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Legal Insider: EEOC Indicates Employers Could Require Employee Covid Vaccinations

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.

As we move forward, employers in the United States will likely be able to require that employees entering the physical workplace be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in guidance issued this past Friday.

Updated EEOC Guidance

The EEOC issued updated guidance stating that federal laws do not prevent an employer from requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. As with everything, there are some exceptions. In some situations, laws may require that an employer provide reasonable accommodations to employees who, because of a disability or a religious belief, cannot be vaccinated.

As an example of this, the EEOC said, as a reasonable accommodation, an unvaccinated employee entering the workplace might potentially wear a mask, work at a social distance or be given the opportunity to telework. There is also the possibility that other federal, state and local laws could be factored into such decisions as we move ahead.

According to the EEOC, if employers choose to obtain vaccination information from their employees, they must keep such information confidential under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Vaccination Incentives

The EEOC also indicated that vaccination incentives could be an option for employers to consider, so long as they are not deemed coercive. As the EEOC stated: “Because vaccinations require employees to answer pre-vaccination disability-related screening questions, a very large incentive could make employees feel pressured to disclose protected medical information.”

In sum, it is very likely that employers will be able to require that in-house employees be vaccinated from COVID-19 prior to entering the workplace. Many of the details will eventually be worked out, but this seems to be the clear direction that the country is heading toward.

Contact Us

If you are in need of employment law legal representation or advice, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.

Rethink Energy: Green Home and Garden Tour 2021

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy team (AIRE). This county program helps you make smart energy decisions that save you money and leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Welcome to the 2021 Green Home and Garden Virtual Tour! This year, the tour will feature short videos of homes and gardens (below) together with an online meet-the-host event where you can ask the hosts your questions directly in small breakout rooms. Get ideas and inspiration for your own home and garden.

Green Home and Garden Tour Meet the Host Event
Friday, June 4, 12-1:30 p.m.
Register online to participate.

Learn more about these new green homes, green renovations and watershed-friendly gardens. See homes featuring energy-efficient technologies, solar energy, water-saving technologies, rain gardens, native plants, wildlife habitat and more. The tour is sponsored by Arlington County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management, EcoAction Arlington, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture.

Tour highlights include:

Arlington Green Home Choice — Bartell residence renovation, addition, solar

Arlington Green Home Choice — Stout residence renovation, addition, energy-efficient design, solar

Homeowner discusses his experience in adding new very modern space to a small Arlington home with Hambleton Construction. This addition and renovation feature a very energy-efficient design and solar system. This home is Green Home Choice certified.

Rain Garden, Native Plantings, and Dry Wells Improve Drainage and Transform a Garden

Homeowners discuss their modern sustainable Green Home Choice certified addition and renovation by Paola One Design and J and J Construction, This home features a solar system.

(more…)

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 Andors Real Estate Group.

Woah, woah — are we slowing down?

Ask just about any agent in Northern Virginia if things feel like they’ve slowed down over the past seven days, and they’ll likely tell you yes. My informal survey of agents from my office and a few from other brokerages that I stay in close contact with all concur, 100%. That could mean a few things — either things have slowed down (likely just temporarily), OR all of us agents are finally getting used to working from 5:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Fewer multiple offer scenarios, fewer offers per property, less showing traffic and slower open houses — these are all things I experienced over the past week, and many of my colleagues in the industry concur. Could it be the heat? Maybe. Could it be some monumental shift in our fast-paced marketplace? Doubtful. Markets swing up, and down, sometimes fast and other times slow. My guess, this is just a brief hiccup, and we’ll be back to the brisk pace this time next week.

Let’s dig into this week’s numbers and see how they stack up!

Sellers listed 129 homes for sale this past week, nine less than the week before. Buyers ratified 92 contracts, one more than the week prior, 45 of which were on homes just listed in the past seven days.

This week, there are 505 available properties for sale throughout all of Arlington and across all property types, remaining unchanged from the week before. 117 are detached homes.

There are 57 townhomes/semi-detached homes currently for sale, and condominiums make up 331 of the available units in Arlington.

