The Government and Employers Have a Duty to Provide Transportation/Solutions to all Workers and Prospects Needing it

I addressed the issue of need for transportation assistance for many workers and those endeavoring to work in a previous post. I'm revisiting this issue due to urgent need for enactment of proposed and other ideas that I herein discuss. No one in this world should be in a situation where they cannot work due to lack of transportation. I cringe to think of the number of people who have lost their jobs, homes, and, in certain instances, everything they've spent much of their lives working for because of car problems, not having ready access to public transportation or not being capable of getting to work on time if a bus or train schedule does not jibe with their work schedule. There are a number of very practical ways to remedy these things. 

Public Transport Times Should Jibe with Those of Major Employers

First and foremost, bus and train start and end times should hinge around the start and end times of companies with significant staff who rely on public transportation. 

Company and Public Transport Shuttles for Employees

For workers and prospects lacking transportation who reside in areas beyond the reach of traditional city buses, local public transportation systems (i.e. MATA in Memphis) and/or employers should provide pick-up shuttle services for employees residing within a 20 mile radius of the employer; the distance could be more extensive at the discretion of the public transportation system or employer, which should receive tax and other incentives for providing this service... 

Memphis's MATA Plus program offers shuttle services to disabled individuals who are not physically capable of riding traditional city buses; there should be a distinct program and shuttle for workers who reside beyond the reach of city buses and need transportation...

...Each employee would pay a very conservative fee to ride their public transport or company shuttle, i.e. $5.00 to and $5.00 from ($50.00 per week for each full-time employee/$40.00 per week if the employee works a 4-day full-time week. In some instances, the cost of a single one way Uber or Lyft trip may be or even exceed either of these amounts. This would, nonetheless, generate significant city income that would be merited for retrieving patrons from and returning them to their homes. To the greatest possible extent, employee city shuttles would be designated to specific areas, i.e. North, South, East, and West shuttles to prevent any given stated shuttle from going out of the way... 

Company Ride Share Programs

Companies could alternatively implement their own employee ride share programs in which employees with vehicles would transport co-workers who, ideally, live near them and work their shifts for $5.00 to and $5.00 from daily for each passenger. 

Depending upon the size of an employee's vehicle and the number of employees they transport, they could accrue substantial surplus income participating in stated initiative. The average car lawfully seats about four passengers, meaning that, to capacity, a participating driver could earn an extra $200.00 per week. Add an employer incentive, and this amount could be even more substantial...

Existent Rideshare Programs

There are already existent rideshare programs that need more press or advertisement. Information about these programs should always be available at Department of Labor Job Centers. One of those programs is the Memphis Area Rideshare Program. Click here to learn more about it. Others include Groove on Demand and Enterprise Employee Vanpool program...

Employer-Supported Uber, Lyft, and/or Similar Ride Share Programs

Uber, Lyft, and/or similar ride programs (including traditional taxis) could additionally implement ride share programs via which employees who live within reasonable vicinity of one another and work the same shifts could routinely share rides and costs by weekly reservation and, preferably, with the same driver transporting specific employees to and from work each day. 

Employers, the government, Uber, Lyft, etc., employer-based and/or independent drivers could establish partnerships with one another to keep fare reasonable for all passengers and other funders. 

Employers could wholly fund and waive fees in certain instances, i.e. the employee is new and does not have money to pay anything for their commute to and from work.

Why Generous Employer Incentives for Drivers Would not be Far-fetched

Generous employer incentives for drivers would not be far-fetched, considering that the stated driving employees would help to staff or provide coverage to the company and, in many instances, literally save those who they transport.

Self-employed or Independent Driver Participation

Self-employed or independent drivers could also participate in the stated program; they, like all participating drivers in stated initiative, must be reliable and get employees to and from work on time. Likewise, participating employees must be ready upon arrival of their shuttle, unless there are extenuating circumstances that would prevent this; drivers would return to retrieve such passengers after retrieving other passengers if it would not cause the other passengers to be late and afterwards if it would make them late...

HR or DOL Counseling and/or Medical Treatment for Tardiness

In instances where an employee is routinely late for pick-up, he or she would be required to participate in counseling and/or acquire medical treatment to address underlying causes for their tardiness. This counseling could be conducted via employers' human resources departments and/or via the Department of Labor's Workforce Development programs, which would also conduct other types of employment-related counseling and have definitive solutions to any and all challenges that workers and those endeavoring to work face, i.e. the best solution to one's transportation issues based upon their specific circumstances...

