Work

[Vamp]

Boss: Guidance encouraging customers to wear masks, wash hands and distance is available on our website.

Me: But if we don't display that same info in store doesn't that mean that people who don't visit our website, like say the elderly, won't get the same access to information? Don't we say we'll make info available to all?

Boss: We can encourage them verbally.

Me: So when they come in we can encourage them to wear masks, wash their hands and distance.

Boss: No.

Well that's cleared that up. 

 

 

[MPDTT]

13 hours ago, Keith Houchen said:

It’s either two or it’s three. There are no halves. Either you’re in the office two days, or you’re in it three. Even if you have two full days in the office and then in the office for an hour the next day, you’re still going in for three days. 
 

I bet they’re big Robin Van Persie fans. 

We have a policy of 3. But half days count as half days. I know a few employees choosing to work in the office for half days twice a week, plus 2 full days, with Friday at home.

I've also granted permanent home working to a few employees formerly in the London office, but agreed to cut salary as a result - no justification for a London weighting if you're no longer going into London.

 

[Keith Houchen]

Yeah but my point is a half day means going into the office, so you physically went there three days in the week. 

[Chili]

Copy and pasted from elsewhere which explains the font or whatever. Anyway my old job TUPE'd me to a job in Gloucestershire during the pando when I had no money or travel and there was like COVID restrictions. The company in Gloucester wouldn't give me a penny for any moving or expenses, so it was either eventually have no job or just be a worker bee and use all my money after rent to live to work for GCC. Instead it drove me fucking mental and I've been off sick since.

 

I signed up for Universal Credit recently. My sister helped me over the phone because my anxiety and feeling shit about it was just a lot. I've never had to apply for stuff like this. It just makes me feel like I'm not useful. I just don't want to feel like I'm scrounging, I've had people keep reassuring me to not feel bad about it. I get it, but I come from growing up and being like, in a job. Pay the rent etc, ya know, struggling background, I always felt I had to have a job or I wasn't trying or letting myself or people down. It's not looking down on people using it, I just feel disappointed and knocked. It's empty not having like anywhere to actually go to all day.

 

Then I'm like, well I've worked from 2003. I've paid into the system. Like until now I've never not had a job. Because I was absolutely horrified about losing one and not finding a job in time because just lacking any confidence in selling myself for a day job, and then tunnel visioning just horrible scenarios. I feel like I've worked for that long and never actually got any proper help for stuff.

 

Anyway, it's done, I don't feel as bad, but I'm just feeling a bit exhausted by it, all the stupid bloody forms.

 

Sorry about that and reading this or whatever, it's a really strange time, isolation is insanely bad, the doctors fannied my meds until I bollocked them and the occupational therapist reckons I have ADD and ADHD undiagnosed for like, who knows.

 

Sorry for giving out boys and girls, nowhere else to really do it and needed to like internally scream a bit.

[Keith Houchen]

1 hour ago, Chili said:

pando

WANK!!

[Chili]

28 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said:

WANK!!

Thanks, an awful time and you post that. Come on mate. 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Chili

[Keith Houchen]

4 minutes ago, Chili said:

Thanks, an awful time and you post that. Come on mate. 

It’s showing how you’ve added to the vernacular of this place and how you’re a memorable part of it. It was meant affectionately in a “You’re one of us” way. Apologies. 

[Chili]

Just now, Keith Houchen said:

It’s showing how you’ve added to the vernacular of this place and how you’re a memorable part of it. It was meant affectionately in a “You’re one of us” way. Apologies. 

Sorry man, it's ok and I retract the other post, I don't read things well at the moment and yeah, it's cool man. 

[Carbomb]

2 hours ago, Chili said:

I signed up for Universal Credit recently. My sister helped me over the phone because my anxiety and feeling shit about it was just a lot. I've never had to apply for stuff like this. It just makes me feel like I'm not useful. I just don't want to feel like I'm scrounging, I've had people keep reassuring me to not feel bad about it. I get it, but I come from growing up and being like, in a job. Pay the rent etc, ya know, struggling background, I always felt I had to have a job or I wasn't trying or letting myself or people down. It's not looking down on people using it, I just feel disappointed and knocked. It's empty not having like anywhere to actually go to all day.

