The rant of a SW local office worker

Lapa Champion · 29-05-2009 11:05PM #1

I work in a social welfare office and i just want to say thank God this weekend is here. I dont think i can cope with it anymore, its just to mental and the Dept are doing nothing to help us. So i just feel like going ona rant, its Friday night and im still stressed out of my head from work....

The constant crowds of angry people throwing torrents abuse, the people we have to deal with, the personal insults, people blatently ripping the system of and our hands being tied, the ancient computer system that is forever crashing, the TDs calling wanting peoples claims jumped up, being told we're usless ****s and if we did our job proper everything would be ok and the worst of all.....the outrage that is the understaffing.

Our office has 24 full time staff (taking worksharers into account) to deal with over 10,000claims (7,000 which have been processed or are waiting to be processed in the last 7 months). We have been givin 1 new member of staff. And what annoys he crap out of me is Hanafin on the radio and news saying they are giving all these new staff to local offices....total bull crap.

Another thing, I AM NOT A SOCIAL WORKER OR COUNSELLOR. Today i had 9 people break down and cry their eyes out in front of me, yes 9 fully grown men and women cry their hearts out to me...theres nothing i could do for them, i dont have all the answers, i cant make this ****ing recession go away, stop putting me in this position everyday. if you are so upset at the system, got tell somebody that can change it, your local TD. I will try my hardest, work my balls of, be called a lazy civil servant as i work an extra 15hours over my flexi for free, be threatened, not be able to go the shop during my lunch for fear of being attacked for doing my job, but please dont break down in tears in front of me. Its not goign to make me magically be able to help you.

Also dont say "why dont yis put more people on the counters?" - because we dont ****ing have more people to put on the counters ok? Beleive me, if there was 10 free people in the back twiddling thier thumbs as i deal with a 60 person queue, believe me id be the first perosn to pull them up to the counter.

Another thing, dotn be asked to be skipped up the queue, we know its 3 hours long, we know you have to go collect your kids, but so does everybody else. Come back 2mrw, first thing

Ok thats enough ranting, just want people to understand want we are going through before they start giving us crap, we are doing our best, seriously....

skelliser · 29-05-2009 11:13PM

fair play for coming on here, its good to get your side of the story. I dont envy you at all. Your story is pretty depressing and only the start of it, there will be over 600,000 on the dole come christmas. I see you take quiet alot of abuse but from there perspective you are, unfortunatly, the face of the system. chin up tho.

People need to wake up and release what ff have done too this country. Hopefully saturday week will be a momentus day in irish history.
FIANNA FAIL OUT!!

themadchef · 29-05-2009 11:31PM

I can't even imagine how tough that is.

Why in Gods name are they not shipping in more staff, reshuffle from other departments? Joe public is angry and scared and God help us all, is all i can say.

Oh, and enjoy your weekend, you certainly deserve it.

netwhizkid · 30-05-2009 12:10AM

I had to drop my mothers Sick Benefit form in to the Social this week during lunch and it seemed absolute madness there. It is not the staffs fault and the fault of this is nobodies only Fianna Fail. I look forward to next Saturday evening week probably the most decisive moment in Irish history since the signing of the Treaty and Charles Haughey leading Ireland to the brink of war during the arms crisis. Fianna Fail out and out for good!

cee_jay · 30-05-2009 01:46AM

Very well said! people need to realise that social welfare staff are being worked to the bone, and are doing their hardest to try and get through the backlog that is there.
Social Welfare is typically a department that doesn't make any money for the government - just gives it out - so typically doesn't get much funding because of that.
IF you do feel as scared and threatened and stressed, perhaps you should think about going to see your Employee Assistance Officer - if even just to vent a bit more?

Lamps · 30-05-2009 02:50AM

themadchef wrote: »

I can't even imagine how tough that is.

Why in Gods name are they not shipping in more staff, reshuffle from other departments? Joe public is angry and scared and God help us all, is all i can say.

Oh, and enjoy your weekend, you certainly deserve it.

Whos gonna move from a cushy number in the Dept of Defence to a mental Social Welfare Office? I think thats the delay, Hanafin was giving 130 staff over to SW LOs (this was authorised in October), to date 70 have been sent....a joke, that was 8months ago and half of them have been put in place. Apparently they wont give temps (except for term time and maternity).

130 staff divided amongst the country is not enough to deal with the backlogs anyway....giving every office 2 new staff is not even going to begin to change things.

morale is really low amongst the staff to, they are working their asses of while their pay continues to quickly decrease. They are getting no support or backup from the Dept and a lot of them are starting to go out on sick and stress leave (this was always a problem in the Dept, but its going to get worse).

