Working without pay. Help!

[jribe]

AMEN! Seriously, i have definitly seen what you're talking about. I lived in one neighborhood that started getting taken over by these types of people, they did drugs all day, partied all night- and if they were out during the day they were out on their front lawn making the police come out. After living in that neighborhood 3 years- i never saw any of them go to work. I had one friend that worked for some division of welfare (county i believe) who said that they paid for their housing and they would tell the workers they wouldn't look for a job. I think it's a complete waste. After working in a bank, and seeing the types of people that come in trying to cash their "benefits" i truly think there should be much higher standards for qualifiing for welfare. I don't think someone should pop out 6 kids and then not work so they can qualify.. I think it would be worthwile to just get rid of the program. Force them to work and be productive members of society instead of just sitting around with their hands out.

Now as an asterik- i know there are people that truly need welfare due to hard times and other situations. I am not condeming these people for needing a little help. I am saddened by the thousands that just take advantage because they know how to work the system. California is truly in bad shape. If i thought it would be better somewhere else- i'd move...

I am sorry but I am NOT an overpaid state worker. I make 34k a yr and had to have my degree for the job. My student loans for the degree are 40k for a 34k a yr job. You want to talk honest about government waste? Let us look at welfare then. Welfare is over 40% of our entire state budget. I work for welfare and see the money we blow giving out to people who CAN work but chose not to.

At welfare:
We give out cash, foodstamps, and medical

We also pay 100% of people's childcare when they are working or "looking for work", or going to college

We pay for people's college books and tools for their job

We are allowed to give welfare people money to buy a car, up to 3,0000

WE pay to fix their car..up to 600.00 per repair

We pay for their gas and milage to get to work or to "look for work"

We pay for them to get clothing if they need new clothing...up to 150.00 a shot

We pay for their housing, we pay for their utilties and heat.....

We cover illegal's more than you think and we are no longer allowed to verify citizenship or legal status for clients.

You want government waste? Look at the welfare our state gives out...not the small salary I receive.


As a welfare worker I am overworked. I have a caseload of THOUSANDS of clients. The caseload for my position used to be about 100 people per worker. Obama just wiped out all of the work requirments and time limits set during welfare reform in the 1990's.

So I am sick of people saying state workers are overpaid when the wELFARE RECIPIENTS are the ones who eat up over 40% of our state budget with no end in site!!!

[inpain66]

I do not blame the welfare recipients. I blame the government for allowing the waste of money and loopholes. We taxpayers are the ones who suffer in the end!

There are many that need welfare for the right reasons but many that just take advantage as well. I do not blame them..why work when they can stay home and be with their kids and get free stuff?

The govt gives no incentive to get off the system. Sometimes I wonder if welfare is institutionalized racism.

[MrSmithster]

then im sure you vote as such. just please dont say all we need to do is raise taxes to pay you. sorry about your pay, but see this link...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/news/casalary/employee

[OregonMom]

I think the welfare system should be limited to two years max at a time and people should have to go to work and repay a certain amount of the benefits they used. Start verifying citizenship on the parents along with the children. Start giving out monthly drug tests to qualify. They should also limit what people can buy with foodstamps, no more junk food and boxed crap, only healty items to prepare meals. They should also require welfare recipients to do 20 hours per week "community" service for benefits. That could include working in the "free" childcare program, cleaning subsidised houses when they move out, mow lawns in parks and goverment places and serve meals to the elderly. The list is endless and they could work for "free" not the people who don't get any benifits and are being forced to work for free.

[Flamingo]

We have tried to go to media about the loan programs for the workers since TONS of us are not eligible since it is credit based.

Also...why should i be required to take a loans and pay interest for my OWN money when the state is not paying me interest on the money it owes me for my pay?

I am in bankruptcy...the last thing I want at this point is MORE DEBT

In your original post you asked if there was anything you can do and asked for help and ideas. If there is no answer through your employer to help those with bad credit and that loan situation, then the only thing you can do is approach friends/family and ask for help until you get paid for that time. Maybe your BK attoroney has some answers for you as I am sure you are not the only one in this situation. So many people are losing their jobs out there right now, having pay cuts, no raises, higher costs of benefits and it seems all states are implementing wage tax and other tax hikes...All you can do is the best you can at the moment for your situation and attempt to keep your job. Best of luck to you...

[inpain66]

then im sure you vote as such. just please dont say all we need to do is raise taxes to pay you. sorry about your pay, but see this link...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/news/casalary/employee

I am against raising taxes. Just let me be clear..they want to raise taxes in my state to pay for welfare programs and NOT my salary or stateworker salaries. There has been a hiring freeze in my state for a year and we have lost a lot of employees. A family on welfare easily costs my state way more than my salary from the state.

[inpain66]

I think the welfare system should be limited to two years max at a time and people should have to go to work and repay a certain amount of the benefits they used. Start verifying citizenship on the parents along with the children. Start giving out monthly drug tests to qualify. They should also limit what people can buy with foodstamps, no more junk food and boxed crap, only healty items to prepare meals. They should also require welfare recipients to do 20 hours per week "community" service for benefits. That could include working in the "free" childcare program, cleaning subsidised houses when they move out, mow lawns in parks and goverment places and serve meals to the elderly. The list is endless and they could work for "free" not the people who don't get any benifits and are being forced to work for free.

I am all for stricter welfare laws but I am just a civil servant. I do not write the laws or make the policies. The legislators do that part. I tell everyone to write to their legislators and stress how welfare reform is needed!!

For example: As of last year we do not count resources for food stamps. You can have a MILLION dollars in the bank and get foodstamps in my state. Does that seem right to you?

Also resources are not counted for Heating bills. You could have endless amounts of money in bank, stocks, bonds and still get a 1-2k check from welfare in the winter to pay your heating bills.


When I took this job I was bleeding heart...not anymore. I could prob work for fox news at this point..haha.