Suspended from new job

In all its wisdom, the State of NJ Pension system claims I left my last job with a plan in hand to go work for another State agency (School). This can be done if you wait 30 days then apply for the new job. I waited 90 days before going to work at the school district. The State Approved my pension, say they have it in their records that I could start the new job and receive my pension.

Now that the school district has handed in paperwork stating I now work there, the State says I wasn't allowed to do that. They told the school that until further notice I can't work for them and say they may take my pension away. No time given on how long they will take to decide if I broke a NJ law. So now I have 0 income coming in and we are depending on my wife's pay check. I've applied for unemployment but doubt I will be able to collect. In the meantime, the school has given all my assigned days to other people.

I guess living in NJ I should expect this kind of crap!

Good lord.

Do you have any documentation stating you were cleared?  How could the school system hire you if you we're cleared? Wouldn't the owness be on them?  Seems ass backwards if they can hire, vet, background check, all that crap.  Then come after you.  

Just another example of government being so overtly complicated and involved in everything we do, good people end up getting sweep up one way or another. What's the reason for these boundaries of time?

DoE and states have so much purview over school systems, although they fund very small portions.   Local taxes usually fund 85% or more of schools.  The laws should be proportional, instead of this cockamamie system we have now.

I have my notes typed up after each conversation. No one from the state will give you their last name, only an initial. From what the state has read back to me from the file in the computer matches what I have from my notes. They agree with what I am saying, but different pension systems in the State Pension go by different rules.
They agree that they told me I can work and cash checks. BUT the next department doesn't agree. The next department won't even talk to me. Lawyer time if they won't pay my pension and let me work.

Sue them, win and then rent a moving van and leave.

I'll wait for their final decision and then if need be I'll have to find a lawyer that deals in pension funds. It will be an uphill battle when I ask for lost wages until this is settled.

My wife wants to move out of here for the last 4 years but I don't want to leave until next spring when my son is out of college. She wants to move to Georgia, I want to move to Texas. This summer his college has asked that he stay and teach computer classes. $25 hour, 40 hours a week, 2 weeks per class. I told him do it for 1 or 2, but you don't want to spend your summer in the city.

That's a great wage while at school. That's a good opportunity, least it sounds like to me.

When I went to school found a job paying $15 /h doing electronic component assembly on a production line. 4pm til 4am Friday, Saturday, Sunday. We worked 36 hours, they paid for 40. Monday mornings at school 7am were tough. Had all week for school and studies. Got laid off after 9 months. Still best gig I had while at school.

My dad grew up in Georgia. Depending where you are there are some really nice areas there.

TheQuig wrote:

BUT the next department doesn't agree. The next department won't even talk to me.

WOW!

We don't agree, will not say why and are going to withhold your benefits.

Yup, sounds like our government.

I'll probably hire a lawyer sooner than later. If the State would have given me a date stating why they did a about face and a date that they would decide by I could at least have a plan. With 2 months until summer break they are screwing me hard.

Sorry to hear that. Seems like a small state like NJ wouldn't have things so tied up in knots. Best of luck!

I vote Texas!

We have a huge population per square mile. Too many people. On Monday I'm calling a lawyer that deals with pensions and we also happen to have a State Senator with an office in my town. The hard part is they don't give you anything in writing as of yet. They called the school district and told them I couldn't work until things get straightened out, but nothing to them or me in writing. In the meantime every day I get a notice by email saying the next days scheduled work has been cancelled for me.

Today I called my State Senators office that happens to be in my town. They had me send a letter to them explaining what is going on. It took 2 pages to go through it step by step but I think it was easy to understand. They said to give them a few days to look at it and contact the State before I spend money on a lawyer.
I have written several letters to his office in regards to voting on 2A rights and they always answer.

Thats good that they seem interested. Im sure they know your by name now which I hope is good.

The Senators office called today. They have a letter written and it is waiting for the Senator to sign before being sent out to the pension board.

Hopefully they get this straightened out without you needing to pony up for a lawyer.

Heck, if I do have to hire a lawyer, I can see an entire year of pension paying for it. Over the long haul, the pension is worth around $150K. Every penny helps.

Good luck and hurry and get out!

Today I received an email of the letter the Senator sent to the Pension Board. It is to the top person in charge telling them to assign the case immediately and inform him and myself of an outcome ASAP. The Director is also told to personally contact me to let me know names, phone numbers and where the case stands. I expect Trenton to receive the letter today, so at least by Monday I should have some contact with the right people.

Sounds like you got the right man on the job.

I have written this Senator many times when 2A issues come up. He has always taken the time to send back a letter. North and South Jersey are like 2 different states. He always put up the good fight for our rights in the south.

Sounds like a badass to me. He actually done his job!

I have been in contact with the state today. At the very least I will not be able to work in a public sector job for 180 days starting May 1. I might be able to resubmit my pension retirement date to May 1, and send back the checks I have been paid. I didn't cash the checks as the answers to my questions by the pension board varied from person to person.
Tuesday I will get a phone call to let me know if what I discussed with them will be okay with the supervisor. The state will have to listen to all my taped phone calls to them, which I think backs me up. I have to go to the school board and resign my position no later than 4/30.
The final determination will take about 4 months.
Bottom line is that I have 0 income I can contribute, my wife works but when the end of June comes, her paycheck stops until September when school starts.
All things I believe happen for a reason, it's dark now, but something else must be waiting for me.

I hope you have some savings to dip into. And if read that right, you will get back pension after they make a final decision?

At least you're getting some answers, even if they aren't what was wanted.

theshyguy wrote:

I hope you have some savings to dip into. And if read that right, you will get back pension  after they make a final decision?

At least you're getting some answers, even if they aren't what was wanted.

The savings will take a big hit. The pension was just a piece of the puzzle. I needed to work at the school to make up about $1,700 per month.
I will get back pension when things get settled hopefully by September.
I now will without a doubt sign up for social security and find a part time job outside in the private sector that will allow me to make $15K year without upsetting the social security. (That's where the school job was perfect).
I'll have to make a priority of taking the gas tank out of my 53 Dodge M-37, put in new batteries, get it running and for sale immediately. Running it should bring in between $7,000 to $9,000.

No one every said life is fair, so I'll do what I need to do to keep things going.

TheQuig wrote:

I now will without a doubt sign up for social security and find a part time job outside in the private sector that will allow me to make $15K year without upsetting the social security.

Hopefully they don't move that goal post on you after the fact as well.

At this point nothing surprises me.

Diesel Dan wrote:

TheQuig wrote:

I now will without a doubt sign up for social security and find a part time job outside in the private sector that will allow me to make $15K year without upsetting the social security.

Hopefully they don't move that goal post on you after the fact as well.

I signed up today, was pretty straight forward.

If you dont mind me asking, how bad does all this mess up your retirement plans?

As it turns out, the summer months will be hard with no cash flow. I'll have to dip into my 401K.
Social Security was great to work with, and for at least 4 more years I will receive extra money for children.
I believe that by September, My state pension will be back in place.
I can still earn $15K a year beside my SS and and pension. Pension does not count as earnings.
I will find a part time job in the private sector. Working at the school would have been great, but I'll just find something a few days a week. I can't earn more than $1,310 per month as it breaks down.
I applied for unemployment as it was the state that stopped me from working, and that doesn't affect social security.
In the end, I will take home close to what I did in the past having a lower tax bracket, college costs will go down and scholarship money will go up.

Sounds like it's working out not too terrible. Certainly could be worse. Just sucks that the govt meant to serve is causing this headache. Now instead of working and paying taxes you are getting unemployment. Crazy things!