Rosenbauer Law Office - May 2021

Rosenbauer Law Office - May 2021

SPRING 2021

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When was the last time you had a face-to-face interaction with another person — with less than 6 feet between you — outside of work or your home? For me, it’s been well over a year now. Though I’ve loved spending time with my wife and my son, I miss interacting with other people. I’m sure many of you are feeling the same and, like me, are ready to get back out and enjoy life. Thankfully, everyone seems cautiously optimistic that the world is starting to return to normal. In the past year, we’ve had a lot of change; even now, the world is not like it was 13–14 months ago. The pandemic shut down sporting events and social gatherings and decreased job security. When so much is taken away, it’s challenging to stay positive. I know I’ve felt the strain when attempting to see the silver lining, but what ultimately helped me was something I call a “mental declutter.” In the moments when things are the most difficult, I think about what is really important in my life. I wake up every day knowing my wife is by my side and my boy is healthy. I still have my friends I can talk to, even if we have to practice social distancing. I have a home and a business that not only helps support my family, but also allows me to continue taking care of my clients. Thinking about how blessed I am is one of the ways I’ve stayed sane. That’s not to say I don’t miss live music, festivals, and sporting events — I really and truly do. Hopefully, these things will come back into our lives sooner rather than later. But, in the meantime, what can we do to declutter our minds and focus on the important things? Here are a few useful methods. Get away from screens. Whether it’s on the television, our phones, or our computers, we often come across bad news. Unfortunately, it’s that bad news that sells, which only leads to increased stress and We do our absolute best to give your family our undivided attention when we are working with you. In order to provide the best service and highest quality work to your family, Mr. Rosenbauer does not answer incoming calls, emails, or walk-ins while he is meeting with your family or drafting your estate plan (excluding emergencies). However, we do our best to respond to phone calls and emails promptly. If you need to visit or speak with Mr. Rosenbauer regarding your estate, please call the office to schedule an appointment or a phone conference. That way, we can reserve your spot on our calendar and make sure you receive the attention that you deserve. Communication Policy Getting Back to the Basics Remembering What’s Really Important

anxiety for us. Give yourself a mental break from it; you don’t need to keep exposing yourself to upsetting information.

Spend time outside. After being indoors for quite some time, stepping outside for fresh air is invigorating. Go for a walk, visit a local park, or even spend a day at the zoo, which is a great place to take the family. If you want to visit with someone, consider going on a socially distant picnic or just sit on your front porch and chat. Be active — safely. Exercise is good for the body and the mind, and picking up a routine can help you feel better about yourself. The activity doesn’t have to be huge, either. Take a 30-minute bike ride in your neighborhood or visit your local gym; it depends on what you’re most comfortable with. Socialize, even if at a distance. Even if we can’t see our family and friends face to face, we can still talk to them. Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime are all methods we can use to stay connected. My family and I have had Zoom Happy Hours on numerous occasions. Reach out to others. If you haven’t heard from someone in a while or you know someone who is living alone and may be lonely, reach out. I believe doing this for someone is really important because it tells them you’re thinking about them. Even just a five-minute conversation can go a long way. Enjoy quiet time. Getting away from everything for some peace and quiet can also help. Give yourself some time to read, pray, write, meditate, or reflect. This helps you slow down and focus on the present. Though the world is slowly recovering, I know many people will still be hesitant. I hope providing these useful methods to declutter the mind, focusing on the now, and improving your physical and mental health will help you push through this last leg of the pandemic.

-Nick Ro senbauer

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Bring Spring Indoors

The Most Beautiful May Flowers for Your Home or Office

Delicate, ruffled, and feminine, sweet peas are sure to delight anyone who sees them.

