Re: attendance at work

[Guest guest]

Yes, I had to file for FMLA, which is Family Medical Leave Act. I also filed for disability through my employer at the same time, so please make sure you check into that for your sake. I filed in 2006 and since I couldn't go back to work I had to terminate my employment. I don't know if anything has changed since then, but I'll be more than happy to help you with anything you need. Might want to also google it to read up on it.

Good luck and don't hesitate to contact me. H

From: rcteach2002 <rcmagers@...>Subject: attendance at workdominie Date: Saturday, December 13, 2008, 12:11 AM

Hi all! A question for you... Has anyone ever filled out FMLA paperwork for intermittent absences from work due to chronic illness?I have been with the same employer for 6 1/2 years and my attendance has never been brought into question. However, I have missed 9 days of work in the past 4 months, including three important meetings that happened after the work day. I have never exceeded my allotted annual sick days, and I have never had a negative performance review. However, my boss brought into question my absences and wants to meet with me to "discuss why I have been absent and missed meetings." I've explained that I have a chronic illness and only miss work in extreme instances. I get the feeling my boss thinks I'm exaggerating or making excuses.My doctor said there is some federal law related to FMLA and I should have him fill out paperwork.Just wondering if anyone has ever

dealt with this type of issue with their employer.

[Guest guest]

Yes, I sure have! When I was a legal secretary (1980's), the

attorneys allowed 1 day of sick leave per month. Being that I was

struggling with excruciatingly painful endometriosis, FMS, CFIDS and

vicious insomnia

http://www.fms-help.com/insomnia.htm

I would go into work so sick and in pain that I could barely

function. I eventually had to quit, when I couldn't type anymore

after developing what is called " claw hand deformity " from excessive

typing. At another job after that as office manager, my boss called

me " lazy " - that really hurt, because I am a take-charge, gungho,

overachiever. The dilemma is that if your employer knows you are

sick, they may fire you, although whatever this FMLA paperwork is it

sounds worth looking into. If you don't let your employer know you

are sick or have a medical condition, they expect you to work (and

overtime) just like a healthy person. It's a Catch-22. I hope you

will get more replies on this very important question. Those of us

with chronic invisible illness are often stigmatized. You would

think that educating our bosses with maybe some short description of

our illness would help, but in terms of productivity, they may start

looking for someone who can be more faithful in work attendance,

production, etc. It's a problem we have all been through. - Dom

>

> Hi all! A question for you... Has anyone ever filled out FMLA

paperwork

> for intermittent absences from work due to chronic illness?

>

> I have been with the same employer for 6 1/2 years and my

attendance

> has never been brought into question. However, I have missed 9 days

of

> work in the past 4 months, including three important meetings that

> happened after the work day. I have never exceeded my allotted

annual

> sick days, and I have never had a negative performance review.

>

> However, my boss brought into question my absences and wants to

meet

> with me to " discuss why I have been absent and missed meetings. "

I've

> explained that I have a chronic illness and only miss work in

extreme

> instances. I get the feeling my boss thinks I'm exaggerating or

making

> excuses.

>

> My doctor said there is some federal law related to FMLA and I

should

> have him fill out paperwork.

>

> Just wondering if anyone has ever dealt with this type of issue

with

> their employer.

>

[Guest guest]

Back in 2003 I was going back and forth to the DR. for all my aches and

pains , not sleeping well either and fibroids etc....The Doctors kept

telling me it was from my car wreck in 1994 then the pallet of grapes

knocking me down to the concrete at the Publix warehouse in 1999. But

in 2003 I had a part-time job through Randstand doing janitorial work

for CSX and TA a truck stop. He told me if I didn't quit I would come

down with heart attack number 3 .That one could be fatal pulse all the

chemicals were doing an umber on my body what back then he didn't

know.Since then i have switched doctors .I love this doctor.Yes

please look into the FLMA too do some research on line, talk to the HR

dept about it too.

also remember I think it is only for 6 months nad if yuo are trying to

get on SSDI would this hurt yuor chances I donot know.But please lok

into FLMA sosm more too. I still donot use many chemiclas to clean

just bleach and water then scrubbing bubbles for the bath tubs.

Please let us know what you decide to do.

Hugs heidi

Heidi

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I dealt with this at my former job. Your physician can fill out

paperwork for Intermittent Leave, which basically means you are covered

to be out of work for up to a certain number of days per year due to

illness. It covers your butt, and also serves the purpose

of " legitimizing " your illness. It made life at work much easier, and

helped me feel a bit less guilty about all the days I missed, because

my boss then could not question that I was ill. It's very simple to

complete.

>

[Guest guest]

There are limits and when I took the FMLA I couldn't go back to work so they did terminate my employment as well. Nothing I could do, I couldn't work and haven't been able to since. H

From: Jeannie Malkiewicz <jmm127@...>Subject: attendance at workdominie Date: Saturday, December 13, 2008, 10:03 PM

I went thru a similar scenario and was "urged" to taked FMLA - unfortunatelyduring the time I was out, I broke a bone in my hand and my surgeon wouldnot allow me to return to work when the FMLA was over, and I lost my job.This is by far one of the worst parts of having FM (or any chronic illness)as we are all usually "over-workers" (doing more than our fair share asthat's our personality) or we're trying to over-compensate for time missed.You might want to check with someone at the Federal Agency who oversees FMLA(its probably on the paperwork) to see how this will affect you long-term(especially since there are limits to the leave). Hope this helps.

