Lies and more lies

     So, I had an interesting meeting on Friday.  Seems that my last full time job, where they gave us a whole one day notice they were closing before they closed (see last blog for more about that), had an issue with me for filing for unemployment because I left two days before they locked the doors permanently (I spent two weeks just sitting in the store every night babysitting their property because they were too lazy or stupid to make arrangements to have it picked up in a timely manner) and I was offered a transfer to a store that I told them I couldn't get too, a downside to be reliant on public transportation but not sure I would have wanted it even if I had a means to get there anyway.  I am not one who lets people fuck them over twice, you get one shot then you are dead to me. 

     So I started scheduling interviews figuring I might as well get the ball rolling on getting on with my life.  While I was busy doing applications and scheduling inerviews and waiting on callbacks, I went ahead and filled out an unemployment claim, figuring worst case scenario I would have something to fall back on at least temporarily.  All is good, got some paperwork from the unemployment people including signing up for the state's jos search website (PA Career links), had a handful of interviews and figure if one of them pans out I should be good to go.  Untl a couple of weeks ago, when I get a letter from the state saying my former employer is contesting my initial claim.

     You might think this is a bad thing, but I would argue it is not (at least if you can get by for a couple of weeks with a diminished income).  Because then you get to go to an appeal hearing to make your case regarding your claim.  You go and sign in and they hand you a folder to review.  In that folder is everything your former employer wrote about you, which is awesome becaus then you get to see everything they lied about.  Which I am guessing they knew because while both parties were notified about the hearing, they didn't even show up.  So I got to explain to the mediator that no one besides my store manager ever mentioned a potential transfer to me, and I explained then that I would not have a means to get to said location.  The mediator asked if I could take a cab or Uber and I said the charge on that on a nightly basis would have been probably half what I made that shift, and working for like 6.50 an hour isn't even minimum wage, so the offer was not practical.  He asked if I spoke to anyone else, I said the management team never gave me a time to sit down with them and discuss other options (which is true), I was asked if the other notes in there were accurate and I said no, the lone offer of a transfer I was given would have also resulted in a cut in my hours so not only would I be spendng have of my shift money getting to and fro, there would be fewer shifts for me as well and my pay rate may be the same, I could be cut as much as 20 hours a week (and still be called full time), so it was a pay cut all the same.

     The arbitrator seemed to agree with me, as he told me I could refile my claim at the next available opportunity, which hopefully will not be needed as I am waiting on a background check to come in on a potential job opportunity (the offer has been extended, pending my background check) which will be more money than I was making at the last job as a starting wage (not after 2+ years) so I have my fingers crossed (though there is nothing on my record so I don't know what the issue would be).

      Like I said though, the appeal was a good thing if only because it taught me what people who I thought were at least decent to me at one point, really thought of me overall and were more than content to stab me in the back at first opportunity.  To them a hearty "Fuck you!".  I figure the reason they did not show up for the appeal would be they would have to defend their lies in what passes for a legal proceeding, and they didn't have the balls to do that.