DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband just started a new job a few months ago. He has gotten three paychecks so far. The last one bounced, and when he went to his boss to say something about it, his boss got an attitude. He then recovered and said that the company was having lean times and couldn't meet payroll.
This is crazy. We count on my husband's job, and every penny is important to us. Plus, he earned it. His boss promises to pay him, but he's not sure when. Should my husband sue the company, or quit and find another job? --Bounced, Jackson, Miss.
DEAR BOUNCED: Slow down. Of course this is disconcerting. No one wants to receive a check that bounces.
Your husband should do some research on the company to learn as much as possible about the state of the business and its financials. He should speak to his boss to get a schedule for when he will be reimbursed and ask if the next paycheck is expected on time.
If things seem too precarious, your husband should look for another job, but he shouldn't quit until he finds one. Instead, he should do his best on his current job and see if his performance can possibly contribute to strengthening the bottom line. He should show his boss that he believes in the company and doesn't want to give up. But he should also be practical. If no money is coming around, he should cut his losses soon.
Suing, while an option, may end up costing you and your husband money that you do not have, especially if the company is broke.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I was talking to a new colleague at a lounge the other day. We exchanged email addresses, which was nice. The next day, I got an email from a woman who was sitting near us and overheard us talking, but who wasn't at all part of our conversation. She asked if I would like to hang out with her sometime. She reminded me of how we met -- because we were sitting near each other (however, not talking).
I felt like that was creepy. She basically stole my email address by eavesdropping. I don't want to talk to her. How should I handle this? -- Creeped Out, San Francisco
DEAR CREEPED OUT: You can ignore the woman's email altogether. Since you didn't give your address to her, you can delete it and let that be it. If you see her again and she brings it up, just shrug it off. You can say you didn't give her your email address.
Another option is to respond and thank her for the invitation but decline it. If she writes back, you can tell her that you did not give her your email address, and you hope she will not use it again.