I have full understanding of what you are talking about. And it began for me around the same time period as this post was made. I too filed BK, it was discharged Nov 11 2005.
So I will share my ordeal with you, so you do not feel alone in this mess.
Leading to BK -
Age 27 -28 My son was born, Birth/Maternity cost = $218,000
I had (what I thought of as) great insurance through my job.
Blue Cross PPO 80/20 [IN NETWORK]
$6000 OOP Annual Costs,
$35.00 Per Visit Co-pay,
$1000.00 Annual Deductible
Premium =$115.00 Month Group insurance plan
My hourly Wage - $10.00 + OT (when available)
Line of work = Beer Merchandiser
Length of time in industry = 12 years
Prior to my sons birth I obtained a "verbal" authorization from Blue Cross for the hospital closest to where I lived. However, AFTER, the birth, it was "found" that the hospital nor the OBGYN was actually covered, they were "Out Of Network".
Blue cross refused to cover 1 penny. Not one.
By the time I figured it out it was too late, the damage had already been done and the accounts were already in CO status on the CRA's. I was a single parent by this time, as my sons father was too much of a "Playboy" and had moved on to bigger fish by then. Cant foresee everything.
My maternity leave ended in April 2004, I went back to work. I worked all the time, 12-15 hour days and what didn't get eating up in taxes, went to pay my exorbitant Daycare fees. Daycare was another matter entirely. I had no family help, my mother was 200 miles away and not interested in involvement, my father was 800 miles away and worked 40 hours week himself. My brother was a college student (25)and we lived in the same town, but being that I was a mom now, he also had no interest in being around a baby. So, I had my inner network of friends and no one had ever experienced an Out Of Network issue with their health insurance before. So I was at a loss for advice. I did seek out the County Daycare Help, the results which were as follows "The county daycare block grant money is only eligible for people who received TANF. There are no funds for those who are not receiving assistance". Essentially, I was advised that if I quit my job, and went on welfare and THEN I would qualify to receive help for daycare.
I kept working. Hoping to at some point have a break and be able to catch up on daycare charges, so I could start to pay down these bills-Or Something.
April 2005 -
I had been in contact with my ex, and offered to buy him a car if he could pick our son up from daycare(that was his excuse for not "helping") so I could re-allocate my OT money to bills and not daycare.
Daycare was .25 mile from where he worked, so I did not see this as such a burden.
He agreed, I took my tax return and bought him a car, 2500.00. I delivered the car, and he was to pick our son up from daycare the next day in accordance with the agreement. He never showed, but kept the car. I received a call from daycare saying no one had picked up my son, and thus the OT continues.
So I was out the tax return and out the car and STILL had to come up with extra money for daycare, which ran around $1200 month due to having regular OT. But it canceled itself out. Even so, I had been at my job soooo long and in the line of work I was in you cant "not" work OT if told to do so. Store owners get more upset over their Beer delivery not showing up, more so than any other delivery.
2 weeks later -
I received notice that the Med Bills had received judgment against me, and they received a garnishment for around 49% of my income. At that percentage, I would no longer be able to afford my rent. Set to start next pay period.
So I called my dad, and asked If I could come home and live for a while while I filed BK.
This was major because I had relocated to where I was and had network of work friends and loved my network, but it was down to the wire. SO I quit my job, moved home and immediately began my search for my BK lawyer. I had consult in May 2005, It was filed in July and discharged in Nov.
So, this is where things get sticky.
October 2005 -
So, a friend of mine calls me up and says I can come stay with her, she has 3 bedrooms, if I wanted to move back and I could look for work and help pay half rent. At this time I had gone down and gotten on TANF, and so I had an income, small, so I figured alright well that sounds great. I'll be back to work in no time.
After the move, I applied everywhere within my line of work first as my old job would not take me back, the stated reason "you didn't give notice". I thought this was funny because, they had taken back all kinds of employees that suddenly quit, sometimes more than 2X. I had a sick record of 6X in 8 years, even with a child. I always went to work. So, ok I didn't stew on that too long.
Feb 2006 -
I picked up Temp work at a picture factory, but that made me very sick. I was in a basement for 10 hours a day with bubbling ink vats(chems). It is my opinion that this caused all my ailments, but cannot be proven as I was only temp. (and the ailments cleared up after about a week clear of that place)
May 2006 -
Next I got a call from a home health care place that agreed to give me 12 hours a week, = 4 clients. Position was for Home Health Aid(laundry,cooking,cleaning,pharmacy P/U)
I paid gas, travel time was not paid, I provided the car and insurance. It was crap really. Liked the clients though, but I got way used.
Then, I didn't find this out until it was too late, but we were paid Once a month. 1 check every 3 weeks, @ 25 days. what??????????? I had inquired at 2 weeks when the first check would come in and they told me I would have to wait 2 pay periods for my first check to generate which = 1.5 months.
Rent is due once a month? what? I cant work here!
At this point my roommate was moving in with her boyfriend. I did not qualify for 3X the amount of rent Anywhere, so, I had to pack it in and go back to my dads. I did not foresee this at all. I could not figure out why with all the contacts that I had, positive references, and rock solid work record since 16 years old, no criminal background, or DUI's why I could not get work???
Even my prior Job gave good reference for me, I verified this with one Water company I applied to and had three interviews with. No one mentioned the BK. NO One.
2009-2010
By this time I had invested in an RV, got married, and had re-educated myself.
Between 2009-2010 I re-educated in several different areas with certificate degrees.
Forklift Driver Certificate
Food Handling Certificate
First Aid Certificate
CPR Certificate
4 Self Improvement Certificates
Nutritional Counseling Certificate.
I figured re-educating in something else would help my odds of employment, thats what they tell you to do in the new economy-re-educate, so I did. The certs were all good for 2 years and I figured Id get something in two years. Not On Bite.
I traveled all over looking for work 2010-2011. 4 different states, email apps and hand delivered apps.
There was a hospital I made ongoing apps with in Oregon, and seemed like as soon as my App went through, I got an Email disqualifying me yet no reason code.Only “Please feel free reapply”.
SO I used this one as a test. I applied for everything that did not require Upper Education degree. And each and every one I was rejected for , no matter what it was. I thought about it, and the application was given denial status within 1 hour of submition on all accounts. In this limited time frame, this means that my app was machine rejected, by set application standards set by the HR Department in charge of applicant selection. There was no "badmouthing" by former employers, or reference verification going on. There was something on my app that was getting it kicked out right away. By way of virtual process of elimination
The Only derogatory thing behind my name - Bankruptcy-.
So I went into see HR, and what I found was HR was “Virtual”. There was no HR department. NO one to speak with, only a computer somewhere in virtual land. So I called the number and it went to an outside call center who re-directed the phone call to an answering service that then calls you back from some where else.
I got a call from a women who could not confirm or deny that I was discarded for BK, or for having been out of work for more then the now “3 Month Standard”.
Present -
I still live with my dad. I doubt I will ever find work again in this lifetime. I have no reason to believe in this theory. Between the 3 month rule and a BK, I am of the belief that there is no job for me.
However, my credit score is the best it has ever been, I am more educated on Everything around me, I have managed to PIF for everything I own and I have both vehicle security, and home security(I invested in a 5th wheel-saved up PIF) and I own both outright, and now bank in the black with my account every month and the daycare that cost me $14,400 a year Is no longer raising my child.
I stopped looking for work in Dec 2011, 6 years later. I will no longer pursue that path. I have a meager income, and have downsized my life to be completely manageable . Doing more with less. I am married now as well, and we are going to buy land in the near future and pursue our own avenues there.
So, I understand. I also gather there are more of us out there as well.
Good luck
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