Sometimes this really ticks me off!

[robinb]

These guys make good money.

There is a complete disconnect here. Your company's employees can not make "good money" and still be eligible for food stamps, section 8 housing and state run health insurance for their kids.

 

[cinmell]

There is a complete disconnect here. Your company's employees can not make "good money" and still be eligible for food stamps, section 8 housing and state run health insurance for their kids.

They probably do make good money when they are earning overtime and per diem in addition to their base salary. They ask the OP to lie and not to list the overtime and per diem earned when filling out the paperwork so that they will qualify for all the assistance and free stuff (lying, fraud).

So they do make enough money, but want the op to lie and omit a % of salary to cheat the system.

They ask me if I can leave off the overtime and be sure to not put the perdiem with their wages. .

OP, I'd be annoyed too. It's infuriating what people get away with.

 

[MelCald]

I didn't read all of the replies, but I'm just going to comment on the "get a job" comment toward these women. Sorry if this was already addressed.

We do not get any assistance and are very capable of living within our means (DH makes about $50K), but for the last 4 years I have been a SAHM. I have a bachelors degree from a top school, but where I live I can only get a job making $8.50 an hour before taxes. For two pre-school aged children childcare averages out to $10 an hour. So, for me to have a job we would actually be losing over $6000 a year. I'm really not being "lazy", it's financially practical for me to stay at home.

I was in the same situation, but I figured out how to make it work...I became the daycare. For less than $100 I became licensed by the state and now I can stay home with my kids and still make an income. There are ways to make it work...

 

[SundancePass]

Flame away for this post: The original post mentioned something about not having any more babies.

I compeltely think the US should give TESTS, written Do-you-know-what-it-takes-to-raise-a-child tests, BEFORE anyone can have a baby. Yes, I know, it's socialist, or some bad thing, but really. How many people actually know what it will take in dollars and cents and sense to raise a child to the age of 18? We give classes or how to drive a car, how to calculate things, how to read, and one has to pass a test to go to the next level, but not how to parent and what are the physical, emotional, and fianancial costs.

Why do people have so many more children than they can support? And yes, we have two adult children, own our own business, work 90 hours a week and pay for our own health insurance.

The rant is over.

 

[tonilea]

Wow.

The op already has a job, unlike the baby mommies that are coming in trying to beat the system. I know exactly how she feels.

Maybe you are one of those playing the system? This thread seems to have hit a nerve with you.

Actually she has TWO jobs.

 

[allison443]

They probably do make good money when they are earning overtime and per diem in addition to their base salary. They ask the OP to lie and not to list the overtime and per diem earned when filling out the paperwork so that they will qualify for all the assistance and free stuff (lying, fraud).

So they do make enough money, but want the op to lie and omit a % of salary to cheat the system.



OP, I'd be annoyed too. It's infuriating what people get away with.

See, I don't understand this---either the OP is lying when she fills out the paperwork which from her post I know she wouldn't do, or even with honestly listing all of their salary they still qualify for all these government benefits. In which case, I don't think that qualifies as "making good money" do you?

 

[CajunDixie]

maybe they dont get paid enough

there I said it.



Look I dont mean to be nasty but seriously, if they are coming in and getting paperwork done because ONE of them has a job they are at least making an effort to work and not live off the State.

I would much rather my tax money go to people making an effort who need a little help than someone who sits on their butt all day long and expects a hand out.


If you havent been in the position where you needed a little help then good for you. I have been in that position and I thank God the help was there when I needed it!

Around here the problem is more to do with how they spend their money. On our assistance forms people have to list exactly where their last 30 days income has gone. You'd be amazed at the people that don't know or they list things like cable tv, landline phone, cell phones (1 phone is allowed here), vet bills, bail to get out of jail, internet, they use bdays and holidays as excuses to "have" to spend money....

We had one guy that was highly angry that we even dared to suggest he get rid of his cable TV, internet and his daughter's (adults themselves that lived with his ex-wife) cell phones. He was asking us to pay his rent....yet if you added up cable, internet, and cell phones he'd have had 80% of his rent money. He then used the internet to find places that he could give his sob story to and get money that way. Not sure of the exact title but we received a call from the League for the Blind wanting to know why we didn't help this poor, poor man. I asked the lady if she knew he wasn't blind!!!! She said well that isn't the issue you won't help him pay his rent. I told her I couldn't discuss it with her but he knew what he needed to do to get assistance from our office and again told her he's not blind.

Actually it sounds to me like she does payroll or has access to payroll info which one would hope she would keep confidential. Apparently making generalizations to thousands of people on a public forum doesn't count as breaking confidentiality.

I doubt she had to sign a confidentiality paper for her job. Now if she was in the medical field and signed a HIPPA form and gave you exact names and information that would be a problem.