To give you a brief comparison of what our numbers looked like last year for the same week, sellers listed 55 homes and buyers ratified 43 contracts. There were also only 267 available properties for sale this week last year.

The average list price for currently available properties is $778,152 and the median is $575,000. Currently available properties in Arlington have an average of 61 days on market (DOM) and a median of just 34.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. If you see a home you’re interested in purchasing, give us a call.

Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at 703-203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight new listings I think you might like to check out:

1005 S. Quinn Street

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:

2507 11th Street N.
6 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
Listed: $2,175,000
Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.

 

4126 N. Randolph Street
3 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Compass
Listed: $1,185,000
Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.

 

5048 37th Street N.
5 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: Casey Margenau Fine Homes And Estates, Inc.
Listed: $1,099,000
Open: Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

 

2414 Military Road
3 BD/3 BA single-family home
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $949,900
Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m.

 

2701 N. Greenbrier Street
4 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $896,000
Open: Saturday and Sunday, 1-3 p.m.

 

6701 Washington Blvd, E
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Optime Realty
Listed: $665,000
Open: Saturday, 1-3 p.m.

How This DC Company Helps Homeowners Renovate Bathrooms

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Plain and simple: Bathroom renovations can be daunting.

It’s not uncommon for a renovation to cost more than $15,000. (Yes, even for such a small space.)

But D.C.-based company remodelmate will help you design your dream bathroom for a fraction of the price — and without stress or headaches.

Here’s how remodelmate works:

  • Get a free estimate online. It takes one minute.
  • Speak with a design consultant to refine the details of your estimate.
  • Pair up with two professional interior designers to create your new bathroom. You can get a 3D look before moving forward.
  • Next, your dedicated project concierge takes over, handling all of the material sourcing and ordering. Don’t worry — they’ll stick to your budget, and you can keep tabs on everything through your online dashboard. (See? No headaches.)
  • Licensed and insured contractors, who are vetted through a rigorous screening process, carry out all the hard work.
  • Enjoy your beautiful new bathroom!

With remodelmate, you’ll pay a $100 booking fee, but otherwise there’s no down payment. You’ll simply make “milestone payments” as you approve each completed phase of the work.

To get started, get a free online estimate in one minute or less.

Statutes of Liberty: You Ask, We Provide — Heartwarming Pro Bono Success Stories

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is by James Montana, Esq., Doran Shemin, Esq. and Laura Lorenzo, Esq., practicing attorneys at Steelyard LLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Arlington, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact James for an appointment.

You, our patient readers, asked for pro bono success stories in our Readerpalooza poll, and we’re glad to provide!

All names and some small details have been changed to protect the identity of the individual client. In all cases, we’re providing the name of the referring organization and a donation link — these are great places, and every contribution helps.

We’re not always Scrooge McDuck!

Mrs. M — the Arlington Volunteer

Some of our most wonderful pro bono cases are referred to us by our friends at St. Charles Borromeo Church, right here in Clarendon. Mrs. M. is one of them. Mrs. M won asylum in the United States based on political persecution in her home country, then sought and obtained a green card. When we met her, she was eligible for U.S. citizenship, but she needed careful assistance to get through the process of becoming a citizen. Like many of our clients, she was worried about the naturalization interview process, so we did several practice interviews with her. We brought her to the interview, she passed with flying colors, and she brought us sweets afterward. She also volunteered to coach other pro bono clients of ours on how to pass the naturalization examination, which fits very well with her generous nature — she has been volunteering to help with COVID response here in Arlington as well.

Ms. N — Domestic Violence Survivor

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington called us to tell us about a good person with a major problem: Ms. N and her abusive United States citizen spouse. Laura Lorenzo had recently joined our office, and so we immediately matched Laura with Ms. N to begin the process of applying for immigration relief. Ms. N’s husband — a real jerk, to use the proper legal term — was physically and psychologically abusive, and, on top of that, leveraged her lack of immigration status in family court to deprive her of custody of their children. Laura has worked with Ms. N to prepare a Violence Against Women Act petition, which will permanently free her from relying on her abusive husband for immigration protection. When Laura’s work succeeds, Ms. N will be able to apply for a green card in her own right.

