So yeah,
This is the one area I havn't explored.
I know that a work-study position at my school won't be a problem,
But how has everyone approached the regular retail job or whatever?
My degree isn't finished yet, and I don't have enough qual to intrn yet either.
So I may need to just get a regular job to keep the school debt down (very important to me).
Any suggestions?
I thought about trying some former employers, explaining that my past neurosis had a reason that is no longer applicable, and see if they still think well of me..

But what about otherwise?

I DO live in a very liberal area (Boulder CO[like the Republic of..]) So I really have no clue. Experience has shown me that 98% of my worries are in my head so this probably won't be a big deal.
Any suggestions though?

I'm still in school to and will have to do my internship in ? many months. I'm waiting for my next OSAP payment in 2 months then I'm going to start doing my name change. That way when I go to work I can use that name and no one will even suspect anything. As for going to previous employers...I personally would not do that, things would be too auckward. But if you wasn't too and they don't accept you just ask yourself if you want to work with someone like that anyways. Some people will never accept the change and time won't change there opinion, It's best just to start fresh and have people know you for who you are not who you where.

Most of my previous employers are good friends who I am out to.
We hang out occasionally and get a drink, or have dinner together.
It's much more casual than Employer/employee.
One of those circumstances where perhaps we made better friends than co-workers.
If by akwardness, you mean by coming out to them, as I said, I am out to everybody.
I just havn't gotten a job since I started school, and now my debt is piling up and I want to keep it down, rather than live off loans.

Quote from: Jessica G on December 24, 2007, 12:36:28 PM
... then I'm going to start doing my name change. That way when I go to work I can use that name and no one will even suspect anything.

That's great in your area, but in the US of A, the Social Security Administration compares the gender in their database with the gender your employer has recorded.  If they don't match, SSA sends a letter to your employer saying. "That's really a dude (or dudette)."

Robyn

Quote from: Robyn on December 24, 2007, 05:50:57 PM
.....in the US of A, the Social Security Administration compares the gender in their database with the gender your employer has recorded.  If they don't match, SSA sends a letter to your employer saying. "That's really a dude (or dudette)."

Robyn

In some companies, as in my company, when that happens, you explain it to HR, and are regarded as a welcome addition to their diverse workplace.  Not the best pay scale in the world, but hey.....at least they're advanced in that regard.



Bev,
Queen of commas and run-ons,
who will not stop a thought,
unless she has found some way of sprinkling more commas and conjunctions with which to complete those thoughts, AND ...(breath)... complete a sentence.

I reapplied at two previous employers. I never heard back from one but the other called me in, we updated my history and I went back to work.

You don't know what you can do unless you try.

Karen Lyn

I didn't have a problem. And I've had four jobs since I started full-time (Aug 2006). I had four jobs because I got bored of one and went to another place. The first place knew and I explained it to them, which was fine by them. The next place knew because I worked for them before. The third place didn't know, and didn't even bother checking out my past history. And the forth place, where I work now, I got hired on the stop without even an interview... they checked out my last three places, and my name was the same with each, so it was no problem.

Although, I must admit, for retail jobs in Calgary it's uber easy to find one. Just walk down the street and you're bound to get hired that day, probably by the first or second door you walk in. Professional jobs are a bit more picker, but still not too hard because places are begging for employees. The city is having mega problems with the boom. Not enough places to live, but having too many job vacancies at the same time. So, jobs are easy, but finding a place to live that's a decent price is the tricky part. It becomes a catch 22.

--Natalie

My recent experience is Social Security and the IRS doesn't care what you call yourself so long as the number is correct when they are taking money from you.  Social Security is more fussy on the payout side.  They will send checks to the name on your card untill you change it and they want a court document.

According to my lawyer (a transman) it's very difficult to get the gender marker on your SS account even if you have a new birth certificate.  The policy is unclear and it's the luck of the draw that you can get it done.  I'm on Medicare, which is part of SS.  My doctors can submit bills and have them paid under my new name with no problem.  If the gender marker changes Medicare will kick it back.

My employer is a large institution that does many different things.  One of them involves major weapons contracting with DOD.  Consequently everyone gets a background even if. like me, they have nothing to do with the military.  I felt I should disclose because not doing so would leave me vulnerable to termination if it was thought I was being deceptive.

Know what your rights are.  It varies state to state.  In California trans people have almost the same rights as any other minority.  Here in the Peoples Republic of San Francisco we have all the protections.  Consulting an attorney is a good way to understand your rights and obligations.

Oh yeah,
I'm not personally worried about the SSA thing.

I have no intention of hiding my identity.

I will be up front from the very begining.

I have no wish to create problems later on by having suprises happen to them.

They will know and be cool, or I won't work for them.

