Feature

Legal Insider: Tips for Social Media and Employment

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

For the last few years, we have been advising employees on the proper use of social media in connection with their employment. Social media is one of the most unique and changing areas of employment law today. This article provides some basic tips for employees and a summary of their current rights in Virginia.

Social Media Tips — Things to Avoid

  1. Friends & Supervisors: Avoid (where possible) becoming friends or connected with supervisors (and sometimes co-workers). It has often been the case that we have had employees face discipline resulting from Tweets, Facebook or Instagram posts that even well-meaning individuals forward to the employer. For instance, we have seen posts ridiculing a supervisor eventually make it to the supervisor. It tends to create an atmosphere ripe for retaliation and discipline.
  2. Avoid Workplace Criticism: Avoid mentioning problems or other issues that arise at work. We have usually found that even a well-meaning friend can pass on information to a supervisor or company official that can lead to discipline or, at minimum, a less comfortable work environment.
  3. Don’t Discuss Company Clients or Projects: Avoid mentioning clients or other work specific information from your employer in your social media posts. Sometimes these clients get word of the post, see it online, or it makes the news. As a result, the employer often then takes disciplinary action against the employee.
  4. Avoid Social Media During Work Hours: While this may or may not be feasible for everyone, it is a good idea to avoid social media posting while at work. We have seen employees written up for social media posting during work hours or when using employer computers. In some cases, employers have argued, where social media posts include the time and date posted, that they have not been working their duties while getting paid.

Social Media Employee Protections in Virginia

Some states have begun to legislate initial protections for social media accounts held by employees. This is the case in Virginia. While the relatively new law in Virginia doesn’t protect an employee from the content that they post online, it offers some protection for employees. Specifically, it bars employers from demanding or requiring access to an employee’s social media information as part of their employment.

Virginia Code § 40.1-28.7:5 protects employees from employers (1) requesting their sign on information to media accounts; and (2) requiring an employee to add a company manager or representative as a friend or contact on the social media account. I suspect that we are only at the initial stages of the laws that will define employee social media protections in the workplace with more to come.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that not all companies take offense to social media posting and can have lax policies. The best idea is to find out company policy from the employer as early as possible. When facing employment issues it can be important to have the assistance and advice of counsel.

If you need assistance with an employment issue, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on our Facebook page.

Crystal City-Based Eminent IT Aims to Revamp Aging Technology

By Melanie Pincus

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Government agencies rely on technology for daily operations and to plan for the future, just like any business these days. But the applications they use can be so outdated that they’re no longer effective, and leave agencies vulnerable to cyber threats.

“Every organization has the equivalent of their own app store, but they don’t update those apps,” Isaac Barnes said. “Imagine having a phone where all your apps are still from 2007 or 2008.”

Barnes is the chief technology officer and vice president of Eminent IT, a software and services firm with clients in the Department of Defense, the intelligence community and elsewhere in the executive branch.

“The primary focus is on IT modernization and transformation,” Barnes said. “And that’s a very big way of saying we help organizations fix their aging technology.”

Keeping old systems in place is like “if you have a lock on the door at your house and it’s been proven that lock has been picked many different times and… you’re still leaving that lock,” Barnes said.

Because they can offer clients “initial building blocks,” Eminent IT is able to modernize systems in much less time than without their platform, Barnes said.

“If you’re building a blog, you can use WordPress,” Barnes said “We built… a WordPress-like framework.”

The company also works with technology partners in fields like blockchain to “help bring emerging technologies to these agencies,” Barnes said. And a product entitled Revamp acts as “a foundation for us to build applications quicker for our customers,” Barnes said.

Eminent IT was founded in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2013 that they started working to scale up their operations, Barnes said. The company is entirely owned by Barnes and José Risi, both Marine Corps veterans.

“José and I the same day decided to start businesses and the plan was [whenever] we get the first contract, we’re just going to merge those companies into one company,” Barnes said. That merger happened around 2011.

With a team of about 24 people, mostly millennials, the company is focused on continuing to grow.

“Most of the federal workforce is focused on improving their technology and they’re looking to our generation to help them do that, and that’s what we’ve honed in on,” Barnes said.

Coming off a recent contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — “one of the strategic organizations for us, because they’re at the heart of a lot of new technology that’s coming out,” Barnes said — they’re looking to become a large business.

“From a size perspective… we want to be a large business, that’s the focus,” Barnes said. “From an impact perspective, I want us to be known as the modernization experts.”

