When a divorce case goes to trial, the court makes a determination on the unresolved issues. The court may hand down decisions regarding property division, child parenting issues, spousal maintenance, or other divorce matters. If a spouse disagrees with the court’s decision, can they file an appeal? The answer depends on the specific facts of the case. Successful divorce appeals are rare, but they are possible in certain situations.

Filing an Appeal After Divorce

If you got divorced and you are unsatisfied with the outcome of a trial, you may be interested in filing an appeal. It is important that anyone hoping to appeal their divorce contact an attorney and get started as soon as possible because you only have 30 days from the date of the final judgment to file a notice of the appeal with the court.

Contrary to popular belief, you cannot file an appeal just because you are unhappy with how the divorce turned out. You must have grounds or legal reasons that justify the appeal. Essentially, when you appeal the court’s decision, you are stating that you believe the decision was incorrect or flawed.

Federal and state laws protect employees from discrimination based on sex. This includes protection from sexual harassment. However, perpetrators of sexual harassment still exist. Men and women in any type of profession may find themselves the victims of hostile work environment harassment or quid pro quo harassment.

If you have been sexually harassed, one of the most important steps you can take to protect your rights is to document the harassment carefully – especially if the harassment falls under the category of hostile work environment harassment. Creating a sexual harassment log that details the instances of harassment can be invaluable whether or not the situation leads to a sexual harassment claim.

Severe and Pervasive Sexual Harassment

A single minor incident of inappropriate behavior may not constitute sexual harassment, but that can quickly change. Per the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), illegal harassment occurs when either:

If your marriage is nearing its end and divorce is inevitable, you may be interested in alternative resolution methods like divorce mediation. Mediation is a process during which divorcing spouses discuss divorce issues like asset division, child custody, and spousal support in hopes of resolving the issues amicably. Mediation can be beneficial for couples hoping to avoid stressful litigation. However, mediation is not a practical solution in every divorce case.

Mediation May Help Couples Identify and Resolve Disagreements

Divorcing spouses who can reach an agreement on the relevant divorce issues can save themselves time, money, and aggravation. During divorce mediation, divorcing spouses work with a specially trained mediator who facilitates constructive conversation about how to divide property and debt, what to do with the marital home, how to share parental responsibilities and parenting time, and other crucial issues.

When both spouses are motivated to reach a solution, forthcoming with information, and willing to compromise, mediation can be a fruitful experience. Some divorcing spouses are able to reach a mutually-agreeable settlement on all of the relevant divorce issues during mediation. Even if the spouses are unable to resolve every single divorce issue, mediation may help them identify the matters on which they agree and disagree, explore various solutions, and narrow down their options.

Working Americans count on Social Security benefits to help them cover expenses after they retire. For many people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, Social Security is their main source of income.

If you are getting divorced, you may have questions and concerns about how the divorce will influence your ability to receive Social Security benefits upon retirement. Stay-at-home parents, homemakers, and those who were not the primary earner in their marriage often worry that divorce will impede their retirement. Breadwinning spouses may wonder if their soon-to-be ex-spouse will be able to take some of their Social Security benefits, leaving them with less to live on during retirement.   

Understanding Social Security Benefits

Social Security was established in 1935 through the Social Security Act. The benefits provide retirement income based on an individual’s work history. Most people who have worked in the private sector for ten years or longer are eligible for Social Security benefits once they turn 62 years old. The amount of money they can receive is based on their contributions to Social Security during their working lives. People can start collecting Social Security at age 62, but they do not receive the full amount unless they wait until full retirement age.

Illinois employees are protected from harassment and discrimination by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Illinois Human Rights Act, and other legislation. Unfortunately, sexual harassment continues to be an issue in Illinois and throughout the United States. Harassment can come in many forms. Some workers are exposed to crude jokes and offensive remarks. Others are touched inappropriately without their consent while simply trying to do their jobs. Employees may also deal with managers, supervisors, or employers who attempt to gain sexual favors by offering work-related benefits.

Research shows that workers in the manufacturing industry are exposed to sexual harassment at an especially high rate. Both women and men who work in manufacturing may be victims of sexual harassment. If you or a loved one were the victim of sexual harassment while working in the manufacturing industry, read on to learn about how to address the situation.  

Manufacturing Workers and Sexual Harassment

The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) processed more than 85,000 sexual harassment complaints between 2005 and 2015. Just under 12 percent or about 10,000 of the sexual harassment reports came from the manufacturing industry.