrictions have lifted and it’s safe to go into hospitals again. Our firm will help finance the gifts for kids, and we’ll also work with the organization to deliver them in person to hospitals and shelters. If you have the means, we’d love for you to join us in supporting the YMCA and Little Smiles. You can learn more about their missions at YMCACharlotte.org, YMCACV.org, and LittleSmilesNC.org. If you know about another great nonprofit we should be working with, please let me know about that, too! I’m always on the lookout for new ways to give back.

–Michael Harman

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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – Call Us Today 704-885-5550

Gardening, Gold, and Photo Shoots

3 FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR FALL

Pan for gold.

It’s fall, which means social media will soon be saturated with pictures of your friends enjoying “classic” fall activities. Photos of leaf peeping, apple picking, and the occasional scarecrow run rampant. But rather than following the herd, you can make your family the trendsetter of unique fall activities! Here are a few outdoor endeavors your family will love.

Here’s one that’s really off the beaten path: Take your family on an adventure panning for gold! Start by planning a road trip out to an old ghost town. Many of them have great tourist attractions that include gold panning. You probably won’t get rich, but it will still be a fun story. If you’re not able to make the trip, you can always create a gold panning operation at home! Visit MessForLess.net/panning-for- gold-activity for a great step-by-step guide on how to go panning for gold in your own backyard.

Get gardening.

Fall is the time for harvest, but if you want to enjoy flowers in the spring, it’s also a time for planting. The cooler autumn air is easier on plants, but the soil is still warm enough for roots to grow before the ground freezes for winter. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all spring bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. Do a little research with your family to determine the best time to start planting in your area.

temperatures mean that an outdoor photo shoot won’t be nearly as uncomfortable as it would be in the summer. You can take your pictures by the trees in the front yard or make a daytrip of it. What about pictures at the corn maze or pumpkin patch? It’s never too soon to start planning this year’s holiday card.

Plan a fall photo shoot.

It’s time to freshen up those family pictures hanging around the house. The changing leaves provide a beautiful background for any family portrait. Better yet, the cooler

Spend this fall outdoors and create great new memories with your family!

Is Your Employer Putting You in Danger of Catching COVID-19?

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit and new safety regulations fell into place, companies have been flouting them. It seems like nearly every day, another story about a factory or processing plant makes headlines. In some places, workers are being forced to operate in unsafe conditions without social distancing,

Right now, a new bill called the COVID-19 Whistleblower Protection Act is making its way through Congress. It was introduced this summer and could provide additional protection for whistleblowers. If you haven’t blown the whistle on your company yet but are thinking about it, your best bet is to contact a whistleblower lawyer before taking the plunge. We can help make sure your case is legitimate and fill you in on the protections you can expect.

Blow the whistle, keep your job — or fight back if you don’t.

If you’re considering becoming a whistleblower, you might be wondering whether you could get fired, demoted, or otherwise punished for speaking up. Legally, the answer is “no.” If you speak to upper management, alert the authorities, or file a claim related to a legitimate violation, it’s illegal for your employer to punish you for it. That said, sometimes employers fail to follow the law. If you experience retaliation, we can help you file a claim to hold your employer liable for their actions. We’ll fight to ensure you’re rehired, make up the money you lost, and more. At Harman Law, we believe that whistleblowers who point out unlawful and abusive actions are doing a valuable service and making their workplace and society more just. That’s whywe’re committed to fighting for their rights. To learn more about howwe can help you, call 704-885-5550 today.

masks, or opportunities to wash their hands. If you’ve been working in a place that feels unsafe and want to speak up about your treatment, you have options — and we can help. Are you ready to become a whistleblower? A whistleblower is a person who speaks up about wrongdoing they’ve observed in the workplace, either to their company or to the authorities. State and federal whistleblower laws protect employees who report health and safety violations, which can include those related to COVID-19. That said, legal protections for whistleblowers are nuanced and constantly changing.

