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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Harlock on November 4, 2003, at 19:13:24
My company has come down on me twice (at least), with official letter-type horsecrap complaints of me taking "excessive" time off for doctors appts., sick days, and the like.
How many other people are having this problem? I'm a bipolar II - mainly a irritable depression type... When I see crap like this, I want to do "bad things" to these people. I don't even take much time off at all, all things considered.
I drag myself out of bed everyday, to go "work" with a highly political, arrogant, jerk-laiden group of pompous asses. Ok, ok.. everyone there isn't that bad. I still have many friend there who think I'm the life of the party. Just the people with power are the "bad" people.
I feel like I'm being harrassed about my medical problems and how it affects work. My company has a no sick day count, yet my boss makes me take up my vacation days for sicks days, if HE thinks I take "too many"
Would they rather I come into work while being severely depressed, or horribly irritable and start snapping at people left and right?
I'm doing them and myself a favor when I'm not there on days like that. Do they think I go play golf or pick daisies when I'm out sick????I've been 100% up-front about my issues, and after changing bosses - the 1st jerk didn't even BELIEVE in my problems - a "snap out of it" kind of jerk. He's the abnormal one in my mind. Then I went to a guy that WAS being supportive, until yesterday when I got another complaint letter, and one of the items listed was taking "excessive" appts. and the like. I did everything possible to not, well, I'd rather not say.
Has anyone here sued a company over this kind of harrassment? I'm not doing anything outside of the companies HR policies, but whichever boss I have likes to decide how much time is too much time off, even though they have 0 idea what its like to live in my shoes for 1 day let alone a lifetime.
No matter what medical proof I can provide, no matter how hard I try to educate them, I can't get past their stigmas and ignorance.
Is there anything I can do? Any legal experts here specialize in this form of descrimination?
I told them I'll NEVER be able to be like everyone else there, and take less sick days, or have less medical appointments as others do, but
they don't seem to believe me. Is there ANYTHING more offensive than this? They have NO idea what we go through on a day to day basis, then they accuse you of lying about it, or making a "big deal out of nothing"."Snap out of it"... I love that one...not.
Posted by Wildflower on November 4, 2003, at 21:07:07
In reply to Anyone else have problems w/excessive sick days?, posted by Harlock on November 4, 2003, at 19:13:24
I'm sorry that I don't have an answer for you but I've often wondered the same thing. At my company, we receive personal days - not sick days. So basically if I'm out with doctors appointments or I need a mental break, I'm taking away from my vacation time.
I've also noticed lately that the more I take off, the more rumors circulate that I'm at a job interview with another company.
I guess you could say that those with power will never understand...
Posted by almondjoy on November 4, 2003, at 22:33:59
In reply to Re: Anyone else have problems w/excessive sick days? » Harlock, posted by Wildflower on November 4, 2003, at 21:07:07
:( I'm sorry you're having problems, and I don't have a solution either...but I understand. I haven't been able to keep a job for a while because of attendance, even though when i'm there, i do a better job than my coworkers did. now im back in school and one professor, when i told him why i have "excessive absences" told me "i should just drop his course while i had the chance" needless to say, im acing his course, even though i only make it 2/3 of the time. :) good luck, and if you can i'd talk to an attorney. and check out the Family Medical Leave Act http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htm and perhaps mention this to them (note this http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ESA/Title_29/Part_825/29CFR825.203.htm "intermittent leave" ???) good luck
Posted by almondjoy on November 4, 2003, at 22:44:17
In reply to Re: Anyone else have problems w/excessive sick days?, posted by almondjoy on November 4, 2003, at 22:33:59
http://www.princeton.edu/hr/policies/appendix/a305.htm Here's another link of info...easier to read
Posted by stjames on November 5, 2003, at 13:32:32
In reply to Family and Medical Leave Act, posted by almondjoy on November 4, 2003, at 22:44:17
this also should be covered under the ADA.
A resonable accomidation to allow for the additional time off for doc appts and sick days.
Posted by Harlock on November 6, 2003, at 7:28:43
In reply to Re: Family and Medical Leave Act, posted by stjames on November 5, 2003, at 13:32:32
> this also should be covered under the ADA.
> A resonable accomidation to allow for the additional time off for doc appts and sick days.Thank you for the posts.. and sorry for my language in the original post. I was pretty peeved at the time. Bad language seems to more accurately describe how I'm feeling. ;)
Anyway, I'll take a look at those links. I wish I had a laywer. In this case, a real fighter for "the people". ;)
Thanks again. This site 'rocks'. I have no one else to talk to about my mental health (or lack there-of) issues. Now I do.
Posted by jane d on November 9, 2003, at 22:56:43
In reply to Re: Anyone else have problems w/excessive sick days?, posted by almondjoy on November 4, 2003, at 22:33:59
attorney. and check out the Family Medical Leave Act http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/benefits-leave/fmla.htm and perhaps mention this to them (note this http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ESA/Title_29/Part_825/29CFR825.203.htm "intermittent leave" ???) good luck
Almondjoy,
Thanks for the link on intermittent leave. I didn't know such a thing existed. There have been many times that would have been a nice thing to have. In practice some employers gave me something similar, allowing excessive absences without pay. But it was usually with a sneer and with the threat that they could fire me at any moment. I think that even people who were genuinely sympathetic to me ended up having to justify their kindness to their bosses. That may be where things like this are most useful. If your immediate boss does not support you no law can really protect you that much. But if she does want to support you this gives her a justification for doing it.
Jane
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