Employment and Shift Priority for Employees who Share a Vehicle

An employee with a vehicle that they share with other working family or household members should be given employment and shift priority. If the family or household members are employed for the same company, they should be assigned the same shift if possible; if not, they should be assigned shifts and reporting times that would enable both or all employees sharing transportation to work, i.e. one employee would work first shift and deliver their shared vehicle home to the other employee to work second or third shift. This should also be applicable if the employees sharing a vehicle work for different companies. If the family or household members are not employed for the same company, the employed or unemployed relative or household member should receive initial consideration for job openings at the company for which the individual they share a vehicle with works. 

Implementing Simultaneous Reporting and Departing Times for Ridesharers Working Varied Shifts

If one or more employees are dropped off and picked up by the same driver, the employee being dropped off should be given a reporting time that is at the same time that the other employee gets off, or there should be a thirty minute difference in their reporting and departing times to allow for timely transition. 

The stated should be allowable and enforced by an act of congress, considering that average costs of living require two or more household incomes. The average worker (and their families) can hardly eat after paying bills and often do not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income limitations.

Requiring Carjackers to Pay to Replace or Repair Stolen and/or Damaged Vehicles

Laws should additionally be enacted to better address the issue of carjacking and car theft/damage. Many people are lacking transportation to work because their cars have been stolen and/or damaged, often by shiftless individuals who have no desire to work and/or who get a rush of dopamine from joy riding in their victims' cars while they are left without means of transportation to do the very serious things (like working) that they need to do. To remedy this, carjackers or thieves/vandals who steal and/or damage cars should be required to literally pay full costs of replacing or repairing cars that they've stolen or damaged. Correctional systems should enact work requirements in all prisons and juvenile detention facilities. Every correctional facility should incorporate manufacturing facilities into their premises to deliver work to all capable detainees, who should be paid at least minimum wage; participating companies should be given substantial discounts on manufacturing costs for allowing detainees to create their products and learn the value of working to literally pay their debts to society and to acquire their own needs and wants.

It Should be Unlawful to Repossess a Vehicle That is Nearly Paid for

A law should additionally be enacted that would make it unlawful to repossess a vehicle should the owner experience a temporary loss or reduction in income if the vehicle is nearly paid for, especially if the principal cost of said vehicle has been fully paid. In such instances, the debt should be treated like any other debt that would be collectable by agency or garnishment (once the owner becomes employed again and/or is capable of resuming payments).

It Should be Unlawful to Remove a Renting Tenant's Inoperable Vehicle That They Plan to Keep/Use

Yet another law should be enacted that would make it unlawful to tow the vehicle of someone residing in an apartment complex or rented property in instances where said vehicles are in need of repair(s) that the owner cannot readily fix or in instances where the owner is not readily capable of renewing their tag. If the owner plans to repair, keep, and use the vehicle, they should be given reasonable time to make repairs and/or acquire their tags...

Other Solutions for Those Experiencing Challenges Reporting to a Traditional Job

Purchasing Vehicles to Drive for Uber, Lyft, Doordash, etc. via their Partnerships with Car Dealerships

It is possible to lease and/or purchase vehicles via Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Amazon Flex, and Instacart car buying programs or via partnerships that these companies have with specific car dealerships. This is a way to instantly acquire a vehicle for the purpose of driving for either of stated ride/drive programs. 

Distribution of Public Transportation Passes to Anyone Needing Assistance to/from Work

TANF, Job Corps, and programs that service homeless individuals distribute public transportation passes to their clients for employment and educational purposes. One should not necessarily have to be enrolled in either of these programs to acquire this assistance, however. Anyone needing assistance getting to and from work should be privileged to it in whatever manner works best for them.

Proliferation of Free or Discounted Vehicle Repair Services and Car Insurance for Low Income Persons

TANF offers free vehicle repair services and discounted car insurance* for clients in some states (*I have read in other instances that EBT recipients are privy to discounted car insurance). There are a number of programs that refurbish donated cars to give to economically disadvantaged families. Programs of these sorts could also be proliferated.

Facilitating Work from Home Opportunities 

...Another way to address the lack of transportation for workers crisis is through work-from-home opportunities. In instances where a qualified individual is interested in working from home and may lack the synonymous equipment, it should be fronted on a lease to own basis by their local Department of Labor or DOL could partner with retailers like Best Buy in such an initiative to finance stated equipment via incremental deductions from clients' pay until all costs are satisfied. DOL should additionally connect clients with remote employers that provide all essential equipment... 

