Is your building making you sick?
For those of us who spend eight hours a day in one place every day for five days a week, the answer to this question is fairly simple: HELL YEAH!! Before you start throwing your hands in the air and proclaiming, “SOMEBODY can relate” and getting ready to get your ‘cuss on’, I have something to tell you. I didn’t ask if your building was getting on your nerves. I asked if it was making you sick.
In so many instances, we find ourselves working in environments t on such a regular basis that we don’t even pay attention to the physical effects until it’s too late. The simple fact is that there are many things that go into making sure that your work environment is suitable for you to work. However, if you find yourself wondering if your building is making you sick, here are a couple of things to consider:
1) How do you feel when you’re at home compared to when you are at work?
- Pay attention to how you feel when you come home from work. If you find yourself feeling sick at work but you get better after you’ve been home for a while, you may be exposed to something at work that making you sick.
2) Are there certain areas of the building where you don’t feel right?
- Sometimes, there is a specific area where there may be clear indications that something is wrong.
3) How are your eyes? How about your breathing? Anything setting off your allergies (Even though you don’t have any)?
- Sometimes, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that is making you feel sick but you can definitely tell that something is wrong. Are your eyes watering? Are you having a hard time breathing? Are you sneezing like crazy? Pay attention because these could be warning signs that something is wrong.
4) Has anything changed in your building?
- Yes, we get excited when we get a new roof, new wall, or new system put in place. However, the simple fact is that there are times when putting in these new things may create new health problems. Pay attention if you notice a difference.
The phenomenon that I am referring to is called “Sick Building Syndrome” and it usually occurs when some type of exposure to a particular substance in the building results in you getting sick. If you notice something is wrong, don’t be shy and don’t wait for it to get worse. Let your employer know right away.
Social Security Disability and the Long Wait
All Roads Are Paved With Good Intentions: Social Security Disability and the Lengthy Waiting Process
Recently, I read an article that proclaimed, “President’s record blurred by economy”. Every President is faced with the responsibility of inheriting the assets and liabilities left over from the prior administration. Obama is no different. In fact, it’s arguable that he, more than any other President in U.S. history, has inherited the worst problems. And with the economic troubles we’re facing, relief for those who are suffering will be slow, no matter how brilliant the policies his administration implements. In an interview, President Obama made it clear he is very aware of this when he stated that even if the country does see some economic improvement, the person who is still unemployed won’t share in that improvement until he/she has a job.
I understand the President’s position. Now, I am not an employee of the Social Security Administration, but I have watched them take some aggressive steps to improve the long ‘waiting process’. I’ve written a few times about the little things that you, as the claimant, can do to make sure that you don’t have to wait that long. Understandably, SSA, is working to speed things up as well.
Here are a few observations that I have seen in the last few years:
1) Electronic files – now, you can file your application and appeal online. You get a copy of your file on a CD and not a monstrous paper folder.
2) National Hearing Center – to ease up the slack of some of the hearing offices, SSA has created a National Hearing Center so judges can schedule hearings for claimants via video teleconference for the whole country.
3) Disability Determination Services – more and more cases are being handled by these agencies in areas beyond their jurisdiction.
Now, these are just a few things but I can tell you that SSA is legitimately trying to speed up the process. Unfortunately, most people applying for SSA are in the worst position of their lives. They aren’t working. They have no insurance. They have no money. Their health is in the worst shape possible. And to make matters worse, they have to WAIT for their case to go through this process to see any relief.
So despite all of these improvements and major changes that the agency has implemented, the process is still slow. For the person who is living on the couch of a friend with no ability to sustain him/herself, improvements mean nothing without any results that benefit that particular individual.
Social Security Disability tip: What your medications say about your case
If you’re wondering what your medications say about your case, please review my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3gqal0jCtI
Hurry up and wait: Social Security, federal funds, the Gulf of Mexico and the American people’s money
My heart really goes out to anyone who has to apply for Social Security disability benefits. It’s a long process and it’s a tedious process. However, it does have one thing in its favor: It IS a process. It stinks. It’s difficult. It’s frustrating. But it IS a process. And we have that process because, at the end, of the day, you’re dealing with federal funds. When you’re talking about federal funds, you’re talking about the American people’s money. And let me tell you, people don’t care about other people’s money. They care about their own. And in some instances, they care about yours if they can get it. So, we have a process to make sure it doesn’t get abused, misused, mishandled, and / or misappropriated. Unfortunately, no one wants to hear that when they need it. However, this is a time when we need a process.
How many of you remember Hurricane Katrina and that whole fiasco with the debit cards that were sent out? A lot of struggling people didn’t get the benefit of the monies the federal government wanted them to get. WHY? One, they wanted the money RIGHT NOW! Two, in its effort to get the money to them right now, the federal government gave some people money they didn’t deserve.
Now, what does that mean for this latest disaster in the Gulf? Again, we are faced with a situation where the American people want their money RIGHT NOW!! But it’s clear that the government has a process. Look at it like this: let’s say that you were in an auto accident and it was the other driver’s fault. That driver has insurance and your car has over $5000 in damage. Who do you want to pay for it? That’s right! The other driver’s insurance. Well, let’s assume that in your haste, you tell YOUR insurance company to pay for it because the other driver’s insurance is not as good as yours. Ok, now you get what you want. Unfortunately, your premiums go up. The accident counts against your insurance. Finally, your insurance company informs you that, if you get into another accident, you will be dropped from your policy. NOW, you’re mad. But why? Had you slowed down a minute and let the OTHER driver’s insurance handle it, you wouldn’t be in this position.
Now, I’m not trying to make light of the peril and hard times of those in the Gulf. I’ve spent my entire legal career working with people who have to deal with the federal government in an attempt to receive their funds through a lengthy process. My point is this, BP caused this car accident. They have the insurance. Remember, the ENTIRE COUNTRY has to foot the bill for any money that comes out of OUR pocket to address this situation. A situation that was caused BY BP!!!! Let their insurance coverage address it and you just wait for the rental car.
Social Security Tip: When you decide to SUE the Social Security Administration
For those of you who have exhausted all levels of appeals, you may be thinking about suing the social security administration. Here’s some things you need to know about so you have a better understand of what happens at the federal court level.
Please check out the link.