 

Then I'm like, well I've worked from 2003. I've paid into the system. Like until now I've never not had a job. Because I was absolutely horrified about losing one and not finding a job in time because just lacking any confidence in selling myself for a day job, and then tunnel visioning just horrible scenarios. I feel like I've worked for that long and never actually got any proper help for stuff.

It probably doesn't help, as your anxiety will be coming from a place that's difficult to reason with (otherwise you wouldn't have it), but I'm telling you now that you're squarely one of the many types of people that JSA/benefits was designed to help. It's meant to help people get back on their feet and working again if they're able to, so whilst I can understand the sentiment behind what you're feeling, at the same time it's coming from a damaging, unhelpful narrative that we've all been bombarded with by the shittier elements of society and the establishment.

You are not a scrounger, and, contrary to the narrative that the right-wing dirtsheets are peddling, very few people actually are. Get your assistance - nobody, least of all yourself, benefits from you not taking whatever measures necessary to get you back to where you want to be. 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Carbomb

[Keith Houchen]

13 minutes ago, Chili said:

Sorry man, it's ok and I retract the other post, I don't read things well at the moment and yeah, it's cool man. 

Easily done when the fog clouds your brain. Regarding the feelings of being a scrounger, I hear you. I worked for 25 years before my latest mental breakdown and haven’t worked since. And I’m one of the lucky ones who has been declared unfit for work. When I think myself as a scrounger I recall the words of Lord Daniel of Dyer. 

 

[SuperBacon]

I am of the mindset that the 'welfare system' (as shit as it currently is) exists as a safety net and should be there to help you.

I felt exactly the same when I first had to claim UC (silly brain), but then I thought "Well I've worked since I was 17 so this is what I've been paying towards" and that changed how I felt about it. Job Centre were absolutely fucking shit (and I say that as someone who didnt need much 'help' looking for work) and I feel that service needs a massive overhaul. I dont blame the 'work coaches' at all to be honest.

Even if you haven't contributed NI and tax, I believe that as a society we should be looking after everyone, but as others have said, the demonisation of the working class and the benefit claimants in this country has been prevalent for a long time. Most people who can work, want to work.

Of course this could all be fixed with a form of UBI, but thats a debate for another day.

@Chilisent you a message mate. Keep your head up.

[Vamp]

It's not benefits. It's money you need to live your life and even then it doesn't go far enough. 

[Keith Houchen]

I have huge feelings of guilt about my situation. I get more than just the basic UC. It’s still below minimum wage but it allows me to contribute or make up rent payments that housing benefit doesn’t cover. Part of me feels bad constantly about that but then I try to remember that people shouldn’t have to live on the bare minimum to get by, they should be afforded a modicum of dignity. I haven’t and won’t go on holiday for years for example. But so many others won’t either and they’re working all hours to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. 

[SuperBacon]

26 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said:

I have huge feelings of guilt about my situation. I get more than just the basic UC. It’s still below minimum wage but it allows me to contribute or make up rent payments that housing benefit doesn’t cover. Part of me feels bad constantly about that but then I try to remember that people shouldn’t have to live on the bare minimum to get by, they should be afforded a modicum of dignity. I haven’t and won’t go on holiday for years for example. But so many others won’t either and they’re working all hours to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. 

That's not your fault though mate.

I felt all sorts of bad when I was on UC. I'd feel guilty if I got a takeaway or had a coffee out, or any kind of 'luxury' that I hadn't 'paid' for. 

I still feel guilt over those types of things even now to be honest, but that's because I'm an eternal worrier and angster. I count everything in terms of rent and what I could buy the kids.

God I'd love to be rich. I'd buy my little football shirts and then just send all the nice people on holiday

 

[Mr_Danger]

I was on benefits for nearly a year once in my younger days and I may have allegedly had a little cash in hand side hustle. I’d never been better off and I never felt guilty. It’s absolutely ridiculous the cost of existing in this country and if a bunch of cunts in Range Rovers and gated housing estates want to make people of my ilk feel bad for trying to get a bit extra on top of the bare minimum it takes to survive then they can go and post angry comments on the Daily Mail website about it.

I ended up getting a really shit minimum wage job where I had to work 60 hours to get by and even then I was worse off but the worry of being an alleged benefit fraud was too much because do you know who hates alleged benefit frauds and loves to dob them in more than the Daily Mail wankers? Other people on benefits. Place is fucked.

So anyone who has played by the rules of a rigged system and paid in should never be ashamed of taking a bit back out, it’s the least you’re owed.