EBT Privacy

[Meherenow]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin

I'm a nurse, caught Lyme last summer and was paralyzed for several months. I lost my job, (couldn't work in a trauma hospital from a wheelchair), went on disability and receiving EBT benefits for the last few months. After a year of treatment and intense physical therapy I'm back on my feet and getting back to work albeit slowly. I just started a new part time nursing job a month ago and frankly, I've been dealing with this for a year and can't wait to get back to 100% and working full time and off assistance. I notified SSDI and EBT of my new part time job, also sent both SSDI and EBT my first and only pay stub so far. I want to do everything correctly. SSDI is perfectly happy with my sending them pay stubs monthly, no other questions asked. But my question is this, even though I've sent my pay stub to WI Foodshare, (EBT), they sent me a rather long form for my new employer to fill out and sign. I feel very uncomfortable with this, I feel it's none of my new employer's business that I've had to rely on assistance and it seems to me to be an infringement on my privacy. Am I wrong? Do I lose my right to privacy because I'm getting assistance? If so I'm thinking to hell with the EBT rather than ask my new employer to fill out the lengthy form and telling her I'm on assistance. Don't I have any right to privacy? Thanks for your advice.

 

[ecmst12]

Have you talked with your caseworker from the state about your questions?

 

[Meherenow]

I called the worker and she does not really care. When I was sent the form originally I only had four days to give it to my boss, have it filled out and returned to WI Foodshare. All the worker would do is extend the due date for the form. I still have to have it filled out by my employer or lose Foodshare benefits. I may let the benefits lapse if the only way I can get them is to tell my boss about it. I feel it shouldn't be any of my boss' business.

 

[Willlyjo]

I called the worker and she does not really care. When I was sent the form originally I only had four days to give it to my boss, have it filled out and returned to WI Foodshare. All the worker would do is extend the due date for the form. I still have to have it filled out by my employer or lose Foodshare benefits. I may let the benefits lapse if the only way I can get them is to tell my boss about it. I feel it shouldn't be any of my boss' business.

You should simply cut up your benefit card and throw it away and continue on with your life without EBT benefits. That way you aren't obligated to have your employer fill out any information disrupting your privacy.

 

[Meherenow]

So it's okay for state government to demand that in order to receive benefits which I'm entitled to get, I must go into my new boss' office and tell her, "oh by the way, I've been getting food stamps, would you fill out this form and fax it to the state?" And because I find this an invasion of privacy, ie, I shouldn't have to tell my new employer that I've been getting food stamps, I should forfeit my right to receive said benefits? I've been working over 40 years, and paying lots of taxes over those years, this is the first and only time I've had to ask for help in my life, so because I need some help I don't have a right to privacy? This makes me very, very angry. I had no idea they did this to people. But I guess I'm the only one who finds this practice unacceptable. Interesting.

 

[tranquility]

So it's okay for state government to demand that in order to receive benefits which I'm entitled to get, I must go into my new boss' office and tell her, "oh by the way, I've been getting food stamps, would you fill out this form and fax it to the state?" And because I find this an invasion of privacy, ie, I shouldn't have to tell my new employer that I've been getting food stamps, I should forfeit my right to receive said benefits? I've been working over 40 years, and paying lots of taxes over those years, this is the first and only time I've had to ask for help in my life, so because I need some help I don't have a right to privacy? This makes me very, very angry. I had no idea they did this to people. But I guess I'm the only one who finds this practice unacceptable. Interesting.

The state is allowed to put most any restrictions they want on the provision of welfare. I believe Florida was going to institute a requirement for regular drug testing to maintain benefits. While the ACLU promised a due process lawsuit, it still is in the courts. (It seemed to cost more than reduced benefits and there were enough problems in implementation to cause due process concerns where a lawsuit may be successful.) The main concern, however, had to do with the 4th amendment search issue.