I'm out and up front with everyone about my gender status...but that's just me...now...I won't tell them until they call me in for the interview...but I don't hide it from people and I'm always more the happy to answer any questions they might have. Seems the 'bathroom' thing is always one of the biggest issues...but I have never had any problems using the woman's bathroom anyplace I've been...even when around people who know I'm trans.

Usually the only people who ever need to know about me nowadays is the HR department; I'm very passable and never have problems with the other employees. Now, if someone comes across some of my sites and postings it can get out and then I'll have to address it, but it's never really been a problem to be honest...

Just my thoughts on the topic...

Peace and love,
Izzy

I never bring it up until after I get the offer.  No one has ever asked me about it either.  It's rude to bring it up in an interview setting.  I work in a field that's very conscious of being politically correct.  There are many different queer folk that work in my profession so I don't stand out very much.

Some companies routinely run background checks, not sure why Rite-Aid would do so though for an entry level position. Your old name will probably come up anyway during that time and that's why they're asking I think.

Quote from: Keira on December 28, 2007, 10:40:13 AM

Some companies routinely run background checks, not sure why Rite-Aid would do so though for an entry level position. Your old name will probably come up anyway during that time and that's why they're asking I think.

Working in a pharmacy you have access to drugs.  A drug charge or theft charge would probably be very bad.

down by law with Rite-Aid and the drug deal.  And almost any job where you handle cash is going to do a check, any job that involves kids will too.  But, due to lawsuits that fall on the company, its becoming pro forma to check everyone for everything.

I applied at Burger King, never told the manager anything. She called me by my legal name, but used 'He' and treated me as any other male. My friend who worked there tipped her off and told her about what I was going through, etc, and that I went by Matt. She's never brought it up since then, and had no problem putting Matt on my name tag and making sure that no one knows besides the managers. I got lucky, I guess. Arby's was exactly the opposite when I transitioned, hence why I don't work for them now.

In the U.K it seems more relaxed and you don't have to reveal any past life history unless you apply for a job with the Police or the Govenment...

Hmm.
An old thread of mine.
Well an update;
I applied,
they didn't care,
I got the job.

So that's that, I suppose.
:)Yarr.
-Sara

Quote from: Robyn on December 24, 2007, 05:50:57 PM

Quote from: Jessica G on December 24, 2007, 12:36:28 PM
... then I'm going to start doing my name change. That way when I go to work I can use that name and no one will even suspect anything.

That's great in your area, but in the US of A, the Social Security Administration compares the gender in their database with the gender your employer has recorded.  If they don't match, SSA sends a letter to your employer saying. "That's really a dude (or dudette)."

Robyn

It's been my experience that SSA doesn't care what you call yourself when you're sending the money to them!  They're a bit more fussy on the payout end, especially Medicare.  They have never had a problem accepting my payroll taxes.

There was no problem getting them to do direct deposit my SSDI check into Claire's bank account.  Medicare was cool on paying medical bills, lots of them, in Claire's name.  Change the gender marker, however, and they won't pay.       You need to change the gender marker at SSA to get your gender marker at Medicare changed.  I have heard horror stories about getting that done but personally I walked up to the window, gave the lady a certified copy of my name and gender change and she entered the changes into the system as I watched. 

Posted on: 30 March 2008, 09:34:26

---

Quote from: Sarah on March 27, 2008, 11:12:55 AM
Hmm.
An old thread of mine.
Well an update;
I applied,
they didn't care,
I got the job.

So that's that, I suppose.
:)Yarr.
-Sara

Congratulations!  I always imagine things are going to harder than they really are.

Quote from: Robyn on December 24, 2007, 05:50:57 PM

Quote from: Jessica G on December 24, 2007, 12:36:28 PM
... then I'm going to start doing my name change. That way when I go to work I can use that name and no one will even suspect anything.

That's great in your area, but in the US of A, the Social Security Administration compares the gender in their database with the gender your employer has recorded.  If they don't match, SSA sends a letter to your employer saying. "That's really a dude (or dudette)."

Robyn

I heard that, too.  I was all worried about it, and I still wonder about it, but I have worked three jobs stealth.  Female across the board.  Years have passed and I have never even heard a peep.  And yes, I would have heard.  Some of the people that would hear from the SSA have actually made fun of trans people to me.  Not at me, but to me.  About someone else.  And yes, I had no choice but to bite my tongue.  That's happened many, many times in the past couple years.  Anyway, even my insurance is specifically marked female.  I get meds, doctor visits, dentist visits, everything.  From what I can tell, nobody ever looks at anything... ever... unless it involves money, which this doesn't.

Amy

In the U.K we have far more facilities to change everything relating to our past including completely changing social security details. It would be impossible for a new empolyer to trace my early details from my national insurance or social security details and no stone had been left unturned when I originally changed my ID details.

For many years I was self employed so in order for someone to trace an old reference prior to that.....they would be looking at the 1980's and a lot of the firms I worked for back then have gone out of business in recent years.