Urgent Aid for Dimitri's Legal Fees and Living Costs

Please take the time to read if you can, this is all urgent and time sensitive.

My name is Dimitri and I'm a disabled trans person living in Ohio. I'm reaching out to all of you to ask for help in an ongoing legal case and financial support while I'm in between jobs. I know it's the holiday season which is the worst possible time to have to beg for help like this, but due to recent unpredictable events I have no other choice...

** Background Information **

In April of this year I lost my job due to attendance issues I was struggling with due to my disabilities. I decided to apply for EBT and medicaid so at the very least my roommate wouldn't have to worry about the food situation or any medical expenses. When I applied my case worker told me I had to apply for unemployment as well. I wasn't expecting to be approved, as I blamed myself for everything, but I was.

After about a month my ex employer filed an appeal against me which I fought against and won. Another month later they filed a second appeal which lead to a hearing with the unemployment commission.

Because I've never dealt with any of this before I believed nothing would come of it. I already stopped receiving benefits as I recently found a job, so why would they cut off benefits I wasn't even receiving anymore? Only 2 days before the hearing was I made aware of the date. Anytime something new came up for unemployment I was sent a notification through email, however for this I got nothing. I only found out it was taking place through an email sent by ex employer's HR department. Because of it being on short notice, with me scheduled to work that day, and again...my complete inexperience with all of this, I thought nothing would come of it.

I was wrong.

The hearing still took place, but without me being present. Some time later I was notified my benefits were overturned and they decided I never deserved them in the first place. This meant I had to pay it all back.

In a panic I reached out to an attorney a friend of mine referred me to. I ended up having to pay out $500 fee for them to file for my own appeal and have another hearing take place. The hearing was held and the decision was overturned. I once again won my case. After 6 months of this dragging out, it was over.

Except it wasn't.

Yesterday, on 12/04/2024, I got a slip in the mail regarding a delivery for a letter from The Clerk of Courts. I became very scared and I went to see if whatever it was about was possibly public record.

It was!

Once again my ex employer is filing an appeal, however this time they've hired an attorney and are taking it to court.

I don't understand why this is happening. I don't understand why they won't let me go. It's been 8 months since my termination and they're still coming after me. The issues I had with my attendance were not unique to only myself either. I witnessed a lot of cherry picking during my employment there. I genuinely feel as if I'm being singled out for some reason. The amount of stress and fear this has brought me has made me break down in tears, lose sleep, become physically ill...and I can't keep putting out money like this. not to mention I'm currently in-between jobs.

** Job Situation **

I'm currently working a part time retail job that pays just enough that I can even work part time hours while still being able to pay off the bulk of my monthly bills. However in the last couple weeks my coworkers and I found out our store will be closing down, when previously we were told that we would simply be moving to a new local location. The majority of us are unable to simply transfer jobs as the only other location is an hour drive away. This meant I had to once again find new work after having spent 3 months unemployed.

Due to being visibly disabled (Tourettes Syndrome) and struggling with several other "hidden" disabilities while also being visibly transgender, finding a job is a little more of a challenge. I can only work certain jobs, with retail being most of my experience.

While I've worked full time before, 40 hours or more a week was leaving me severally burnt out and spending most of my free time sleeping and struggling to stay awake during the day. I deal with chronic fatigue as a result of my ongoing clinical depression and having caught covid last winter.

Unfortunately due to having to replace my car just a few days ago I'm having to go back to full time hours at my new job (which I start next week) just to match what I'm current making now...which isn't a lot.

** Car Situation **

Previously I was driving an older used car that I bought several years ago for cheap. While the car was seemingly in very good shape I hadn't anticipated how often it would end up needing repairs. For awhile the repairs were doable since at the time I was in a much better financial situation, but now any recent repairs have become financially straining.

A few days ago while attempting to drive to work the brakes went out and it took me directly into traffic on a main road. By luck I was able to quickly steer my car into a yard without anyone or anything being hurt, but now the engine is completely shot.

I went and was able to finance a new (used) car with help from my roommate since at that point I figured it would be the best decision in the long run. But now with my ex employer once again after me and having missed several days of work from lack of transport (and now lack of sleep from severe stress) I'm afraid something will happen and I won't be able to pay for it alongside my other monthly bills. Not to mention my next anticipated lawyer fee. Also, my current job doesn't offer PTO, so taking this many hits to my paycheck is pretty severe.

I'm begging for help. I have no idea what else to do. I don't make a lot of money, I have debt already to pay off, and I have so many bills and other expenses. I have nobody else to rely on except my roommates who can only do so much. Any amount you can give I will be so incredibly grateful for. All money will be going towards lawyer fees and bills.

Thank you.