Alberta Works

So earlier this year I was left unable to work full-time because of pain from a broken knee cap last year. I had to go to Alberta Works and apply for financial assistance. I dealt with the shame and embarrassment of that at the time.

Then, I was financed. I did everything I was supposed to. Handed in all of the documents that they asked of me. Filed my reporting cards on time.

So needless to say I was shocked and stunned when I still had not received any money from them at the end of August. I called on September 1 to find out why my check had not been processed. My worker got back to me later that afternoon and told me that my file had been closed. I had to go and re-apply.

So yesterday I waited once again in an Alberta Works line up. I got there at 7:30. The doors open at 8:15. There were 14 people ahead of me.

I was turned away, told to come back and stand in line yet again, on another day. I asked why I was cut off to begin with, as I did everything that was asked of me. They told me they did not know, could not explain why. So, I went home and called my work. I had to work today. My boss graciously allowed me to switch my schedule from Thursday to Friday so that I could come back.

I was up at 6 this morning. Was at the Alberta Works office at 7 am. My heart dropped when I pulled into the parking lot, (I borrowed my parents van to get there and spent the night at my parents house.) There were 12 people ahead of me! I was starting to feel hopeless.

I stood there freezing and shivering for 75 minutes until the door opened. We were there before the security officer even arrived on site. When I got to the desk the lady told me that they were out of appointments for that day, I would yet again, have to come back another day and stand in line. One of the guys who had been in the line up yesterday was 2nd in line today. I asked him what time he was there at. He arrived at 5 am.

I went into an office and spoke to a lady. I explained that I had to re-arrange my work schedule to make it there today. She said that exceptions can be made on some circumstances and she could see what she could do to book me an appointment.

She came back and said that I could make an appointment in 1 weeks time, or I could come yet once again and stand in an early line up. She warned me that all of the locations are very busy. The Oil & Gas layoffs have not helped, and they are all overloaded. So I booked the appointment, on a day that I am scheduled to work, hoping that my boss will be willing to work with me on this as I try to manage solutions to fix this.

I finally had an ultrasound done of my veins yesterday. The recommendation was surgery, I have a blood clot by my knee that's causing all the pain. So I am being referred to a surgeon. Another long wait list. At least now we know what the problem is.

I cannot wait until I can go back to work full-time.