Mr. O Knows: The Government Can’t Argue Both Sides of the Same Case

The Board of Immigration Appeals Pro Bono Project matches private attorneys with cases that wouldn’t ordinarily find a way to the private bar. That’s how we met Mr. O, who was sitting in immigration detention in Arizona. Mr. O had an interesting legal problem. While representing himself pro se, Mr. O had presented a request for asylum, and the Department of Homeland Security had (perhaps unadvisedly) conceded that he was eligible for asylum, only to retract its concession on appeal. Mr. O, happily, had two friends on his side — our law firm, and more importantly, the doctrine of judicial estoppel, which prevents a party (in this case, DHS) from taking contradictory positions at different stages of litigation. We presented a brief to the Board of Immigration appeals, in which we argued that Mr. O’s grant of asylum should survive DHS’s change of heart. DHS, to its credit, withdrew its appeal, and Mr. O was promptly released.

We’re proud of our work with pro bono clients, and we would be delighted to provide additional resources if you have questions about what organizations are best positioned to help particular types of cases.

As a final note, for the sake of disclosure — one of our lawyers, James Montana, volunteers with the Borromeo Legal Project, Inc., which is associated with St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington but has a separate organizational structure. The link above is to donate to St. Charles Borromeo Church directly, not to the organization with which James volunteers. We just want you to know that we aren’t engaging in self-dealing.

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts and we will do our best to respond.

Just Sold: May 27, 2021

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This past week, 68 properties were reported sold across Arlington. This included a to-be-built 8 BD/7.5 BA custom home that went for $2.6 million.

As of May 23, there were 713 homes listed for sale in Arlington, according to Homesnap. This includes 480 condos, 190 detached homes and 43 townhomes.

“The median list price is $559,900 and the median sales price is $715,000,” Homesnap reports. “There have been 230 new listings in the last 4 weeks and 317 sales.”

Here’s a look at a few of the properties sold in the past seven days:

In the market? See properties that have been Just Listed and Just Reduced.

Listing of the Day: 4736 Old Dominion Drive

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Address: 4736 Old Dominion Drive
Neighborhood: Yorktown
Price: $1,000,000

A rare find in North Arlington, 4736 Old Dominion Drive has been lovingly and thoughtfully updated inside and out. A major exterior renovation completed in 2019 created show-stopping curb appeal, with Hardieplank siding, new windows, added portico with metal roof, and extensive hardscaping to create parking pad for multiple cars.

The backyard is a private oasis — there is a deck, patio, tons of green space and the shed was converted into a year-round living and entertainment space. Upon entry of the home you will find beautiful refinished hardwood floors, new Plantation Shutters, custom light fixtures throughout, a renovated kitchen including plenty of cabinetry, separate dining room, cozy family room with exposed beams, and a main level bedroom and full bathroom. The upstairs bedrooms have custom closets, and all bathrooms are renovated with modern finishes. Finished off in 2020, the basement provides a large open space for work or play with a floating staircase.

This location is ideal for work and play. You are minutes from multiple parks and dog parks, just one block from the Donaldson run trail which is great for leisurely strolls, jogging, and dog walking, a 5 minute walk to the Marymount farmers market, and a 10 minute walk to Lee Heights shopping center to grab your coffee, wine and cheese, and pastries. If traveling by car, you are centrally located for quick commutes to D.C., McLean and Tysons and more!

Listed by:
Keri Shull
Keri Shull Team
(703) 413-7713
[email protected]
www.kerishull.com

Biz Talk: AED Celebrates National Economic Development Week

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This article was written by Adam Henry, CEcD, Business Development Manager for Arlington Economic Development.

Earlier this month, Arlington Economic Development took part in National Economic Development Week, which celebrates the positive contributions that the profession of economic development makes on localities, regions and states across the United States.

National Economic Development Week was established by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world’s largest organization serving the economic development profession, with more than 5,000 members around the world. Best defined by IEDC, “Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base.”

