techie: Airman’s unit loves him and all but worships the ground he walks on. They’ve shown this time and again, starting with his being promoted ahead of other people. They’ve enabled him to be with me when I was in labor, and to spend as much time as possible with me and Aaron after I gave birth, modifying the training schedule to do so.
The reason for this gold-star treatment is this: Airman puts in 110% and does so gladly. He’s taken on what’s expected of him and wants to go as far as he can. Right now, he’s exploring the possibility of applying for a commission so he can become a pilot.
In any case, Airman’s last check was short by six hundred dollars. It sucks having to call creditors (especially since Airman’s not home) and explain this to them. (Also, he’s got a security clearance to protect and meeting one’s financial obligations is part of that.) It also sucks to have to borrow money from family to keep gas in the car and food on the table. Fortunately, Aaron doesn’t seem to mind.
I hate saying this but the OP rubbed me the wrong way, as it has others. Now, having read all these responses, I am a bit more apt to understand about the need to blow off steam, etc.
I’ve erased damn near all I have spouted about because I don’t think it’s really worth riling up the troops (no pun intended) over. But I just wanted to point out that while I understand the need to vent and go off, I got the same slant from the OP that others did - that civilians who sit at desks are somehow …lazy.
I’m going to refrain from going off about that point after having read the other posts. It just struck a major nerve with me.
Tiburon: It was not my intention to rub anyone the wrong way, nor was it my intention to paint all civil servants with the same brush. 99% of the civil servants I’ve had dealings with have been good, conscientious, and eager to help. It’s this 1% that was the problem. I described her as lazy and incompetent, because that’s exactly what she is.
And, yes, I did need to blow off steam. It’s infuriating when you’re dealing with someone who really doesn’t give a shit.
Of course you deserve your pay on schedule. I never said that you didn’t.
There is a big difference between you and someone in the military. If your job doesn’t pay you then you can get another job to put food on your table. Someone in the military can’t do that! He is forced to keep working. If he quits reporting for duty they can and will lock lock him up. This puts a higher burden on the government to uphold their end of the bargin.
I am sorry your employer “forgot” to pay you. You should contact the department of labor. That is something else a military member can’t do…
Nobody has said that there weren’t any differences someone in the military and someone working at a different jobs, or that they don’t have different options. But it doesn’t put a higher burden on the government to uphold their end of the bargain- everyone deserves to be paid on time, every employer has a responsibility to pay their employees on time, and there is no degree in the burden- if catsix’s employer doesn’t pay him, it’s not less wrong becasue catsix can quit. Perhaps someone else has options that catsix doesn’t have- maybe enough socked away in the bank to live even without being paid for a couple of months. Is it suddenly okay for that person not to be paid because he has more options that catsix?
(By which I mean, can I come? And the rest of the PNW Dopers? We would love to meet you, singular1, please come to our next gathering?)
So anyway the thing is, MsRobyn darling, where IS your sweetheart? Because if he is at Whidbye, I could stand him dinner somewhere too. And I would LOVE to. Please let me know where/when/if he is still here and so forth. And forward my invitation. Actually, even if he is at Ft. Lewis, we could probably organize a Seattle DopeFest. Or whatever it takes. I know we would all LOVE to meet him.
If he’s doing the AF survival school, it’s not on Whidbey. I think it’s at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, although they probably bus them out to some remote site in the hills.
Do you get that being able to ‘quit and find another job’ doesn’t put food on my table TODAY or medicine in my blood TODAY?
Do you understand that while whoever I could possibly get to handle the case for me worked on it, I’m still without money, without food, and having creditors breathing down my neck because payments are getting late?
Or do you think that if I quit my job immediately and got another one, they’d pay me the same day I start because my bills are due and I have no groceries?
It doesn’t work that way. Yeah, I have the option of another job, but it will do me no good to have a paycheck in two weeks if I can’t get food and medicine today.
(Although after 2 weeks, my employer finally did pay me what they owed due to their ‘mistake’ of having marked my pay on the wrong box on some form, but it didn’t save me from late payments on my loans.)
Scotticher, thanks, but I have gotten the situation straightened out after marching into the president’s office (not of the USA, of the place I work) and demanding that they pay me what I’m owed or face my attorney.
Direct deposit within 24 hours.
I’ve contacted the federal student loan people, the university student loan people, the credit card people, the car loan people and the car insurance people in the time that I hadn’t been paid to explain the situation.
Some were helpful (student loan folks and car loan folks) and some were not (the rest) but I managed. And I got my doctor to front me some samples of the meds I’m on because he’s VERY understanding.
<aside>While I was unemployed briefly, he actually called in a drug rep and listened to the entire schpiel just to get me a month’s supply of my meds for free. </aside>
Anyway, my whole point was that it doesn’t fuck up a civilian’s life any less if they don’t get paid their due salary on time.
It doesn’t mess up anyone’s life less than any others to not get paid. Robin was just venting, and with the added rage of …" he is protecting this country, and now we don’t even get paid correctly for it."
catsix, given that the delay in pay was your employer’s fault, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for a letter from them to that effect to your less-than-understanding creditors.
Also, find out if your insurance company offers a mail-order pharmacy benefit. They usually offer a 90-day supply of meds for a one-month copay.
** catsix ** if it was me, I’d also be trying to get the company to pay any late fees on your loans. I’m sure if there not willing, a lawyer could get it out of them.
Well, the Sgt is like that. He doesn’t troll, per se, but he does have a tendency to say things that stir things up unnecessarily. There was no need for him to turn MsRobyn’s gripe thread about Doors’ problems in getting paid, into a debate over a marginally related issue. But he has that talent. Best to ignore him, IMHO.
And where the heck did I say that? Prior to your latest comment, I thought you were just silly and had a chip on your shoulder against the “big bad ol’ gubmint.”
