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  • Sick Days = Fired

    Short and bitter story here.

    It turns out that Pit of Despair Manufacturing, Inc. has no patience for employees who exhibit less than optimal health. They recently fired a friend of mine who worked there, because she used too many sick days.

    How do we know that was what they fired her for? Because they stapled her last hospital note to her walking papers.

    The problem I have with this is simply the fact that it's just not healthy, ironically, to have to live in fear of losing your job should you become ill. It's also a little scary to me because I may have to use some of my sick days and vacation days in the upcoming days in order to ferry my parents around to the doctor. My mother is legally blind, you see, and my father quite suddenly went blind himself about two days ago. Considering that one or both of them have doctors to see nearly every day nowadays, and now considering that neither can drive, this is quite a bind to find oneself in. Do I take my parents to the doctor, or shall I let them die because I'm afraid I'll lose my job -- not to mention a very unique and useful job benefit I'm close to claiming --?

    Oh, hell... they're on their way down anyway. I suppose I can only hope we can have the funerals on one of my days off.

    ...

    ......

    .........

    I suppose I'm being a little dramatic here, on consideration. However, what can I do? There are going to be days when no one else will be free to take my mother, my father, of both of them to the doctor. There's still the chance I could come down with the flu or some such. What can I do?

    What can anyone do?

    Then again, on even further consideration, I think it comes down to the three pillars of job security at Pit of Despair Manufacturing, Inc: Nepotism, Favoritism, and Fucking. As in, if you related to the right person, the right person's bff, or if you are fucking the right person, your job is bulletproof at Pit of Despair. My friend could not claim any of these things, and it was rather inconvenient for the company when she was poisoned while on the job and the company had to pay for her care because of it. She suspected they've been gunning for her ever since, and now it would appear she was right all along.

    Evil, fucking company. I just want to hold on until I can claim that benefit. I just hope I can make it...
    Drive it like it's a county car.

  • #2
    They poisoned her?? Details, please.
    "Is it hot in here to you? It's very warm, isn't it?"--Nero, probably

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    • #3
      Seconded for details on "poisoned"!

      My first thought is that I believe there is something equivalent of FMLA leave for family care with adults? I'm sure that they would both be covered under that (and therefore be some protection for you? (I am assuming that you are in the US here though).

      I can't believe they would attach a copy of the hospital note to her sack notice. Unless it was something like recurring alcohol poisoning through repeated self inflicted attempts then usually being in hospital means you are genuinely ill!

      I'm currently sitting at home with a horrible cold/flu virus (it's worse than it sounds but there really isn't another name for it) and I know I'm not up to working (or even getting there) but part of me is itching to go to work because I don't want the black mark on my record for still being off.
      I am so SO glad I was not present for this. There would have been an unpleasant duct tape incident. - Joi

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      • #4
        FMLA is extremely hard to get on for those who really need it. Somehow, those who just want an excuse to get out of work whenever they want for whatever reason they can get their doctor to go with, seem to have a really easy time getting it.

        *Has had multiple coworkers on FMLA, one of which likes to go to the casino after calling in for FMLA, another skips the exact same days of the week every week or every other week*
        You really need to see a neurologist. - Wagegoth

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        • #5
          Is that even legal for someone to be dismissed because they're ill? Also poisoning details PLEASE!
          The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

          Now queen of USSR-Land...

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          • #6
            Poisoning -- Some of our parts need to be treated with a silicone solution before being assembled into devices. We don't know how, but somehow she ended up being exposed to the silicone solution internally. It caused enormous blisters and sores to form throughout her respiratory tract, including in her lungs, and she ended up in the hospital for it.

            AS for the rest of it, I'm just disgusted by the whole fucking thing and the whole fucking place.
            Drive it like it's a county car.

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            • #7
              He may not be able (or dare) to provide the details.

              However, a great many industrial processes - especially chemical processes - start with relatively safe or inert materials, end with relatively safe or inert materials, and have dangerous materials as intermediate steps.

