sometimes my job is just not cool

[minxnim]

this client they just gave me for financial management, at one time, cut off both of a person's hands because he was 'angry'.

 

[xfer]

Emotions are no fucking excuse for shitty, mean behaviour.

 

[azal]

offer him a mint.

 

[minxnim]

i'm just like 'so wait... if he's sick, do i have to do a home visit with this fucking patrick bateman?'

 

[xfer]

ok, i voted "don't take him", but i changed my mind. once i had a client who needed representation, and had gone to every social service agency in the city and no one would take him because his case was basically unwinnable (he beat up his wife and lost his job, and they were still together and needed his UC benefits).

so i took him, and his wife testified on his behalf, and we lost (duh), but at least he had his hearing and his chance, you know? even though he sucked.

 

[minxnim]

this guy just called me and streamed about 2 full minutes of obscenities into my ear. thanks dude!

 

[avi]

if he can't be polite to his case worker, fuck him

 

[xfer]

i wanna agree, but again, it's hard to make the case that a caseworker's individual respect is more important than aiding an obviously needy individual. thats what sucks about social work.

 

[minxnim]

well, there is a difference between helping needy people with problems and going to a home visit and being afraid the person will chop my hands off.(trust me, i do way more than you have at your job. i have represented child molesters at custody case hearings) you want to save the world and die doing it? i mean, go right ahead.

i called and told the client that if he ever yells at me, or threatens me i will "end his fucking term", and he got my drift apparently. and we'll see what happens but i told him i'm never stepping foot in his house and i even told him that i think he's too violent.

 

[avi]

preppy comes back with the

 

[xfer]

well, i don't have my job anymore, and i was unpaid, so i'm sure you have done 100x what i did.

and yes, if there is a safety, rather than respect, issue...that's a whole different ball game.

 

[minxnim]

well, safety is what i mean when i said:

this client they just gave me for financial management, at one time, cut off both of a person's hands because he was 'angry'.


i didnt mean what i said to come out rude. if i had, i would be like HEY IM RUDE. but basically i mean, everyone expects social service agencies to work without any boundaries. and it's unfair to us and also to the other clients we help, because we endanger them sometimes too. i will sometimes cross those lines for people (going to prison to see them when we dont ever have to take incarcerated cases... giving pro se advice to someone who is criminally charged... trying to talk the police out of arresting a client... etc etc...) so i mean, i guess it's a judgment call. i can just tell, by the look on this guy's face. he's a total sociopath.
he will ONLY work with a girl, a girl who is ITALIAN (I guess i pass b/c of my last name) and he will only work with her if she lives in brooklyn. SHADY!

 

[xfer]

ok, that's fucked up. heh.

i didn't mean to criticize you for not wanting to take the case. mine and avi's initial responses both reminded me of some stupid MSWs i worked with who would slam down the phone and be like "She was so disrespectful! i'm putting her application for FEMA money at the bottom of my pile!" like, holy shit.

 

[minxnim]

yea i never take what my clients do or say personally. how the fuck can i know what it's like to have HIV, i'd probably be a bitch too. i try to be reasonable. i actually get stuck with the undesireable cases because i am known to have a tolerance for those who are extremely mentally ill, addicted to drugs, or just plain mean.
i hear a lot of attorneys here and whoever bitch about their clients. it's fucking lame, like, why do they work here then? for the GREAT PAY? i always ask that. then they shut up.

 

[avi]

people just love to complain. I know I do.

 

[minxnim]

hahaha, i definitely complain, but i always make a point to never complain about my clients b/c they are like, already fucked with enough. i usually complain about my soda being flat or my receptionist smelling like weed. 'ohhh delores is all wasted! now i have to answer the fucking phone!'

 

[xfer]

i never complained about my clients, but i can't get on my high horse because i only put up with it for a year...maybe after five years in SS i would be singing a different tune. i guess everyone needs SOMETHING to complain about to let the steam out.

 

[minxnim]

i mean even a person with no job and ten million dollars needs to complain. but there's a good time, and a time when it's super annoying.
my coworkers making fun of and/or bitching about clients is = to or greater than in annoyance to a person with really loud headphones or a speakerphone user or a close talker with bad breath.

 

[The Dope]

Is this person a free member of society? If so, why?

 

[minxnim]

he is because he is older now and was in prison for 25 years for said hand chopping incident as well as apparently for other mob related incidences.