My name is Stephen, and this week I was served with an Eviction Notice. After appearing in court on 9/29/22 and speaking with a public legal aid attorney, we filed a motion to "Deny" the plaintiff's (landlord) claim, which effectively bought us some more time with a new calendar date resetting for the "Dispossesory" court hearing. I now have until 11/10/22 to resolve it, or I may soon be living out of my car with my dog, Bella.
How did I get here? I’m currently employed, and I’ve always been a hard worker. The story begins with a difficult decision to address my mental health issues…
Under the recommendation of my primary care doctor and in coordination with my HR team, I began an employer-approved “leave of absence”. This was also the first time in my professional career I'd be exploring the use of my employee benefits to support my journey.
The friendly HR lady helped me feel reassured that the employee benefits and resources were there to allow me to focus on getting better so I can come back to work a more robust version of myself… The experience that followed was nothing close to that…
Instead of having this time to focus on my mental health, the employer-sponsored benefits insurer has created one obstacle after another to access funding for the paid-leave time. Nearly 3 months have passed of doctors' bills, medications and counseling costs, along with my regular expenditures & rent... but not a single payout from my employer's benefits insurer. The unexpected setback has forced me to blow through my savings, add on more debt, and reach a point of extreme financial hardship that has led me to fall behind on rent and receive an Eviction Notice from my landlord that must be resolved by 9-29-22.
As a seasoned sales & marketing professional with a highly successful career track, I’ve always helped earn millions of dollars for the companies I’ve worked for, contributing to and driving them towards their corporate goals. However, in a most sensitive time of personal need to address my mental health issues, I have been met with an excessive burden of policies, procedures and other bureaucratic behavior from my employer & benefits insurer.
This situation has broken me financially. All the while, with what feels like corporate greed and sabotage hanging me out to dry, I've run out of money to continue with the doctor visits, counseling and medications... So unfortunately, the added financial stress has also impeded any potential progress in my mental health wellness journey, making everything more difficult to deal with.
I am looking into emergency rental assistance and legal help, but everything is a process, and nothing guarantees. The only thing guaranteed is - the 11/10/2022 deadline to resolve payment before the "Disspossessory" court hearing.
If you can help by sharing our story and donating to this fundraiser, my gratitude reaches beyond words.
Thank You,
Stephen & Bella