We have several people that come into our office for help and when we look into their income level and where their money has gone they get angry. We have the right to know this information before we just mail out money for rent and electric/gas payments. I bet I could pull up arrest records on 50% of the males that come into our office...we by law cannot assist convicted felons. Several females come in and tell us their boyfriends/husbands are in jail or work release. Again they are a member of the household so if they were convicted of a felony we can't help them. Now if they say they are filing for divorce or the husband will not be living there upon release we can help.

Now the ones that have jobs we usually help even if they are a little bit over the income level. We try to help them find other help like food stamp applications, other utility assitance, food pantry (until the food stamps kick in), medication assistance.... The ones without a job we require they put in 3 job applications (we provide tips and job ads) unless they are filing for disability then there is another form to fill out in that situation.

When you live in a small town it's hard watch people buying cartons of cigs, cases of beer, custom made birthday cakes, cases of pop, then have them walk into your office asking for their $120 electric bill to be paid.

 

[robinb]

See, I don't understand this---either the OP is lying when she fills out the paperwork which from her post I know she wouldn't do, or even with honestly listing all of their salary they still qualify for all these government benefits. In which case, I don't think that qualifies as "making good money" do you?

Exactly. FWIW, I didn't see where she was asked to lie about overtime but I admit that I skimmed some of the posts this morning. I would also assume that she does not lie on the paperwork.

 

[allison443]

They ask me if I can leave off the overtime and be sure to not put the perdiem with their wages.

OP said this in her second post--I can see why she gets upset with people trying to scam...but if she puts down honestly what they earn, hopefully they make enough so they won't qualify and she would have nothing to get upset about? Unless even with all the overtime, they still qualify under the income requirements?

 

[castleview]

... I don't think that qualifies as "making good money" do you?

She might mean making good money for what they do and their level of education. At the roofing company I worked for, some roofers made triple the minimum wage (which I think is good for having a high school diploma). A few of them had wives who worked to supplement the income or get insurance (ours was only offered to the workers), but many didn't. Oddly, they were the ones with more than three children.

The problem I have seen is that even educated, upper middle class citizens feel they are owed something. Many parents I deal with have a dual income to support an expensive house, two new cars, and daycare. It doesn't bother me that they have these things. But they are the first to push for full day kindergarten, publicly funded preschools and after school programs. That drives me crazy.

 

[ozarkmom]

See, I don't understand this---either the OP is lying when she fills out the paperwork which from her post I know she wouldn't do, or even with honestly listing all of their salary they still qualify for all these government benefits. In which case, I don't think that qualifies as "making good money" do you?

Ok our guys with no experience do ok compared to other jobs in the area. There is a potential to make very good money if they want. My point is many of them blow their money at the bar yes I know this and many times my boss has to bail them out of jail. Then the wives of some of these men think the paycheck is to party and blow. Yes I know these people personally. My point is that alot of them could pick up a part-time job at least to help and not blow money the way they do. I still don't think they should have more children if the ones they have are on medicaid or Arkids (this is a state run insurance and you can make a bit more than medicaid guidelines). I'm not running down everyone that needs a little help to get by for a while. I'm upset with the ones that like it the way it is and abuse it. I'm not a bleeding heart but I do believe in helping people that truly need it apparently some people don't realize that there is a difference.

 

[castleview]

Ok our guys with no experience do ok compared to other jobs in the area. There is a potential to make very good money if they want. My point is many of them blow their money at the bar yes I know this and many times my boss has to bail them out of jail. Then the wives of some of these men think the paycheck is to party and blow. Yes I know these people personally. My point is that alot of them could pick up a part-time job at least to help and not blow money the way they do. I still don't think they should have more children if the ones they have are on medicaid or Arkids (this is a state run insurance and you can make a bit more than medicaid guidelines). I'm not running down everyone that needs a little help to get by for a while. I'm upset with the ones that like it the way it is and abuse it. I'm not a bleeding heart but I do believe in helping people that truly need it apparently some people don't realize that there is a difference.

This is sounding all to familiar. We had to switch payday from Thursday to Friday so that they would show up for work on Friday.

 

[4cruisin]

This is sounding all to familiar. We had to switch payday from Thursday to Friday so that they would show up for work on Friday.

Yup, but now they have direct deposit so they beat the system again.

I think it comes down to people not being held accountable for poor choices in life. Parents always have an excuse for their kids unacceptable behavior and then as adults, they expect to get bailed out because it is all they know.

 

[robinb]

OP, I can understand your frustration that some people spend money on things that you don't approve of or that they have too many kids. Should these people stop blowing their money on booze and drugs? Should they practice a little birth control? Absolutely. However ... if they stopped partying and got themselves sterilized they would still be eligible for assistance. It's not like the state subtracts their bar bill from their income when they determine eligibility.

