I get something in return, but not enough.

[Food Lady]

I'm sure most of you can relate to this and maybe it doesn't need to be said, but I need to rant and maybe have input.

I've worked for this company for 11 years and while I've gotten raises and my average hours have gone up slightly, I'll never work as much as a grown adult should be working. I'm still struggling with the cost of living. Recently we've had hours cuts, for weeks. It usually doesn't go on this long. I can't survive on 26 hours a week, so I've been cashing in vacation pay to survive. I'm going to run out sometime. My tax refund is gone because I paid down some bills and I needed it to eat...

So the bosses are on us about credit apps, which is the only thing that matters up front ever. They don't seem to care if I come in and don't have the supplies I need to do my job. Hunting around for a produce code at 4 registers while a line of customers wait is not cool. I complained and got a shoulder shrug in return. Well, I've been acting like I care about apps and getting them more consistently now. I don't know why; they don't result in more work hours. That's solely based on sales. Theoretically more card holders equals more sales. Not really. They max out their cards and then cut back on spending. Plus, many of our customers are bored disabled people who don't spend much. That will never change because we're in a mall. Even if we exceed sales, they move the bar up anyway, so I will never, ever get 40 hours. Only salaried people get that, and they end up working 60 hours a week without extra pay.

I'm so frustrated and I've job-searched but my skill set only allows for food or retail. Now that my medical issues have advanced I can't do many of those jobs unless I lie on the app, say I can lift things, get the job, do it, and hurt myself. People have suggested I go on disability but I'm hesitant because then I'll never, ever get any of my debts paid. I keep thinking if I had 2 jobs I could. However, if the first job keeps cutting hours then the two will equal one low-paying job and I will be in the same place.

I'd love to go to school, but starting over completely is expensive. It's been over 20 years since I didn't finish college.

Anyone else in the same situation? How do you keep from going nuts?

[April]

Can you go on partial disability? A lot of times you can file for disability and work a part time schedule. That way you would be getting money from 2 sources on a regular basis.

You could also look into Arc or Goodwill, if you have those in your area. They hire a lot of people with physical disabilities

[Deserted]

Try going to a temp agency. A good one will test your skills and find out what sorts of things you can do. You might be surprised at what comes your way. Based on my computer skills and the fact that I spent part of my childhood doing occasional minor jobs tasks for my bookkeeper mother, I was once placed as an accounting assistant.

[Food Lady]

Try going to a temp agency. A good one will test your skills and find out what sorts of things you can do. You might be surprised at what comes your way. Based on my computer skills and the fact that I spent part of my childhood doing occasional minor jobs tasks for my bookkeeper mother, I was once placed as an accounting assistant.

As long as it doesn't involve a lot of typing I probably can. I have carpal tunnel.

[depechemodefan]

My understanding of Goodwill is that because they hire disable people, disable people can be paid less then min. This is something from years ago, don't imagine anyone changed the rules It might just be my state, don't know.

[Food Lady]

I think I'm going to file for unemployment after I run out of vacation time. I average over 32 hours and the unemployment site says full-time is 32 hours. I believe I can get underemployment in my state. I am so ticked; I am averaging 20 hours a week. Unbelievable.

[Racket_Man]

I think I'm going to file for unemployment after I run out of vacation time. I average over 32 hours and the unemployment site says full-time is 32 hours. I believe I can get underemployment in my state. I am so ticked; I am averaging 20 hours a week. Unbelievable.

I assume you used to average over 32 hours week and now you only average 20 and you did NOT voluntaryily cut your own hours (by signing some sort of paperwork agreeing that you wanted LESS hours) --- then YES in our state you can file for partial unemployment. Remember that this WILL count as taxable income so make sure to have 15% (??? I think is the standard percent) withheld for taxes.

I believe that as long as your hours were lowered by the company on a long enough basis you can get partial unemployment. Yes your company will receive notice of this.

I went through this with my now deceased GF back when she started to get noticeably sick.

[Food Lady]

Thank you, RM. No, I did not ask for fewer hours. In fact, I wanted a shift Monday and they said no. I've never previously been denied a sales floor shift but now all of a sudden front-end people can't take those? I'll tell that in my interview.

[Nunavut Pants]

... make sure to have 15% (??? I think is the standard percent) withheld for taxes.

In California, it's 10%. And it's just a box you tick on the form you file weekly.