Company Housing 

Yet another solution is company housing; click here to read an article/proposal... that I wrote discussing this.

In Summation and Conclusion

It should be unlawful to terminate an employee for lack of transportation where he or she demonstrates a valid interest in working and resides within reasonable distance of their employer that would enable said employer to transport or sponsor transportation for him or her to and from work for affordable cost or that which would be shared amongst the employee, other participating employees, the company, and/or the government...

The prescribed initiative would enable vast sects of individuals who are typically unemployed due to lack of transportation to work and pay their fair share to Uncle Sam. It would substantially remedy homelessness and alleviate burden on public programs that service underprivileged individuals.

When Employers Should Update Employees' Work ID Photos

Employers should update employees' work identification ever so often or at least when there are significant changes in an employee's appearance. This should be done for security purposes, to ascertain that the individual on an employee's ID badge is in fact the same person reporting to work. 

This would proactively address potential instances of identity theft or any unauthorized individual accessing a company premises and posing detriment to its staff and/or property. 

Employees' physical appearances often change after working especially laborious jobs after certain lengths of time, i.e. extreme weight loss. Whether extreme weight loss, gain, or other changes in an employee's physical appearance, a company should always be capable of readily matching a reporting individual with the person on their work identification badge. 

Companies should also update employees' work ID photos upon employee request if they dislike their photo, i.e. their hair was unkempt from wearing the hoodie on their jacket or coat and they did not have a comb, pick, or brush to groom their hair, or maybe a male did not have time or the resources to get a hair cut. 

Companies that utilize unflattering photographs (work I.D.s) of employees as fuel to gaslight and/or physically abuse or discriminate them, i.e. making disparaging statements about the employee's personal appearance that are irrelevant to the company's dress code and grooming policies and/or giving a subject employee an unreasonable work load in endeavor to compel them to lose weight or quit, should be severely punished, especially if the abuse causes a life-threatening injury (physical and/or psychological) to the employee that would impede their ability to work and sustain housing and other essential resources for themselves and their immediate family members or those for whom they provide care. 

Other examples of abuse are failing to honor a deserving employee and/or withholding rewards due to them for substantial contributions to the company and/or forthwith firing an employee and participating in concerted efforts to keep him or her unemployed and/or homeless until they lose weight or date or marry someone they are not interested in because the firing company may have paid acquaintances or family members for damages to the employee, and even though the paid individuals do absolutely nothing for the damaged employee or those for whom they are responsible and the subject employee suffers loss of property, relationships, etc.

Companies should be required to pay damages to employees who they maliciously damage because of their personal appearance. Stated damages should include compensation for any physical and/or emotional harm, i.e. severe depression or loss of enjoyment of life, caused to the employees' immediate family members and/or those for whom they are responsible.

Companies with legit concerns for their employees' weight and health should implement programs to healthily motivate them to lose weight, i.e. incorporating walking paths and/or fitness rooms into their company premises for group exercise that could be lead by managers during one of employees specified breaks and paying employees a dollar per minute for 10 minutes of exercising in the fat-burning zone, if they participate for at least three days per week, and significantly paying employees who reach significant weight-loss milestones or goals, i.e. $700.00 for 70 pounds (1000%), noting that the significant weight-loss bonus would be a one-time payment for each synonymous employee...

Other things that employers could do to improve their employees is removing unhealthy snacks and beverages from their vending machines or at least increasing healthy options, having healthy cooking demonstrations and distributing printed recipes of favorite sampled dishes of attending employees, distributing gift cards for healthy groceries and/or wardrobe refurbishment (after significant weigh-loss) and/or for hair care (grooming and/or styling to best suit one's facial features and persona) and/or for cosmetic dentistry or other sensible procedures that would help employees to look and feel their best.

In summation and conclusion, employees' work identification photographs should be updated to reflect any significant changes in their appearance. They should be allowed to take the best possible photo for their work ID, considering especially that they'll daily wear it at work. This would improve the employee's image, confidence, self esteem, and work performance, and, ultimately, the company's morale...

Employees Should be Briefed/Updated on Similar Equipment that may Differ from that Which they were Trained and Certified to Use

 Let's say that an employee or former employee of one company and a new hire at another company is hired based on training and certification from the former company. The equipment at the new company is a bit different from that of the former company and the employee is not familiar with the specific kind or brand of equipment at the new company... 

The employee successfully utilized the former company's equipment, and it is highly likely that they can successfully utilize the equipment at the new company with minimal training or a simple showing of the differences in the equipment of the latter.

