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disability insurance Insurance that pays a personwhen he or she is unable to work because of aphysical or mental disability. (p. 761)discharged When a contract ends. (p. 224)disclaimer A statement holding that, regardless ofany provisions, policies, or oral promises to thecontrary, an employment-at-will situation existsbetween the employee and the employee. (p. 439)discrimination Unequal treatment of individualsbased on sex, sexual preference, age, race, nationality,or religion. (p. 465)dishonored An instrument that a party refuses to payor accept. (p. 570)disparate impact Occurs when an employer has anemployment policy or criteria that appears neutralon the surface but has an unfair impact on themembers of one or more of the protected classes.(p. 468)disparate treatment Occurs when an employer intentionallydiscriminates against an individual or agroup of individuals belonging to one of the protectedclasses. (p. 466)dissolution Legal detachment. (p. 597)diversity of citizenship Cases that involve citizens ofdifferent states and in which the amount of moneyin dispute exceeds $75,000. (p. 28)dividends Profits paid to shareholders based ona corporation’s performance. (p. 614)divorce Declaration of a court that a marriage hascome to an end. (p. 694)domestic violence Any reckless form of physical ormental abuse within a family or household. (p. 64)domicile Principle place of abode; the place to whichyou have the intent of returning when you areabsent. (p. 700)donee Person who receives a gift. (p. 362)donor Person who gives a gift. (p. 362)draft An order to pay money that involves three parties:the drawer, the drawee, and the payee. (p. 509)drawee Party that is ordered by the drawer to paymoney to the payee. (p. 509)drawer Party that orders the drawee to pay money tothe payee. (p. 509)duplicate original Copy of the original writtenagreement. (p. 216)duress Overcoming a person’s will by the use offorce, or by threat of force or bodily harm. (p. 137)duty of care The duty not to violate the rights ofothers. (p. 88)duty to account Obligation of an agent to keep arecord of all the money collected and paid out andto report this to the principal. (p. 419)duty to notify To succeed in a claim for breach ofwarranty, the buyer must satisfy his or her duty tonotify. This duty requires the buyer to notify theseller within a reasonable time after a defect isdiscovered. (p. 308)Eeasement The right to make use of someone else’sland. (p. 742)economic duress Consists of threats to a person’sbusiness or income that cause him or her to entera contract without real consent. (p. 137)electronic commerce The buying and selling ofgoods and services, or the transfer of money, overthe Internet (p. 284)electronic fund transfer (EFT) Banking method thatuses computers and electronic technology as a substitutefor checks and other paper forms of banking.(p. 534)electronic signature Method of signing an electronicmessage that identifies a particular person as thesource of the message. (p. 286)emancipated Minors who are no longer under thecontrol of their parents and are responsible for theirown contract. (p. 148)embezzlement The wrongful taking of another person’sproperty by a person who is entrusted withthat property. (p. 68)eminent domain The right of the government to takeprivate land, with compensation to its owners, forpublic use. (p. 745)employer identification number A number that isassigned to an employer for tax purposes. (p. 585)employment-at-will General rule governing employmentin most states. (p. 434)endowment insurance Provides protection for astated time, generally 20 to 30 years. The face valueof the policy is paid to the insured at the end of theagreed-upon period. (p. 755)Glossary 819