Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

seattletimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 170 posts

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#51

Post by jfoster »

insanebits wrote: post #41
alakkadshaw wrote: post #39

He could try working as a freelancer, on websites like Elance/Upwork or something and make some money. Then he could use that money move out of the homeless shelter and then look for a decent job.

The problem here is not a shelter but a previous criminal records. +1 for freelancing idea, it might actually work if there are security jobs. But I think security in it's nature is something that needs assurance that person is capable of auditing the system.

You're right, though if he's very capable at security stuff, there's probably also other types of freelancing work that he'd be capable of doing.

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#52

Post by caseysoftware »

morgante wrote: post #48

One thing I'm curious about is how he actually ended up homeless. Before the conviction, it seems like he was doing very well (BMW, townhouse). Why did he not have sufficient savings to survive after he got out of prison? (Not trying to blame him for anything, trying to plan for my own life. I strive to maintain sufficient savings so that I would never be homeless even if I never worked again.)

I suspect any savings he did have would have gone to his legal defense. It's an all or nothing thing, you wouldn't hold back if you were wrongly accused and had everything to lose (as demonstrated).

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#54

Post by netcan »

sdrothrock wrote: post #12

In his case, it sounds like the problem isn't homelessness itself, but: 1. A crappy background check system that reports him as an ex-con/drug dealer when he's been exonerated. 2. Companies using those systems and judging him without giving him a chance to speak up.

In a roundabout way, this is related to the big data world we live in, even though background checks & credit checks are not new.

From the perspective on a motor insurance company, for example, they don't need to serve everyone. If they can classify the world of potential drivers as high, medium & low risk, that's enough. Whether or not an individual falls into one of these categories "incorrectly" is not important, they're average figures and as long as they are "correct" for the people who take out a policy all is well. For an individual that ends up in the "high risk" category, it's inequitable and unfair. They might share characteristics with "truly" high risk individuals but not in ways that actually affect their chances of causing on an accident they just happened to be in a statistical cluster.

The BMI is an interesting example too. Weight bands for height works fine when looking at a population. You can fall into an obese weight/height band by being heavily muscled or broad bodied. Mike Tyson at his youngest, slimmest prime would have been classed as obese and very obese later in his career. Possibly "extremely obese" between matches. This is a good example because you can easily se how BMI works well enough for evaluating insurance risk but not for being "fair" for our puny human defections of fairness.

We are moving to a world of more data and more data based decision making. Online advertising for example, has transformed a big industry to one that is mostly driven by data based decision making.

The side effects of this will be many. There are certainly efficiency gains because that statistics are predictive. Having been arrested or serving time is probably predictive of risk, even if a conviction is overturned. There are also feedback loops that we don't want, biases and "traps." A homeless person is obviously high risk in that he shares measurable characteristics with other homeless people and they (almost by definition) actualize those risks.

There are real society-affecting risks here. It could become more expensive to be poor, as credit and financial services becomes a bigger part of how we purchase things.

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#55

Post by gambiting »

kiba wrote: post #46
raverbashing wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the same time, there are a lot of employees suing companies "just because", so the feeling has some justification.

And where do those employees find the money to sue the corporation? Don't forget that it doesn't prevent the creation of toxic working environments.

My home insurance includes legal cover in case I wanted to sue my employer for almost any reason, or if I am sued by them(up to half a million pounds, so ~$750k).

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#56

Post by neoeldex »

hueving wrote: post #10
zodiac wrote: post #5

Why is he failing background checks if he's never been non-wrongfully convicted? Genuinely curious to hear from anyone with experience on the employer side of this.

Likely the department of corrections number somehow coming up so it shows that he spent time in prison. Even if it shows he was exonerated, many people will sadly lose interest right then because they get a vibe the applicant is 'in with the wrong people'. The US is terribly cruel to people that have done prison time, regardless of whether or not they were supposed to be there.

Too bad it's only almost 1% of the total population.

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#57

Post by tehwalrus »

morgante wrote: post #48

One thing I'm curious about is how he actually ended up homeless. Before the conviction, it seems like he was doing very well (BMW, townhouse). Why did he not have sufficient savings to survive after he got out of prison? (Not trying to blame him for anything, trying to plan for my own life. I strive to maintain sufficient savings so that I would never be homeless even if I never worked again.)

In drug cases, aren't someone's assets all seized?

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#58

Post by RyJones »

erdojo wrote: post #31
ShellfishMeme wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many companies offer relocation packages including travel costs and temporary accommodation.

Yes but they expect you to pay and they'll reimburse you. Not saying it never happens any other way, but that's the only way I've ever seen it done.

Microsoft paid my entire relocation expense and I never (directly) saw a bill or paid a dime for it. I know Qualcomm does the same thing. I was on the hook for a year - if I quit before one year was up, I owed Microsoft some pro-rated amount of money.

In 1999 or 2000 I turned down an offer from Microsoft, and they asked if I owned a house and if I needed Microsoft to buy that house to get me to say yes. I don't know how that would have worked, but it was an impressive offer.

Re: Being homeless a struggle, even with a $100k job offer

#59

Post by exhomeless »

I was homeless for about a year and a half. The first 6 months were spent sleeping on the streets, and when possible, in a shelter - but realistically, in the area where I was, most shelters were not really a safe place to be, and the few that were filled up early. The remaining time, I crashed at a drug dealers house and helped sell in return.

I didn't have much more than the belongings that fit in a mid-sized duffle bag and for a while I mostly survived by cleaning bathrooms at coffee shops before opening hours where the employees didn't really want to do that part of their job - and in return I would get some coffee and a bite to eat. Any money I did get, I saved up.

Once I had access to the internet again, and at least a warm place to sleep at night that I considered safe, I started making contacts on IRC. Eventually I had enough money to relocate across country via Greyhound, a couch to crash on when I arrived and prospects for a new beginning. I quickly jumped from $25k to $40k to $60k etc and am currently at $160k with a whole new life and an amazing career ahead of me.

It's possible to get out of the situation if what got you there isn't addiction or mental illness - the system does little to help, and without being resourceful it's easy to get stuck in that position for a long time. But it can be done. Granted, I never had the ex-con/drug dealer status haunting me in background checks, but I have been upfront in interviews before and still got the job. Greatest accomplishment in life? Escaping homelessness.

Post reply on HN