NY Times article: loss of license

[missmollie]

When Unpaid Student Loan Bills Mean You Can No Longer Work - The New York Times

This article illuminates a little known state law that penalizes people behind in their student loans by taking away licenses. Licenses can include:

Fishing

Hunting

Driving

Professional licenses:

Firefighters

Lawyers

Teaching

CNA

Nursing

I had no idea this was in existence. Many people who have the "dream" of nursing will try to obtain their license through expensive, private for-profit schools. They would seem to be the most at risk of not paying their loans and having their license suspended.

I personally had no idea this existed and wanted to share. I couldn't imagine receiving that notice in the mail. Scary thought. This affects people's livelihood and ability to pay.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

Mmm...people who use A professional license to earn a living by which to pay the exorbitant loans incurred to obtain that license can on occasion fall behind on those loans because they themselves are ill or have personal issues and the very issuer of said license carelessly prevents them from earning that living, therefore they enter the hamster wheel of never catching up. They cannot work in the licensed field, therefore cannot pay those loans, therefore lose that license, therefore ‘would you like fries with that."

My point is that, in reference to nursing, we as nurses give all but when we fall and have no more to give, we are merely stomped on like so much trash. We are not allowed to be ill or make bad choices. We are presumed to be at fault.

That rant being said, I think the law was meant for those willfully avoiding those obligations. Absolutely, Child support should be job number one. Yes, Loans are an obligation. The price of education (thank you in part Betsy DeVos) is another rant for another post probably in another forum. Now, I will say that courtesy of the Obama era, most government backed loans, with a little paperwork, can be worked into reasonable payment schemes. Private loans (sucks air through teeth)..don't get me started..back to the Betsy DeVos thing.

and, Not-a-hat....yes, Higher education has become a racket. Society has determined that one is not a success with out a degree. That has reduced the marketability of a college degree. It just does not mean as much anymore.Then there is the fact that some technical jobs that require mostly OJT make more than even us nurses.

[terter]

Wow never knew that these sorts of things can lead to a loss of licensure

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Private student loans often have co-signers, usually a parent or grandparent. Lenders don't make it easy to remove a co-signer. If the co-signer dies or declares bankruptcy, the lender can put the loan into default even if the borrower has been paying on time for years.