Beware of the Non-Compete Agreement: 5 Legal Guidelines to Educate Yourself

Upon gaining new employment, one of your first tasks is to complete the ample amount of paperwork the company will give you. Along with documents such as the employment contract, security clearances, you may also be asked to sign a non-compete agreement. Employers do not often give you the option to refuse to sign this non-compete agreement, however, this document can have a serious effect on your future employment. Before signing a non-compete agreement, it is important to understand what this document means and what are its repercussions.

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6 Jobs with Flexible Hours for Moms

If you’re a mom, it’s likely that you may have many hectic days. Taking care of kids is never an easy job but one that’s usually very rewarding. There are some tasks you will enjoy and others you may rather not do, but that’s part of being a parent.

Fortunately, it’s possible to find a way to make a living without sticking to a strict job schedule. There are some available jobs for women in your situation, and many of these employment options don’t require you to punch a time clock every day.

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4 Lifestyle Changes As Your Retirement Approaches

Depending on the type of person you are and other factors, retirement may be something you are looking forward to or perhaps you are dreading it. Almost half the people who retire are not really content after retiring, which is a pretty huge number.

One important way to get ready for retirement is to make plans and prepare for it. It is a big moment in a person’s life. While some people take to it like a fish to water, others struggle to cope. Let’s look at some tips to help you prepare for retirement as it approaches.

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Let Your Kitchen Sparkle: 4 Features of Quartz Countertops

If you are like most people, you do more in your kitchen then just cook and eat. You spend a lot of time in this area of the house so you want it to my nice, welcoming, and elegant. As a result, quartz countertops are quickly becoming a popular, go-to option among homeowners looking to renovate their kitchens. This option consists of natural stone joined with polymer resins and while granite countertops have historically dominated the countertop market, there are many advantages to choosing a quartz option for your new kitchen.

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6 Useful Questions To Ask When Comparing Retirement Homes For Your Loved One

As your loved one grows older, offering them the care and attention that they require may become harder especially if you have strong commitments such as a demanding job. This does not mean that you have to sacrifice the quality of care that your loved one gets. You can ensure that your loved one is comfortable and well cared for by enrolling them in a retirement home. In this article, the discussion will center on some important questions you should ask as you are reviewing different retirement homes to gauge their suitability for your loved one.

1. What Physical Activities Do Residents Get?

As one advances in age, the need for physical exercises usually increases. Physical activities help keep the mind sharp and they also assist in warding off ailments. In the ideal facility, residents should have access to a wide range of physical activities guided by highly skilled and experienced physical therapists.

2. Do You Have Staff Who Have Medical Training?

If your loved one has a chronic ailment, you should only enroll them in a retirement home that has staff with medical training. Retirement homes with staff who have experience in offering medical care are ideal since people tend to get sick as age sets in. In a facility with trained staff, you will be sure that your loved one will receive the best care in case there is a medical emergency.

3. What Protocol Do You Follow in Case of Medical emergencies?

Remember medical emergencies occur without warning and the best that you can do is to ensure that your loved one will receive the best care should any emergency arise. The ideal retirement community should be affiliated to a medical facility and they should also have procedures that allow your loved one to receive the best care in case they get sick.

4. What Diet Do You Offer Residents?

It is important that you understand the diet that your loved one will be following. The ideal facility should have a diet plan that is bound to keep your loved one healthy. However, the facility should also enjoy your loved one to enjoy any other meals they would be eating if they were at home. If your loved one has any dietary restrictions, you should find a retirement home that can cater for the restrictions.

5. What Is Your Experience in The Community?

You should direct this question to the residents of the facility instead of the management. The word of mouth reviews from the residents of a retirement home can help you gauge the quality of services in the facility. If all the residents confess to having a great time, it is a pointer that the facility offers quality services.

6. What Are the Visitation Rules?

Some facilities have very strict visitation rules and restrict visits to residents. Before enrolling your loved one as a resident in any facility, it is good that you understand when you can visit and the items you are allowed to bring in the facility. Ideally, you should settle for a retirement home with lax visitation rules so that you can pop in and visit your loved one any time you are free.

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Top 6 HVAC Maintenance Tips

The performance of your heating and cooling unit depends on the care that you offer to your system. To increase the durability of your HVAC system and ensure that it is always functioning optimally, it is advisable that you learn some easy maintenance tips that you can carry out without personally. Remember that with proper care and maintenance, you can avoid the cost of replacing your unit and also do away with regular visits from a repair technician. Below are some easy DIY maintenance tips you can implement on your HVAC unit.

1. Fix and Clean the Fins

Over time, the fins on your fan can get bent or crushed. If your unit has bent fins, you may find that your unit is taking longer to cool your residence. You should inspect the fins in your unit and realign damaged fins by gently pressuring them with a dinner knife. As you are realigning the fins, ensure that you clean any accumulated dust and debris on the fins.

2. Clear the Area Around Your Condenser

If you have a unit that relies on an outside condenser, it is important that you clear any weeds or plants around the condenser. If there are any plants, debris or dirty materials around the condenser, there is a high likelihood that they will be sucked into the unit hence lowering its efficiency and increasing the probability that it will break down. By clearing the area around the condenser, you will increase the lifespan of your unit and ensure optimal performance.

3. Clean the Vents of Your HVAC System

Over time, dirt and debris tends to accumulate in your heating and cooling vents. If you have dirty vents, you will never have clean and fresh air in your house. This is because your unit will keep recycling the dirt in the vents. Dirty vents usually lead to musty air and increased susceptibility to health complications such as allergies and asthma attacks. To avoid these health complications and ensure optimal HVAC performance, clean your vents regularly.

4. Change the Air Filters

The air filters in your unit usually trap dirt and debris that comes through your unit hence ensuring that your residence has clean and fresh air. Over time, air filters tend to get clogged by too much dirt. This usually means less fresh air for you due to diminished HVAC performance. You should ensure that you change the air filters in your HVAC unit at least once per month to ensure that your unit continues operating efficiently.

5. Visually Inspect Your Unit Regularly

Paying close attention to the performance and state of your unit is the best way to detect any issues before they exacerbate and get out of hand. To spot issues quickly, ensure that you inspect your unit regularly. Should you detect any issues such as change in the hum produced by the condenser or decreased heating and cooling performance, it may be time to call in a professional.

6. Get a Professional HVAC Technician to Service Your Unit Periodically

Though you may be handy, there are some unit issue that require the expert solutions that can only be offered by a trained and experienced technician. At least twice a year, it is advisable that you call in a technician to inspect and carry out comprehensive servicing on your unit. With the assistance of a trained professional, your unit will always operate at peak efficiency.

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7 Tips for How to Ship a Box Over the Holidays

With the holiday season fast approaching, many of you are probably getting ready to send big packages full of delicious goodies and fun gifts to your family members and friends. But what happens when you get a note from your loved saying that, yes, the package arrived but it was smashed in?

Life happens – we all get that. However, there are ways to safeguard your precious gift boxes and ship them with little to no risk. You don’t have to wonder whether that delicate ornament you’re sending will arrive in one piece. When you follow our tips and tricks, there will be at least one part of your holiday gifting that won’t cause you stress and anxiety.

Let’s learn how to ship a box safely over the holidays:

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