Thanks so much!
Makes sense! I contacted my union to see if they could send me copies of the statements and surveys that were submitted by other employees attesting to the fact that they were also having issues and how long they individually were trying to get the problem resolved since the person from the DOL asked me to name names (some names, I don't have and others only agreed to be honest if they were allowed to remain anonymous). The union said their policy didn't permit releasing that to me. They said that's why they included a section summarizing the statements and responses in their report.
Meanwhile, the DOL contact who called me to ask questions again finally irritated me. Not because he kept saying I just quit out of nowhere instead of addressing my employer about the issues before I left even though I was actually following up and documenting the problems related to the air quality and mold/leakage via email on a weekly basis up until I left (which only my employer can prove at this point so why bother).
Not because he kept saying I didn't give my employer a chance to find a solution in spite of all the times I sent emails and left messages saying hey, so what other solutions are there, what else can we do (which again, only my employer can prove)?
Not because he felt I should have relocated to the moon or otherwise blindly turned my life upside down for the sake of hanging on to an employer who didn't care what happened to me as long as they didn't have to spend any money. Not because he kept making it sound as if I'm a stubborn person who'd refuse transfer/relocation just because I don't feel like commuting farther to work in spite of the fact that I just relocated there.
Not even because he thinks so highly of the state that he kept commenting on how wonderful it is working for them, how they'd practically move mountains to accommodate you as if that's true for every single state agency and every single person working in them. I was laughing in my head at the notion that an employer who wouldn't even move air for me would move mountains. I'm sure he's seen other agencies do it, other people really try to do what was best for their employee. Where I worked, dream on.
None of that bothered me because I figure he's just doing his job or playing devil's advocate. What irritated me was him telling me how things were at my job as if he knew what they did and didn't do and how our office handled matters better than me when I'm the one who actually worked there.
Imagine being at home and your neighbor stops by, smashes your television, and tells you they won't pay for it. Then imagine recounting that to someone miles away and them saying, "Sorry, but I'm sure your neighbor didn't smash your television." Great! How cool that a person who wasn't there is *sure* that what you stood there and watched happen didn't. Very impartial.
I don't blame him for his comments. He might be going out of his way to help me for all I know. This entire thing is just a source of unwanted stress. I won't mention details, but what makes this worse is the fact that the people handling/involved in this were awful. The organization had poison from the top down. I've had a lot of jobs, been the lowly grunt and the bigwig, and I've never worked somewhere with people that deceitful, volatile, vindictive, and in it for themselves nor an organization that dysfunctional. Want to hear a joke? How long does it take the state to change a light bulb? Well, if you're talking about the agency I worked for, a year and only if it's in the budget.
In the time I worked there, the number of things said and done by coworkers, supervisors, even people in HR were nasty at best and illegal at worst. Which is funny because I would have guessed that working for a state agency would be better. But I figured, the job market is tough, for the first time I have good benefits, retirement. As long as I keep my head down and don't rock the boat so I don't end up one of the targets, I'll be fine. And when I reach out for a new job, I won't have to worry about them sandbagging me out of spite like they would others.
I endured a lot in the interest of protecting my job without making enemies. When I developed the respiratory condition, there was a part of me that was glad because I knew I would have stayed there as long as I had to just to keep a roof over my head in spite of what it was like there. Still, I tried to do what I thought was the right thing, not just for me but for everyone there, and ask my employer to fix the problem. Asked for meetings, asked for advice, asked for help. Banged my head against a wall while they dragged the wall out month after month after month with empty promises, vague answers, or no answers.
I knew what kind of people they were. What their agendas were, what their priorities were. I knew they'd never help me. Not really. They'd just make it seem like they would to cover their butts. I still thought I should give them the chance. To know that they didn't do the right thing and the fact that they're the only ones who have the means and records to prove it is almost comedic.
That agency was a dark mark on my life that I (and my lungs) were so glad to finally be rid of yet thanks to this unemployment stuff, it's like living with their misery over my head every day all over again. Every time he calls, it's like my employer is standing there smirking at me. To be told after everything I went through that I didn't try, to know that those people will more than likely have the hearing ruled in their favor no matter what I say or do, makes me feel like it's not worth it. All of my energy is going into staying on my feet right now. If only for that, this is something I may just let go.
The guy from the DOL seems to think I was stupid for leaving and maybe I was. Maybe there were other options I didn't know about (and certainly wasn't getting any help with). Maybe I shouldn't have been afraid of being blacklisted and instead sued or kept escalating it until all of their dirty laundry was out in the open, forcing them to act. If I'm stupid, fine. I'm stupid.
But unlike a year ago, I'm a stupid person who can walk up the stairs into my home without having to hold onto the railing for dear life. I'm a stupid person who can hop on my bike and ride a block without having to get off and lie on the ground because it feels like my lungs are collapsing. I'm a stupid person who doesn't have to be on disability and doesn't have to say, "I can't physically do the job you're asking me to because of my condition."
So the DOL, the appeal board, they can decide that I didn't do the right thing according to the unemployment insurance law, but they'll never convince me I did the wrong thing in general. If I don't get the benefits, so be it. As the saying goes, at least I've got my health.
- - - Updated - - -
So weird. I checked the mail from Saturday and I got a reversal? It sounds like something changed and now I don't need a hearing (unless my employer appeals). I'll follow up on that to verify what I'm looking at. Thank you again to everyone for all of your input. Even if this flips over again, I've had an attorney reach out to me to help just in case. If threads can be marked as closed, please do. Thanks!

