STOUGHTON, MASS. (WHDH) - One local man was psyched! His newborn son had just arrived. And his application to take some paid time off from work was underway. But when he hit some color copy confusion, he contacted Solve It 7.
It was a life-changing moment for Rude and his wife, Trina. In January, their son, Kaison, was born.
“I was so happy,” Rude said.
The Stoughton couple knew a newborn would be a lot of work. So Rude took a temporary leave from his job.
“Us both bonding with the baby is very, very important,” Trina said.
To make sure he had some money coming in, Rude applied to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
It allows most workers with a new baby or an illness to take paid time off.
“They told me I need to send a copy of my license, front and back, for them. You know, just fax it. That was the first step. So, I did,” Rude said.
But two weeks later, Rude called the state to check on his application. He was told black and white fax copies of his license wouldn’t work. He needed to send color copies so the state would know the license was real.
“They never mentioned anything about the color,” Trina said.
“I was very frustrated,” Rude said.
So Rude printed color copies of his license and mailed them over. But says the state claims they never got them. Rude was told he couldn’t email the copies because he applied over the phone.
Once again, Rude made copies.
But this time, he sent them certified mail.
“She said, ‘Yeah, we received it, but it’s not in color. It’s in black and white.’ And we’re like, ‘No, we sent it to you in color,'” Trina said.
Rude sent more color copies and got told the same thing.
“Every time I send it to them, it is in color. You can see it,” Rude said.
The color confusion meant Rude had no money coming in. Overdue bills were piling up.
“I couldn’t even sleep,” Rude said.
Finally, they were told Rude’s application was denied, and he could file an appeal.
But that would take time.
“They say, ‘We can take like, you know, maybe like a three, two months,” Rude said.
So, the couple appealed to Solve It 7.
“We were literally about to be in tears because we really needed help,” Trina said.
Days after we contacted the state, Rude was approved for benefits. He got his first payment about a week later.
“I was jumping around,” Rude said.
Now he and Trina can focus on their new son.
“Without you guys, we, I don’t know, when we would have gotten it,” Trina said.
“I thank you guys so much,” Rude said.
If you’re laboring to get a problem solved, let us try. Please send us an email at SolveIt7@whdh.com
For instructions on how to apply for the MA Paid Family and Medical Leave Program, click here.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)