No respect, I could cry... Work Rant!

Yeah, I need to do more checking but I'm about to leave work and then head home... I'll get online and look some more stuff up once I make it to my house.

I did find an attorney's site, but I have to find the Wisconnsin labor division.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

There is also a temporary medical insurance available in addition to COBRA. It's usually only $20 a month and unfortunately is limited to covering everything, however it does help pay when it comes time to visit the doctor or order your Rx.

Heather's advice is true, but once you start to take action you most likely will be without a job. That's the reality of Labor protection. There are laws to protect you, but usually businesses will fire you once you take action. Its twisted, I know...

Click to expand...

And then she can get them for retaliatory actions and get back pay to the date she was fired, including any benefits for all the time it takes to litigate the case (if it goes that far). Most companies would rather *not* enter into that, and often stop acting inappropriately, especially if they're smaller, rather than face a legal battle, court costs, etc. Cheaper for them to act appropriately and give a raise, treat the person right, then it is for them to take it to court.

In any case, an agency there can tell her what rights she has versus whether or not she is being discriminated against..

Anyway, I'll do more checking later.

We have a handbook that I will have to look over! I am most certain I am not eligble for disability or FMLA... All I have is MVP, Gastritis, Acid Reflux, Colonic Inertia, Hital Hernia, and a breathing problem the docs can't figure out! My boss sends no emails to me directly so I have no backup instances where he has turned me down in writing! I actually never really come into contact with him, so Im not sure what I could use as evidence? I have United Healthcare through my company.

Originally Posted by CatsAreBetter

And then she can get them for retaliatory actions and get back pay to the date she was fired, including any benefits for all the time it takes to litigate the case (if it goes that far). Most companies would rather *not* enter into that, and often stop acting inappropriately, especially if they're smaller, rather than face a legal battle, court costs, etc. Cheaper for them to act appropriately and give a raise, treat the person right, then it is for them to take it to court.

In any case, an agency there can tell her what rights she has versus whether or not she is being discriminated against..

Anyway, I'll do more checking later.

Click to expand...

Oops my bad...I had just finished reading an article about the realities of filing for sexual harassment (nothing personal, just curious). Obviously I got the two confused!!!!

I think that as long as you have a medical problem, or combination of medical problems that can be verified by a doctor (and in your case, I think there's sufficient proof that it has been), that may impact your ability to work a regular schedule at times, you qualify for FMLA. I'm not entirely sure, and if I get a chance, I'll ask one of the labor attorneys I work with. Of course, we're all in DC, so I think individual states govern differently, but all answer to federal laws and acts such as FMLA or ADA.

Definitely see what your handbook says, because if they've put it down in writing, if I remember from one of the cases we just did... they're bound to honor it. I was looking up FMLA earlier and it does say that a company has to have more than 50 employees, however.. those 50 employees do not have to work at one site. It can be two (or potentially more than two) provided that they're within... was it 75 miles of each other?

It sounds like, to me, if you've never gotten a disciplinary "counselling" other than a general "hand smacking" that everyone has received, and there's no sort of "note" in your file... (and there shouldn't be..if you haven't sat down with someone and been given performance goals, a review, etc, and given something that you had to sign saying you'd been disciplined.. at least that is how it works in DC.. might differ in Wisconsin)... anyway.. if you've never been counselled individually, you were supposed to move into the position, and were promised a raise, then it's entirely possible that it's discrimination. Especially if it's based on the fact that you're missing work, and/or he doesn't "like" you because he thinks you're missing too much work. Given that you might be covered under ADA or FMLA.. and there might even be something else out there that speaks for illnesses..it ends up being discriminatory. I mean, you can't quote me on this because it's an area where I know just enough to know more than the average bear,... but it's kind of like when you know computers well enough to know how to get into the stuff that could completely wipe out your hard drive and you know it's there but you don't know quite enough to know which file it is that you shouldn't delete...

In any case, I would most assuredly talk to an attorney.. a lot of times labor law attorneys will take a case based on what it may pay them, as opposed to having to pay them up front. It certainly won't hurt to have a consultation with a few people, those are free, and definitely call whichever labor organizations are in your area (which I'm still looking for).

