Can't find work, and Denied SSI

Post Reply New Topic

I'm literally at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do. I don't want to be a burden on my parents anymore, but I don't know what to do. I graduated High School in May of 2013 and have been unemployed ever since. I had a job for one day a Little Caesars Pizza early this month and had to leave after just a day. The trained never showed up. I was running back in forth around he back of the kitchen trying to keep up with tasks I'm only barely getting the hang of. I had to hide in the washroom for 5 minutes just to cry and try to collect myself. Everything was moving too fast for me.

Now I might have a job at a Walmart, but the problem is even though I KEEP TELLING my parents I do NOT want to work at night, my mom filled out an application for an Overnight Maintenance position. Tomorrow I'll be going in for an Orientation and I've come to learn its taking place from 3PM to 9PM. I BARELY made it through a 4 hour shift playing around with dough and washing trays and pans. The expected work hours will be from 11PM to 8AM.

I don't even think I'll last a day. I keep going back and forth thinking it'll be fine, and then I'll be dreading the moment I screw up and wanna just run away. I applied for SSI in December, and was denied in early January, even though I have a BUNCH of legitimate problems. Obviously my Aspergers, Major Depression, Axiety Disorder, Mathematics Disorder, and ADD.

Our local mental health center in town TOLD ME I WAS QUALIFIED almost 2 years ago, but at the time I wanted a job, I didn't wanna get a handout. I'd have felt guilty. But after a year of them only training me on how to score an interview and not actually helping me find a job, let alone training me for one, I left them quite upset. So I can't go back to them to beg for their help for a service I denied before.

What can I do?

Did you appeal when you got denied SSI? A lot of people who qualify do initially get denied, I know I did, though the first time I didn't appeal so then when college and trying to work didn't work out I had to start over, got denied again and then appealed and got a disability lawyer and was approved. But yeah they are just paid a percent of the SSI back pay and only if you win the case helps the chances of being approved though.

In the mean time, I'd say go to the orientation...do your best, and if you're unable to make it with that job then if anything that's more evidence you're issues prevent you from working. But then again if you where able to keep up and do well in the job, then I suppose that would mean you don't need it.

Seems like you could either continue trying to work, or re-apply for SSI, if you're really unable to...and no reason to feel guilty for that.

What kinda percent are we talking? is it a permanent thing? Or just out of a few received payments? I wouldn't even know where to begin to find one. The last thing my parents need me to do is go to court.

Keep trying. They'll do everything they can to get you to give up, keep that in mind.

It's just a one time payment like 25% of your first back pay check, I believe it is, nothing monthly after that. Also are you in any treatment for the issues you have? Perhaps there are resources where you go for that to help find disability lawyers, that is how I found the one I got....but not sure if that is an option for you but I was able to get a list of them from the place I go for therapy. Other then that maybe looking online. But yeah I figured it was worth the disability lawyer I figured paying for that out of the back pay check was better than no SSI and I doubt I could have gotten all the proper paper-work and evidence of my disability together in a coherent manner to adequately present to the judge.

Also its the court appearance isn't like a trial or anything, its just so you can have evidence you are disabled presented in front of a judge who can rule if you should be approved or not...I didn't even have to say a lot for my hearing, the attorney did most of the talking since they know how to word stuff all legally and what not but there where some direct questions for me to answer as well. That said it is stressful having to go through all the paper-work and appeal process...there is no sugar coating that.

Here are a few online resources explaining what may be helpful for your situation

Social Security Disability and SSI Benefits for Autism

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/condit ... -2-53.html

Disability Benefits for Disabled Adult Children

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/page1-20.html

just a reminder that SSI is a form of welfare and is needs biased meaning you can only have so many resources (money properties stocks etc) however if you already have SSDI (medicare) then I believe you'd be able to enroll in the SSI program if you meet the eligibility

People who are denied initially are often accepted after 1 or 2 tries.

You should consult a disability lawyer, many of whom work without a fee (until you win your case).

I happen to think it's good that you're trying to work, despite your disabilities. Your parents should be proud of you for trying. And I'm proud of you for trying.

Have you thought about going to college?

As others have said, many applicants get denied the first one, maybe two times, but win an appeal later and are granted it. I've seen many posts around WP where "try again until you get it" is the general advice. I think they just want to discourage as many people as possible and hope you go away, but other attempts come through in the end.

About that night job -- I realize you don't want to work at night, but there might be some advantages to doing so. Some people find that night shift positions are their ideal work situation, because they may be alone instead of having to deal with the personality clashes of co-workers or bosses. Some people like the more peaceful nature of working somewhere at night instead of the hubbub of the daytime.

I'm curious about College, because in high-school we had a few trips to the local Colleges, on was a Public and the other was some other kind, I forget the wording. I couldn't find anything that stuck out to me as an immediate interest. I've got all these little focused loves for things, but no single one that I could see myself enrolling for.

And beside not seeing a subject I'd be interested in, I don't have the money to put down towards it. My family isn't really in a position where we could guarantee a payment on a student loan. Mom's finalizing Medical Bills from her Breast Cancer treatment from a while back, and we're constantly trying to pay off Mortgage. And I really would rather have money on hand to pay for college so I don't get a nasty surprise once the classes are over.

And on the topic of parents, my mom has always tried to help me, but I mean I'm 20, was unemployed for 3 years after graduation, and I don't have an idea relationship with my father, but that's a fairly common story I imagine. My Dad kinda see's it as a permanent inconvenience I think, grew up in a no-nonsense kinda house when he was a kid with his own dad. And she's working full-time at the same Walmart as well, so she gets really stressed out easily. I'd rather not give her more to deal with.

As for the questions about treatment, the last treatment I received was a good 5 or so years ago if we are talking about Therapy. I was receiving Medication up until about 2 years ago once I turned 18, and my Insurance dropped me. Haven't really been able to find any for me since, so I have two bottles of pills from my last refill that I take sparingly unless I feel I need them, because I have no clue if you can just buy them or not. I do fairly well without them for the most part, a couple times a month I get nasty depression, but I'm not a self-harmer, so its not a worry for me in the long run.

If you happen to get on SSI, I believe they would pay for college.

In the meantime, you could also get scholarships (which you don't have to pay back) based on the financial need of both you and your parents. If your mother only works at Walmart, she probably has a pretty low income. Talk to the Financial Aid Office at your local community college.

Look up: Pell Grant and BEOG.

By the way, community college is real college, despite what many people say. You get the same credits as you would a "real" 4-year college. If you graduate community college in two years, with a C average, you are almost automatically granted admission to a state-funded 4-year college. Before you gain admission to community college, you are given tests in English and math. If you "fail" the exams before you get into community college, you would have to take remedial courses before you could proceed to the regular curriculum. You are not denied admission to the college, though. You just don't get 3 credits for the remedial course. You get credit for passing it, though (while you get 0 credits on your transcript).

If you pass both, you would have a choice of going to a community college or a 4-year college.

Look up: Pell Grant and BEOG.