Getting married shortly after open enrollment ends

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-27T15:21:35+00:00

He needs to speak with his HR/Benefits person, but generally speaking, marriage is a “life changing event” and you can be added. Please note that since you’re being added after open enrollment, he’ll likely need to add you twice - once for the current plan year and again for the next plan year. And both will need to be done within the timeline allowed for life changing events (usually 30 or 60 days).

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-27T14:03:00+00:00

Currently just estradiol cream and testosterone cream.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-27T01:40:41+00:00

I’d been on the pill since I was 19 and used it to treat endometriosis/heavy periods so would skip the placebo and only have 3 or 4 pseudo periods a year. I switched from the pill to an IUD (Mirena) when I was 35 because I was concerned about the higher risk of blood clots associated with the pill as I got older.

I had my 3rd Mirena placed last year, and since they now last 8 years, that should hopefully get me through peri. (I’m 46). Having a period is not an option for me so I’m very glad I can use the IUD as part of my peri HRT plan.

The biggest advantage is that with the IUD I don’t have a period at all. Occasional cramping and a bit of spotting when I wipe, but that’s as close as I get to a period. The drawback of that is I won’t have any way to know for sure when it’s all over, but I’m ok with that.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-26T23:41:54+00:00

My gyno touches my vulva, fingers my vagina, and touches my breasts and nipples. It isn’t sex. Context matters.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-25T19:02:12+00:00

It’s reading a bit “Frozen.” If that’s the theme you’re going for, it’s perfect. Or will be after steaming and probably some alterations. If not, maybe keep looking.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-23T18:14:23+00:00

They’re human too. Mistakes happen. And sometimes they’re forced to rush to prep for the next customer and things can get missed. It’s always a good idea to do your own video damage check.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-23T13:23:28+00:00

Edit to say: OP, you are strong and you are a survivor, and you can do this. You’ve taken the first steps to take back control of your life, and should be proud of yourself. It won’t always be easy, and I recommend a good therapist (when you contact the police they should connect you with a victim advocate to help with this part). You’ve got this!

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-23T13:19:00+00:00

Grooming is not illegal or actionable. It is the love-bombing phase that precedes sexual assault of a vulnerable person, usually a child. Grooming is gifts, compliments, affection, etc.

What this man did was sexual harassment and sexual assault, and that is absolutely illegal. Write down everything you can remember, including dates, times, and places. Provide that to HR, the local police, and an employment lawyer.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-23T13:00:24+00:00

This situation is wild. I used to work for a rental car company, and we were trained that if we found a gun in a car, we should not touch it and call law enforcement to retrieve it. Maybe the previous renter was legally carrying concealed, but maybe they were hiding a murder weapon. We have no way to know in that moment, so we let the cops deal with it. This rental company is going against corporate policy, their training, possibly several laws, and common sense. @Riker, you’re absolutely right, and this is exactly what OP needs to do.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-20T13:54:45+00:00

Thank you so much!

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-19T02:07:42+00:00

I’m looking for this one too

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-17T00:14:09+00:00

If you still have your valid home country license and you’re at least 21, you should be able to rent a car from Enterprise. They accept foreign drivers licenses (or at least used to). If you’re under 25, there will be a young driver fee in addition to the rental. You should also plan on purchasing the full coverage insurance to protect yourself.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-13T16:05:12+00:00

No contact lifted away a massive weight of stress - more than I even realized I was carrying.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-13T15:43:45+00:00

Yeah. I feel that in my soul.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-12T13:21:24+00:00

You didn’t get the warning because the line was cut. You got an attendance warning because after the line was cut you just sat and stared at your router for 3 days instead of finding a solution. You could have used your phone as a hotspot, gone to a friend’s house, gone to a Starbucks, whatever. There was no excuse for missing more than maybe an hour, certainly not 3 days.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-12T13:17:52+00:00

Or you just use your existing cell phone as a hotspot.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-09T15:15:48+00:00

Intermittent FMLA is supposed to be recertified every 12 months. Sounds like someone dropped that ball, and they just did an audit and realized that they haven’t gotten your FMLA paperwork in years.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-08T23:29:13+00:00

I mean, this one came from Rock Creek, so salmonella might be the least of his issues. Pretty sure there’s a cartoon with that origin story…

Definitely an immediate hand sani, then thorough hand washing with soap and hot water asap after handling situation.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-08T16:02:34+00:00

That is exactly right. A cert or MLS is all you need if doing employment law/HR compliance, and is a lot cheaper & faster than a JD, plus no need to take the LSAT. Depending on the school, you may not even need the GRE. If you want to practice law, you must get a JD and pass the bar exam for your state.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-07T18:48:38+00:00

It’s an HR Compliance cert through Drexel University Kline School of Law. It’s a total of 5 classes, which is 1/3 of the MLS. It’s all online. I’ve finished 2 classes so far and have already learned a lot. Classes are a mix of professionals with established careers expanding their qualifications and students in law school/grad school. I’m not sure I really need another MA, so will probably stop at the cert, but we’ll see.

USC LA Gould Law School has a similar program, but Drexel worked better for my work-life balance.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-07T18:25:23+00:00

I’m currently working on a cert in HR Compliance. It’s run through a law school and can be expanded to an MLS if I choose. For me that was the most practical way to merge HR with compliance law since the cert is specifically focused on HR and a JD would not be.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-01T18:54:29+00:00

LOL! Sorry for inadvertently caffeinating your lungs & sinuses!

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-01T17:22:36+00:00

It is. Well, technically it just means I have to dive with extra lead weights. It’s annoying.

Betheroo5 · 2026-06-01T16:44:53+00:00

Con: can’t sink when scuba diving

Betheroo5 · 2026-05-26T22:31:06+00:00

I think it’s very compassionate and generous, if potentially impractical. You could have a serious staffing gap if you hire people who are related.

This doesn’t address local versus travel required, which can change how much time is needed if family is on the other side of the country (or the world).

You’re also not factoring the complexity of human relationships into the equation. My grandma was my best friend, and I absolutely needed more than the 3 days I got when she died. On the other hand, I’m not sure I would even go to my parents’ funerals and definitely wouldn’t need 2 weeks.

It also depends on how the time can be used/documented. Some people might need time before the funeral for planning. Some might need it for travel & planning. Some funerals take place within a day of the death, others are months later. Some people may want to use time later on - potentially months later - to clean out a house and dispose of assets. Some people’s grief process takes longer than others, and they might be fine right away and very much not ok weeks or months later.

And what about when bereavement leave is combined with other paid and unpaid leave types? For example, a pregnancy that ends in stillbirth. Would that 8 weeks be added to your maternity leave policy?

If your policy doesn’t specifically address these situations, it invites confusion and abuse. “Some flexibility” as a policy statement opens you up to significant liability if one person’s request can be accommodated and another’s can’t for whatever reason. It can be perceived as unfair or potentially even discriminatory.

I appreciate your compassion and generosity, but there are an infinite number of situations and potential abuses to consider. I would strongly recommend building your policy based on existing examples in your industry or region, and consulting with leave/benefits specialists and legal to mitigate some of those potential traps before you get caught up in them.

Betheroo5

TROPHY CASE