Re: Hey Guys I have to VENT please. and HELP if You Can Please.

[Guest guest]

Hi Gio,

I agree with Patti - you MUST get your family medical leave

papers on file with your company. Once you do this, they cannot

use your absences as a reason to fire you or give you bad

reviews. It is important that you do this for your protection. One

reason that they may be harrassing you could be because of the

cost of your illness on their insurance plan. Alot of employers try

to make life on the job difficult when the employee has an

expensive medical condition. They may be trying to get you to

quit so they don't have to include you on their plan. So the advice

that my husband gives in these kind of situation (he is a union

leader) is that you kill them with kindness...that is, you are so

sugary sweet and accomodating and agreeable that it slaps

them in the face. In addition, you should have a rebuttal

statement put into your personal file that clearly states your side

of the incidents that they are using against you. If you are in the

companies union, you have to get your area representative

involved with all of this so they can advise you and offer legal

assistance. Remember that legally, your personnel file cannot

be shared between employers (at least in our area). That doesn't

mean that it isn't done on the side, but technically, you could get

them in trouble if any of their opinions get released to other

non-company persons.

So to sum:

1). get your family medical leave papers on file ASAP

2). get a rebuttal statement in your files ASAP

3). contact your union rep if you are organized in the workplace

4) or contact the EEOC that the federal government has for

workplace disputes and see if there is any advice that they can

offer.

5). once you have your FMLA papers on file, use time off for the

days that you feel irritable so that you are less likely to get into

any misunderstandings / disputes. It is important for you to take

care of your mental as well as physical health in situations like

yours.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

Dear Gio,

I read your post, and I'm so sorry that you have to go through all of

that at work. Have you ever tried getting permanent disability? I

know this has nothing to do with your job, but you stated that you

have been sweating all the time and that you use the duragesic

patch. Well, I had been on the duragesic patch also, 100 mg every 48

hours for 2 years, and sweated all of the time. I thought I was

going through early menopause! Anyway, I just stopped using it about

a month ago and the sweats are gone, so I am attributing the sweating

to the pain meds. I now take Subutex, a synthetic morphine, that you

take under the tongue. It's brand new on the market, and I'm finding

it to be very effective in controlling my pain. Hope this helps at

least a little.

/NJ

>

>

[Guest guest]

Gio,

I agree with Laurie. They may be trying to find a way to get rid of

you. I have been PERFECT at work because of that fear. I am a

great engineer but an expensive one due to the illness. Most

companies don't care about who you are and how good you are. It is

a bottom line world.

They can't get rid of me because of some law that protects me but

they sure can look for cause. I don't plan on giving them an easy

time finding one. Keep in mind that this may be what is going on

and act accordingly. That is if you want to keep working.

I am interested in hearing more about Family Leave. What does one

do? Another layer of protection would help.

Good luck to you, Gio. Keep your head down.

Carol

[Guest guest]

Hi Carol,

My name is Patty and I have had CP for 4 years now. Just beginning in Dec of

2003 is when I started having all my problems with CP and being sick and in the

hospital. I work for a large hospital and so the HR dept. has what they call

FMLA and it can be used to cover intermittent leave due to a Chronic condition.

It is good for 1 year.

There is a web site you can go to that you will be able to print out a form to

have filled out by your employer. It also gives you alot of great information

about who qualifies. The web address is www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/.

I am a GYN oncology Surgeon's secretary so I also fill alot of these forms out

for patients.

Sincerely,

Patty Duley

Corydon, IN

---------------------------------