I know it's a really rough road, and when you get to this point, you're kind of like... man, I just don't even want to deal with it anymore. It's got to be depressing to be in that situation, but.. I don't know that you'd lose anything by fighting it, and certainly you wouldn't just by looking into it. They won't know that you're asking about unless you proceed with it and you wouldn't go that far with legal help unless the legal help thought you had a case.

I don't know. Find out what you can from your book regarding benefits, reviews, wages, raises, FMLA, etc.. most of that *should* be mentioned in there. I'll see what I can find regarding links and resources.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

Oops my bad...I had just finished reading an article about the realities of filing for sexual harassment (nothing personal, just curious). Obviously I got the two confused!!!!

Click to expand...

hehe, like I was saying in my previous post... I know just enough to get me into trouble... but that's how you learn, by looking it up!

Okay, here's a link about retaliatory termination, or actions from the employers.. http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/er/discri...etaliation.htm

I think this is the correct website to look up all the other stuff too, including who you can contact to talk to about it.

i would agree it is time to leave,

I have had two sitdown issues, none causing me to sign anything.... I can't explain the situation on here so if anyone needs to know about those isssues then pm me!

Trixie, I think you're in good hands with Heather advising you here -- I agree with everything she's saying. And I'm stuck on this idea that they punished a whole department for the actions of "certain members." What the living heck is that about? This is not kindergarten, this is a workplace where people's livelihoods are involved -- I'd be very surprised if there isn't some kind of law protecting Employee A from being penalized for the actions of Employee B.

While you're getting the legal issues sorted out here, if you do end up uninsured for a time... try talking to your doctor about the situation. I went through a period like that some years ago, and my doctor was kind enough to provide enough sample medication to cover me until I got back on insurance.

I'm sorry you're going through this -- I know how it feels to go into work every day with this kind of maltreatment hanging over your head. But if you can stick it out a little longer while you pursue the legal situation, I think you might come out on top. Certainly you deserve to!

We have 4 girls in our department including myself! Two of the girls called in over 50 days last year... One because she was an alcoholic and ate food raw (She had gallstones and pancreitis (sp) for a few weeks and that was her only excused absense). The other girl has cyclic vomitting syndrome and she missed over 50 days last year and almost 30 so far this year (now she is pregnant and is going to file for disability since she is so sick) her daddy is a high up person at our company, and last year I missed about 20 something days... I had about 10-20 different doc appointments last year (which dont count as absenses), not including procedures, but my illnesses dont get any slack. Nor does me calling in sick. Maybe what I have isnt bad but it feels like it...MVP, Gastritis, Acid Reflux, Bile Reflux, Colonic Inertia, Hiatal Hernia, and a breathing problem that no pulmonary specialist could figure out... All this is fine and well because I still made it to work more than half of the other girls... All three of us girls (the "sick" ones) were not givin a raise! Though over a year ago when we had a different boss, the girl who's father works there (and makes sure she is able to keep her job) she asked for a raise because she just couldnt live off what she was getting... She got a dollar (lucky), yet when I ask its NO way (I pay $300 + a month in gas just to get there). Don't get me wrong when she is at work she is amazing at her job, but rules were bent for her to work there in the first place! At our work you need a high school diploma, well for her it wasn't required cause daddy works there. That seems like a little favoritism to me (keep daddy happy since he is important to the company)... Well hopefully her absenses this far wont affect us come a second time, if we ever get a review/raise (since she is going on disability now)... OMG cuz if it does, my mouth will get me fired that day!

i don't really have much advice. but when i lived in wisconsin, i knew someone who quit then got unemployment. but the place that you worked at has to ok the unemployment payments if you quit and claim it. but that was in 2002 i think.

i feel for you. i'm a long-term temp in a town where everyone seems to only have temps, not direct hires.

Trixie, did you ever check your handbook in regards to what you're supposed to be getting, etc?

Hugs to you hun in this difficult time. I wish you all the best!