ASSORTED ASSININE ASSOCIATIONS

A couple of weeks after putting up the New Year calendars and deciding to start my job hunt, the thought occurred to me to try to collect my UI benefits. So, I applied and was sent a letter telling me how much money and for how long my claim would be available to me. They started sending me the forms that I had to complete to record the facts that I was ready, willing, able and searching for work. I was doing all that was requested of me. There was a scheduled cross country telephone interview with me and a couple of weeks later, I was informed that my claim was denied. It appears that following my ailing husband back to his place of birth when he retired was not a just reason to quit my job of 12 plus years. I reacted to this like it was a slap in my face! How dare they say that it was not a good reason to quit my job. I suppose that it would have been better to divorce the man and join the over 50% of Americans who sadly end up that way. I appealed. They kept sending the forms, and I kept filling them out. Then an across country telephone appeal was scheduled. Before that occurred, I took a position and had started working. Still, I telephoned at the appropriate time and spoke with the judge. I was so mad, but in true mousey fashion, none of that came through. Probably a good thing that, just making the call was a vent, even if I did not rant and rave. I was sure that the appeal had failed but that did not matter because I was happily working. This was 8 weeks after I started my hunt and in my former country one was penalized 10 weeks for quitting and I expect that is the case here as well. About a week later I received a letter stating their decision had been reversed and it was just cause for leaving my previous employer. I don't expect any moolah, but I feel vindicated. Also, if for some reason this job does not last, I can reopen the claim.

My new employer is a small company with about 35 employees. They had just changed health insurance plans from the people I am currently with through my cobra to another company. There was an application that I had to fill out. The typical third degree type health questions were asked. I knew that this might be trouble. Sure enough, my application for health benefits was declined. It would seem that the hipaa laws only apply to employer plans with 50 or more employees. So my options are to look for another job with a bigger company that provides health benefits, or exhaust my cobra at which point my current provider has other options available to me. As my monthly cobra payments are high dollar amounts, I would expect that my after options will be even more expensive. When I think about all the money I could have kept in my bank account had I not had health insurance and just paid for doctoring as I went along I would be better off financially than I am right now. Then again, going through what I did last year with my husbands' frequent hospital visits, I know it is not auspicious to go uninsured. So, with regards to the current situation and my new employers health plan provider, I remain undaunted. Who wants to be insured by any company whose name starts out with 'ass'.

As my Tai Chi instructor says. "It's all about the butt!"