| Attempting to Work While Homeless |
In the viewpoint of many people the solution to all homelessness is for people to simply
"get a job". That sounds simple and easy, just get a job. In the real world however,
getting and maintaining a job to afford housing while homeless is hardly that simple.
"get a job". That sounds simple and easy, just get a job. In the real world however,
getting and maintaining a job to afford housing while homeless is hardly that simple.
For those with homes, cars, good clothing, phones, and all the typical necessities of
everyday life it can still be difficult to find, and keep, employment that actually pays a
good living wage. When a person has none of these things maintaining meaningful
employment is a hundred times more difficult. Getting a job is hard enough, keeping the
job requires much more. There are several factors in maintaining a job. Those who have
never been without any of the basic necessities can easily assume that everyone has
access to them.
everyday life it can still be difficult to find, and keep, employment that actually pays a
good living wage. When a person has none of these things maintaining meaningful
employment is a hundred times more difficult. Getting a job is hard enough, keeping the
job requires much more. There are several factors in maintaining a job. Those who have
never been without any of the basic necessities can easily assume that everyone has
access to them.
Adequate Sleep
Having to sleep on the ground and dealing with rain, thunderstorms, oppressive heat or
freezing cold, mosquitoes, and night foraging animals can make it difficult or impossible at
times. Add to that the very real danger of being attacked, robbed, beaten, or even killed,
and then try to get some sleep. Trying to sleep in some night shelters isn't always that
much better.
Having to sleep on the ground and dealing with rain, thunderstorms, oppressive heat or
freezing cold, mosquitoes, and night foraging animals can make it difficult or impossible at
times. Add to that the very real danger of being attacked, robbed, beaten, or even killed,
and then try to get some sleep. Trying to sleep in some night shelters isn't always that
much better.
Working close to others demands good hygiene. Not
being able to even shower frequently, or have clean
and appropriate clothes, rules out any employment like
this even if more than qualified to do the job. .
being able to even shower frequently, or have clean
and appropriate clothes, rules out any employment like
this even if more than qualified to do the job. .
Keeping Clean
Any indoor work demands being clean and outdoor labor work requires being able to
clean up afterward. Sleeping outside in your clothes doesn't help. Some places provide
showers for the homeless, but due to location and time they are unavailable to most in
need. Getting appropriate clean clothes is a major problem. When clothes get dirty and
wet they stay that way. Few places will help people with washing clothes for free.
Any indoor work demands being clean and outdoor labor work requires being able to
clean up afterward. Sleeping outside in your clothes doesn't help. Some places provide
showers for the homeless, but due to location and time they are unavailable to most in
need. Getting appropriate clean clothes is a major problem. When clothes get dirty and
wet they stay that way. Few places will help people with washing clothes for free.
A Place for Belongings
Keeping a supply of clean clothes and personal items is extremely difficult while living
outside. If your things are stolen or vandalized (often burned) it's considered to be your
own fault for not having housing. Carrying everything around (even if that were possible)
doesn't help in maintaining a "normal" appearance. If your clothes get wet in the rain
they're likely to just stay that way until they get mildewed.
Keeping a supply of clean clothes and personal items is extremely difficult while living
outside. If your things are stolen or vandalized (often burned) it's considered to be your
own fault for not having housing. Carrying everything around (even if that were possible)
doesn't help in maintaining a "normal" appearance. If your clothes get wet in the rain
they're likely to just stay that way until they get mildewed.
Transportation
Relatively few homeless have cars, or can afford to keep them running. This leaves the
bus system, bicycles, or walking. Some areas have good bus systems, but they don't
always go where the jobs are. With waiting, transfers, plus walking it can take hours. A trip
that takes 20 minutes by car can take two hours or more by bus.
You would think that bus systems could get people to jobs early in the morning. The bus
system where I live (PSTA in Pinellas County FL) is fairly good, but most buses don't run
early enough for a person to get to a 7AM job, even if the bus runs on schedule.
I live close to Tampa, Florida, and there are work opportunities there and a bus system.
So, why don't I use it? I live in another county, which has it's own bus system, but there is
no connection from here for the regular buses. The two bus systems could cooperate, but
they don't, so you simply can't get from one to the other.