Photos via Facebook

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

105 N Oakland Street
5 bed/4 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: David Lloyd
Listed: $1,549,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2032 N Taylor Street
4 bed/4 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Aaron Probasco
Listed: $1,269,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2332 N Van Buren Court
3 bed/4 bath, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: David Cabo
Listed: $908,000
Open: Saturday and Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

648 S Illinois Street
4 bed/3 bath, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Tim Royster
Listed: $775,000
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

2000 S Langley Street
4 bed/2 bath single-family home
Agent: Anh-Thu Vu
Listed: $649,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3600 S Glebe Road
2 bed/2 bath condo
Agent: Breshkie Gardizi
Listed: $599,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2100 N Lee Highway
1 bed/1 bath condo
Agent: Brian Huber
Listed: $349,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

WWBG: Prairie Artisan Ales Canned

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). It is written by Garrett Cruce, a Cicerone Program Certified Beer Server.

You’ve probably heard of Prairie Artisan Ales’ coffee stout — Bomb! — which can be hard to get when released. It sits at number 106 on Beer Advocate magazine’s current list of the 250 Top Rated Beers along with five other Prairie beers. This week, I’m taking a look at three of their current releases.

In 2012, Oklahoma-based Krebs Brewing Company started brewing under the name Prairie Artisan Ales. The goal was to create a brewery that was adventurous, that pushed the boundaries. Making their name on strong stouts and farmhouse sours, Prairie also stood out on shelves and in social apps with their bold, colorful labels.

A year ago, they began canning with their coconut and vanilla flavored imperial stout, Paradise. While not every beer they produce is canned, I want to share a few that are. Happily, they’ve carried over the eye-popping artwork to these beers.

Blueberry Boyfriend, sour ale with blueberries and lemon zest (5.4% ABV)

I have not had the pleasure of exploring Prairie’s offerings, sour or otherwise. So, I had no idea what to expect with this blue sour.

The aroma was a mix of blackberries and blueberries with a tang of malt vinegar and a bright lemon juice. The flavor is tart with a short, fruity sip that doesn’t linger with an aftertaste.

The purple-blue color is spot on with this refreshing sour. Blueberry Boyfriend reminds me more of a tart blueberry lemonade than a sour ale as any maltiness is masked until it warms a bit. Even then it’s only evident at the end of the sip. This is a lovely sour for those who don’t care for the style.

Vape Tricks, sour ale aged on cherries (5.9% ABV)

First, how awesome is that wine red color?

Inhaling, I get sour cherries, baking soda and lemon. The sip is slightly tart with a good cherry flavor that ends with a lightly sweet maltiness.

Wine red in color, this refreshing sour looks like it tastes.

This is a relatively simple beer — perfect for backyard hangs. Whether you pour it into a glass, a Solo cup or drink it straight from the bright pink can, Vape Tricks is perfect for Summer.

Paradise, imperial stout with coconut and vanilla (13.0% ABV)

When I saw this, I immediately thought of Maui Brewing Company’s Black Pearl imperial coconut porter. It makes sense — they’re both dark beers brewed with coconut. But that is where the similarities end. Paradise is dessert in a glass.

I was reminded of a magic bar — there’s some chocolate and coconut and a whole lot of vanilla. I got licorice, toffee, toasted coconut and s’mores in the aroma. But the flavor was all sugary vanilla upfront with chocolate, coconut and a slightly bitter finish.

Paradise is best savored sip by sip — especially considering the 13% ABV.

This Week’s Beer Tasting

Join Dominion Wine & Beer on Friday, July 13th from 5 to 7 p.m. at their weekly beer tasting with Bell’s Brewery, Old Ox Brewery and Dogfish Head Brewing Company. And don’t forget your growler for a fill-up from the rotating options.

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Summer made its entry this week with hot temps and low real estate sales.

On cue, our market shifted downward a bit after the July 4th holiday with only 59 ratified contracts for the week. But sellers did their part by listing 79 homes which helps with our low inventory problem.

July and August are traditionally good times for buyers as fewer purchasers are in the market competing, so those who are can actually negotiate a deal. Remember, the market picks up again in September right after Labor Day.

Mortgage rates inched up just a few basis points this week to 4.65%-4.75% for 30-yr fixed rate with no points. Rates are 1/2% higher than a year ago.

While economists expect mortgage rates to continue a slow steady climb, we can expect a few periods of drops as investor capital seeks the safe haven of US bonds during our current and escalating trade wars with numerous countries.

While the price of all kinds of goods are likely to go up, we might get a few reprieves on mortgage rates. So pay attention and time your home purchases strategically. Good luck.

Click to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

Healthy Paws: Leptospirosis

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

It’s finally summer time, and nothing means summer quite like playing in puddles, creeks and rivers. But keep in mind that your pup isn’t the only creature that loves fresh water.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is on the World Health Organization’s list of Top 10 most important emerging infectious diseases and it thrives in fresh water in warm, humid environments.

It is usually thought of as a tropical disease that is found in other countries close to the equator. Unfortunately, however, our weather here in the United States is becoming warmer and wetter, and public health officials are concerned that it will become more of a problem in the US than it is already is.

