One of the things that I find very peculiar as I scramble about trying to navigate unemployment, joblessness, and impending homelessness is the amount of road blocks deliberately put into place by Republican politicians in Florida for receiving public assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid.
I'm a reasonably intelligent person with a college degree who's suddenly found herself about three weeks off from being evicted with few resources and I'm constantly perplexed at the seemingly random rules that the State of Florida has established.
Bizarre Rule #1: To receive cash assistance, you must pay for a $30 drug test yourself.
A few months ago, I might have been able to do this but I have less than $1 dollar in my bank account. But honestly, demanding a drug test to make sure I don't go on a spending spree when I get my $161, is this really a wise use of resources?
Bizarre Rule #2: The State of Florida can and will make mistakes on your records and deny you benefits.
Two months ago, I applied for temporary cash assistance. Some random clerk at the Department of Children and Families made an error on my file denying me the extra $161 a month that I need to pay water and electric. I've spent easily 40 hours attempting to get this straightened out. I've tried calling and asking for supervisors. My case worker at Zucan has called and nothing happens. I've decided that Governor Rick Scott decided that a certain percentage of people will have their accounts deliberately screwed up in the hopes that we will all just move to Georgia.
Bizarre Rule #3: You will spend more time on dealing with the State than actually searching for a job.
I spend approximately 25 hours a week on filling out paperwork, printing out forms, filling out forms and spending hours on hold with the Department of Children and Families trying to get help. To me, this seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. I estimate that for every hour I spend doing required homework, the state must pay one of their employees another hour or two to review, file, or scan my work.
At the moment, I fully anticipate being homeless and unemployed. When this happens, I plan on setting up a cardboard box outside the governor's mansion.
I'm a reasonably intelligent person with a college degree who's suddenly found herself about three weeks off from being evicted with few resources and I'm constantly perplexed at the seemingly random rules that the State of Florida has established.
Bizarre Rule #1: To receive cash assistance, you must pay for a $30 drug test yourself.
A few months ago, I might have been able to do this but I have less than $1 dollar in my bank account. But honestly, demanding a drug test to make sure I don't go on a spending spree when I get my $161, is this really a wise use of resources?
Bizarre Rule #2: The State of Florida can and will make mistakes on your records and deny you benefits.
Two months ago, I applied for temporary cash assistance. Some random clerk at the Department of Children and Families made an error on my file denying me the extra $161 a month that I need to pay water and electric. I've spent easily 40 hours attempting to get this straightened out. I've tried calling and asking for supervisors. My case worker at Zucan has called and nothing happens. I've decided that Governor Rick Scott decided that a certain percentage of people will have their accounts deliberately screwed up in the hopes that we will all just move to Georgia.
Bizarre Rule #3: You will spend more time on dealing with the State than actually searching for a job.
I spend approximately 25 hours a week on filling out paperwork, printing out forms, filling out forms and spending hours on hold with the Department of Children and Families trying to get help. To me, this seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. I estimate that for every hour I spend doing required homework, the state must pay one of their employees another hour or two to review, file, or scan my work.
At the moment, I fully anticipate being homeless and unemployed. When this happens, I plan on setting up a cardboard box outside the governor's mansion.
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