Alberta Works Part Two

So now that my emotions are under a bit more control after having to deal with the indignity and frustration with the Alberta Works office, I will conclude how the rest of the story went. 

Before I even got into the room to sit down, the lady asked me what I was doing back there, and that there is no reason that I should be back in the office. That this was NOT my fault.

We sat down, I passed over all of the documents required of me. She proceeded to redo the paperwork all over again.

After looking at the computer and doing the paperwork she stepped away from her desk for a brief moment. When she came back and sat down she apologized profusely to me.

She admitted that the reason why I was back at the office was because she had not gone back into the system when I first came in and closed last years file on me, or something. So it was her fault that I was back in the office once again.

I truly appreciated and valued the fact that she took ownership of that, admitted it, apologized for it, and was willing to correct the error.

At the same time, I do not know how I was able to file my report to begin with if I was not supposed to be on it in the first place, second; why did my financial worker NOT look into my file and find that error?

After I left the office, I ran into one of my neighbors. Who had almost the similar issue happen to her. I found out the next day that another neighbor, who's child has Down Syndrome and she cannot work due to multiple medical issues her daughter struggles with, was cut off of Alberta Works at Christmas last year. To get reinstated she had to supply them with Dr's notes. She respectively did this and has recently been told once again by her worker, 9 months later, that she needs more Dr's notes stating why she cannot work. As if her daughter magically woke up one day and her heart, lung, and Down Syndrome magically disappeared and her circumstances changed.

As much as I agree that last year she should have supplied a Dr's note. I do NOT believe it was appropriate to cut her off of Alberta Works first. Leaving her at Christmas, worried and fearful of how she will pay her rent or supply a Christmas for her child.

To top things off with my circumstances. 1 week after the lady I saw reinstated my case my financial worker called to question where $602 dollars came from according to my bank statement. I informed her it was from them. She told me she saw no record of that and would call me back after looking into things. She left a message on my machine later stating she could not find that and if I could not supply that info that I would have to reimburse them that money. I went into my bank account and found the deposit they gave to me, plus another $50 some odd dollars from my GST cheque.

I find it quite sad. That even the Alberta Works front line staff are becoming frustrated and encouraging people to write to their MLA. So I did, cc’d to a letter to the Minister of Human Affairs.

I am hoping to have a personal, face to face discussion with them about them soon.

Amber Cannon