Adventures at the Department of Labor

So since I am officially adding to the nation wide unemployment percentages, I thought I would have a try at the department of labor and cash in on some of those unemployment benefits I have been paying into for 13 years. Ok well, I didn't just decide today...truth is we have little choice. I hate the idea of being on unemployment. I feel that it should be used by those that are really suffering, and I have yet to suffer. That said I will be suffering soon enough if I don't get some income. I am shocked and amazed at the crap you have to do...and to be honest most of it is just bureaucratic bull. Lots of red tape that they claim stops people from abusing the system, when really there is only one question in the long list that would even be considered some kind of fraud prevention. That question is "Have you applied to the number of jobs required for benefits?" or something like that. And all you have to do is click "Yes." REALLY? That's their grand idea for stopping people from scamming the government...which in turn means the AMERICAN PEOPLE? You don't even have to go down there anymore, you can call in or get online. (I would like to think they have some other prevention method in place, but as a naturaly honest person, maybe I am just not seeing it) Now, I realize this is a sensitive subject. I think in my first blog I spoke about not getting to political on this blog, but it's my blog and I do what I want. So here goes...I am a people watcher. How you act in certain situations can tell a lot about you and your ethics, beliefs and your honesty. While I would say most of the people I come in contact with on a day to day basis do not come off as crazy loons that want to scam you and your family out of money and everything else...they are out there. I would say they tend to congregate at the employment office. First off let me say I used to think it was called the Unemployment office, because really people go to the Department of Labor for little else. Now when I hear people call it the unemployment office it really bugs me for some reason. I went there once to do a typing test so I could get hired on at my last job. When I sat down to start this whole process I had to give my SSN and she said "Oh! You are in the system!" "Huh? I don't know why...I have never been here before." Oh it was for employment services about 5 years ago." "Oh that was for a typing test." Wow thanks Big Brother, your immaculate records can remember my typing test, but cannot ask people face to face or double check on them to make sure they are not scamming the system. So back to the people watching...well listening I guess I should say. I got the privilege of sitting in a confined space with others trying to get benefits for about an hour an a half...and let me tell you, conversations give you away. One person was mad that she got a letter telling her she needed to come down to the office and discuss her benifits. I could rewrite the letter for the State if she would prefer, then maybe she wouldn't have been so perturbed.

Dear Sir/Madam,

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been selected as one of our weekly unemployment benefits winners! Please come down to the office at your convenience (as we know you must be booked with other things to do being jobless and all) to claim your winnings. We encourage you to please put your name in the pool again as we are selecting many winners each week. Hope to see you soon!

Regards,
The DoL

Now I know that even the unemployed have things to do. I have a child to take care of and finding 3 hours to go down there can be trying, but I make do. And I am lucky, I have a hubby that works two jobs in an attempt to keep us afloat, a sister in Law that will take him anytime, and a great grandma just down the street itching for toddler time. Next up on my eves dropping list, was the nice elderly woman. She sat patiently and I got the feeling that she had hit some rough times. Her husband was with her and she was very sweet. Me and her made some chit chat, mainly about my hair. It is fabulous after all. It wasn't until her husbands name was called and she didn't hear it that things turned ugly. As soon as they called the next name on the list after hers, that woman who had a cane and could barley move in her chair was suddenly a USA team gymnast. "We were before him!" Well, it is then I start to feel bad for the people that work at the DoL. Poor security kid didn't know what hit him. I wouldn't know what hit me if a 80 year old tornado of nasty came spiraling out of control towards me either. He was nice and let them go next. But my favorite eavesdropping moment was next up and I had to focus. The conversation went something like this:

[Young female voice] This is really long wait. We need to go to the gas station.
[Geriatric male voice] Yes it is a long wait. What do you need to go to the gas station for?
[Young female voice] Cigarettes.
[Geriatric male voice] Ah ok, you should buy me a soda.
[Young female voice] You are the one with the money Grandpa, you should buy me a soda.
[Geriatric male voice] Well you will have money soon. What do you want to be when you grow up?
[Young female voice] Something better then I am now.
[Geriatric male voice] Well that’s a good goal. If we ever get out of here, we can go to the gas station.
[Young female voice] (in the general direction on the security guard) You know, if you are going to make us wait this long, you should have free tea or coffee or something. And some cable TV wouldn't hurt either.

**SPEECHLESS**
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{{{Jessi talking to herself}}}
I am going to rip my hair out. Did i really just hear that correctly? Seriously. What the crap....am I crazy? Did no one else hear this and not mentally freak out? More free stuff? Really? I am going to explode. How long have I been here? Good thing I had coffee before I came. Oh please tell me they are next I cannot listen to her anymore. God please help me. I feel the word vomit bile in my throat and I don't know how long I can hold it. {{{Jessi Markwell, you are up!}}} OH THANK YOU LORD!

There is just so many things I could say here, so in the interest of time I am just going to type them all out with no further explanation given.

Whoa there tiger, free stuff isn't all that free. Someone pays for it, and my bet is it is not you.

That’s is where my taxes went last year. Cigarettes.

Good job for jumping in and teaching the young one a thing or two about a false sense of entitlement there Grandpa.

That's what we need, cable TV! Then everyone would just DREAD coming to the DoL enough to go out and find a job! DUH!

Coffee? Yes that would be nice. Give people one more reason to roll out bed, put on a dirty shirt and drive to the DoL un-showered to get free money...and now coffee too. wOOt!

Ok, ok...So by now if you do not agree with my ethics, beleifes, or view you are about ready to start typeing a responce to me. Save it. I don't want to hear it (Ok ok Brandi and TT excluded, though I don't think they would really disagree that much). Truth is most people there look like they are genuinely trying to find a job or better themselves, however it's those few diamond psychos in the rough that just make my day oh so entertaining...and aggravating. But who am I to judge right? I mean...I paid my taxes last year like the rest, er most, er some, or a few of the nation did right??

So while I was mildly irritated at having to sit for an hour and a half to talk to some guy for 2 minutes that gave me bad info (meaning I get to do this all over again tomorrow)...I get it. The people at the DoL have a rather sunny disposition considering all the crap they must hear all day long. Though one did make a comment that made me want to slap her..."Sorry for the wait, we are having some staff shortage issues." Correct me if I am wrong, but this is the EMPLOYMENT OFFICE is it not? You have literally hundreds of unemployed people walk though that door every day. Can I get an application?