As we celebrate the contributions that economic development brings to communities, we also recognize that none of the contributions would be possible without great partnerships and strategic investments to make a community attractive to its existing and prospective businesses.

Below are some examples of partnerships and investments AED has taken part in that support the business community and boost its profile as an ideal location to do business:

  • Gazelle Grant Program — Launched in 2016, Arlington Economic Development’s Gazelle Grant program was designed to be a deal-closing incentive program for fast-growing or “gazelle” technology companies. This program is a tool to help grow the tech ecosystem economy in Arlington by expanding the tech employment base and decreasing the commercial real estate vacancy rate. Since the inception of the program, Arlington Economic Development has attracted and expanded five high-growth technology companies with the Gazelle Grant. To date, the program helped create and retain an estimated 778 jobs and absorb over 83,000 square feet of commercial space.
  • Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance — In September 2019, 10 jurisdictions from Northern Virginia came together to announce the formation of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance (NOVA EDA). The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and Prince William County Department of Economic Development comprise NOVA EDA’s membership. NOVA EDA was created following the Amazon HQ2 and Virginia Tech Innovation Campus announcements in Northern Virginia to better collaborate as a region and develop a strong brand and story that showcases the value proposition of doing business in Northern Virginia.
  • Arlington Small Business Emergency GRANT (Giving Resiliency Assets Near Term) Program — In response to the pandemic in 2020, Arlington County partnered with the Arlington Industrial Development Authority and the Ballston, Crystal City and Rosslyn Business Improvement Districts to develop and implement the Emergency GRANT program to support small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, Arlington County supported 393 businesses through the $2.8 million program with awards of up to $10,000 per business.

These examples are only a few of the many ways Arlington Economic Development’s efforts make the community a competitive and viable option for companies to launch, expand and locate their businesses.

Through existing business support and programs to attract new investment to the community, Arlington is well-positioned to diversify its economy further, expand its technology ecosystem, and provide an environment for enhanced economic well-being and quality of life to all its residents.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Mickey and Bean

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Meet Mickey and Bean, Arlington’s latest Pet of the Week duo. Mickey is a Miniature Schnauzer, and Bean is a Dachshund-Yorkie (aka Dorkie).

Here’s what Micky had to say about his and his sister’s life in Arlington:

What’s up, Arlington? My name is Mickey, and this is my sister, Bean. We are both from Georgia and moved to Arlington last summer for mom and dad’s jobs. We love playing with toys, getting treats and taking walks around the neighborhood in Clarendon!

Bean and I are definitely best friends, but personality-wise we are complete opposites. Bean loves to meet new people and dogs and is a sweet Southern peach. I, on the other hand, can be best described as a Sour Patch Kid — sometimes I’m sour, but then I’m sweet. I have really liked this social distancing thing over the past year and prefer to have my space. In new social situations, I tend to scream at new people and dogs I meet because I am awkward, but, hey, who isn’t? Once I get to know you, I’ll be your best friend, especially if you have treats.

Please feel free to say hello to sweet Bean anytime, she will love it! As for me, if you think you can handle my Schnauzer-tude, my parents will make sure that we have a calm introduction.

See ya around!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos — they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

We are also looking for local pets who look like their owners or like celebrities. Email us photos of your pet and their doppelgänger, explaining the resemblance and whether it has been noticed in your neighborhood.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

There is much more to this long weekend than… just being a long weekend.

Monday, May 31 is Memorial Day. It’s an opportunity to honor and remember the military personnel that we’ve lost while serving.

Beyond the incredible cultural attractions right at our doorstep in Washington, D.C., Arlington County has a number of memorials of its own that can be the perfect setting for honoring our heroes. Among them, Arlington is home to the Air Force Memorial, Women in Military Service for America Memorial and the iconic U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial.

Having been engrained in the Arlington community for more than three decades, the team at Arlington Realty, Inc. is always honored to work with our military heroes and families. And today, it’s an honor to pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

We are forever grateful.

And now on to this week’s Just Reduced stats…

As of May 24, there are 157 detached homes, 64 townhouses and 358 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 41 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note 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 Arlington Realty, Inc.

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