What would you do in my situation?

[drobertson]

As far as I see it shoplifting has already violated, terminated the agreement therefore you have every right to seek you're own counsel. What do you have to lose?

I agree. I think we should sue the living **** out of shopko. Unfortunately, my dad doesn't want to risk it all. And I don't blame him. The legal system is rigged and has been the past 8 years. We have learned the hard way... but I hope my family can find a way. However I'm now an adult at the ripe age of 18 and it's time for me to start a life of my own. If I ever end up wealthy in the future, I would give back to my parents immensely for how hard they tried. I have one younger brother, and three younger sisters.

I pray to God that they will see the end of our struggles, and will be able to mature as I have.

 

[Roger63]

Typo shopko

 

[Roger63]

Remember what don't kill ya makes you stronger.

 

[petieg383]

Use the advice given and the experience laid out here. If you just go to school, you'll be seriously hustling to make ends meat with a part time or night job. Or vice versa, you'll work all day and go to school at night which can and usually will take longer to finish. Not easy, but it can be done. Plus you're young and have the energy. Going back to school when you're married with children is WAY harder. Trust me. Hustle like a gangster now big guy, you have the energy for it. No one ever drowned in their own sweat.

However, if you can get someone to PAY for your schooling, that lessens the burden. Something like the military with the GI Bill (or whatever they call it today), or if you can attain a job with tuition reimbursement and that company will allow you to take courses in your field of choice, then you'll be feeling a hell of a lot better about the extra work you've put in.

Put someone else's money to use on what could and should be a great final product. Yourself. Education is NEVER a bad idea, in any form.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Okay, there...you are 18
Now, understand this....
Your whole life is ahead of you.
So; it is not all bad.
You can FIX a lot of these temporary issues.
You just need a plan
Now: Go for it!

 

[Ghostrider 67]

It would a cold day in hell before i'd let any business run roughshod over my parents. i'd get legal advice instantly. Oh, by the way, the military has lawyers called JAG ( judge advocates general) that will absolutely beat the crap out of anyone mistreating a service member or his family. Their free too.

 

[barbee6043]

As far as I see it shoplifting has already violated, terminated the agreement therefore you have every right to seek you're own counsel. What do you have to lose?

your first visit to a lawyer should be FREE! you tell him the situation and he decides if he can help or wants to take your case. if not free,. find another lawyer!

 

[polywideblock]

I know their vultures( over here they take anything up to 30% of payout ) but do you guys have those huge legal firms that advertise "if you don't win ,you don't pay" . if so find one of them , set the dogs on shopko and if you win pay up . at least you'd have a large legal team on your side and would get something out of this whole mess.
as others have said is joining the military and then sending back home part of your pay an option

 

[Bruzilla]

Let us know if you're really looking at the military. Like anything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to go in the service, and we can help you down the right path.

Another thing to consider is all the military branches have relief assistance available, and can offer you interest-free loans to help out in a crisis. I had to use their services a couple of times, and was damn glad Navy Relief was there.

 

[BeatersRus]

bit confusing why people keep telling him to go military??

hes trying to take care of the family and being stationed a million miles away and unable to go to their side when needed really doesnt sound like its much help.....?

the only one that made sense Was the national guard,at least hed be close to home and get training and college.

and again,if it was my family,id have the local Newspaper right up in this.
daily news,whatever.
im also unsure what he means by shopko chooses his Dads lawyers?
whats that all about??

 

[Car Nut]

My second choice instead of going to school would be the railroad and next the military. Become a conductor with the railroad and move up to an engineer, you be set for life.

 

[Budnicks]

Sorry to hear about the issues your father has with his former employer...

Get a good lawyer, not the ones that ShopKo supplies,
they are on retainer for the company & not your fathers protection...
It's his choice to pick a lawyer not the companies choice...
Most would take it on a percentage or flat fee...
There are advocate to that will sometimes do it pro-bono
meaning "free on their dime", they write it off or get $$$ from the govt. etc.

I'd suggest that you tell/inform your father to look into that immediately,
no time like the present, longer you wait the worse it could be,
there may also be a statute of limitation or time frame,
that you can still sue them too...
I'm not a lawyer but have dealt with a bunch of business legal issues
& contracts etc., over the many years...
Get a couple of consultations not just one lawyer, get a couple of opinions
they are usually free, fro the 1st consultation...
Like anything don't just settle for the 1st one, make sure you/your father likes &
trust them...
It's his & your mothers responsibility, you can aid/help them,
but ultimately it's them, that have to file & do anything, not you...
Good luck with that, it's great to see a loyal child too,
I commend you for that...

Everyone has gone threw something in life that sets you back....
It's part of growing up, you'll get threw it too...
Voc./Tech school, sounds great if that's what you want, you really
want to mess with automotive or mechanical stuff, fabrication welding etc.
all can help you get jobs too, most of the Voc./Tech schools, even HVAC stuff,
plumbing, electrical, you name it, it's out there & most of them all have
some sort of financial help & some sort of job placement programs too...
After you graduate, get certified or what ever applies...