Relatively few homeless have cars, or can afford to keep them running. This leaves the
bus system, bicycles, or walking. Some areas have good bus systems, but they don't
always go where the jobs are. With waiting, transfers, plus walking it can take hours. A trip
that takes 20 minutes by car can take two hours or more by bus.
You would think that bus systems could get people to jobs early in the morning. The bus
system where I live (PSTA in Pinellas County FL) is fairly good, but most buses don't run
early enough for a person to get to a 7AM job, even if the bus runs on schedule.
I live close to Tampa, Florida, and there are work opportunities there and a bus system.
So, why don't I use it? I live in another county, which has it's own bus system, but there is
no connection from here for the regular buses. The two bus systems could cooperate, but
they don't, so you simply can't get from one to the other.
Communication
How can an employer reach a homeless person who applied for work? Being without a
mailing address or phone number makes it very difficult. If a temporary agency needs
someone for an opening they choose from those they can reach immediately. Most
employers will not even consider anyone who doesn't provide a phone number.
How can an employer reach a homeless person who applied for work? Being without a
mailing address or phone number makes it very difficult. If a temporary agency needs
someone for an opening they choose from those they can reach immediately. Most
employers will not even consider anyone who doesn't provide a phone number.
Conflicts with the Law (or the Community)
Police generally don't bother people sleeping outside unless it's private property or visible
to the public. With public pressure on authorities to eliminate the homeless it keeps getting
more diffucult. I've been stopped by police repeatedly just for walking to work early in the
morning. "Normal" people don't walk to work in the morning when it's still dark.
Police generally don't bother people sleeping outside unless it's private property or visible
to the public. With public pressure on authorities to eliminate the homeless it keeps getting
more diffucult. I've been stopped by police repeatedly just for walking to work early in the
morning. "Normal" people don't walk to work in the morning when it's still dark.
Undue Suspicions
While some employers may be understanding, and even flexible on terms, knowing that a
person is homeless, most are not. If you don't show evidence of a place to live people
automatically assume you're a criminal. If you don't have a drivers license they assume
that it must have been revoked for drunk driving or some other offense. Many employers
won't consider anyone using a shelter as an address (even if it is discrimination). Many
homeless people don't have any significant job or personal references either.
While some employers may be understanding, and even flexible on terms, knowing that a
person is homeless, most are not. If you don't show evidence of a place to live people
automatically assume you're a criminal. If you don't have a drivers license they assume
that it must have been revoked for drunk driving or some other offense. Many employers
won't consider anyone using a shelter as an address (even if it is discrimination). Many
homeless people don't have any significant job or personal references either.
Food
Until that first paycheck, which could be weeks, you still need to eat. There are some
places that provide free lunches or dinners for the homeless but, especially for those
trying to work, may be inaccessable due to time of day or location. Some soup-kitchens
have been forced to close as a means of "eliminating the homeless". I know of one
mission that had been serving free breakfast and dinner to anyone coming in for about 20
years that was ordered by the city to stop providing meals on the grounds that they didn't
have adequate parking. Most of the people coming there didn't have vehicles, but it was a
convenient way of stopping them from helping people. Many churches provide free
groceries, but it doesn't help a lot with nowhere to cook, or even store any food. .
Until that first paycheck, which could be weeks, you still need to eat. There are some
places that provide free lunches or dinners for the homeless but, especially for those
trying to work, may be inaccessable due to time of day or location. Some soup-kitchens
have been forced to close as a means of "eliminating the homeless". I know of one
mission that had been serving free breakfast and dinner to anyone coming in for about 20
years that was ordered by the city to stop providing meals on the grounds that they didn't
have adequate parking. Most of the people coming there didn't have vehicles, but it was a
convenient way of stopping them from helping people. Many churches provide free
groceries, but it doesn't help a lot with nowhere to cook, or even store any food. .
The Cost of Housing
With minimum wage work, even if it's full time, it's difficult to rent even the cheapest rooms
and then afford other necessities like food. Renting an apartment may require putting
$1000 down (if not far more) plus proving adequate wages to qualify. The cost of housing
has been going up much faster than wages in much of the country. A good job requires
having housing and affording your own housing requires a job.
With minimum wage work, even if it's full time, it's difficult to rent even the cheapest rooms
and then afford other necessities like food. Renting an apartment may require putting
$1000 down (if not far more) plus proving adequate wages to qualify. The cost of housing
has been going up much faster than wages in much of the country. A good job requires
having housing and affording your own housing requires a job.