Its ironic that theres loads of work in these offices, while everybody coming into the office is looking for work.

A mad situation and i feel for all those in them offices.

Nolanger · 30-05-2009 12:04PM

<snip>

infraction for attacking the poster, and for calling them idiots.

Regards

Patrickc
MODERATOR

gary the great · 30-05-2009 12:27PM

Systems have been totally changed, theres no way that dept can cope without more staff, thats a ridiculous post tbh . I actually hope you need to use a SW office in the near future and you'll see what its like.

Nolanger · 30-05-2009 02:16PM

That dept is like something from the '80s - no modern IT system, contradictary information given out, staff working there too long and telling everyone else what to do, no-one answering the phones, customers bringing in forms that go missing, no internet access, claims that take about 15 minutes to process taking a month to do, staff worksharing leaving claims on their desk until they come back a week later. Oh yeah - everyone there acting nice to make up for the fact that they can't think for themselves or they lack any instinct for common sense. I was also called a tosser two years ago when I predicted this recession - and long may it last!

stepbar · 30-05-2009 02:26PM

Turns out i was right after all. Mind you the notion that a sw officer is overworked is laughable. Maybe some offices. The systems / processes are broke. But this is the dept that knows best, so much so when i went looking for info for my dissertation it was like trying to pull teeth.

stepbar · 30-05-2009 02:40PM

gary the great wrote: »

Systems have been totally changed, theres no way that dept can cope without more staff, thats a ridiculous post tbh . I actually hope you need to use a SW office in the near future and you'll see what its like.

Since when? They are still using a system from the 90's which links into revenue which was classed a failure by the auditor general. This system only made things worse and its only now that you are seeing the real problems.

snubbleste · 30-05-2009 02:57PM

Hey OP
Thanks for giving us a view from the other side of the glass. It's important that it is given and that SWO staff are not seen as robots.
I wonder just how difficult it is to switch off from a job like that, watching new young faces coming in day after day with no prospect of employment?

Amalgam · 30-05-2009 02:58PM

Is the system still unable to process names\details with a non Latin\Roman alphabet?

axel rose · 30-05-2009 03:05PM

Stepbar, You appear to know loads about the SW :rolleyes:. Do YOU work in the SW?
Obviously you must be right and the OP took the time out of their life to post a complete (and detailed) frabrication.

The OP doesnt appear to argue the fact that the system is outdated and frustrating for both staff and service users. Why do you not believe that a SW officer is overworked?

BTW the phone systems are so old in some offices that an engaged line doesnt sound like it should, it actually sounds like its ringing. Is that the fault of the staff?

Nolanger · 30-05-2009 03:13PM

It's all indians and no chiefs there. A lean/6 sigma consultant would have a heart attack in most Social Welfare offices. The system can't even cope with Irish characters like ó never mind non-Latin characters.

patrickc · 30-05-2009 03:19PM

there have been numeorus attacks on people in this thread, there have been 2 infractions also already.

if there is any more attacking of posters, rather than the post then that person will be banned from state benefits for a week.

Patrickc

Moderator

Elessar · 30-05-2009 03:55PM

Tell me more about these grown adults crying at you? Are you serious?

stepbar · 30-05-2009 09:05PM

axel rose wrote: »

Stepbar, You appear to know loads about the SW :rolleyes:. Do YOU work in the SW?
Obviously you must be right and the OP took the time out of their life to post a complete (and detailed) frabrication.

The OP doesnt appear to argue the fact that the system is outdated and frustrating for both staff and service users. Why do you not believe that a SW officer is overworked?

BTW the phone systems are so old in some offices that an engaged line doesnt sound like it should, it actually sounds like its ringing. Is that the fault of the staff?

Because I was a sw worker. What other organisation would you get away with an hr and a half in breaks a day? Thats what I used to have and that wasn't all so long ago either. God forbid they have to work a few hours for free. I work from 9 to 6 every day and most times only take a half a hr for break. Not complaining. Thankfully we're starting to get value for money out of the social welfare. And hopefully some of the old fogies will do the decent thing (i.e retire) and allow a few hard working young ones do their job.

axel rose · 30-05-2009 11:03PM

So are you basing all SW workers on your own standards when working for SW?

Im confused on one hand you say that the

notion that a sw officer is overworked is laughable

while on the other hand you want the

old fogies will do the decent thing (i.e retire) and allow a few hard working young ones do their job

I suggest you make up your mind.

