Unemployed Life: Day 15 Applying For Benefits

By the beginning of the third week I decided to apply for gov’t programs.  We had cashed in my wife’s retirement, what little there was of it at our age.  Between my severance and her retirement we figured we could at least make it through to January. 

I have always worked, always refused handouts my entire life.  On principle I did not apply for food stamps in collage even though I knew several people that did.  Because a student income isn’t much.  Instead I worked full time while taking a full class load in college.  It is this same reasoning for why it took till the third week of being unemployed until I applied for food stamps.

Now don’t misunderstand me, I applied for unemployment the same day I was laid off.  But I didn’t think I needed to be on welfare.  That is until we got the letter from the insurance company telling us that we were going to lose our insurance.  We could paid monthly to keep it, but since unemployment pays less than minimum wage in Florida that did not seem likely.  Under normal circumstances I would not be worried about losing insurance for a short time.  But our youngest daughter has a brain tumor and her medical treatment is absolutely imperative.

As luck would have it her specialist takes Medicaid.  One year into her treatment I did not want to have to find another doctor for her.  Besides we actually really like this doctor. 

So I go to the “my access Florida” website to fill out my application.  It says it should take roughly 20-30 minutes.  Now, I have a Master’s Degree and I needed help to understand the application.  2 hours later I think I have the application filled out properly and send it off. 

By this time I can finally begin to claim my weeks for unemployment.  I log on to the site to file, take out my notebook that I keep track of every job I apply for and the info that goes with it.  O.K. I get to the part where you have to submit 5 jobs you apply for that week.  (Why only 5 I don’t know I apply for at least that many a day lately.)  To my surprise they don’t want the information.  Oh, sure there is a place to put it if you want, but the only required thing is the name of the place and the date.  Now I know how people rip off the system.  But who would do that considering unemployment barely even covers my mortgage let alone pay any of bills with it.

Then I get the phone interview with DCF.  I am told I need to go down and talk to my former boss and have him fill out a 2 page form to verify my loss of work.  I tell them that is stupid since one I hate, and I mean that most sincerely, the man for what he is putting my family through and beside the point I am currently collecting unemployment so they already have verification of loss of income.  Apparently stupidity and redundancy is inherent in every government system.  So I am forced to try and get the form filled out.

This was three months ago, I my application is still pending.  The only income we have now is unemployment.  The bills are mounting.  And still no Medicaid for my minor daughter who has a very serious medical condition.  And, after finally trying to get through on the phone to someone at the DCF office to ask for help to make sure I am applying correctly, (they don’t have an office you go to it is all done online) I get through to the biggest jerk in the world who actually literally called me “stupid” and said I was not trying hard enough.  Now I know why they don’t let you go down to their office anymore.  I believe if he would have said that to my face I would be in jail right now.  It is currently three days till Christmas and I am still waiting for the approval to get my daughter covered.