I agree with the conservatives...
 

in this case.

Here's the scenario:

We had a receptionist in out RI office. She had just graduated with a two year degree in business management with a 4.0 GPA. We hired her and she was doing a great job. Except she was gone far too often. She missed 28 days out of the first three months she worked for us. I'd had a couple of conversations with our office manager out there and she in turn discussed our concerns with the employee.

Finally, the receptionist showed up on a Monday and never returned after that. Next I receive an unemployment claim for her which I successfully contest. Today I find out she has applied for assistance benefits.

Now...that really frosts my butt. The woman is perfectly capable of working. Plus she had a job she walked away from. She doesn't feel like working so she goes on benefits.

These are the individuals I have problems with. That said, I still maintain that there are people in genuine need and we, as a society, have a responsibility to make sure those people receive help.

Dan

Why was she absent so often? What if it was to care for a disabled kid?

Just throwing that out as a possibility. I have a problem with people leaching off the system as well. Or worse yet, having a job and scamming the system for assistance.

A receptionist with a business administration degree? Doesn't that seem overkill??

Heck, I drove a forklift for $3.50/hr with a four year mechanical engineering degree. Sometimes you have to go where the food is. :>)

Of course, this was the mid-'80s when it was very hard to find a job.

Mike

Don't you have empathy Dan? I'm ashamed of you abusing your workers rights like that. This woman has a life to live too you know. I'm sure your company makes plenty enough money to carry her through this rough patch. Do the right thing Dan.

Sounds like neither you nor we have all the facts here. I assume she has kids, or she would not have bothered applying for assistance. Single adults don't get assistance. Maybe one of her kids precludes her from working ... don't know enough.

And anyone can "apply" for anything. If she is not qualified for benefits she will not get them. If she can work, they will and should make her work to the extent she is able.

Here's what I know to try and answer your questions.

Three kids with no infirmities that I know of and family in the immediate vicinity. She was claiming day care issues in most instances.

2 year degree (Associate of Arts). She planned to continue college on a part time basis to earn her under grad degree. So she took the job as we are flexible. Besides, she applied. I didn't call her.

We have nothing to be ashamed of. Her fiance's sister was killed in Iraq and she wanted time off for that. I made an exception to our company vacation policy and gave her paid days....a weeks worth.

Further, if she had problems she should have talked to me. I had already demonstrated my willingness to work with her if she had a problem.

Then she just walked away. I do empathize with a person in genuine need. But this wasn't the way to gain it as far as I'm concerned.

Dan

Now you know why women on average make 70% of what men earn. On average they are less reliable employees, move from job-to-job more often, and don't build up the same seniority as men.

Rodeo,

The facts are very clear. She was offered a job and a chance to move ahead in life. She missed 28 days of work in 3 months time. Who cares what the reason is, she was not there while the company continued to pay her as if she had been a productive part of the company. The others at the company had to take up the slack that she caused and they were not paid a penny more to see their work load increase during her absence.

I could care less what her reasons were. She missed work, period. If she had a personal problem like sick kids or an illness, its her duty is to inform her employer and most if not all will work with her over the problem. She did not and she is gone, and hopefully Dan will find a better replacement.

She wasted the time of Dan's company, and she is now wasting the time of the state people by filing a stupid claim. You and I as taxpayers are paying for abuse like this.

JoeA

But you guys do make enough money to carry her right? Perhaps you could enroll her in a self help program? I really don't see why she or her family should suffer just so you can make more profits.

She missed 28 work days in three months! There's only about 60 work days total in three months!

Hey, I made a convert out of lendaddy. I should get an award or something.

I wasn't defending her job performance, or her right to entitlements, for God's sake! I said we need more facts before assessing her eligibility for public assistance.


If she deserves assistance she will get it. if she can work, she will be made to work.

What the hell is there to fight about? Can't you guys ever just discuss something without making it a partisan cluster fcuk?

Also to be clear, I do not own the company. I am just the business manager. (hope to make VP soon)

If only this were even close to true. I can tell you from experience, that without question the above is merely a policy statement and rarely enforced.

And no, we savor the fight:)

Rodeo, maybe you did not read the title of this post? If she deserves assistance, she will get it if not, she will be made to work? Someone needs a reality check!

So how much do the give you every month? Wanna trade your food stamps for a pack of cigs?

Maybe you need to read my posts a little more carefully ... if she can work, that will be a condition of any assistance she receives.

Here, i'll try again. No workie, no welfare $$

Comprende?

I trade my stamps for meth and Jack Daniels:) Seriously though as a business owner I have seen this many times and no one is ever (ok rarely) MADE to work. The system is too big and useless to enforce such a gray statement.

Where do you live?