Not only should the employee be trained, the fact that he or she has been hired obligates or should obligate the hiring company to properly train the employee, to satisfy standards of fairness and safety. If the employee is not properly trained and injures himself or herself and/or others, the employer should be held accountable. This act of omission could additionally be considered discrimination. 

Companies should want all of their employees to succeed and should properly equip them to. This gives employees a since of pride in their jobs, it decreases turnover, and improves company and societal morale.

God, the Biblical One, is Watching and Addressing Mistreatment of His People in the Workforce

The story of the deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt paints a vivid portrait of the determination of God Himself to achieve fairness in the workforce. Not only did He deliver Israel from unfair working conditions, they left Egypt with great wealth that they had indubitably earned. 

This story is documented in the Bible to remind oppressors and oppressed persons that the same God IS still God and the fair treatment of workers will forever be among His chief concerns...

Enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in the U.S. and ensuing laws designed to protect workers evidences this. The Great I AM A MAN injected Himself into the Civil Rights movement in Memphis, Tennessee the way that He'd done in Egypt.

...It is not mere happenstance that, according to Numbers 33:3, "The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month* after the passover"...

*The fifteenth day of the first month for us is the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a kind of Moses and who, amusingly, was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis, TN is named for Memphis, Egypt, where those great pyramids and other synonymous Egyptian monuments that were built by enslaved Israelites stand...

...Civil Rights legislation and other pertinent labor laws, in many instances, are not being properly enforced, and, in many cases, they are being exploited, very often with the blessing of Civil Rights leaders and organizations today. For the love of money, many of the social advancements for which our predecessors gave their lives have been compromised...

...Many workers are suffering, whether it is deplorable working conditions and/or unfair pay. Sexual harassment and corporate abuse of women, men, and children is common place. For no legit rhyme or reason, there are individuals, Whites and minorities, who plot and scheme to force good workers out of and/or prevent them from acquiring and/or keeping good jobs... 

,,,In some instances, it's simply the culprits not wanting workers they unfairly target to have even basic human resources or to have as much as they have and/or they discriminate against capable and often exceptional workers in endeavors to groom them for enslavement, whether forthwith human trafficking and/or work for little to no pay in or out of prison...

These issues are being resolved, however. God is still working through movements, labor strikes, advancements of laws on worker's behalf, and forthwith miracles. 

When former employers of mine who'd treated me horribly retaliated against me for taking legal action against them, forcing me into homelessness and sleeping in my car in the city of Atlanta, where I resided at the time, the Lord's Shekinah Glory literally ripped through Atlanta in the form of a tornado on March 14, 2008 and touched/spun major damage to every place that had forthwith done injurious things to me... 

The Super Tuesday tornado outbreak had occurred on February 5-6, 2008 while 24 states were holding primary elections and spun 87 tornadoes over a course of 15 hours, most notably through Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville.

Another thing that occurred was the Georgia-Russo war on August 1, 2008 when Russia began attacking Georgia on this date; though this war was transpiring between Georgia (the Eastern European/West Asian country) and Russia, the timing of it in the same year as the 2008 Atlanta tornado very much appeared to send a strong message to Atlanta, Georgia... 

A year prior to this, in 2007, Georgia experienced a historic drought, which I found amusing, considering that I was being compared to a Hurricane Katrina victim surrounding stated attacks. From all appearances, the Lord literally withheld their rain because they were sending theoretical floods after me over my weight in light of my talent...

Notice that all of the stated tornadoes occurred in 2008 and the Georgia-Russo conflict occurred on 8/1/2008. It was like the Lord saying that He'd elected me despite the fact that I ate (8) and was not a Barbie doll. Barack Obama was elected president this year, highly possible because he has a wife named Michelle (my middle name), though much of the abuse I suffered in Atlanta occurred during Obama's administration... 

I did not pray for a drought, the Georgia-Russo conflict, or the Atlanta and Memphis tornadoes of 2008. I sustained my innocence (very important) and continued working for the Lord. The same individuals who plotted to force me out of Atlanta because of the noted litigation are now plotting to try to force me to return due to the extent of the Lord's retribution against them for mishandling me... 

I'll say to workers, be encouraged and follow the rules and to every employer, treat your workers fairly because God IS watching and He is a God of justice.

Why and When Younger and Other Children Should Be Allowed to Work

Many children, especially in developing nations, regularly work to help their families. Very often these children are exploited, i.e. they are not privy to education, are subjected to unsafe or unethical working conditions, and/or they are not fairly paid.

