Reply to Em/Work meltdown disaster

[Guest guest]

Em,

You've just told my story. I just got fired from a company I've been at for 6

years because of chronic absenteeism. Who ever is the group representative in

your personnel office should be able to direct you to the FMLA forms. There is

probably someone who handles insurance or might have the job title 'insurance

contact' or 'carrier representative'. They should have the forms. But, if you

know of a friendly lawyer, you might want to contact the lawyer too. I was

under the impression that the company is supposed to give you these forms.

On FMLA in general, you can have your doctor fill out the forms to authorize

doctors' appointments; unspecified illness; etc, not just this

absence/occurrence. As an American with Disabilities, you do have some

protection and rights. Of course, most companies do little to mention that.

And if there is anything you need to make your job easier, like a lumbar cushion

or a special keyboard, the company is supposed to supply that once you submit

the doctors' orders. Even companies with dress codes should allow cross-trainer

shoes as long as your doctor is ready to write out the order.

I'm very fortunate in the fact that I have a great family doctor. She's ready

to battle the insurance companies just on general principle.

Oh, one last thing, if your job is unionized, go to your union

steward/representative. They should be able to help cut through the " male

bovine excrement " and get you on the right track.

~ :-D (Who holds the record for FMLA with an ex-employer)

Work meltdown disaster

Well, if anyone can hammer it through my thick head what I should do now, I

swear I'll try my best. I got suspended from work for too many absences,

so I'm off the next few days. Going by the book, if I get three more

absences in between now and May 11, 2003, I get fired. And I can't promise

I won't have more absences. I try my best, work through being sick almost

every day, but it's going to be impossible to promise perfect attendance

from here on out.

So if anyone can tell me how to apply for FMLA, please drop me a note? I

am so shocked and scared. I need this money really badly, and if I get

fired it will be that much harder to get another job. I have worked for

this hospital for 15 months, so I am eligible in terms of how long I've

been employed here. But I don't know how to go about it. I thought that I

had to exhaust my sick leave to get it, but if I exhaust my sick leave I

get fired. So I don't have a clue how to go from here.

I appreciate any info anyone can send me. What makes this even harder is

that my annual evaluation ranked me above average in every aspect of my

job, except absences, where they gave me an average, NOT a

below-average. Then they suspended me a week later. (My evaluation was

done very late, after nearly 15 months)

I'm pretty scared. Hope you guys can maybe help a little or let me know

where I can go for help.

Em

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Even in nice Mr. son's stories, each boy's life only catches

your deepest interest when a pirate is about to slit that sweet child's

throat. What makes a story good ain't what makes a person good. "

(Allan Gurganus)

" Cut a good story anywhere, and it will bleed. "

(Anton Chekhov)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~