Update on my personal shit show with all this Covid mess. High risk girlfriend, so we're basically still on indefinite isolation. Her doctors say don't go back to work unless they can provide accommodations, and work has been cool about it but nothing they can do to further reduce my risk, which wasn't much to begin with.
The county and government office I work for went from one week saying it was so risky we had to have limited emergency hours to reduce staff and public exposure, and would follow the Gov stay home order, follow the limited schedule set by court, etc.... but then I guess just got sick of it, so one day just decided back to 'normal'. Which I support, but that doesn't address the issues for people who don't get to go back to 'normal' just because your boss is sick of people getting paid to stay home.
Talk to a nonprofit unemployment attorney says inform work it's not safe to return, and then don't, but doesn't say what to do next. Union rep and attorneys talk to boss and HR and nothing can be done, they aren't doing furloughs and even short term leave without pay could "lead to issues" with my employment. Everyone agrees without any issue or bitterness that it's just not feasible to keep me on, but nobody knows how to proceed. There is apparently no way for a mutual termination, even in the middle of emergency orders and pandemics and shit.
So, got left deciding if I should follow the nonprofit attorney's advice and just not return and make the county terminate me for job abandonment, or follow what the union and my bosses agreed would be better and just quit, which quitting always gets unemployment's panties in a bunch even in a situation like this. But all the emergency money and emergency orders and emergency rules and changes to unemployment and everything and nobody thought to guide even government employers on how to handle these situations. They just sit there and shrug and say I can quit anytime I want.
So, I quit and just have to hope it doesn't screw up unemployment. They're of course back logged to hell. Have never been able to get through on the phone enough to even be put on hold, it just says they're experiencing high volume and hangs up. Just have to apply and fingers cross hope the government will sort things out.
I know my application is at least being reviewed, because first they need more information because I marked that I quit, and then ask a bunch of the same questions I already answered. Then they say they can't verify my identity and I have to fax a copy of my drivers license and social security card (thankfully I realized if you keep clicking past their message to fax them it eventually lets you upload copies directly). That's all I've heard from them in two weeks. And maybe someone committed fraud in my name such that now they can't verify my identity? So a little stressed.
The thing that pisses me off is sure, I got the short end of the stick on this and had to make a tough decision for myself and my own family, but why did we have to treat the entire country like they were high risk? My girlfriend and I are having to distance and wear masks and isolate because of Covid (and honestly would have to anyhow eventually leading up to transplant because even having a cold means you could miss your window), but it makes no sense that it was the 'norm' for everyone.
Of course it becomes a social fad to become Covid Karen mask police about other people not wearing masks, so then I occasionally get looks like I'm some pussy for wearing a mask when my specific situation dedicates it. I have to, and it sucks, but I don't give a shit if others do. I would prefer they do if they're sick or concerned, but when you have an actual relevant situation like we do you're too busy worrying about what you can control to police other people.
And people I talk to now think I must be a super supportive of Democrat overreach suddenly, and I have to explain to them that just because the one-size-fits-all government solution happens to be applicable to my personal situation and I benefit from it doesn't mean it's good policy or applicable to the other 99% of the population being forced into it. I mean, I'm thankful there are resources in place to help people in my situation, but counterpoint, those resources are being drained because the government decided to break the economy, which doesn't help any of us.
Let me tell you this isn't the time to have a nuanced opinion of anything, as people rush to their political corners to argue the most extreme points possible. Like the dumb arguments over masks or not, as if it's there is one solution that applies to everyone. Meanwhile, the people actually dealing with the risks of this are told to shut up by governments and pundits and activists alike so they can keep fighting these dumb political battles.
It's all very dumb and I'm getting sick of being stuck in the middle of pissing contests. And even I'm getting a bit antsy, and I'm pretty introverted and asocial, but we basically haven't done anything social outside of the house in 3 months since we got to start early before emergency orders and stuff. My family isn't local, and it was more fun complaining when I had to go visit with the inlaws instead of not being allowed to. Thankfully my relationship is pretty good and we actually like each other, so aren't at each others throats or bored with each other yet. And my dog is loving me being around and taking him for walks most days, and he's what matters most in his world, so there's that.