I say military is not a bad idea at all, you get to grow up, see the world,
get training & free schooling {to a point}...
My son was at a cross roads, like you occupation wise not family wise,
back in Aug. 2001, after getting his AA, he decided to go into the Navy...
James {my son} he was just going in to get the GI bill org., one stint,
he wasn't a really good HS student, he did well in some classes,
but well in others, like shop, he may have been able to get a athletic
scholarship, but not to a big school, I paid for 85% of it,
he had a job to help pay for the rest...
It was up to him, he was an adult now...
But loves it now, he's Navy all the way, he will probably stay in for life,
retire from the Navy, I'm so proud of him too...
It wasn't my 1st choice for him,
I wanted him to come to work for me & my co., be an engineer etc.
I was worried especially after 9/11, but he's completely safe,
just as safe as he can be, it was just one month latter, after he enlisted...

Most all my kids, my family, brother sisters, Uncle, Granddad etc.,
my niece & nephew, have done some sort of military service...
I really made them who they are today...
Even when they had good grades & education, to go to a great school/University...
It's a great place to find yourself, become a real man...
Serve your country too, very patriotic & honorable...
Figure out what's the best path for you while you get great training, benefits
& you get paid, it's not big $$$, but you can get an education a degree,
become an officer & make great $$$...
I know James has...

I know a few Railroad guys too that liked the travel & work too,
they all are doing very well today, none of them got hired the
1st try, let alone the second try, it's not as easy as some say it is...
There's a lot of people that apply for 1 position, like 50:1 ratio...
Pretty much for all jobs today, especially for entry level jobs,
There's like 95 million people out of the work force today
& it's getting worse, it's a product of our leadership...
Anyway...

What ever you decide, don't do it half ***,
you have to go balls out what ever you decide to do,
it's your life now, your responsibility now, to make your life,
what you can make the best of, what you can make it for yourself...

Sorry for the short book, or being blunt, but you asked, so I told...LOL

 

[Derwud]

Screw Wyotech or UTI.. Find a Comunitty College in you area, might be a drive, but better than getting screwed by a pay a fee school.

http://nwc.edu/academics/

Get Dad to Lawyer up NOW.. you won't be loosing anything!

 

[Roger63]

I concur with the railroad advice my father spent almost 40 years at the union Pacific, my brother is an engineer for the U P and makes well over 100k a year, but hard to get on.

 

[Coronet 14]

Get a SSD lawyer. ASAP. They will help you fill out the paperwork and file for it. SSD could take a long time. So get going on it. Mine took 688 days.

 

[69a100]

I concur with what Budnick's said. If you Dad hasn't signed up for EBT/foodstamps whatever yet, get his butt down there and get it. Pride to take it or not, now isn't the time for that if they have no income, it helps!
As a vet I say stay far away from the Military unless it's a last resort, you will be gone and all you can do is send $$ and moral support from wherever the Military puts you. Good Luck

 

[Cranky]

I know their vultures( over here they take anything up to 30% of payout ) but do you guys have those huge legal firms that advertise "if you don't win ,you don't pay" . if so find one of them , set the dogs on shopko and if you win pay up . at least you'd have a large legal team on your side and would get something out of this whole mess.
as others have said is joining the military and then sending back home part of your pay an option

More closer to 50% around my parts!!

 

[verdelaw]

Let us know if you're really looking at the military. Like anything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to go in the service, and we can help you down the right path.

^^this

Some of us are currently serving and would have good advice for you. I agree that Wyotech and the other big name tech schools are a huge ripoff. In fact, many schools including colleges are ripoffs these days.

Anyway, just to throw yet another idea out there.. ever considered working air traffic control? I toured their training facility in OKC a year ago and learned some amazing facts. Their STARTING pay comes out to around $70k-$80k. After three years, you're easily at $125k. Amazing. But you do have to sit in a dark room your whole life, so there's that.

 

[coloradodave]

Get a SSD lawyer. ASAP. They will help you fill out the paperwork and file for it. SSD could take a long time. So get going on it. Mine took 688 days.

The best thing about Social Security Disability (SSD) is that the payout is retro-active to the day you file. The sooner you (your Dad) files, the more the payout will be. Good luck to you and your family.

 

[Bruzilla]

bit confusing why people keep telling him to go military??

hes trying to take care of the family and being stationed a million miles away and unable to go to their side when needed really doesnt sound like its much help.....?

the only one that made sense Was the national guard,at least hed be close to home and get training and college.

and again,if it was my family,id have the local Newspaper right up in this.
daily news,whatever.
im also unsure what he means by shopko chooses his Dads lawyers?
whats that all about??

There's more than one issue here. Speaking as a parent myself, I'm sure his Dad is more concerned about his son's welfare than his own. The military offers an immediate solution to most of his problems. It gives him a good paying job, access to the training and education he wants, and will get him started on a road to success that he's not on right now. He's in no position to really help his family now aside from offering moral support that his Dad doesn't likely need. What his Dad needs to do is get himself a real lawyer and take care of himself, and his son needs to get started on being able to take care of himself.