Another customer cut off

Earlier this week I wrote about how "S/he who writes the checks makes the rules". I had yet another customer this week who did not get that. She is part of the same intensive program as the person mentioned in my last post. Every two weeks they have to turn in a log showing 3 work searches for each week (this is something they have to report for their unemployment claim each week anyway) plus two activities of their choice such as reading an article about job searching, etc. No, not overly burdensome. Also, this is purely a pencil whipping exercise. All we do with it is make sure it's done, note it in our software system, then file the hard copy. We don't check it at all. It's theoretically auditable, but the odds of that are minuscule.

The customer's log was due on Wednesday of last week. They technically have 48 hours before it's considered late. I called her first thing Friday morning as her first meeting didn't include my current speech telling them that I'll just report them as noncompliant instead of calling them. She said "I've been sick. I just got out of the hospital. I'll bring it today". Some of you are feeling sorry for her right now. You are not me. People who hear this where I work don't think "oh, you poor thing." Nope, we immediately go to "If you're sick, you're not "able and available to work", and thus you aren't eligible for unemployment for last week anyway". Yes, it's a different mindset, and you develop it quite quickly (I've worked there less than 2 months).

Well, Friday comes and goes, and as of 4:30 when we closed I'd received nothing. I put a note with the customer's name on my monitor so that I'd remember to report her to unemployment first thing Monday if her log wasn't there. Of course, it wasn't. I e-mailed unemployment with the notes in the system I put in Friday saying she was supposed to drop it off then and also today's saying she hadn't. I also noted her illness and probable lack of being "able and available" to work. She will not receive any unemployment benefits for the last two weeks. She can appeal this later, but I was told she will lose the appeal. Apparently the customer stopped by to see me Monday while I was at lunch. Oh drat I missed her. She'll figure out sooner or later (say when she gets no benefits for two weeks) that "S/he who writes the checks makes the rules."

S/he Who Writes The Checks Makes The Rules

Part of my new job is working with our state's intensive service program for the unemployed. Everyone who's been unemployed for 4 weeks has to participate in this if they wish to continue receiving unemployment. Partially it's an early intervention to get people back to work ASAP. We the staff also think it's to make drawing unemployment less pleasant so people want to go back to work. The program is not that burdensome either. But it wouldn't matter if it was because since the state is paying the benefits, it sets the conditions under which it will pay. I had my first non complaint customer recently. I had told him previously that he must do "x" to receive benefits for the last two weeks. This is something everyone in the program must do, and it is a very easy, fast task. He didn't do it, so I told left him a message stating I was reporting him and did.  He called me back within half an hour saying he had never heard that not doing "x" would make him non complaint. It was over for him at that point. I have discretion not to report him if circumstances warrant. Not a chance. I cannot stand it when people lie. His benefits for the last two weeks are currently on hold per my coworker in unemployment services. Always keep in mind that s/he writes the checks makes the rules. You have a choice as to whether or not you comply, but that also serves as a determination of whether you continue to receive the funds.

Baking Bonanza

Ever since the time changed and the days got colder, it's like a switch has been flipped. I suddenly am in the humor to bake all kinds of things. Since such impulses rarely strike me, I've learned to take advantage of them while they last. Here's what I've made so far, all from scratch.

Home made pizza crust- easy no-knead recipe

Hawaiian Bread

Nutella Brownies- yes, they taste as good as they sound

Pumpkin Muffins

It has been very tasty at my house lately.

You Know It's Bad When... (Part Three)

You realize how glaringly obvious the dysfunction was/is at your former employer when you run into a vendor you knew from that job who tells you "I don't you stayed as long as you did. And that's just what I saw from the outside looking in." Yep, pretty bad.

The Human Tornado

I started working at the permanent location for my new job on October 14th. The first thing I noticed was my desk area was a disaster. It was piled up with random stuff, tons of old paperwork that should have been shredded, and just general disarray everywhere. I grabbed the Clorox wipes and went after it. After lots of degerming and shredding (that part took me a couple days as the shredder kept overheating), my desk space was what I would consider usable. I've already gotten compliments on how nice it looks, with one person saying "I've never seen it look that good." My only regret is that I didn't take before and after pictures. Words don't do the transformation justice.

Once my immediate area was acceptable, I started looking around. I saw a divider that blocked off a small hallway as soon as you walk in the office.

 I'm a naturally curious person, so I had to know what was back there. I understood why curiosity can kill the cat after I saw what was behind it.

Yes, a huge pile of JUNK. It was mostly empty boxes that "some lazy slob" (one of my dad's favorite phrases) was too lazy to break down and get rid of. This just would not do. I broke down all the boxes and took them to the recycling center on my way home, threw away lots junk, put other items into proper storage areas, and appropriately recycled an old fax machine & printer (They're e-waste. You shouldn't throw them in regular trash).  I also found a bulletin board and literature sorter we don't use, and I got permission to get rid of those. I offered them for free to the other agencies in our building. Apparently there was a fight over them while I was off on vacation. Here's how it looks now:

This area had been known among some of the staff from other offices as "the graveyard" for pretty obvious reasons. When I asked my coworker how it got to be like this, she said "I don't know. I've never looked back there". She's been at this office for 2 years! I was flabbergasted.

I do believe my coworker might be slightly intimated of me by now. She probably thinks a human tornado has come to her office.

Mayhaps it's time for some heat

One of my goals is to not use my furnace until at least November 1. When I got home from vacation on October 26th of this year, here is what I saw:

The number on the bottom was the temperature inside my apartment. Needless to say, the furnace went on right then.

You Know It's Bad When... (Part Two)

You know that your present and former coworkers aren't/weren't as pleasant as they could be when a person from another agency in your building tells you after meeting you: "You may be the answer to my prayers. I prayed for someone nice and helpful to work with."

I told her "I try."

It's nice to be appreciated. :)