 

[Ohiogal]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin

I'm a nurse, caught Lyme last summer and was paralyzed for several months. I lost my job, (couldn't work in a trauma hospital from a wheelchair), went on disability and receiving EBT benefits for the last few months. After a year of treatment and intense physical therapy I'm back on my feet and getting back to work albeit slowly. I just started a new part time nursing job a month ago and frankly, I've been dealing with this for a year and can't wait to get back to 100% and working full time and off assistance. I notified SSDI and EBT of my new part time job, also sent both SSDI and EBT my first and only pay stub so far. I want to do everything correctly. SSDI is perfectly happy with my sending them pay stubs monthly, no other questions asked. But my question is this, even though I've sent my pay stub to WI Foodshare, (EBT), they sent me a rather long form for my new employer to fill out and sign. I feel very uncomfortable with this, I feel it's none of my new employer's business that I've had to rely on assistance and it seems to me to be an infringement on my privacy. Am I wrong? Do I lose my right to privacy because I'm getting assistance? If so I'm thinking to hell with the EBT rather than ask my new employer to fill out the lengthy form and telling her I'm on assistance. Don't I have any right to privacy? Thanks for your advice.

Whether or not you receive EBT is not private quite frankly. Nor are you ENTITLED. You have to meet all requirements -- including have your employer fill out paperwork.

 

[Ohiogal]

So it's okay for state government to demand that in order to receive benefits which I'm entitled to get,

I think you are one of the 47% Mitt Romney was talking about. Let's get something straight -- you are NOT entitled to get food stamps. You must meet all the requirements which includes having your employer complete paperwork.

I must go into my new boss' office and tell her, "oh by the way, I've been getting food stamps, would you fill out this form and fax it to the state?" And because I find this an invasion of privacy, ie, I shouldn't have to tell my new employer that I've been getting food stamps, I should forfeit my right to receive said benefits?

You don't have a RIGHT to demand benefits on YOUR terms. Not the way it works. You can choose to get benefits on the terms of the people providing them.

I've been working over 40 years, and paying lots of taxes over those years, this is the first and only time I've had to ask for help in my life, so because I need some help I don't have a right to privacy? This makes me very, very angry. I had no idea they did this to people. But I guess I'm the only one who finds this practice unacceptable. Interesting.

You have a right to privacy. You also have a right to apply for foodstamps. The state has a RIGHT to request information and determine you are not qualified to receive foodstamps if you do not comply. None of those rights is any greater than the other.

 

[ecmst12]

I went onto your state benefits web site and I didn't see anything about a form that your employer must fill out. I saw a form that YOU would fill out, the income change report form, but I didn't see anything on there that said anything about your employer needing to fill out anything. So I am confused about what this would be needed for.

Considering you're recovering from a period of disability, I don't think anyone should think any less of you for needing help from the state during that period. Nor should you feel ashamed about it. We do what we have to in order to survive. That's what state benefits are there for.

 

[tranquility]

I went onto your state benefits web site and I didn't see anything about a form that your employer must fill out. I saw a form that YOU would fill out, the income change report form, but I didn't see anything on there that said anything about your employer needing to fill out anything. So I am confused about what this would be needed for.

I agree. What was the form number you needed to have filled out? Were there any other facts that may indicate a problem where the caseworker needed to do a special analysis?

Considering you're recovering from a period of disability, I don't think anyone should think any less of you for needing help from the state during that period. Nor should you feel ashamed about it. We do what we have to in order to survive. That's what state benefits are there for.

I agree here too. Times are hard and many are struggling through difficulties. While I understand some embarrassment from not being able to pull yourself up on your own, even the most hard core of us (Read, me.) recognize that if a fish is not fed, there is little chance to teach a person how to fish. And, in these times, the least aware of us know the lake is a bit fished out--even for a person who knows how to fish and who tries her hardest every day.

 

[Meherenow]

Thank you ecmst12 for your kind answer.

By entitled I meant that I already MET all the requirements per their rules. The form was mailed to me, and I was surprised to receive it, after I reported I was going back to work part time, (as much as the Transverse Myelitis from Lyme will allow me to work). As far as the "47% Romney was talking about" ohiogal, sorry, I didn't listen to Romney, he's a pagan shark baby killer, along with Obama, I'm not voting for either. Sad you'll believe someone who thinks God is an alien and he will be one, too, someday if he's a good boy. LOL!!!! I was not aware that not wanting my new boss to know I was getting food stamps for the last four months meant I was "demanding" assistance on my terms. I thought privacy WAS a right in this country, guess I was wrong considering the way things have been going in America.