These issues can be reconciled, however, to avail any child who is capable of working any safe and ethical job fair privilege.

All children should be privy to education. This should take precedence over work where a child is concerned. It and earning satisfactory grades should be a prerequisite for the child's eligibility to work, and availing education to every child should be the law of the land in every nation and community. 

During the active school year, a child should work no more than 20 hours per week. They should be eligible to work additional hours, up to full-time or more during summers and other breaks depending on the type of job and their level of maturity.

Safe jobs that children could work include being tutors or teaching assistants when they make the grades or demonstrate mastery of specific subject material. They could additionally be receptionists, office assistants, et cetera. Children can additionally be successful entrepreneurs... 

...There should be a Youth Employment Division of the Department of Labor that specializes in connecting youth to employment opportunities. There should additionally be a Youth Entrepreneurial Division of the Small Business Administration and/or other similar agencies that would help youth who are interested in successfully managing their own businesses...

Proliferation of after school employment programs for all children who are capable of working specific jobs would provide much-needed income in many struggling households on the same token of providing childcare and/or constructive ventures that would help keep our youth out of trouble, in school, and on solid career paths...

EEOC Should Always Follow Proper Procedures/Never Dismiss or Proceed with a Case Without Showing Complainants' and Respondents' "Evidence" to the Opposing Parties

...I was surprised and alarmed to discover that EEOC would dismiss a complaint regarding a retaliatory and injurious course of action that a former employer of mine had taken against me after I submitted a legitimate complaint of harassment to the company's human resources department. The fact that EEOC did not provide me copies of the company's (respondent's) reply to and "evidence" it submitted against me to sway EEOC's decision is or should be a violation of the agency's practices...

Had I been shown the "evidence," I could have proved it both defamatory and perjurious. I was completely stunned to read blatant lies that had been penned about me under oath by persons who I'd hardly ever or never spoken to.

The company's attorney apparently ran off or they fired him after I devoured their accusations in my complaint that initiated the lawsuit that I'd file against them. The company's action here (terminating their counsel and hiring another attorney) was clearly an acknowledgement that they and/or their dismissed attorney had done something wrong.

Despite my submitting very high scandal evidence of being defamed and discriminated against, both EEOC and the courts dismissed my case. I was more upset with the demonstrable corruption in EEOC and the courts than with the company I was suing.

...I had planned an appeal to the United States Supreme court after the appeal that I submitted to the 11th circuit court of appeals was promptly returned to me. I decided against it, however, or lost interest in continuing suspecting that the Supreme court would mishandle the case too. EEOC's Dismissal and Notice of Suit Rights may have given me access to the courts; the dismissal set the tone for what I was to expect from the courts, however...

...Our judicial systems should be fair in every case; every merited case should be properly resolved by EEOC and/or the courts; when they are not, damages should be recoverable by a mishandled party, and there should be no statute of limitation for such recovery. EEOC and/or the courts conspiring with unscrupulous parties to any case is unacceptable and sends the wrong message that a company can violate employees without repercussions, which emboldens other companies to commit similar and often worse infractions... 

Properly managing all cases would discourage all other companies from violating their employees, which would encourage dignity and professionalism and significantly improve the workforce climate...

Check to See if You Have Unclaimed Money from Old Retirement Accounts

In recent (fairly), I was contacted by Vanguard retirement regarding $2,000+ owed to me that I was not aware of. I was told in the letter that I received via the United States Postal Service that the account had existed for a while or a couple of years since my departure from FedEx Express and since I'd withdrawn what I thought was the remaining balance in the account and that Vanguard had unsuccessfully attempted to contact me about it...

The letter further informed that if Vanguard was not able to find me that my money would be turned over to the state. They were able to locate my current address (from the post office, perhaps), which is a change from my address at the time that I was aware of the account during my employment with FedEx for four years.

There is a possibility that funds are continuing to accrue for you from any retirement account that you've had at any previous full-time job and/or from any job that you've had that offered benefits (401k... specifically). 

....Imagine the amount of money you could possibly have if you left that full-time or job with benefits many years ago and you did not cash out or roll over all of your funds to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA...). Those few dollars and/or cents that were left in your account and/or funds that your employer may have continued contributing to the account for any specified period of time post your employment may have grown into a very substantial amount of money by now...

Meetbeagle.com is a website via which you can locate any such account(s) for a small fee. There are a number of others, some of which are free, that you can locate by conducting a Google search. Pick one or more and give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised...