More frustration with welfare

lorrie · July 2005

I received a fax from our local SRS office saying that one of our employees, who has been working >50 hours/week, told them his hours would be cut back to 40 hours in August. SRS wants verification.

My standard response to this is "We are not aware of any issues that might bring about changes in employment, but we are unable to predict the future."

I feel like asking the employee what kind of scam he is trying for. What logical reason would SRS have for wanting a future prediction of an employees hours? And, barring any catastrophic circumstances, why would an employee who is earning a decent wage and getting well over 50 hours per week be getting assistance?

I guess I don't really have a question. Just wanted to vent.

Rockie · July 2005

I think you were absolutely correct in your response. SRS will take care of it from there.

We have several employees who find ways to "work the system" while being employed full time with us. They get numerous freebies from the government and are quite proud of it. My response to them is "You should be ashamed of yourself - taking something that you are not entited to and depriving someone that truly needs it." We also have had several who have gotten in trouble over their "double-dipping" and false assertions.

Our state (South Carolina)is in the process of drastically cutting Medicaid back and it's because of this very same thing - but the bad thing is....it's going to hurt the people who really do need it, not the shysters.

The same thing bugs me with people who make $100,000 a year, don't pay their student loans and then I get a garnishment from the IRS that they haven't paid their taxes. This person screamed like a drowning rat when I told them how little money they were going to get in their check after Uncle Sam finished with them. Their comment was "I can't live on that". My response was "The IRS doesn't care - they will get what you owe them one way or the other!"

Ah....venting is good!

LivindonSouth · July 2005

Lots of working people who meet the qualifying rules get government assistance. It's based primarily on family size and family income. Don't know what your wage is or his family size. Welfare has to have verification of any type of employment change in order to make a redetermination. Be thankful that the case worker even cared enough to send the form. It indicates she's doing her job. If he got a raise, they would want that too and that could make him ineligible.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

POPEYE · July 2005

We had one looooong-term EE that hand delivered such a request to our payroll dept. stating that he needed to present it the next day to his case worker. They filled it out and gave it back to him. I get a call 3-4 days later inquiring about the "pay-cut" that this EE had taken due to changing positions. NOT!!!!

Since then the only way we respond is via fax or snail-mail directly to the requesting agency.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

Not to defend the establishment, but, I've never known such an agency to give the request form to the employee. It would be like a bank sending their loan form through the ee.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

POPEYE · July 2005

I understand and agree with your thoughts on this, however, it seems that almost every Human Services dept. in the state give the forms to their clients. With the big uproar over our state health insurance, I bet we have had 40-50 hand-delivered requests from the EEs for info to supply to the state.

TN HR · July 2005

Popeye is absolutely right about this. It seems our fine state is doing zilch to curb abuse of our already overabused systems. Now that the TennCare trough is closed for feedings there are people crawling out of the woodwork trying to find something else to bleed dry. I heard a radio report that 1 in 4 Tennesseans are on Tenncare. We also have the largest number of rx's dispensed per capita AND the largest percentage of rx's filled with brand-name instead of generics. Then, to add insult to injury, we stand around with our thumbs in our mouths wondering why our Medicaid system is shot.

marc · July 2005

This request may also have something to do with determining levels of support for children no longer living with him.

There are some rather large movements associated with income eligibility determinations related to qualifying for welfare. Lots of effort towards locating all income sources and verifying same. Perhaps a lower income level from him would effect the level of assistance his ex-wife, who has custody of their children, gets. If her assistance is cut down, his support requirements may go up?

Just a shot in the dark.

szemcumo · July 2005

Been there too. Had an ee ask if we could put her to p/t because she had babysitting problems, wanted to spend more time with her kids etc. Then we get letter wanting to know income etc because we CUT her hours. Was more than happy to let them know that the ee requested pt and that we had plenty work for 40 hours, the choice was hers not ours. Her case worker found that very interesting.

Crout · July 2005

We have quite a few people who work full time, yet qualify for assistance. A 40-hour work week at 8 bucks an hour is $320 a week. Try living on that in a major city, even without kids.

szemcumo · July 2005

I agree that you can't raise a family on that wage. If you qualify then so be it, it is when people try to manipulate the system and get things they are not intitled too are lie about wages that I have a problem with.

Hunter1 · July 2005

We all get frustrated with the system. I have a relative (in-law, of course) who scams the SSA for disability payments. She had the nerve to say to me: "Well, if the Social Security system goes broke before you get to draw benefits, at least you'll know it went to a relative." I've been tempted to commit mayhem several times in my life, and that was one of them.

Whatever · July 2005

We had many ees who opted out of health insurance for their children because it was cheaper to use the
state plan. However, lately, I have gotten inquiries from the state asking if company insurance was available and in some of the cases (based on income) the ees were forced to cover their children.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

I agree; for someone to abuse 'the system' is abominable. Why, that would be like somebody fudging on their income tax return. There ought to be a law.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

More frustration with welfare

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