Q–You once wrote about workers who may be unemployed because of personality problems, bad behavior or poor work ethics. Our 30-year-old son has all of those problems and cannot find or hold a job. He has had the opportunity to attend college or receive vocational training, but he will not apply himself to finish even one course. What resources are available to help him?
A–Unfortunately, a person cannot be helped if he or she does not want to change. Some people are more comfortable living in an unsuccessful–but predictable–rut, rather than stepping out into the unknown. If your son admits he has problems and shows a desire to get help, many religious organizations and mental health clinics have counseling centers that charge people on a sliding scale, based on income.
But have you considered whether he might have a long-undetected learning disability? “We’re discovering many adults who have learning disabilities or attention-deficit disorder that went undiagnosed when they were children. This would cause problems at work just as it did in school,” says Dr. Nancy Newton of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. It would help your son to have a psychological assessment done by an expert in that particular field.
If your son has always relied on you to bail him out of difficult situations, you and your husband may want to seek counseling as a couple. Newton says it’s important for you to meet your needs while understanding your son’s limitations.
Q–I worked for five years at a small business run by the owner, his sons and grandson. I pitied their gardener, who, for 10 years, worked for $6.50 an hour; and their warehouse girl, who, in lieu of a raise, was offered low rent in one of their houses in an unsafe neighborhood. None of this concerned me until a time came when, being owed $310, I received a letter stating that because of slow times my insurance reimbursement was capped at $200. (I paid my own premiums.) I told the president it was unethical to cut my compensation without advance notice, but he professed to not understand, so I quit. I would like to take this issue to small claims court, but I understand that filing would be costly.
A– You don’t have to sue: You can get free help from the Illinois Department of Labor, 312-793-2800. But unless you have something in writing, it sounds like your ex-boss will deny he owes you money and you may have to consider the $110 a learning experience.
Q–I just read the Chicago Tribune at my local (New Mexico) bookstore for possible jobs in my field in the Chicago area, and can’t understand why employers refuse to advertise the salary range of a position. I think it would be wasteful for me to call long-distance to inquire. What do you recommend to out-of-town job seekers?
A–Companies hope to get the best candidate for the least amount of compensation. If the ad says the job pays $25,000 to $30,000, the company has no room to negotiate. If it’s willing to go to $30,000, why would anyone settle for $25,000? If you see a position for which you qualify, include in your cover letter the salary range that you’d consider. Also, send your resume to headhunters who know the Chicago market.
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Write to Lindsey Novak, At Work, Financial Department, 4th Floor, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611, or, via e-mail: AtWorkbyLN@aol.com. No phone calls, please.
Lindsey Novak appears on `Among Friends’ on WCFC-TV (Ch. 38) at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday.
