This isn't realy news.  It is a story, and it is my story.  My reason
for putting it here is that I'm afraid it is more common than we may
think and, as you will see, "The System" only has made things worse. 
I'd like some input on how to correct some of these situations.

I am Deaf since infancy, with excellent oral skills, and a mainstream
education including a B.S. degree in accounting.  I have raily had a job
over 23 years and not had a job over 5 years.  I've always been among
the first to be laid off for what ever reason.  In April of 1992 I was
divorced and lost yet another job at the same time.  When my
unemployment compensation ran out I applied for Social Security
Disability benefits for myself and my three children.  August 19th, 1994
Social Security determined that I was disabled as of March 21, 1992 and
paid benefits retroactivly to me and my children who are in the custody
of their mother.  Although I used a sign language interpreter in court,
the court did not recognise that I am Deaf or disabled.  Child support
accrued during the entire time of my disability and unemployment.  In
March of 1995, the SSA began deducting 60% of my benefits and sending
that money to the support enforcement agency.  That provided for my
ex-wife $460 per month for the children's benefits, plus $640 through
the support enforcement agency.  And that provided me with $350 per
month to live on.  I only receive credit with the support enforcement
agency for the amounts that go through them.  So, I don't receive credit
for the $460 that comes directly from Social Security, or the $11,000 in
retro-benefits, that were paid directly to the children.  Faced with the
imposible situation of living on $350 per month, I went back to work for
a temporary agency.  After completing the 9 month trial work period and
the 3 month bonus period, I send a letter and a check back to Social
Security asking them to stop my benefit payments to me and the the
Support Enforcement agency.  Seven monts after that I lost that job due
to lay-off.  A month later I was hospitalized for depression and
suisidal tendancies, and 9 months after I asked, SSA stoped sending my
payments, but won't tell me if they have stopped paying the support
enforcement agency.

The job I had was LAN administrator at the manufactuiring division of a
Dayton company.  Four months before I was laid off I intervied for the
LAN Administrator position at the corporate office of the same company. 
They had an identical system, only larger.  My interview was with a
relative of the company founder who was from India.  I could not
understand his English, and asked to be interviewed again by someone
that could speak English better, or using a sign language interpreter. 
There was no response and 4 weeks later I was told that they hired
someone else.  I had acquired certification from Novell as a Network
Administrator, and the person they hired was not a CNA.  I filed a
complaint with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and five months later
was told (not yet officialy) that there is no probable cause. I have to
pay taxes on over $35,000 income last year while I only received about
$10,00 and have almost no income now (the support enforcement agency is
getting 60% of my unemployment benefits).  I have spent $800 on
attornies to address the child support issues with no results.  I have
asked my US Congresman to look into it with no response.  The BVR has
not returned one of my phone calls in the last three months.  Since I
have had several good intervies for jobs that I was well qualified for,
and not gotten any of them, I suspect that my former employer is
retaliating against me for filing the complaint under the ADA.  There
must be some way to correct all this.  Perhaps this posting will show a
way.

                                       Gregory H. Lawrence
                                         ghlaw@erinet.com