u/Master-Condition-113

My ID matches my face and the information I gave them so I’m confused.

I sent in an appeal, wondering if I’m just out of luck now? Anyone else have this issue?

We both worked at a local business for the past 2.5 years, my spouse in event coordination and myself in administration and bookkeeping.

Over time, it became clear that the work environment was not just unprofessional, but increasingly toxic. While my boss was generally cordial toward me, he routinely spoke negatively about others and treated my spouse with a consistent lack of respect. It was common for him to send late-night drunk messages sometimes as late as 10 PM, complaining or making accusations, with no regard for boundaries or professionalism. There was also a clear pattern of unfair assumptions being made about us, seemingly based on personal differences.

The final incident made it impossible to continue. My spouse was confronted late at night and accused of misrepresenting a serious situation involving a customer complaint and alleged threat. Despite my spouse being the one tasked with handling the situation appropriately, he was accused of wrongdoing. Our boss claimed to have reviewed video footage that supported his version of events, including accusations of aggressive behavior that did not occur. When asked to provide this footage, he later admitted he could not substantiate those claims.

At that point, it was clear there was a lack of honesty, accountability, and basic professional standards. Given the pattern of behavior and the seriousness of this incident, we made the decision to step away.

Now we’re at a bit of a crossroads and aren’t entirely sure what direction to take next. We were paid in cash and never issued tax forms, which adds another layer of uncertainty as we figure out our next steps. Thankfully, we’ve saved enough to cover about four months of expenses, so we have some time to regroup and make a plan.

We both worked at a local business for the past 2.5 years, my spouse in event coordination and myself in administration and bookkeeping.

Over time, it became clear that the work environment was not just unprofessional, but increasingly toxic. While my boss was generally cordial toward me, he routinely spoke negatively about others and treated my spouse with a consistent lack of respect. It was common for him to send late-night drunk messages sometimes as late as 10 PM, complaining or making accusations, with no regard for boundaries or professionalism. There was also a clear pattern of unfair assumptions being made about us, seemingly based on personal differences.

The final incident made it impossible to continue. My spouse was confronted late at night and accused of misrepresenting a serious situation involving a customer complaint and alleged threat. Despite my spouse being the one tasked with handling the situation appropriately, he was accused of wrongdoing. Our boss claimed to have reviewed video footage that supported his version of events, including accusations of aggressive behavior that did not occur. When asked to provide this footage, he later admitted he could not substantiate those claims.

At that point, it was clear there was a lack of honesty, accountability, and basic professional standards. Given the pattern of behavior and the seriousness of this incident, we made the decision to step away.

Now we’re at a bit of a crossroads and aren’t entirely sure what direction to take next. We were paid in cash and never issued tax forms, which adds another layer of uncertainty as we figure out our next steps. Thankfully, we’ve saved enough to cover about four months of expenses, so we have some time to regroup and make a plan.