Hopefully my hours will pick up and having been a trauma nurse for the last 20 years means I'll be off the government's radar soon. My number one goal is to get off all assistance completely. I've been receiving SSDI since Feb., 2012, and EBT since June, 2012, guess that makes me a deadbeat. Prior to that, (I was paralyzed in August of 2012), I was living off my savings and refused government assistance.


Thanks again for the snarky remarks by some, and after working 40 years and paying loads of taxes to keep your relatives fed? How nice that you insult me. Have a nice day anyway.

 

[tranquility]

Thank you ecmst12 for your kind answer.

By entitled I meant that I already MET all the requirements per their rules. The form was mailed to me, and I was surprised to receive it, after I reported I was going back to work part time, (as much as the Transverse Myelitis from Lyme will allow me to work). As far as the "47% Romney was talking about" ohiogal, sorry, I didn't listen to Romney, he's a pagan shark baby killer, along with Obama, I'm not voting for either. Sad you'll believe someone who thinks God is an alien and he will be one, too, someday if he's a good boy. LOL!!!! I was not aware that not wanting my new boss to know I was getting food stamps for the last four months meant I was "demanding" assistance on my terms. I thought privacy WAS a right in this country, guess I was wrong considering the way things have been going in America.

Hopefully my hours will pick up and having been a trauma nurse for the last 20 years means I'll be off the government's radar soon. My number one goal is to get off all assistance completely. I've been receiving SSDI since Feb., 2012, and EBT since June, 2012, guess that makes me a deadbeat. Prior to that, (I was paralyzed in August of 2012), I was living off my savings and refused government assistance.


Thanks again for the snarky remarks by some, and after working 40 years and paying loads of taxes to keep your relatives fed? How nice that you insult me. Have a nice day anyway.

right back at you.

The form number? Or, are you just here to vent?

 

[Ohiogal]

Thank you ecmst12 for your kind answer.

By entitled I meant that I already MET all the requirements per their rules. The form was mailed to me, and I was surprised to receive it, after I reported I was going back to work part time, (as much as the Transverse Myelitis from Lyme will allow me to work). As far as the "47% Romney was talking about" ohiogal, sorry, I didn't listen to Romney, he's a pagan shark baby killer, along with Obama, I'm not voting for either. Sad you'll believe someone who thinks God is an alien and he will be one, too, someday if he's a good boy. LOL!!!! I was not aware that not wanting my new boss to know I was getting food stamps for the last four months meant I was "demanding" assistance on my terms. I thought privacy WAS a right in this country, guess I was wrong considering the way things have been going in America.

Hopefully my hours will pick up and having been a trauma nurse for the last 20 years means I'll be off the government's radar soon. My number one goal is to get off all assistance completely. I've been receiving SSDI since Feb., 2012, and EBT since June, 2012, guess that makes me a deadbeat. Prior to that, (I was paralyzed in August of 2012), I was living off my savings and refused government assistance.


Thanks again for the snarky remarks by some, and after working 40 years and paying loads of taxes to keep your relatives fed? How nice that you insult me. Have a nice day anyway.

Actually privacy is NOT an absolute right in this country. While it is contained in the penumbra of rights of the Constitution, if you want food stamps or other aid, you must abide by the rules. If you need to get a piece of paper filled out by your employer then you do so or you don't get food stamps.

The only one calling you a deadbeat is you. As for the "pagan shark baby killer", make sure you fix that tin foil hat. It might provide you with some protection.

 

[tranquility]

Actually privacy is NOT an absolute right in this country. While it is contained in the penumbra of rights of the Constitution, if you want food stamps or other aid, you must abide by the rules. If you need to get a piece of paper filled out by your employer then you do so or you don't get food stamps.

The only one calling you a deadbeat is you. As for the "pagan shark baby killer", make sure you fix that tin foil hat. It might provide you with some protection.

I only half agree with you. Well, 3/4's. As to the protection from a tin foil hat:
http://berkeley.intel-research.net/arahimi/helmet/

 

[Ohiogal]

I only half agree with you. Well, 3/4's. As to the protection from a tin foil hat:
http://berkeley.intel-research.net/arahimi/helmet/

That study was about ALUMINUM foil -- not tin foil. But point taken. Thanks for giving me a study to read that was entertaining and educational.