The April showers came and went, so now we get to enjoy May flowers! You might not buy flowers for yourself often, but it’s totally worth treating yourself and your visitors, all while supporting your local florist! To start off, anemones are the most mythological May plant around because of two famous Greek myths surrounding these jewel-toned flowers. Anemones are said to have sprung from blood shed by the death of Aphrodite’s lover, Adonis. The ancient Greeks also believed that the god of the west wind favored anemones — hence their second name, the windflower. Attach them as pops of color to any bouquet for a classic, romantic, or modern arrangement, or mix them with roses and trailing greenery for a more boho look. Carnations are also fantastic flowers to display in May. Some people may see carnations as a cheap flower, but, when used en masse, they can have a truly breathtaking effect in a room. Try using natural- colored carnations to create a fresh, contemporary space. You can also freshen up the room with sweet peas , which have a wonderfully mild perfume. They come with an enormous range of colors — one of the biggest ranges in the flora kingdom, in fact!

Lastly, although tulips or orchids would be classic choices for your arrangement, consider surprising your visitors with lilies of the valley . These beautiful, peaceful little blooms only grow in white, which is often seen as the color of renewal and innocence, and they wear it well! Their adorable little bell-like flowers will be sure to put a smile on your face. We hope you will consider these gorgeous flowers for your space this year. A small purchase at your local small businesses can make a big difference, just like how a few flowers can make a big difference in your home!

The 3 Strangest Celebrity Lawsuits

Internet conspiracy theory results in a court case against Beyoncé. The internet is a wild place, and conspiracy theories are often born on its digital channels. One such theory was that Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, hired a surrogate to give birth to their daughter, Blue Ivy, in 2012. Internet trolls who saw her pregnant belly roll as she sat down for an interview fanned the flames of this theory, and soon, a lawsuit emerged. A woman claimed she was the true biological mother of Blue Ivy, and she asked for compensation and DNA testing to prove it. Previously, the same woman claimed to be the birth mother of North West, the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, but the court threw out the case. Mila Kunis ruffles some feathers. Actress Mila Kunis was sued for $5,000 by her childhood friend, Kristina Karo, in 2015 because Kunis allegedly stole a chicken from Karo when they were still children in Ukraine. Karo, an aspiring singer, claimed the theft resulted in extreme emotional distress and prevented her from pursuing the American dream. According to Kunis, the theft occurred when she was 7 years old and Karo was just 1 month old. Kunis and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, speculated that the case was all a publicity stunt to promote Karo’s upcoming music video, and the case was eventually dropped.

Stories about celebrities can be enjoyable or awkward, but no matter what happens, they usually create great material for Buzzfeed or Reddit users. This also includes celebrity stories involving the law, which bring on a lot of head-scratching and legal action — like these three strange cases. Simon Cowell pays for a chef’s disappearing shoes. Known for his unrelenting critiques and setting the stage for some of the world’s biggest names in show business, Simon Cowell has amassed enough wealth to afford a private chef. When one such chef came by his house for a job interview, she was asked to remove

her shoes, but according to court documents, she never received her shoes back. The chef claims to have tried multiple times to retrieve the shoes — which were outfitted with $500 orthopedic insoles — but never succeeded. She sued

Cowell for the shoes and gas money, and the

“America’s Got Talent” star shelled out.

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TAKE A BREAK

Millions of families in Europe have relied heavily on government aid for survival, but that’s becoming a concern for the younger generation. European debt hasn’t been so high since World War II, and it’s even outpacing national economies. In France alone, the national debt has risen to 2.7 trillion euros ($3.2 trillion) and will soon exceed 120% of the national economy. While the International Monetary Fund expects growth to bounce back this year to 5.1% in the United States, Europe will likely lag with a rebound of 4.2%. WILL EUROPE BE ABLE TO PAY ITS $3.2T PANDEMIC DEBT?

Yet, as debts skyrocket, economists wonder if it’s possible for Europe to get a “free lunch.”

In the current zero-interest era, strange things are happening. Although the amount of debt companies have taken has grown, the amount that governments pay hasn’t. Countries can now roll over their debt at low interest rates, which is akin to refinancing a mortgage. Banks are also buying government debt, effectively lending around 1.3 trillion euros during the first six months of the pandemic. This makes the debt affordable — for now. Government debt may never have to be fully paid back if central banks keep buying it up. According to the Institut Montaigne, an independent think tank in Paris, public debt could rise to 4 trillion by the end of 2023. Some economists are worried about the risks. What if inflation and interest rates help revive growth too rapidly, forcing central banks to put a complete stop to their easy-money policies? Weaker countries may fall into a debt trap and struggle to pay. Simon Tilford, director of a strategic planning firm in London, told The New York Times, “If inflation starts to return but there’s no growth, then the situation gets a lot trickier.”

