Employee #12

While I had paid employment starting in elementary school (a Wednesday afternoon shopper route, followed by nannying in middle school and working at a movie theater in high school...), neither of our kids have had regular paid work in their short lives. We can rationalize it – after all, both kids are late summer birthdays which meant they weren't eligible for employment most summers. Add in a global Pandemic and a purge of Federal workers resulting in an extremely depressed job market in DC, and it becomes clearer that their options were pretty limited. As a result, while both kids have previously volunteered regularly to fill their summer days (Noa at an art camp; Owen at Friends Meeting of Washington), neither of them has ever triggered a W-2 filing.

Until this summer. 

Back in the spring at a Smithsonian Women's Committee event, Don started chatting with a committee member about his grandson's love of baseball. Turns out she works at the Nationals and suggested that Owen apply for a summer job and flag his application for her. He did and after a fairly performative interview and a lot of on-line training, Owen officially became a Washington National... who provides Guest Services in June.

His job assignments fluctuate, but encompasses monitoring escalators, ushering, ensuring that individuals that catch flyballs don't require medical attention, handing out fan giveaways, and helping scan tickets. His schedule is every home game (he took off a couple for Iowa), and his hours are two-hours before the game starts until an hour after it ends (even if that end is extended due to rain delays, extra innings, fireworks and the odd concert). 

It's been a really good experience for Owen, and has not ruined his love of the game (I was a bit worried given Duke Ellington and the cello). The only downside is that Allen has lost his game buddy since Owen is working every time the Nats are in town, but it's a small sacrifice for Owen finally paying into Social Security.