Social Security Worker Gave Own Money--Is Fired
RICHMOND, Calif. — A Social Security Administration employee was fired for allegedly violating privacy regulations after he mailed gifts of $50 of his own money to teen-age girls who claimed orphan benefits.
Tim Bindner, 37, a divorced $28,000-a-year claims authorizer, said, “I’ve always wanted to give away money to people who needed it, and I finally got the chance to do it.”
He said he “usually didn’t even put a return address on the envelopes, and when I did I used a PO box with no name. I wasn’t interested in getting a response from any of the girls, and I never got a response.”
After giving away $1,950 to young girls who had applied for Social Security benefits as orphans, his generosity came to the attention of his superiors.
“I told them all about it, and I thought the whole thing was over,” Bindner said. “Then I got fired.”
He said he will appeal the dismissal.
Social Security spokesman Bob Fouts said that Bindner violated federal privacy laws by using addresses from agency files.
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