Wizards, Jobs & Social Security

[Alfredo Ramírez]

No: HPFGUIDX 24187

<SNIP>

How?  People get social security numbers when they provide birth
certificates, etc.  In this day and age, there seem to be a *lot* of
paperwork for anyone just to exist.  The wizard won't have the basic
paperwork to get to the point where he can have a social security number.

</SNIP>

I think it’s safe to say that certain sections of the main-stream (Muggle)
government know about wizards. Considering that most Wizards are
half-bloods, they’d have social security numbers anyway. As for purebloods,
I think there is probably some sort of cooperation program between the
Ministry of Magic and the UK equivalent of the Department of State. A birth
certificate is likely drawn up for the newly born wizard and then stored in
some file.

In the US, you need three things to get a social security number:

1)      Proof of age.
2)      Proof of identity.
3)      Proof of citizenship.

1 and 3 are easily filled by the aforementioned birth certificate. As for 2,
a driver’s license does quite nicely. If you’re going to join the Muggle
world, you might as well know how to drive and get a driver’s license, no?
With those two things, you can get a social security number and start your
life.

<SNIP>

And what kind of a job a wizard can do in the Muggle world, when he's
probably not encouraged to use much magic?  Professional jobs nowadays seem
so specialized that the only ones the poor wizard would be able to get will
probably be pretty menial (McDonald's burger flipper, anyone?).

</SNIP>

Wizards can fulfill roles as herbalists, fortunetellers, and various other
‘New Age’ professions. Also, there’s always night school and that sort of
thing.


Another possibility is this: the Wizard Integration Program. This would
certainly require the cooperation of the MoM with mainstream government. It
could consist of the following:

1)      The creation of an identity for the wizard. This would include
social security number, birth certificate, university diplomas, etc. I’d
expect some Wizard studies can be revalidated, as the Ministry of Education
deems proper.
2)      A slew of courses aimed at making the Wizards more comfortable and
able to blend in with other Muggles. This could include: Electricity,
Telephones, Automobiles, etc
 There could be different course levels, so
that wizards that took Muggle Studies at Hogwarts wouldn’t have to relearn
old stuff.
3)      Finding the Wizard a job to start with.

This way Wizards can become part of normal society with the least amount of
problems and I suppose it’s at least plausible.

JB


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