I fell discriminated against...

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This is a post I made on social media about what just happened today... I said mental disorders but I'm sure it applies to autistics too.

I'm tired of the attitude that people with mental disorders are too disabled to hold down a career. I had my caseworker refer me to Goodwill for a part-time, minimum wage, no benefits job. In the past because of a law loophole Goodwill used to pay disabled people well below minimum wage and years ago I was offered a position paying $1.25 an hour which I declined... Nowadays they have to pay minimum wage but I will never forget that past offer.

There is an actual good wage, benefited position I applied for that fits my background extremely well with the DNR designing education programs which I happen to be extremely good at, but it is in Lansing. Caseworker is like "Too far away." I showed her my resume and my MSU transcripts showing my Bachelor's in Zoology... Didn't care... So I guess just because I am a mentally ill person even though I am on medication I cannot have the opportunity to have even a living wage. Me and my husband are on SSI but well below the poverty line and can hardly afford anything. I guess the disabled can't live a good life...

I had my caseworker call me on the phone and ask "Goodwill wants to know your last three jobs"

My response was like I worked at a nature center, with birds, with birds...

She asked if I had any trainings, certifications or certificates...

I responded with my certificate on teaching a specific environmental education curriculum and my certification on identifying bird sounds/picture id (when I took those tests I was told beforehand nobody scored above 90% and when on one of those tests I scored 100% I contacted them and they were like "congrats, you are our first perfect score!")

Go for the Lansing position.

Goodwill is nowheresville.

DONT DISCLOSE ANY DISABILITY!

I hope you get an interview for the Lansing job. It sounds ideal for you. If it's an hour drive can you just commute? That's not very far. Many of us have commuted farther for work but I don't know your situation. Good luck -- and don't worry about your case worker's rhetoric.

I'm not advocating you getting on SSI----but if all these people are saying "you can't work," then they should put their money where their mouths are, and provide evidence to support your "candidacy" for SSI or SSDI.

There is a bill in Congress which would allow both of you to get full single SSI/SSDI benefits even if you're married, rather than the "married rate."

Again, I'm not advocating that you go that route---but if you happen to go that route, then I would have these folks who say you can't work vouch for you.

Gach ... Michigan!

I'm so glad I moved out of there. Between the influences of the unions, the shady "blacklisting" of people with medical or social issues (and the concomitant "Plausible Deniability" thereof), and the preference for employees who shut up and do what they're told, I was forced out of the Michigan labor market.

The only reason I ever go back is to attend funerals and reunions. I would move back, but only if I could win a multi-million Powerball or other lottery, fly in First Class, get picked up in my private limo, and taken to my new mansion in the middle of my hometown.