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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – HarmanLawNC.com

FromYMCA Kid to YMCA Mom How Catherine’s Y Connection Inspired Us to Sponsor 2 Hickory Teams Hey readers, it’s Catherine here! As Michael mentioned on Page 1, I run Harman Law Firm’s office in Hickory, and I’m a big fan of the YMCA. In fact, that’s why I’m popping in today. The Y is really important to my family, and I’d love to tell you the story of how Harman Law got involved with its Hickory branch. Before I was a YMCA mom, I was a YMCA kid. Growing up in Gaston, my mom sent my brother and me to the Gaston County Family Y. I still have great memories of the place, and it became a second home for me. I went on to work at another Y as a lifeguard during law school, and I even went back after law school for a different position. I just couldn’t seem to quit the place! Because of my fond memories, when it came time to find child care for my kids, 2-year-old Bryce and 4-year-old Brooke, my natural instinct was to take them to the local Y in Hickory. It’s been an amazing experience. So far, Brooke has enrolled in the soccer, swimming, and basketball programs, and Bryce and I have done the Mommy and Me swimming classes. When the pandemic hit, the Y was the only day care option open for kids of essential personnel, and it was wonderful to have their help and support. I was so grateful that one day, my husband and I ordered all of the teachers lunch from Chick-fil-A as a thank-you. It’s been great to see the positive effect the Y has had on my kids. Brooke absolutely loved participating in the soccer program last fall. She got some exercise, built a sense of community, and got a confidence boost from her participation medal. Seeing that impact firsthand inspired me to talk with Michael about how we could support the Y’s programs. Since he’s a huge fan of the organization, too, we quickly decided Harman Law would sponsor a basketball team and a soccer team at the Hickory branch. We’re sponsoring both the fall and spring soccer seasons this year, as well as the basketball season! I’m proud to say that not only am I a Y kid and a Y mom, I’m a Y supporter, too.

SUDOKU

Solution on Page 4

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pizza

This twist on a pair of classic breakfast foods is the perfect back-to-school fuel for your kids. Whip it up at breakfast or any time of day, really — it’s never too early or too late for pizza.

INGREDIENTS:

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1 package premade pizza dough 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

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4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 2 cups cheese of your choice, shredded

• • •

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6 eggs

2 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch pan. Spread the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan and 1/2 inch up the sides. Prick it with a fork and brush with 1 tbsp oil. Bake until lightly browned, about 7–8 minutes. 2. In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining oil on medium. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and water together. Add the mixture to the skillet and stir until thickened and no liquid egg remains. 3. Add the egg to the baked crust in an even layer. Sprinkle on the bacon and cheese, then bake 5–7 more minutes before serving.

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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – Call Us Today 704-885-5550

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Inside This Issue

Will You Join Our Quest? 1

Sudoku Solution

3 Fun Family Activities for Fall How to Fight Back Against Workplace Health and Safety Violations 2

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pizza

Catherine’s Journey from YMCA Kid to YMCA Mom 3

Listen to ‘HORSE,’ a Basketball Podcast 4

THE BEST BASKETBALL PODCAST DOESN’T TALK ABOUT STATS All About ‘HORSE’

“Sup nerds? It’s basketball!”

Rather than focus on the number of games a team has won, “HORSE” discusses the number of tweets angry players have posted on Twitter. They also rank rap songs that mentioned the NBA, discuss why team names don’t make sense, and even talk about the time when Michael Jordan was almost seriously injured by a samurai. The stats and celebrities of the NBA suddenly seem more accessible after learning that professional basketball teams have just as much drama as you and your office mates. “We only talk about drama and history and ridiculousness,” says Silver. “We don’t want to talk about whether or not LeBron James is the best basketball player of all time. We would like to talk about the time that one of LeBron’s teammates was dating his mom and like that’s ... it’s infinitely more interesting. ... It gets you to become a basketball fan in a totally different way.” Listen to the most recent episode at HorseHoops.com and discover how basketball is so much more than what happens on the court.

And so begins every episode of “HORSE,” a basketball podcast that proudly claims to be about everything basketball — except for the stats. As a part of the Multitude collective of podcasts, “HORSE” is co-hosted by creators and experienced podcasters Eric Silver and Mike Schubert. The duo are real-life friends and huge basketball fans. So, what does a sports podcast cover if not the numbers on the scoreboard? Petty drama and Twitter beefs, of course. “HORSE” was listed by Vulture as one of the top comedy podcasts for NBA fans, which is very high praise given the saturated podcast market. “HORSE” is appealing to basketball fans and non-fans alike because it looks at the sport in a completely different light. Silver and Schubert started “HORSE” in 2018 with a mission to prove that you don’t have to know the stats of every player on every team to like basketball. This “no gatekeeping allowed” mentality resonates with listeners, and the podcast’s audience is made up of a mix of hardcore basketball fans and folks who have never been to an NBA game in their life.

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Unwavering Client Experience. Outstanding Results. – HarmanLawNC.com