[Guest guest]

the social security admin only pays back pay of 2 years now, no matter how long you are in appeals.Darlene

From: heidi <heidilhlokey>Subject: Re: attendance at workdominie@groups .comDate: Saturday, December 13, 2008, 11:50 AM

Back in 2003 I was going back and forth to the DR. for all my aches and pains , not sleeping well either and fibroids etc....The Doctors kept telling me it was from my car wreck in 1994 then the pallet of grapes knocking me down to the concrete at the Publix warehouse in 1999. But in 2003 I had a part-time job through Randstand doing janitorial work for CSX and TA a truck stop. He told me if I didn't quit I would come down with heart attack number 3 .That one could be fatal pulse all the chemicals were doing an umber on my body what back then he didn't know.Since then i have switched doctors .I love this doctor.Yes please look into the FLMA too do some research on line, talk to the HR dept about it too. also remember I think it is only for 6 months nad if yuo are trying to get on SSDI would this hurt yuor chances I donot know.But please lok into FLMA sosm more too. I still donot use many chemiclas

to clean just bleach and water then scrubbing bubbles for the bath tubs.Please let us know what you decide to do.Hugs heidi Heidi

[Guest guest]

Thanks, everyone, for your great insight.

I am only interested in " intermittent " absences as they pertain to FMLA-

-I am not at the point where I can't work, I just need a day or two off

every now and then when I'm in a bad flare.

The reason this is so frustrating is that when I do take an absence, I

am only using my earned sick days and have never missed more than the

15 days per year I am allowed by my contract (I am a teacher). I don't

even see why I should have to explain my absences since I'm not

exceeding what I am allowed anyway. I am going to go through with the

FMLA paperwork in order to cover my rear.

THanks again!

[Guest guest]

I my self have never had to use FMLA, here is the official website for it. http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/ I am not sure but I think that you can use any vacation time and sick leave first then the 12 weeks starts. It should have this covered in the web site. If you plan on filing for disability, now is the time to do it. It will most likely not be approved until after the leave is up. But it will not harm the application, in fact it should help it. If you have short term or long term disability insurance, apply for it also. I imagine if the boss is questioning, your absences it is probably because of your past history and then in the last 4 months missing 9 days. Check out the web site and it should answer your questions. Sandie -- attendance at work Hi all! A question for you... Has anyone ever filled out FMLA paperwork for intermittent absences from work due to chronic illness? I have been with the same employer for 6 1/2 years and my attendance has never been brought into question. However, I have missed 9 days of work in the past 4 months, including three important meetings that happened after the work day. I have never exceeded my allotted annual sick days, and I have never had a negative performance review. However, my boss brought into question my absences and wants to meet with me to "discuss why I have been absent and missed meetings." I've explained that I have a chronic illness and only miss work in extreme instances. I get the feeling my boss thinks I'm exaggerating or making excuses. My doctor said there is some federal law related to FMLA and I should have him fill out paperwork. Just wondering if anyone has ever dealt with this type of issue with their employer. ------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

If you're a teacher don't you have a teacher's union, as they are there to protect and advise you? They are supposed to know all the ins and outs of leaves, intermittant absences, etc. You are absolutely right, however, if you have not exceeding your sick days, it is NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. I reached mine and there was absolutely nothing they could so. I too worked for the school system when I became ill and was never able to go back, but as long as I worked by days and only took off what I knew I had time for, there was not a thing they could do. In my school system, if I was out more than 3 days in a row I would then have to have a reason from a doctor as to why, otherwise, we did not have to give an explanation. Please check this thoroughly, the school system does not have your back, the only they thing with your back

is stab it! You think they're behind you but they're really not. That didn't matter if it was the school system I left or the one in St Aug/Jax area or for that matter many others that I have met along the way. You have to take care of you and be very careful what you say because everything gets put in your file especially if they have already spoken to you. I'm only telling you this because I experienced it firsthand.

Hope this helps somewhat and hopefully I didn't scare you too bad. Just trying to give you the truth as I know it. Please take care of yourself and best wishes. Hugs H

From: rcteach2002 <rcmagers@...>Subject: Re: attendance at workdominie Date: Sunday, December 14, 2008, 8:34 AM

Thanks, everyone, for your great insight. I am only interested in "intermittent" absences as they pertain to FMLA--I am not at the point where I can't work, I just need a day or two off every now and then when I'm in a bad flare. The reason this is so frustrating is that when I do take an absence, I am only using my earned sick days and have never missed more than the 15 days per year I am allowed by my contract (I am a teacher). I don't even see why I should have to explain my absences since I'm not exceeding what I am allowed anyway. I am going to go through with the FMLA paperwork in order to cover my rear.THanks again!