Rant #3,636: I Can't Take It

Looking for a job is a full-time job itself.

And it is even more so when you are searching for a job for someone who is mentally disabled.

I knew this--been there, done that--but it is even worse now.

Case in point--

My son and I went to a county job site, the same one I went to when I lost my own job more than five years ago.

We met with a counselor, and to sum it all up, the burden is totally on us.

Everything is done online now, and we had to sign up with a New York State job program, which took me about an hour and a half to do, and I am still not sure if I did it correctly.

The site kept on going out on us, so I had to redo the information several times.

And when I went to a job search and put in the type of job we are looking for and the area we are looking at, many jobs came up, but most were for upstate New York or in New York City, or so far out on Long Island that we would have to move to make it worth our while.

The counselor at this place also gave us a sheet with about two dozen companies that supposedly hire handicapped workers.

Numerous problems here, among them that we already tried several of these places--both in-person and online--and they are not hiring.

Others on this list might be in New York State, but they are not anywhere near us on Long Island--and that includes a supermarket chain, a law firm, and some others that have absolutely no Long Island presence.

And also, I hate to do this, but there are disabled, and there are disabled.

You have those who are smart as anyone, but for one reason or another, they are considered to be handicapped, often due to a birth defect or some other action, like car accidents.

They are often in wheel chairs, but their only real handicap is that they can't move around with the ease that you and I can.

Then you have those with mental disabilities, and that is a while new ballgame.

My son is as physically fit as can be, but he cannot take a test, he can't easily verbalize his thoughts, and while he is smart, it is not the "smart" that we are used to, more outside the box smart than anything else.

There are things he simply cannot do, but the state does not differentiate between the physically handicapped and the mentally handicapped--

And that is a major problem.

In the past, my son and I went to numerous job fairs, and even at these events, which are totally geared to the handicapped, the preponderence of companies appearing at these events are looking for physically handicapped workers.

So my son is sunk before he even tries to swim.

And to add insult to injury yesterday, we found out that the organization we went to a few weeks back that we thought never got hack to us, actually did try to get back to us--

But they sent emails to us at the wrong email address.

And the counselor at the place we went to yesterday could not open these emails, even though he was able to access the correspondence, because all these organizations are in bed with each other.

And yes, I alerted this counselor about our mishaps, and he has yet to get back to me.

So today, I will call the companies on the list, and see if I can make any headway with any of them.

I doubt it, because believe it or not, one of the companies on the list actually had its name misspelled on the sheet we were given, which I brought up to the counselor.

But this is New York State ...

Who do you trust?

Have a nice weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

But here is my son's resume again, with the top removed for security reasons.

If you know of anything, please contact me here at the Blog or on Facebook.

Please.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Maintenance Worker (Part-Time)

Sunrise Credit Services, Melville, New York

September 2021-present (rehired)

Member of company’s support team, performing a variety of duties including some light maintenance work.

Store Associate (Part-Time)

HomeGoods, Sunrise Mall, Massapequa, New York

November 2020-March 2022

Performed a number of duties as part of the store’s staff, including some light maintenance duties and making sure shopping carts were available to customers.

Clerk (Part-Time)

Sunrise Credit Services, Farmingdale, New York

April 2019 to March 2020 (on furlough due to coronavirus)

Member of the company’s support staff, performing a variety of duties including computer data entry.

Store Associate (Part-Time)

Home Depot, Copiague, New York

June 2015 to December 2018

Part of the Ken’s Krew employment program, working as parking lot attendant to make sure carts are available to customers.

OTHER POSITIONS:

Arcade Specialist, Kenwal Day Camp, Melville, New York, Summer 2013 and Summer 2014

Volunteer Counselor, Massapequa School District Summer Recreation, Summer 2011 and Summer 2012

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Student, Massapequa High School/Ames Campus, Massapequa, New York

September 2010 to June 2014

Graduated in June 2014 with Special Education Certificate.

ACTIVITIES:

2012-present PAL Special Needs Athletic Programs, Bowling and Basketball, New York

REFERENCES:

Available upon request.