The most common times for leptospirosis to be contracted are in the mid-summer through early fall, and after flooding or heavy rains. Confirmed cases of canine Leptospirosis are not uncommon in the DC area. We have even had some outbreaks of human leptospirosis in this area.

It is spread through the urine of infected mammals such as raccoons, deer, rodents (especially city rats and opossums in urban environments), farm animals and dogs.

The most common route of exposure is by drinking contaminated fresh water. Leptospirosis can also enter the bloodstream through cuts in the feet or legs, and it can be found in wet, shaded grass as well. In addition to making your pet very sick, Leptospirosis can be spread to you or your family.

Typically, lethargy, fever and loss of appetite are the first signs that we see of Leptospirosis, but in serious cases, we can also see vomiting, diarrhea and even liver, kidney or respiratory failure. Death can result in those that are very sick.

Treatment means a long course of antibiotics, and in severe cases, hospitalization at a critical care facility may be required. Leptospirosis can be difficult to diagnose in animals and humans.

Veterinarians take Leptospirosis very seriously and fortunately there is a good vaccine for it. Leptospirosis has many different serovars, and the vaccine that we carry here protects against the 4 most common disease-causing serovars in the United States.

The vaccine requires two boosters that are about 3 weeks apart, and then a yearly booster after that.

Other forms of prevention involve avoiding fresh water: creeks, puddles, rivers, and lakes, and avoiding wet shady grass next to bodies of water. Leptospirosis can be contracted by eating infected carcasses, which is another great reason to keep your pooch on the leash while on those wonderful long walks in the woods.

Historically, dogs that contracted Leptospirosis were field/hunting/working dogs as those were the dogs in the most contact with wildlife. However, across the United States that demographic has changed, and dramatically. Now most cases are seen in dogs that live in urban environments and are under 30 pounds (presumably because they were the least likely, historically, to be vaccinated and increased exposures to small urban rodents).

If your own dog has been diagnosed with Leptospirosis, please take precautions at home. Avoid contact with your dog’s urine, and if you have to clean up in the house, wear protective gloves and wash your hands afterwards.

Administer the full course of antibiotics as prescribed by your veterinarian. Avoid walking your dog near bodies of water or places that other dogs congregate, to minimize the spread of Leptospirosis to other pets.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Legal Review: Woodbridge Bankruptcy Admits to Ponzi Scheme; CEO Fighting Charge

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

By an attorney with the New Jersey Bankruptcy firm Garden State Bankruptcy.

On December 20, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused Woodbridge Group of Companies and its former CEO, Robert Shapiro, of fraud by running a Ponzi scheme and sued them in federal court in Florida.

The company has reached an agreement with the SEC and admitted that it ran a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme since August 2012 and maybe prior to that. Woodbridge is now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The Ponzi scheme stemmed from thousands of small family-owned retail businesses who were told that their investments would be secured by a luxury real estate portfolio in the most real estate expensive markets in the US. However, not all of the real estate was valuable. The cash from new investors would be used to pay older investors.

Woodbridge paid for Shapiro’s opulent lifestyle, including credit cards — he charged $16,000 at Macy’s the day he left the company in December, as well as country club fees and other personal expenses. His wife received $3.9 million from the company last year, and other relatives also received payments.

Bankruptcy laws allow a company to liquidate their assets to pay off its debts and use those funds to pay its outstanding debts and to create a new repayment plan. Woodbridge is now selling off more than 130 luxury properties in its portfolio and those proceeds — which could be worth $650 million — may make it to those affected investors.

While normally this process would take years, according to an accelerated payment plan is in place and the mostly elderly victims can see money by December. However, it won’t be 100 percent of their investment; more likely, it will be 45 percent to 76 percent of it.

However, Shapiro has severed ties with the company he founded and is fighting the SEC’s charges. He resigned from his position as CEO a few days before the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 4.

Although he agreed to stay at the company with the title of consultant at a $2 million salary, but that did not last after the SEC filed its charges against him and the company.

“Ponzi schemes can result in financial catastrophe for its victims,” said a Chapter 7 Business Bankruptcy attorney at Garden State Bankruptcy. “Often the best way for a victim investor to recover their money is to make claims against other victims so everyone will share equally in the financial recovery of funds from the company. In addition, they may be sued in clawback lawsuits, where any money they were paid by a company must be paid back in certain situations.”

The company was also being investigated by securities regulators for selling unregistered securities and using unlicensed agents in Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, New Jersey, Oregon and South Carolina.

Small Biz Focus: Hungry? Thursday Pop-Ups at Courthouse are Mighty Tasty!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

It was about to reach 89 degrees outside with high humidity. But when Rob Kingsbury started pouring his special recipe of iced lavender lemonade, the outdoor heat was barely noticeable.

