Complaint Review: Arizona Department of Economic Security

This is about The Arizona Department of Economic Security
222 encanto Phoenix AZ
602 252 4045

In dec while checking the mail,I recieved a letter from DES,Stating that I owe them $135,000 in back child support.I have been paying child support for years.This was on a week end,so I could not do anything.I'm 100% disabled,because of this and my condition,I had to see my doctor that following monday.She gave me medication and a work release to calm me down.when I was thru with the hospital,I contacted DES to see if they had made a mistake. Talked with a general representative, thats all who you can talk to.She checked my records and said I have not made a payment since my divorce in 1989. I told her I had,she said no,I had to pay.

The Letter I recieved said I had 30 days as of date of the letter to respond stating if the info they had was incorrect.The letter was 2 weeks late in getting to me and had to react quickly.The following week I called DES using the number they gave me,trying to talk with my case worker,they would not let me talk to her,I could not talk to her over the phone. After threatening them mainly with a law suit. A supervisor called me.The supervisor of my case worker,and said my case worker is not in that week and said she did get the letter I sent requesting further time to send proof they were wrong as they required.

The following week,before I could say Whatz UP.they had sent me to collections for $135,000,ruined my credit,my employer,which is the largest video rental chain in the world.had been told to take out a $1000 a month garnishment from my check.I'm on 100% disability and I only work a couple of days a week and mostly they aren't full days to make ends meet. They said If I don't pay They will take my income taxes. I explained to them I recieve SS disablity and don't pay taxes,Then the gentleman said If thats the case,He will have me arrested.Thats real good,that should solve everything,This showed me what intellect I was dealing with.All the while I still could'nt talk to my case worker.

Now I've been paying child support to my ex wife for years,what the system calls manual payments.I gave her 50% of my own disablity check ,by check personally to her and she also recieves SS disablity payments per child per month.This was not a problem intill now.
In 1989 when I was working full time in engineering,she recieved 50% of my gross pay month sent directly to the courts from my employer .DES has no records of me paying anything in 12 years,except by now a couple of payments which they garnished.I'm paying interest on $135,000 per month to them,Thats more then some workers take home pay,So there is some incentive to get this taken care of.

No one in their offices will tell me what's in my file.My ex wife is now collecting money from me .SS security benifits per month per child and my garnished wages and she has claimed nothing to them, so they tell me.

Beginning of the week before I took a visit to The DES office with proof of payments from SS to see my case worker as they instructed,I could not see my case worker,and had to see another worker,I gave her the proof of payments from SS and she would not except them.This is what a federal goverment gave me to give to them.She said my ex wife would have to submit a affidavit of payment,which she did'nt send them back in the first place when this mess started.and it's not mandatory,she only has to send it in voleentary.She also said there wasn't much she could do since my case worker was not in and did not have my file with her.

Last week I ventured back To DES,guess what!!! my case worker is not in that week,not just that day ,that week,In the mean time,my little interest meter is clicking away.So I demanded to see her supervisor with my file in hand.Got to see the supervisor, She could not find my file.I told her I want to see my file.So she took off to find it.

In the mean time I'm just sitting there waiting and those little offices are not sound proof.you can hear everything that goes on.you should hear the horror stories these other dads were going thru,some were like mine and Their DES reps were dancing them all over the place.The wierd thing was, one of their own DES representatives was screaming not talking screaming that he could not do his job, he was over worked,he could'nt handle the paperwork and talk to clients on the phone and talk to walkins all at the same time. He was telling this to another rep.That was interesting!

She finally arrived back with my file 30 minutes later.and finally I find out what started this who mess.My exwife started it all.In oct my oldest daughter turned 18 so SS dropped her from my disablity.now she wanted more money. She did send DES a affividavit to them stating I did make manual payments,But they never credited my case and I still was be charged interest from 1989 as well as the payments I made then.DES did give me the payment history that they had of manual payments,which they have to.

Later I found out my exwife had not put in the right amounts as I went thru it month by month and this a legal and notarized document.They have false info and I have the cancelled checks to prove it. They shorted me thousands of dollars. I kept records of everthing I gave her as well as my kids.Remember I'm taking notes during this meeting as I have been with every rep I talked with ,all their names all dated and what transpired and this time I was recording her,which was legal,since she gave me permission.

I was tapeing since I walked into that office. all of a sudden she wants to handle my case personally.within a few days my case was credited with some amounts it's still not right but it's a start,She went against policies and procedures which were stated to me for monthes.which I'm having thier policies and procedeures checked very carefully.and they won't tell me where to find them,They have to have written guidelines ,I'll find them. Every rep I talked with could not answer my questions. one rep was so confused all she could say for 15 minutes straight was ,we are within our guidelines and policies and she could not explain that properly.

I had to spend my own time and money tracking down information which DES should have and they still can't explain why they did'nt have it and they still won';t except proof they are wrong,but they still will charge you for it,and it's legal for them to do that.If I did'nt go in to check my file that day, things would still really be a mess,It's still a mess ,but alittle bit better. Dads, check your files,because what you don't know will hurt you.I hope I helped someone,because I know theres allot of us out there trying to help their kids,I give allot of extras to my kids which I do not claim to DES,Thats me to my kids

Here is to the good DADS !!!!!

James Gordon

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