Competition
Even for some of the hardest, dirtiest, and dangerous low paying jobs there is competition.
It's not unusual to have dozens of applicants for one job opening, and employers don't
choose based on the person's need.
Even for some of the hardest, dirtiest, and dangerous low paying jobs there is competition.
It's not unusual to have dozens of applicants for one job opening, and employers don't
choose based on the person's need.
Some may think that a homeless person can just go to a public shelter and get all the help
they need. In reality, even if the local area has a shelter it's probably full to capacity. If a
person is fortunate enough to get in, they may be limited to only a few nights. Even then,
the shelter isn't responsible to provide any further assistance that may be needed. Could
you get a job and save enough to rent a room simply by having a bed and a shower for a
few nights?
they need. In reality, even if the local area has a shelter it's probably full to capacity. If a
person is fortunate enough to get in, they may be limited to only a few nights. Even then,
the shelter isn't responsible to provide any further assistance that may be needed. Could
you get a job and save enough to rent a room simply by having a bed and a shower for a
few nights?
There are some unavoidable facts to all this. Being able to get, and maintain, a job which
will pay enough to make it possible to get permanent housing usually requires having
housing and other assistance to get started. Without some kind of assistance unemployed
homeless people are likely to stay that way, no matter how hard they try on their own.
will pay enough to make it possible to get permanent housing usually requires having
housing and other assistance to get started. Without some kind of assistance unemployed
homeless people are likely to stay that way, no matter how hard they try on their own.
These are some basic factors to consider in being able to get, and maintain,
a meaningful job while being homeless:
a meaningful job while being homeless:
Comments, suggestions, or questions?
email me at:
clyde@homelessamerican.com
email me at:
clyde@homelessamerican.com
Having Proper Identification
With increased government controls on acquiring identification, like state I.D. and birth
certificates, it's harder to get your own papers even if you were born in the US.
In order to get a copy of your own birth certificate you have to show proof of identification,
and to get identification, you need a birth certificate. For many people, it can take months
of government red tape just to prove they are an American citizen. If you can't get any
identification you can't work, even if you were born in the United States and have lived
here all your life. If your wallet with your I.D. is stolen you have to start all over again, as if
you were an illegal immigrant.
The state of Florida is now going to require three forms of identification just to get a
replacement for a lost drivers license or state I.D. To get I.D. you need to already have I.D.
With increased government controls on acquiring identification, like state I.D. and birth
certificates, it's harder to get your own papers even if you were born in the US.
In order to get a copy of your own birth certificate you have to show proof of identification,
and to get identification, you need a birth certificate. For many people, it can take months
of government red tape just to prove they are an American citizen. If you can't get any
identification you can't work, even if you were born in the United States and have lived
here all your life. If your wallet with your I.D. is stolen you have to start all over again, as if
you were an illegal immigrant.
The state of Florida is now going to require three forms of identification just to get a
replacement for a lost drivers license or state I.D. To get I.D. you need to already have I.D.
Driving a taxi in urban areas is among the
most dangerous jobs, yet many people with
skills for far better paying jobs still do it as
a last resort.
most dangerous jobs, yet many people with
skills for far better paying jobs still do it as
a last resort.
Having nothing but a sheet of plastic in
the rain doesn't make for a good
night's sleep, and then being able to
perform well on the job in the morning.
the rain doesn't make for a good
night's sleep, and then being able to
perform well on the job in the morning.
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If a person has been homeless for over a year some agencies will label them "chronic
homeless" and they are assumed to be an addict or disabled. How many professional
people, with substantial education, would be able to get meaningful work if they were in the
situatiion of being homeless. Would they be able to start over by digging ditches until they
saved enough to have the means to get a professional job? Would you expect a 50 year
old professional person, who has never done hard manual labor before, to be capable of
spending 40 or more hours a week at the hardest labor jobs?
homeless" and they are assumed to be an addict or disabled. How many professional
people, with substantial education, would be able to get meaningful work if they were in the
situatiion of being homeless. Would they be able to start over by digging ditches until they
saved enough to have the means to get a professional job? Would you expect a 50 year
old professional person, who has never done hard manual labor before, to be capable of
spending 40 or more hours a week at the hardest labor jobs?