I was assigned a new counselor, a young woman who, unbeknownst to me, was new on the job. We got off to a good start, I thought - certainly better than CL and I had done back in February. AS, the new girl (well, she's at least 40 years younger than I am), told me I was eligible for OVR services and asked me what I hoped to accomplish with their assistance. I explained that, given my age (62 at the time) and my inadequate education, I had concerns that I wouldn't find full-time work (currently employed part-time) which would provide enough income for me to live and be able to keep my house. I explained that I had no savings, no health insurance, no retirement fund and was looking at a pretty bleak future when I reached retirement age. I needed additional training or education, with documentation of some sort - degree or diploma - which would help me compete against younger, better educated applicants. Although it is against the law in the US to discriminate on the basis of age, it happens all the time in the corporate work arena. My hope was to acquire a position with the state or federal government agencies where age is not a factor, but skill set is.
We went over some options for me, including the option of returning to college. As it turned out, a community college in Gettysburg offers a Professional Bookkeeper Diploma program, obtainable in 18-20 credit hours, which I could finish by the end of 2011, going part-time. I was excited, and began feeling hopeful again, after several months of despair and serious depression. AS encouraged me to apply for admission to the college and to apply for state and federal financial aid. She stated that OVR could help with tuition, depending upon how much funding I could secure from state and federal sources.
I applied for grants through FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and was awarded, initially, enough funds to almost completely cover my tuition, fees and books for the coming school year. This was great news, because I have absolutely no money to cover anything, after using paychecks from my part-time job to pay bills, put gas in my car, buy food - and medicines I need to keep me going.
The first thing that disappointed me, but is completely understandable, is that my grants were reduced because I will be a part-time (under 12 credit hours per semester) student. Well, that's okay, I thought, because AS had said OVR could grant up to $2,000 per semester, depending on how much remained after grants were awarded. I didn't need the full amount, so things were looking very good for my starting classes at the end of August.
(Aside: Now, understand that becoming a bookkeeper is NOT what I want to do. It is what I can do, and must do, in order to provide for myself over the next 10 or more years, hoping, of course, that I have that much time left. I've made peace with bookkeeping, but if I had my druthers, as my Mom used to say, art and creative writing are my first choices for more education at this stage in my life. I've always wanted to be an artist, and was toying with taking those courses. Except that reality reared its ugly head and bit me in the butt, real hard. Earning a good living as an artist is a serious challenge, even for the gifted artist...and I do not believe I have that gift. So, bean-counting it is for me.)
I called AS and asked for an appointment to go over what to do next to acquire the education assistance she told me would be available through OVR. Her response surprised, shocked and depressed the hell out of me all within the few seconds it took to realize what she was telling me. OVR will fund my training only if I am a full-time student.
What?!? We had discussed, frequently, the fact that I could only go to classes part-time because I needed my job to pay the bills, pay for food, gas, meds, et cetera. At what point in those discussions had she planned to fill me in on that little tidbit of necessary info? I ended the call stunned, couldn't even think of what to say to her that was polite and could be said in church. I called back the next day to set up a face-to-face to learn what I could do next.
Oh, it gets better.
Turns out, she shouldn't have taken me on as a client in the first place, despite meeting the eligibility requirements, because I have a job. Because...I...have...a...job. (Where had I heard that before?!) Six months into this, and she tells me she shouldn't even be meeting with me because I am employed.
And they wonder why they are sued? Well, I do not intend to sue OVR for the ineptitude of their employees. I do, however, intend to fight this all the way up to the federal level, if I must, because nowhere on their web site does it say that their services are available only to the unemployed. Their web site promises compassionate, professional counseling, with every possible effort made to help clients find or maintain adequate employment, through counseling, physical rehabilitation, education and/or training and a whole laundry list of other possible services.
Look out, OVR; I has a mad, and you is it! (Quote from a LOL Cat picture.)
17 comments:
Good grief. I think the OVR people could to with some money being spent on their own training! So sorry you have been so appalling treated. This is just so wrong!
Hello, Steve:
I was going to ask what you were doing up so late, then remembered you are 5 hours ahead of me, just starting your work day.
Thank you for your kind words. My case file isn't closed yet, so there is still hope for a better outcome. I have since applied for work-study program to help pay the remaining tuition if I am accepted and there are student loans available, though I don't relish the idea of adding to my debts.
Something will work out - I have faith...and the address of the state director of OVR.
People were saying "druthers" all the time in Pittsburgh. I picked it up, continued using it in the UK and people looked askance. You see I pre-dated Sarah Palin by three decades. What a literary role model she is; any day now I'll do her a sonnet.
