Saturday, January 18, 2014

The Bankruptcy Noticing Center

The central Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) is in Virginia and is part of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.  The BNC sends standard notices in Bucks County bankruptcy cases, including the notice of the commencement of the case.

As bankruptcy attorney, I also receive the Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing Service (EBN).  When you receive your notices regarding your case, you will notice "BNC" frequently.  Now you know why!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Protection against discrimination in a Bucks County bankruptcy

Before we get into a discussion on discrimination and bankruptcy, please note -- if you are in Chester County and are looking for a Chester County bankruptcy lawyer, please contact Gary Freedman at your earliest convenience.  He just launched his website and it looks promising.

Now, 11 U.S.C. 525 protects Bucks County debtors from three types of discrimination:
1)  discrimination by governmental units with respect to employment and with respect to the granting of licenses, permits, franchises, and similar grants
2)  discrimination by private employers with respect to employment; and
3)  discrimination with respect to making or insuring of student loans.

For example, withholding an individuals driver's license solely because of nonpayment of a dischargeable debt is a violation of this section.  This same section prohibits private employers from discriminating against debtors with respect to promotions and advancements.  This includes termination as well.

In my experience, most people do not tell their employer about their bankruptcy.  They are not obligated to at all.  But, I have had numerous employers refer Bucks County people to me since their debts are impacting their job performance.  When people worry about their debts, they generally have major concerns and these concerns can generally be alleviated through a bankruptcy.