THAI MINCED PORK SALAD

Inspired by EatingThaiFood.com

Ingredients

• Juice of 1–2 limes, to taste • 4 small shallots, thinly sliced • 4 green onions, thinly sliced • Cilantro leaves, to taste • Mint leaves, to taste

• 5 tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice • 1 lb ground pork • 1/2 tbsp chili flakes • 1/8 tsp sugar • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

Directions

1. First, make toasted rice powder: In a frying pan over low heat, dry- roast the rice, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown and smells fragrant, about 15 minutes. 2. Let toasted rice cool, then grind into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor. Set aside. 3. In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, fry pork, breaking it into small pieces as you go, until fully cooked. 4. Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tbsp of toasted rice powder along with all other ingredients. Stir to combine. 5. Taste and adjust, adding more lime juice and herbs to suit your palate. Serve with rice.

When the next recession rolls around, it may be tough to stimulate the economy with this amount of debt on their hands. This worries the younger generation of Europeans, but at least for now, those troubles seem far away in the eyes of those steering European economies through the pandemic.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Remembering What’s Really Important

1

Brighten Up Your Space With These May Flowers! Mila Kunis Got Sued for That!? (And 2 Other Weird Celebrity Legal Cases)

2

Thai Minced Pork Salad Will Europe Be Able to Pay Its $3.2T Pandemic Debt?

3

Influencer in Florida Accused of Voter Fraud

4

Influencer in Florida Accused of Voter Fraud

Using hashtags like #go[candidate], Mackey posted false, edited campaign images to convince people to “vote” by text instead of going to the polls or using the mail-in ballot. In one instance, he posted an image depicting an African American woman holding a sign, reading “African Americans for [candidate].” The images would then include instructions on how to vote by texting a specific number. Mackey and his associates also created images with Spanish instructions, obviously targeting minorities as well. Of course, voting by text is not a legitimate way to cast a ballot, yet the deceptive campaign duped over 4,900 unique phone numbers. William F. Sweeney Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, reported in their press release, “Protecting every American citizen’s right to cast a legitimate vote is a key to the success of our republic. What Mackey allegedly did to interfere with this process — by soliciting voters to cast their ballots via text — amounted to nothing short of vote theft.” It’s certainly fascinating and terrifying to see just how influential social media can be on an election and even go as far as to lure people into wasting their vote. We’re glad, however, to see these types of cases being brought to court — Mackey was recently arrested on federal charges of election interference for this 2016 voter disinformation campaign. Some influencers are taking their title much too seriously!

A February 2016 analysis by MIT Media Lab revealed that Twitter account “Ricky Vaughn” was the 107th most important influencer in the then-upcoming election. That’s a higher ranking than many other groups and individuals like NBC News (114), Stephen Colbert (119), and Newt Gingrich (141). Everyone had one question: Who in the world is Ricky Vaughn? As it turns out, the Florida man was really stepping up his game. Douglass Mackey, aka Ricky Vaughn, is based in West Palm Beach and gained an audience on Twitter with over 58,000 followers by 2016. Many would describe him as an internet troll, or someone who posts hurtful comments for his own amusement. He’s posted anti-Semitic memes in the past, though, those offenses were hardly illegal. That changed when Mackey allegedly went too far.

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Can Your Boss Force You (And Your Coworkers) To Get Vaccinated?