Ah sure the OP was just making it all up so...........:rolleyes:

goldenbrown · 01-06-2009 04:36PM

more about the one blatently ripping off the state and taxpayer

IT Loser · 01-06-2009 05:05PM

Why are people crying to the dole?? Are they crying because they are being denied their payments, or are they crying because they are ashamed, or crying because the dole is not covering their expenses, mortgage etc??

Quandary · 01-06-2009 05:21PM

Fair play OP.

It is very frustrating that they are understaffed in certain SW local offices. Im currently on benefit and when filling out my application forms i specified i was able to work in clerical or IT (i have comprehensive experience in both). I would happily work in my SW Office doing anything i could to help instead of sitting at home scratching my arse waiting for recruiters to call :rolleyes:!

Nolanger · 01-06-2009 05:23PM

They're crying because they all bought into that Celtic Tiger crap and got 100% mortgages to live in some sh*thole like Naas while they studied for the FE1 law qualification only to finally realise it was all a sham and there's no jobs. OP enjoy your day in work tomorrow

Lapa Champion · 01-06-2009 06:17PM

Nolanger wrote: »

They're crying because they all bought into that Celtic Tiger crap and got 100% mortgages to live in some sh*thole like Naas while they studied for the FE1 law qualification only to finally realise it was all a sham and there's no jobs. OP enjoy your day in work tomorrow

ye thanks, your dead sound. At least i have a job to go to so i cant complain to much....

Well actually 2mrw will be an horrific day, the day after a bank holiday is usually bedlam and a lot of the school workers are finishing up so they'll probably be in to.

Anyway to answer some of your comments and questions....

I totally agree with the dept needing a lot of the older women to retire...my office is full of them and a lot of them are very negative to any changes. It can be really frustrating trying to convince them to change their ways, "its the way its always been done" is something i hear all the time. But they do have a vast amount of knowledge that is indispensible on a day to day basis and tonnes of experience in dealing with certain situations that you are put into everyday. But you can see a gradual decline in the amount of oul wans and when they are eventually replaced (can take up to 3months to get a replacement) they are usually young enough.

Re the 1.5 hours lunch break...im on flexi like every other department, you can take a 1.5 lunch break if you feel like it, once its cleared with your supervisor and counters are covered etc.

About the computer system, its a sham. You cant even use a mouse with it!! You need to press F8 and F9 and the likes the whole time, its incredible how ancient it is. it doesnt even do the most basic of jobs without you needing to click about 5 buttons. So annoying, plus it sometimes doesnt give you the informatinon you need without requesting it and then the next day your givin a report with the information! They put a new system in for debt managment to recently, that is also a complete and utter joke and thats brand new!! Built by the IT section of SW i think, but its also complete and utter crap.

Ye the people crying, this is now a daily occurence. The reasons range from crocodile tears when someone wants something and they aernt getting their own way, to people crying as their means test resulted in them getting a smaller payment or no payment at all. To people crying as they wont get their money on thursday as they never bothered their hole to sign or bring back a document they were asked to produce. To being told they would have to wait in the 3 hour queue like everybody else. People are extremley stressed at the moment and being out on the end of a 3 hour queue will be usually enough to send them over the edge. Its such a bad situation for everybody involved.

The personal threats are the worst, last week a women told a women on the counter that she was going to wait for her after work as she didnt release a payment (there was outstanding documents which she was asked to bring in countless times). A few weeks before that some guy spat through the hole in the glass at a colleague of mine and a couple of weeks ago some little sham 18 year old whos never worked a day in his life told me he was going to pull me over the counter and rearrange my face. Thats just 3 examples of countless abuse in the last few weeks. We are safe enough as were behind glass, i know the likes of a garda gets much more abuse, but i just want to highlight the hassle we get.
There is an "abusive behaviour" book, but when this is passed over to our head office they have never once acted upon it from what ive seen.

At the end of the day i know we're so lucky to have a job, im there 11months now and its the kind of job that is difficult to leave at the office, it all keeps running through your head. its so intense.
I know theres much worse jobs, but i just hate it when people think that we do nothing all day long and get paid loads...its the total opposite.

IT Loser · 01-06-2009 11:26PM

Nolanger wrote: »

They're crying because they all bought into that Celtic Tiger crap and got 100% mortgages to live in some sh*thole like Naas while they studied for the FE1 law qualification only to finally realise it was all a sham and there's no jobs. OP enjoy your day in work tomorrow

Sounds like me!!!!

I will do the Bar I think now.:mad:

IT Loser · 01-06-2009 11:34PM

Lapa Champion wrote: »

ye thanks, your dead sound. At least i have a job to go to so i cant complain to much....

