According to the Georgia Department of Labor’s website, if you leave your full time job in order to go back to school full time, you are eligible to receive unemployment. You are also eligible to receive unemployment (albeit less) if, while being a full time student you work part time. Now, according to these factors, I should be able to receive some form of unemployment benefit. Sadly, that is not the case. Why? Well, you have to have made a certain amount of money within the past year to qualify. If they counted “the past year” as being from August 2008 to August 2009, I’d be fine. Unfortunately, they count it from – of all absurdities – April 2008 to March 2009. They don’t count overseas employment, and as I only worked in the US from January to March 2009 (if going by there scheme), I haven’t made enough money to qualify for unemployment benefits. Grrrr.
Then there’s the whole food stamps thing. I figured, I’m super-poor, why not apply for food stamps? Every little bit really does help, and if I could get some money to cover some of my foodstuffs, that would be great. Anyway, first you apply, and then a week or so later you get an interview. In the application, they ask you to list your mailing address and your physical address. Now, let’s just say that after the baseball-bat-to-mailbox incident in my neighborhood, I’ve been receiving all my mail at my mom’s address. I don’t even have a mailbox at my house, so yes, my physical address and my mailing address are different.
DFACS (the Department for Family and Child Services, aka the food stamp folks) sent me a letter to my mom’s address stating that my telephonic interview would be today, 8/25. It was at a time when I was available, so I wasn’t concerned. Then, a few days later, I came home to find another letter from DFACS, this one wedged into my front screen door. It stated that my telephonic interview would be on 8/24, right in the middle of my physics class. Same case worker and everything. It also said that if I couldn’t make the interview, I should call and reschedule. Which I did. Except that all I was ever able to reach was the case worker’s voice mail. I did leave her a detailed message, but... I came out of physics and turned my phone on to discover a message stating that my application for food stamps had been turned down because I did not participate in the interview!
I immediately called the case worker back, and again, only reached voice mail. I left a message again explaining the two letters and the two different dates/times for the telephonic interview, and I expressed my desire to have an interview at the scheduled time on 8/25. Of course, she didn’t call at 9am. At 9:10, I called her and left a third message. I was planning to go down there and talk to them in person after class, but she called me at 9:45. The interview did not last long... apparently, if one is a full time student, one must also be employed a minimum of 25 hours/week in order to qualify. This is pretty absurd, considering that if I had the income generated from 25 hrs/wk of employment, I wouldn’t need food stamps! Grrrrr. Thus ends my first ever attempt at seeking government assistance; back to going it alone, as usual.
8 comments:
Unemployment in Canada is similar: You have to have worked in Canada for a certain number of hours in the past year to qualify. The number of qualifying hours varies depending on the current unemployment rate.
They don't count employment outside of the country because you don't pay into the Canadian Unemployment Insurance system.
--M
I didn't expect them to count my overseas employment... I just expected them to count ALL of my 2009 work within the US, instead of just a small portion of it! Sigh.
Well, I have to say that I agree with them. Most people who are motivated enough to be going to school should be able to find 25 hours of part time work a week (waiting tables, working the drive thru at Burger King, etc :-).
If you document that you are applying for jobs and being rejected, shouldn't that help you qualify for unemployment? I'm pretty sure that's how it works in FL, not sure about the rules in GA.
Anyway, I'm all for you going it alone. After all, you and I both enjoy Ayn Rand. hehe.
Well, I do agree that in a normal economic climate, a full time student should be able to find a part time job of at least 25 hrs/week... although we're still far from normal over here. Also, it seems silly that someone with the income of 25 hrs/week qualifies whereas someone with the income of 24 or fewer hours/week does not, when it would seem that the latter would be more in need of assistance!
Also, the whole applying for jobs/being rejected thing only works if you have made enough $$ in the weird period ending in march to qualify for unemployment in the first place.
It's a wonder anyone gets anywhere on government assistance; it's a lot simpler to go the Ayn Rand way and do it yourself!
It does strike me as funny/odd that a person can work too little qualify for benefits, but I suppose these rules are made to prevent people from gaming and becoming reliant on the system.
Anyway, good luck toughing it out on your own! Maybe when you start the assistantship, you'll make some connections that could help find some more work in the school system.
Well, I have learned that there's an ESOL program in Pierce County (even though there isn't one here in Ware, as far as I can discern), which could, in theory, be something I could get into if the vet school thing doesn't work out. Who knows!
I had a similar idea and problem when I was in Kentucky, as I had little extra money and thought to myself, I can at least get food stamps. Boy was I wrong. My case worker told me that I had two things stacked against me. One I was a man and two I was white. I shit you not, these were her exact words. After that, I said fuck it and just scraped by and did what I had to do. The whole system is a little absurd. I am amazed at how the government can fuck up something as easy as food stamps. My brother and his wife finally got them, but when they applied, their social worker told them that it would be better if they were divorced. Great way to promotoe strong families.
Chris
I just have to say that I am really sorry that you folks have had some very bad experiences with Social Services in your areas. I have been a caseworker for over 9 years in Missouri. The food stamp program does differ from state to state, but it is a Federal Program. All states have student eligibility guidelines. Not knowing your family situation, I am just going to throw out a few things that you might check out in your state.
1. Are you eligible for Vocational Rehab help? 2. Are you single with a child under 6 or have a child 6-12 without adequate child care? 3. Do you have a job with the college under WORK STUDY – title IV? If you can say yes to one of these factors in MO, you would meet the student eligibility factor, and the work thing would not matter. If not, then sadly we do look at employment. It has to be 20 hours a week here, and it does not matter the pay rate.
Please let me say, all caseworkers are not the same. I love my job. We all have our days. I get great satisfaction, being able to help others. I treat ever participant or applicant, like I would want to be treated. My view is this; I am 2 checks away for being on the other side of that desk. I would never want to be treated rudely or with disrespect. If we all would act this way, it would make having to walk into a Social Service’s office a lot easier. Unfortunately, bad behavior or work ethics make people unwilling to seek out help, when they truly need it.
Take care and God Bless.
Annie
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