It's in the Mail

Friday morning, I showed up at the State's Employment Development Department just before 9AM. The parking lot was filled as it was also a job training center. I told the women at the desk that I was looking for Peter - I had been told that I needed his expert advice. I was directed to room 38D.

To recap - I had received a notification from SSI Disability that they had overpaid me, which I thought was tied to my Workers' Comp award. I was wrong. I was paid over the 80% max from SSI and WC. But, it made me go back to the 2009 WC Award letter from my lawyer which stated:
"The settlement also provides for the Employment Development Department to accept $2500 payable by the defendant as payment in full on the lien. It may be possible for you to withdraw this amount, upon appropriate medical certification. You should reapply for said benefits after you receive the settlement funds."

I had missed this. I wondered if these funds were still available. Thus, Friday's visit to the EDD Office.

Room 38D was filled with people and computers and silence. A woman asked what I wanted, I showed her my paragraph and she told me Peter was not in. Another woman around my age came over to rescue me. After reading the paragraph, she said, "Follow me." We walked into another room also filled with people working on computer to an office carved into a corner. "Sit down!" I sat at her desk. She took a piece of piece out of her pocket and dialed the EDD main office. No prompts. No waiting for next available person. She handed the phone to me and left. I spoke with that man who told me that I needed to talk with the State Disability people and gave me the 800 number.

I walked back through all the computer to find the woman to thank her. I told her that I had an 800 number and she said, "We don't need 800 numbers. Follow me!" Back we went to her office. From her pocket came the magic phone number, she asked if she was speaking with Chris and introduced me before handing the phone to me.

Chris asked many questions to which I suspected he already had the answers. Everything from where I last worked, date of my last day working, who was my doctor, if I had earned any income since 2005. I finally realized that he was investigating me to see if I was telling the truth or not. When he asked what I earned through SSI Disability, he started asking other questions until I realized what he was looking for: How can I live on $1,204 a month? I finally got it and said, "I have a husband."

He told me that the money was being discharged. I didn't get it. I asked what that meant. He replied, "Do you want it in a check or gift card?"

The money was being sent to me. That was it. No forms to fill out. No meeting to attend. No long lines to wait in. Done. In the mail.

Chris did warn me that SSI Disability will probably deduct this amount from my SSI Disability monthly checks but since it was part of the WC lawsuit, it may not. He said that there will be a letter with the check and that SSI Disability will want to have a copy of it. I will phone them when I receive it.

I hung up the phone rather shocked that it was so simple, walked back through the people and computers to find my goddess once again. She was talking with a nice looking young guy. I apologized for interrupting and said, "I got it! $2500! I can't believe it!" The young guy fist bumped me and she said, "Go shopping!"

I do want to state right here right now that everyone I have dealt with in person at the Social Security Office and here at the State Employment Department have been amazing humans. They are doing a tough job with kindness and grace. Thank you.