              One idiot who skips a safety precaution, and you can have a toxic spill (or toxic gases). If the idiot doesn't clean up the spill (or isn't aware of it), and an innocent person walks in .....
              Seshat's self-help guide:
              1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
              2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
              3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
              4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

              "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

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              • #8
                One thing I'd recommend: get your friend to get some legal help NOW. If you have it, contact the labor board or equal opportunity/anti-discrimination board. It sounds like she has a VERY valid case for unfair dismissal. And yes I know of at-will states, but it sounds like she can also argue hostile work environment.

                I'm not saying "get her job back" I'm saying "time to fuck the little bastards over"
                The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

                Now queen of USSR-Land...

                Comment


                • #9
                  I'm in the UK so different laws apply, but we've recently had a hostile environment case threatened against one of our managers for using validated sick periods as leverage against employees. I myself had 6 weeks off for the same illness, then a few months later I had a stupid accident & broke a few ribs, necessitating more time off. After a very aggressive interview regarding both periods, for which I had hospital & doctor's notes for the entire periods (we're allowed 7 days "self-certification" which means you can call out for a couple of days without a doctor's note) I ended up receiving a letter stating that further periods of sickness could cause "a review of [my] employment" - which we all know is longhand for "we're gonna fire yo ass."

                  Strangely, since they tried it on the local long-standing, well-connected, highly knowledgable & experienced union rep, the whole situation's calmed down & the manager concerned has had a change in duties...
                  This was one of those times where my mouth says "have a nice day" but my brain says "go step on a Lego". - RegisterAce
                  I can't make something magically appear to fulfill all your hopes and dreams. Believe me, if I could I'd be the first person I'd help. - Trixie

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                  • #10
                    Your company should learn how to build robots if they need employees who will never ever get sick and need to take a day or so off. If they were that against people using sick days just for a run-of-the-mill infection or virus, it doesn't surprise me that they would can your friend for not only getting sick, but getting sick due to work and the company having to pay for her care. So they were probably really itching to fire her.

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                    • #11
                      I'd... definitely look into legal options were I your (sadly fomer) colleague. Stapling her hospital notes to the dismissal form was a REALLY stupid thing for them to do, especially if it relates to an incident that occurred due to a workplace hazard.

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                      • #12
                        Quoth Lvl_9_Gazebo View Post
                        Poisoning -- Some of our parts need to be treated with a silicone solution before being assembled into devices. We don't know how, but somehow she ended up being exposed to the silicone solution internally. It caused enormous blisters and sores to form throughout her respiratory tract, including in her lungs, and she ended up in the hospital for it.
                        OMG. Unbelievable.

                        That's a Workman's Comp issue. You can't be fired when you get hurt on the job. She may be able to seek legal recourse, because that's FEDERAL, not state.

                        Quoth fireheart View Post
                        And yes I know of at-will states, but it sounds like she can also argue hostile work environment.
                        Then again, this IS North Carolina, an at-will state.
                        Last edited by Ree; 01-17-2012, 01:37 AM. Reason: Removed fratching comments and trimmed quotes
                        They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

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                        • #13
                          The FMLA regulations apply to all states in the U.S., however there are a number of conditions to be met. She might want to check with a labor lawyer, although getting her job back at the same place may not be possible (and she might not want to work there anymore anyway, if they treat people in such a shitty manner).
                          When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth MoonCat View Post
                            The FMLA regulations apply to all states in the U.S., however there are a number of conditions to be met. She might want to check with a labor lawyer, although getting her job back at the same place may not be possible (and she might not want to work there anymore anyway, if they treat people in such a shitty manner).
                            hence my comment earlier. It wasn't so much a case of "get her job back" rather "screw the company over for what she deserves out of them"
                            The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

                            Now queen of USSR-Land...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth Hanzoku View Post
                              I'd... definitely look into legal options were I your (sadly fomer) colleague. Stapling her hospital notes to the dismissal form was a REALLY stupid thing for them to do, especially if it relates to an incident that occurred due to a workplace hazard.
                              I was wondering about that too. They fired her because she took too much sick time off and she was sick because of something that occurred at work??

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