29 Dec 2021 10:39 pm
Amazing experiences; Cracks are appearing:
Late in 2019 just before the COVID "crisis" a friend of mine got a job as a bartender at a local bar which had just opened its doors. A real hole-in-the-wall. It was located in a run down house in a residential neighborhood which had seen better times. Local zoning laws designed to encourage corporate conversion allowed the residences to be licensed for commercial activity (e.g. hair salons and even this little bar). Of course the timing couldn't have been worse it would soon seem.
Within weeks COVID arrived on the scene and government heavy-handedness or however you refer to it resulted in its shut down. Off and on the owner struggled to keep his head above water. In spite of the difficulties the bar actually survived. The need for some to get their alcohol made this just the clandestine spot to do sporadic business. Since opening the owner had hired 7 employees in total and all really enjoyed working in such as casual environment. These 7 employees remained employed throughout the first 18 months being opened.
In the summer of 2021 the owner received a letter. It was from the Unemployment Office (UO). Apparently 23 claims for unemployment had been filed against his bar and had been receiving checks from the UO for over a year. They were requesting he pay matching funds to offset the checks which had been sent. A staggering amount!!! The owner of course knew there was some kind of bureaucratic foul-up and believed it would merely require some clearing up. He explained he had no idea who these people were and assured the UO they had never been employed at his establishment. They showed him the applications and none were filed with his EIN number. He assured them he had never terminated anyone in the short time he was in business. Some of the checks were being sent to China and former East Block countries as well as a scattering throughout the US. They informed him they were overwhelmed with applications for unemployment. As a result they had suspended verification of applications to insure everyone got checks promptly during this time of crisis. They informed him he could appeal the claims and a hearing would be scheduled to determine the validity of the claims. However, no hearings would be held for at least 2 years (again due to the shear volume of claims). In the mean time he would be required to pay the amounts requested. Should he win his claim in 2 years time he would be reimbursed. He was unable to pay such absorbitant amounts. It didn't take long for the UO to revoke his license to do business, his liquor license and pad lock the door. All of his 7 employees were of course sent to the same UO. This is the kind of lame wasteful bureaucratic crap which occurs when you have socialist programs designed with good intent by morons with morons put in charge of watching out for other-peoples-money to ensure it is wisely spent.
Late in 2019 just before the COVID "crisis" a friend of mine got a job as a bartender at a local bar which had just opened its doors. A real hole-in-the-wall. It was located in a run down house in a residential neighborhood which had seen better times. Local zoning laws designed to encourage corporate conversion allowed the residences to be licensed for commercial activity (e.g. hair salons and even this little bar). Of course the timing couldn't have been worse it would soon seem.
Within weeks COVID arrived on the scene and government heavy-handedness or however you refer to it resulted in its shut down. Off and on the owner struggled to keep his head above water. In spite of the difficulties the bar actually survived. The need for some to get their alcohol made this just the clandestine spot to do sporadic business. Since opening the owner had hired 7 employees in total and all really enjoyed working in such as casual environment. These 7 employees remained employed throughout the first 18 months being opened.
In the summer of 2021 the owner received a letter. It was from the Unemployment Office (UO). Apparently 23 claims for unemployment had been filed against his bar and had been receiving checks from the UO for over a year. They were requesting he pay matching funds to offset the checks which had been sent. A staggering amount!!! The owner of course knew there was some kind of bureaucratic foul-up and believed it would merely require some clearing up. He explained he had no idea who these people were and assured the UO they had never been employed at his establishment. They showed him the applications and none were filed with his EIN number. He assured them he had never terminated anyone in the short time he was in business. Some of the checks were being sent to China and former East Block countries as well as a scattering throughout the US. They informed him they were overwhelmed with applications for unemployment. As a result they had suspended verification of applications to insure everyone got checks promptly during this time of crisis. They informed him he could appeal the claims and a hearing would be scheduled to determine the validity of the claims. However, no hearings would be held for at least 2 years (again due to the shear volume of claims). In the mean time he would be required to pay the amounts requested. Should he win his claim in 2 years time he would be reimbursed. He was unable to pay such absorbitant amounts. It didn't take long for the UO to revoke his license to do business, his liquor license and pad lock the door. All of his 7 employees were of course sent to the same UO. This is the kind of lame wasteful bureaucratic crap which occurs when you have socialist programs designed with good intent by morons with morons put in charge of watching out for other-peoples-money to ensure it is wisely spent.