Well actually 2mrw will be an horrific day, the day after a bank holiday is usually bedlam and a lot of the school workers are finishing up so they'll probably be in to.

Anyway to answer some of your comments and questions....

I totally agree with the dept needing a lot of the older women to retire...my office is full of them and a lot of them are very negative to any changes. It can be really frustrating trying to convince them to change their ways, "its the way its always been done" is something i hear all the time. But they do have a vast amount of knowledge that is indispensible on a day to day basis and tonnes of experience in dealing with certain situations that you are put into everyday. But you can see a gradual decline in the amount of oul wans and when they are eventually replaced (can take up to 3months to get a replacement) they are usually young enough.

Re the 1.5 hours lunch break...im on flexi like every other department, you can take a 1.5 lunch break if you feel like it, once its cleared with your supervisor and counters are covered etc.

About the computer system, its a sham. You cant even use a mouse with it!! You need to press F8 and F9 and the likes the whole time, its incredible how ancient it is. it doesnt even do the most basic of jobs without you needing to click about 5 buttons. So annoying, plus it sometimes doesnt give you the informatinon you need without requesting it and then the next day your givin a report with the information! They put a new system in for debt managment to recently, that is also a complete and utter joke and thats brand new!! Built by the IT section of SW i think, but its also complete and utter crap.

Ye the people crying, this is now a daily occurence. The reasons range from crocodile tears when someone wants something and they aernt getting their own way, to people crying as their means test resulted in them getting a smaller payment or no payment at all. To people crying as they wont get their money on thursday as they never bothered their hole to sign or bring back a document they were asked to produce. To being told they would have to wait in the 3 hour queue like everybody else. People are extremley stressed at the moment and being out on the end of a 3 hour queue will be usually enough to send them over the edge. Its such a bad situation for everybody involved.

The personal threats are the worst, last week a women told a women on the counter that she was going to wait for her after work as she didnt release a payment (there was outstanding documents which she was asked to bring in countless times). A few weeks before that some guy spat through the hole in the glass at a colleague of mine and a couple of weeks ago some little sham 18 year old whos never worked a day in his life told me he was going to pull me over the counter and rearrange my face. Thats just 3 examples of countless abuse in the last few weeks. We are safe enough as were behind glass, i know the likes of a garda gets much more abuse, but i just want to highlight the hassle we get.
There is an "abusive behaviour" book, but when this is passed over to our head office they have never once acted upon it from what ive seen.

At the end of the day i know we're so lucky to have a job, im there 11months now and its the kind of job that is difficult to leave at the office, it all keeps running through your head. its so intense.
I know theres much worse jobs, but i just hate it when people think that we do nothing all day long and get paid loads...its the total opposite.

Thats shocking. Spitting is just not on. In my opinion, thats a call for the Police. My local is adjacent to the County Courthouse and its always swimming with Cops and what not. So folk behave themselves.

Are there means tests being conducted in your office??

Sephiroth_dude · 02-06-2009 12:35AM

Lapa Champion wrote: »

.

The personal threats are the worst, last week a women told a women on the counter that she was going to wait for her after work as she didnt release a payment (there was outstanding documents which she was asked to bring in countless times). A few weeks before that some guy spat through the hole in the glass at a colleague of mine and a couple of weeks ago some little sham 18 year old whos never worked a day in his life told me he was going to pull me over the counter and rearrange my face. .

That is unacceptable behaviour,nobody should be treated like that,I would have told him to **** off.

netwhizkid · 02-06-2009 02:29AM

Shouldn't harrasment of staff like this be say grounds for a one month suspension from payment? (isn't this the case if you fail to sign the ledger anyway once a month?)

Nolanger · 02-06-2009 09:17AM

Does the OP work in D8?

3DataModem · 02-06-2009 11:03AM

Amalgam wrote: »

Is the system still unable to process names\details with a non Latin\Roman alphabet?

Yes. Because you can't write cheques or do bank transfers with a non Latin/Roman alphabet.

amacachi · 03-06-2009 01:59AM

Only thing I've heard people giving out about on sign-on day is the fact that one of the people they usually send down to the two hatches types with one bloody finger. :mad:

Again it's the upper levels where the problem is. Getting people signed on isn't a training-intensive job, a mate who was in school with me did it within a week of starting to cover someone's maternity leave and seemed to do it quicker than anyone else. Course they had to put a stop to that.

Have to say I wouldn't fancy the face-to-face stuff when it comes to people making their claims, don't envy that job too much. Well, depending on the pay.

The rant of a SW local office worker

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