 

[tileman]

Welfare should be treated as a response to a temporary emergency.

Not as a permanent way of life.

I have done a lot of HUD (Housing and Urban Development)
and the ones here in Fla that me and my guys have been to about 30 diff places that house about 100 + units

And 75% of the inside of these places are full of big screen tvs Lcd tvs all rent to own furniture very young girls with 2 to 4 baby's.

I have seen it 1st hand.

I am not against helping out families in need but do not make it a way of life.

I myself give to the homeless services here in town and to the Humane Society ( for dogs & cats )

Ill get off my soap box now.

Ron.

 

[Luv'sTink]

-----------------------------------

See - I don't quite understand this.. At least in the areas I have lived in, life on welfare and food stamps is nothing that anyone would actually look "forward" to - or go out of their way to obtain.. Housing is horrendous- not to mention in the most dangerous of areas; food stamp allowances are extremely low; very few doctors will accept Medicaid, so getting decent health care is next to impossible; clothing allowances are basically zero - or pretty close to it; lots of restrictions on what you can or can't have; no extra money to spend as one chooses; etc.. It's an ugly life - and I just can't imagine that there are tons of people who would choose to live that way if there were other options available.. The word "budgeting" takes on a whole new meaning if you're unfortunate enough to have to rely on welfare and food stamps..

I know it's a life I wouldn't "choose" - basically it isn't a "life".. It's just barely existing from day to day..

The gentleman that works for us, lives in a brand new constructed duplex in a decent part of town. Section 8 isn't always in the ghetto and falling down. They have 5 children from 2 to 11 and have always been subsidized. He is illiterate, so no, he doesn't make a mint. We have offered to send him to school to learn to read and write, he doesn't want to go. He is embarassed.

His father and my father were life long friends, so yeah, I know him personally.

This is sounding all to familiar. We had to switch payday from Thursday to Friday so that they would show up for work on Friday.

We pay on Tuesday so they will not blow it all during the weekend. Is it our business how they spend their money? Nope. But we get to decide what day payday is.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Is this really true?

Nice of me to reply a gazillion pages later, but Yup, it's true. Found it out when we hired an ex-con without knowing about it and just got the papers after the fact. They paid us back his entire salary for a year. Lesson learned!

And I used to buy food stamps from people who had more than they needed. Some of them smoked. Guess I'm going to hell with the rest of them. But it lowered my grocery bill when I really needed it lowered and I'd do it again. They had more than they needed and I got part of my groceries at half-price. Also win-win.

I'm not a big fan of the welfare system, but if it is flippin there, why shouldn't I profit? I don't blame anyone for taking advantage of it - and I did, too - I blame the folks who vote for it. If you're giving money away, OF COURSE people will lie and cheat to get it. Duh.

 

[CajunDixie]

OP, I can understand your frustration that some people spend money on things that you don't approve of or that they have too many kids. Should these people stop blowing their money on booze and drugs? Should they practice a little birth control? Absolutely. However ... if they stopped partying and got themselves sterilized they would still be eligible for assistance. It's not like the state subtracts money spent at the bar from their income when they determine eligibility.

Did you miss the OPs 2nd post about them asking her to lie about their income on the forms?

I'm in the position where I recently took a part-time job. I have watched these people not make an effort. These women have no intention of working and they see no problem with having more children. I'm all for helping people when they need it but people also need to help themselves. They ask me if I can leave off the overtime and be sure to not put the perdiem with their wages. The majority of the people I'm talking about have learned how to "work" the system and I'm fed up. Again I'm not wishing ill on their children but somewhere down the line their parents should be doing more and if it means the mom getting at least a part time job and not having any more kids then so be it. I'm talking about what I've seen for years. One of these women just picked up her husbands check and was bragging about how she was going to go shopping.

 

[bambootinker]

And I used to buy food stamps from people who had more than they needed. Some of them smoked. Guess I'm going to hell with the rest of them. But it lowered my grocery bill when I really needed it lowered and I'd do it again. They had more than they needed and I got part of my groceries at half-price. Also win-win.

I'm not a big fan of the welfare system, but if it is flippin there, why shouldn't I profit? I don't blame anyone for taking advantage of it - and I did, too - I blame the folks who vote for it. If you're giving money away, OF COURSE people will lie and cheat to get it. Duh.

Ick. I'm offended in more ways than I can express right now. So, do you buy liquor for under-aged drinkers to get money, too?

 

[blanq]

Welfare should be treated as a response to a temporary emergency.

Not as a permanent way of life.

Ron.

I agree, but can we extend this philosophy to corporate welfare too, please? I think that any kind of fraud is wrong, but with what has been in the news lately most our outrage should be directed at big business, IMHO.