As the vendors were setting up outside the Plaza Branch of the public library at Courthouse, the summer story time for preschoolers was winding down with catchy songs. So yes, there might have been some humming along.

Thursday, June 28 was the kickoff of the summer pop-up series in the lobby outside the Arlington Public Library Plaza Shop in the Bosman Government Center.

The ongoing compliment to the Made in Arlington initiative and partnership with Arlington Public Library is taking an edible turn this summer with vendors serving up mouth-watering treats. Kingsbury Chocolates and an array of yummy cookies from Bakeshop were first up to show off their entrepreneurial spirit.

Inside the Plaza Shop, bright new artist designed t-shirts from David Amoroso, whimsical cards from FastSnail and irresistible baby onesies stamped ‘Made in Arlington’ from Dennison Lane are adding fun, color and new inventory to the shop.

Probably not what most people would expect to find in a government center office building lobby, but Arlington is stepping up to create a place that is as much community as it is convenient for doing business.

Supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses and creatives is all part of Arlington’s Creative Economy initiative. With public/private partnerships, growth of these endeavors is an important part of business sector diversity and economic sustainability.

So if it’s Thursday and you hear small voices singing and big voices swooning over sweets, you’re in the right place.

Thursday pop-ups:
July 12: BAKT by Ingrid: healthy can be super delicious
July 19: FastSnail greeting designs and PinUp Preserves
July 26: Livin’ the Pie Life and Commonwealth Joe coffee

12-3 p.m.
2100 Clarendon Blvd. 1st floor lobby

Check here for ongoing Creative Economy listings and opportunities. More Creative economy stories on the blog.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

We zoom in to why Arlington County is a great place to buy a home for your family all the time here. So, let’s dive into a different scenario.

What if you don’t want to buy… and you don’t have a family (or roommate) to move in with you. Single renters, we’re looking at you this week!

According to SmartAsset (what a great website name, by the way), Arlington is actually one of the most affordable places in the U.S. for single renters to live. Our friendly confines came in at No. 17 in the U.S., primarily for its high median earnings for full-time workers and low unemployment rates. We were actually the only spot in D.C., Maryland or Virginia to chart in the top 25.

So, when you’re ready to embark on a rental search in one of the top markets out there, we’re ready to help you GET MORE out of your search.

As of July 9, there are 211 detached homes, 52 townhouses and 247 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 28 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week.

Here is this week’s selection of Just Reduced properties:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Aaron Seekford.

Ask Eli: What Type of Home Appreciates Faster?

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Rosslyn resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: I have heard mixed opinions on whether single-family homes appreciate faster than townhouses and condos. Do you have any data that addresses this?

Answer: On an aggregate level in Arlington, single-family detached homes appreciate faster than townhouses, which appreciate faster than condos.

Over the last ten years the median single-family home has increased from a median purchase price of $630,000 to $850,000 (35% increase), the median price of a townhouse has increased from $542,000 to $696,500 (28.5% increase) and, condos have increased from $350,000 to $392,000 (12% increase).

Below is the chart for median purchase price, broken out by housing type, in Arlington over the last ten years:

Key Takeaways

  • One may assume that the appreciation of single-family homes over the last five years is mostly attributed to so many old, less expensive homes being replaced by expensive new homes. However, by using median price instead of averages, we know that the appreciation exists across the entire single-family market. In fact, the appreciation in average price is less than the median suggesting there’s stronger appreciation in the middle of the market than at the top or bottom.
  • As with any asset class, growth is directly correlated to risk and the historical appreciation of each housing type is reflective of the risk of ownership. Condo owners benefit from much more predictable and relatively low repair/replacement costs (mostly bundled into condo fees) than single-family owners who are responsible for anything that happens on their property (e.g. basement springs a leak and water line breaks in 6 months, you’re on the hook for tens of thousands without notice). You also tend to find condos centered around metros and dense office/retail centers which stabilizes market value during down years.
  • Scarcity also plays a role in the higher appreciation of single-family homes in that it is much easier to introduce a new supply of hundreds or thousands of condos (and rental apartments) into Arlington than it is new single-family homes or townhouses.
  • The above chart aggregates all homes in Arlington within each housing type, but it’s not hard to find sub-markets within each housing type that offer better or worse historical appreciation. For example, In December 2017 I ran an analysis on appreciation of condos built from 2000-2008 and found growth of 13% and 20% for one and two bedroom units, respectively, from 2010-2017. The conclusion? There are good deals and bad deals all over the market, so don’t rely on a single chart or data point.

I hope everybody had a great Fourth of July!

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

 Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland with Real Living At Home, 2420 Wilson Blvd #101 Arlington, VA 22201, (202) 518-8781.

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