By the time this article is published, just about any adult who wants the COVID-19 vaccines will be able to get them. I am not going to dive into the science, politics, or ethics of the vaccines, since those are not my areas of expertise. However, the legal ramifications surrounding a private employer’s ability to force employees to become vaccinated before coming to work is a hot-button topic that will probably boil over and cause countless incidents in the coming months. So… can employers force their employees to receive the vaccine? According a report published by the Ohio State Bar Association, the short answer is “yes . ” However (as with all things law-related), there are two main exceptions to this rule: religious practices and disabilities. 1. Religious Accommodations In accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employees with a sincere religious belief or practice may request that the employer provide a reasonable accommodation for the employee’s religious practices (as an alternative to getting vaccinated). In that event, the employer must collaborate with the employee to consider all reasonable options/ accommodations to address the issue. The employer may be permitted to deny the request only if the employer would be required to incur a significant cost to otherwise make the accommodation. It is also worth noting that this rule only applies for “sincerely held” religious beliefs or practices. I know what you’re all thinking … what about political beliefs? As the law stands today, political beliefs do not qualify under the religious accommodation exception listed above. Therefore, an employee refusing to abide by an employer’s vaccination policy based purely on their political/philosophical beliefs will NOT be entitled to a religious belief protection and accommodation by law. 2. Persons With Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Ohio Civil Rights Act are also permitted by law to request a reasonable accommodation or alternative to getting vaccinated. For verification, the employer is permitted to request proof from the employee as to his or her disability (a note from a doctor, medical record, prescription, etc.). Once that has been established, the employer and employee must collaborate to consider

all reasonable options/accommodations to address the issue (similar process to religions accommodations above). Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, an employer may be permitted to deny the request for accommodation if it would cause an undue hardship for the employer. This takes into account the position of the employee, how much he or she contacts with other coworkers and the public, whether or not other employees have been vaccinated, and other circumstances related to the employee’s work place. Now that we’ve gone over the basic exceptions to the rule, what are examples of reasonable accommodations? The employer and employee could look at several alternatives to vaccination in an effort to keep everyone safe. The obvious choices here include providing masks, gloves, barriers, remote work, rearranging a work space, and social distancing. Current guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) assert that an employer who requires employees to become vaccinated can legally prohibit employees who are not vaccinated from entering the office/jobsite if the reasonable accommodations would not be able to reduce or eliminate the risk of unvaccinated employees spreading or contracting the virus. In addition to prohibiting unvaccinated employees from entering the workplace, an employer may be permitted to terminate an unvaccinated employee as well (after discussion with counsel to weigh all of the options). Note: This is based on information gathered from an article published in Volume 35, Issue 1 of “Ohio Lawyer,” the Ohio State Bar Association’s publication for all member attorneys. This article is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute legal advice. Please consult with a qualified employment attorney for questions regarding your specific circumstances.

Podcast Show Celebrity News: Larry King’s Handwritten Will Leads to Probate Nightmare Podcast

You may have heard that Larry King passed away recently. With an estimated net worth of over $140 million, why is a nasty probate battle over a “measly” $2 million making the news headlines? Turns out that Larry was in the process of divorcing his seventh wife when he died. However, the divorce wasn’t finalized in time. To make matters worse, the family found a handwritten will that was signed around the time Larry filed for divorce from his wife. Larry’s estranged wife and children are currently locked in a nasty probate fight. Want to hear more? Go to www.CincinnatiEstatePlan. com/podcast to listen to Episode 29 of our podcast which includes our breakdown of the entire case.

Podcast Show Celebrity News: Britney Spears Battles to Remove Probate Judge’s Order Granting Her Father Full Control Over Her Assets

Ever wonder what happened to Britney Spears after she shaved her head and “went crazy”? Heard the latest news about the scandal between Britney and her father? Years ago, her father filed a lawsuit in the local probate court asking the judge to name him the conservator for Britney (which allows him to control all of her financial and legal matters). The judge granted his request years ago. However, recent news reports suggest that Britney’s father may have been manipulating her, stealing from her, and abusing his power. Numerous family members have spoken out. Where does the case stand now, and how could this have been avoided? Go to www.CincinnatiEstatePlan.com/podcast to listen to Episode 28 of our podcast for analysis of this case and lessons that we can apply to our own estate planning.

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