Ah, bureaucracy. I'd offer up a prayer (er, let's say a secular invocation) that you are able to convert some of the cool but irritated detachment you show in this post into the necessary stamina for persuading the Supreme Court, or whoever. It is, of course, perfect Heller, a civilian version of Catch-22. You need training to raise your earning level, but you can only have that training if you reduce (in fact, eliminate) your earning level. As one of the characters says, "That Catch-22 - it's the best there is." Why not turn it into fiction? - written when the phones are mute and you're temporarily unable to make some jack-in-office's life a misery? Except change the central character to someone you dislike - the ambivalent individual with the snow-blower (leaf-blower?), say. If you can. Otherwise spit in the fireplace. Dear Crow, we ache on your behalf and a fat lot of good that is.
I hope this is resolved in a rational way. While people receiving unemployment assistance are being battered from the Right as lazy and shiftless, here you are doing exactly what they say - working and trying to improve your lot and poof! any services that might assist you vanish.
Catch 22.
BB: I thought of Heller's novel, which formed the basis for my opinion of the military and federal government back when I was in the Navy and first read it. I asked AS, my inexperienced counselor, if she had read it and she had never heard of it, so I explained the premise. The reward for my effort was a blank stare.
All that I describe in the blog post took place two weeks ago. I can assure you that cool detachment is NOT what I was feeling at the time.
I like the idea of turning these experiences into fiction. My snow-blower neighbor is actually a nice guy - I just don't like that he cut down all the trees on his side of the alley. Or that he flies a Steelers flag during football season (I'm a Ravens fan, myself.)
Thanks for your kindness. This ain't over until the fat lady (that would be me) sings, and I'm practicing my scales.
Lisa: I thought every American would have read Catch 22, especially everyone in the post-VietNam generation, so I was surprised that I had to explain it to AS.
There are many ways to skin a catfish and I'll find the right one for me.
We fellow sluggers should band together and explain a few things to those idiots on the Right. I like how you handle your situation. Much luck with your novel, too, by the way.
This is astounding. But your determination is even more amazing, Martha, and inspiring. Give 'em hell.
Oh what maddening crap! (Having to explain a reference to Catch 22 adds insult to injury.)
Good luck Martha.
Oh, how stupid and wasteful all this is, I'm sorry you got caught in it! In your skillful writer's hands it's made for a great story on the theme of 'truth is stranger than fiction'. Best of luck in the next battle!
I just want to swear and swear.
Sheesh! And "Catch-22" is a MOVIE too---you don't even have to read!
It should be required for all gov't employees as Cultural Sensiivity Training.
The OVR is obviously insane.
And you are not. Good recipe for fiction.
I'm sorry this crap is happening to you though.
NO F-ing fair!
(May I just say, I so enjoy your writing? I wish you could do nothing but.)
P.S. I' m still feeding the green fish--sometimes even successfully!
I can't imagine anyone seriously going to OVR expecting help.
My mother trained as a vocational rehab worker. She was assigned to find jobs for recovering African American TB patients. When she could not find them any work she was fired. She was never able to find another job in the field after that. She did not realize that you only offered help to people who could help themselves, who did not really need help.
That's how it goes.
Oh Sophie :-(
We've had a similar two years (which is why I'm so behind on reading blogs - too tired or too stressed most days).
I haven't blogged our "fun and games" as my blog is a bit too public. If you ever want to exchange rants on the stupidity of beurocracy... email me anytime.
(((hugs)))
I forgot... one bit I will share - hubby was promised training for new career (he has old injuries which make his getting back into work after being retrenched very "iffy") They promised him in Sept 09. He filled in all the forms and then he waits... in Jan 2010 they send him a letter saying he's too late to get into the classes for February. Too late???
Then, after more months of fights over this and loads of other stuff they finally agree he can join this year's autumn classes. THEn they tell him they only pay the first £200 of the fees. We have to pay the rest. AND then he finds out their chosen place of study is £200 more expensive than if he went out by himself and took the course privately.
So he has waited almost a year to find out he's better off doing it all by himself - which is what he is now doing!
And that's just the tip of a very stinky red tape iceberg.
But we are suriving and we are laughing more than beating our heads against the wall... could be insanity of course! ;-)
you go girl!!
this situation gets more shocking with each " chapter" of your experience. quite the saga; i suppose it might be humourous if you weren't in the damn middle of it!!
Sorry to hear this. It sounds as if the office must exist solely to provide employment for its (apparently unqualified) counsellors.
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