Here be grrrrrr.

[byslantedlight]

I'm calm now. At the time I may have been somewhat - terse - with both the woman in human resources, and the one in the college who decided to send me the information two days before christmas. I slammed the door. I kicked the file cabinet (steel-toed boots). My lovely sister-in-starbucks, the gorgeous Stepheeee (*waves*) did an admirable job in a 90 minute international phone conversation in preventing me from rushing downstairs and bloodying the lovely carpet. I've taken out all my aggression on random shoppers at the supermarket - don't worry, only with glares, and none that were intercepted. And finally, I've watched Judge John Deed who is calming, right? So it's okay now.

I don't think I need to swear any more. But I do need to say that the people who decided that, since I have spent some five years in this country, and despite it not being by any means consecutive, I need to pay both FICA and Medicare are... somewhat unkind in their interpretation of economics, and rather acting against what we might call the spirit of encouraging international academics. And I would like to say here that I am perfectly happy to pay federal tax, and to make a contribution to the social security and health systems of any country in which I live. However I find the fact that I am expected to make such contribution and at the same time am disallowed from ever claiming on either support system to be somewhat... contradictory. I also find it somewhat disagreeable that they take these payments in the sum of nearly 8% of my gross "salary" which itself amounts to something less than £6000pa. Furthermore, I was a tourist for one of those alleged "five" years, travelling on money that I had worked hard for and already payed taxes. Furtherfurthermore I spent more time outside of this country than in it since I originally visited, and I have no intention of living here permanently. You have to be kidding. (Nothing personal guys - you I like, it's just the people at the top). And-and-and I've brought into this country money that projects wouldn't have otherwise had. So - gargh bastards.

And almost worse - human-fucking-resources who decided that the best time to send me an email about this would be the day before everyone breaks up for christmas - two days, in fact, before the season of alleged goodwill itself. Where did that piece of psychological wormery originate I wonder?

So the short of it is that the pay rise I was happy and relieved about a week ago has been all but wiped out by this charming piece of beaurocratic wankery.

And I can't even walk long and far and hard to get it out of my system because it is december and we are therefore constrained to the Fairbanks Shuffle for another 4 months or so - which does not help in the release of anger and general grumpiness. So - gaaaaaargh!

Sorry. Hmmn. I may have been somewhat mistaken about the level of my calmness.

Comments

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

That sucks like a huge sucking thing. Are they going to insist, or can you find a way to do the tax avoidance shuffle?

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

BLOODY BASTARDS! Where do they live? (I've got a clenched fist and I don't want to waste it).

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

What rotten timing! The situation you describe certainly doesn't seem fair, but then when was the last time you ever heard of tax laws being fair?

Look on the bright side, Sunshine. Don DeMarco is on his way to cheer you up! :-D

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Look on the bright side, Sunshine. Don DeMarco is on his way to cheer you up! :-D

Sorry, I'm being very pushy and nosey here but blame it on my upbringing. If this means you'll soon be watching Ladder of Swords, then you're in for a wonderful experience! I think Martin Shaw is at the height of his beauty in this film.