One day last week, I heard the phone ring downstairs, but was in the middle of fighting a fever so I didn't get up to answer it. I forgot about it until two days later, when I was finally well enough to go downstairs. There was a cryptic message from the OVR counselor, about needing to speak with me about my application.
Anticipating that CL had news regarding the vocational evaluation tests she said would be scheduled for me, I called her back. I had difficulty speaking above a whisper, and was exhausted trying to talk. Pneumonia takes a lot out of you, I've discovered.
She called to tell me, she said, that there was nothing she could do for me. She might be able to help me find a full-time job, but there would be no vocational evaluations nor any training or any other services provided.
Why? This isn't what she had said just a few days ago, so what happened, I asked.
Well, you have a job, she said. If you were unemployed, or homeless, or on welfare or certified disabled by Social Security or something like that, we could help you.
That isn't what it says on the OVR web site, which is why I applied to them in the first place. I certainly wouldn't have wasted my time with them if I didn't believe I was eligible for their help.
Besides, dammit, she herself had told me I was eligible at the conclusion of our meeting.
Now, one of the things she had me do at that initial meeting began to make sense. I thought it odd at the time that she would have me sign a paper stating I had been informed about how to sue the OVR, before she would tell me how she could help me.
Turns out that might be the best thing she could have done for me. I have no desire to sue them, but I am going to lodge a complaint and ask for a hearing. Something isn't right here, and I intend to find out what happened.
Grump! What a bummer, man.
18 comments:
That's... odd. And terribly unhelpful.
Yep, that's what I thought. I don't understand what happened, but I intend to find out.
I must be getting better, though, Zhoen, because an incident like this would have thrown me in to a full-blown anxiety/panic attack just a few weeks ago. Now, it just makes me mad...and determined.
Oh, for heavens sake!
This is the same woman who couldn't remember why she'd taken notes on the phone with you, right?
Sheesh....
I do think that if you have the energy for it that your idea of lodging a complaint might be a Good Deed for those who come after you, at least.
Take good care of yourself--pneumonia is a mighty foe.
Well, I had to read your other post on OVR , as I didn't know what it was. I'm still not sure, but I'm glad I didn't miss out on your initial interview - it was hilarious.
My opinion is that perhaps C.L. should hand her job over to you and take a long vacation somewhere that doesn't require any rational thought.
Fresca: Yep, it's the same woman.
There is a process for filing a complaint and requesting a hearing, so I will do those things. I went back to the OVR web site and read it thoroughly to be certain I hadn't misread or misunderstood the services offered and the requirements for eligibility.
I'll draft my letter this weekend and file it on Monday. I don't know if it will help me to do so, but - as you say - it might help someone who comes after me.
:)
Deborah: The sad thing is that I only wrote about the funny part of the interview. If I didn't need their help so badly, I'd have left the interview when she went off on finding a second copy of my application. That was bizarre even for me.
OVR is the acronym for Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. It is sometimes called Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in other states.
Thank you for visiting. I'm going to borrow Joan Anderson's book from the library. Read an excerpt at Amazon, found it fascinating and relevant to my life at the moment. I'm so glad I stumbled across your blog this morning.
:)
I'm not surprised that the woman previously mentioned screwed something up - either misinformation in the first place, or in the interim since the interview. It would be good to talk to someone in this organization who isn't her and find out what the actual policy is. Hope your health is back on track for the winter.
I think you should definitely pursue this further... the squeaky wheel gets the grease they say...!
The process does sounds very bizarre but you’re handling the situation well and I’m sure you feel a lot better for investigating the whole process to determine the position.
Government agencies seem to have knack of making a complete muck of things sometimes.
Best wishes
Nice to see that their initial incompetencies were not just a flash in the pan; that they would be capable of going for gold if institutional cock-ups were added to the range of sports played out at the Olympics. Interesting that their acronym, OVR, corresponds to that irritating feature in Windows which is mysteriously enabled and which causes one to overtype that which one has already written. Offer to take over her job; say you can make all the mistakes she makes but you can do it with much more style. Chin up.
ArtSparker:
I thoroughly re-read OVR's web site, then put in a call to her supervisor yesterday. No answer yet, but will try again on Monday morning.
Health is on the mend; thank you.
Steve: Well, I'm certainly squeaking, friend. We'll see what comes of it.
Lindsay: I realized during the interview that my counselor was easily distracted and somewhat unfocused, which may be all there is to this. I am hopeful that the office is run a bit better than that.
Thank you for your good wishes, and your sage advice from before.
BB: Chin is up. Determination is in place. Looking for other sources of assistance, as well, having learned the hard way about not putting all one's eggs in one basket.
Things will work out for the best, though I might not see the good of it just yet. I remain hopeful of a good outcome. Thank you for your support.
As they say in Germany, [literally translated], keep your ears stiff!
Rouchswalwe:
I like that.
Another blogger, Mary Tuel, says, "Knockers up," which must mean pretty much the same thing, meant to be encouragement, I believe. (I hope!)
unbelievable....
the peter principle lives!
and how unreasonable of you to expect integrity... what were you thinking?
Harlequin:
HA! I don't know what I was thinking, but I know better now!
:)
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