ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: Battyp on October 06, 2006, 09:33:11 am
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http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/BrainInjury.html
I found out this week I was terminated a month ago but no one bothered to tell me. I went back to work for a few hours a week and was put back on disability due to the stress. I've been researching some things and came across the article and thought it was interesting on accomodations in the workforce for people with brain injuries which apply to some of us. Just thought I'd share.
M
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M
That is horrible. That isnt right. Have you thought about an attorney? I'm really sorry this happened to you.
Amylynn
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I was sorry to hear of your troubles - but if that really is their attitude
then maybe you are better off without them ?
You were a teacher yes ? - you can still teach - of course
But why not on your terms with hours and conditions that suit you ?
As a post-op you may find a 40-50-60 hr grind too much
- so why not do the hours you are comfortable with ?
maybe consider self employment, private contracts etc
it may seem a big step - but there is only one person in the world
that cant fire you - and that is you.
Time to take stock - what can you do well ?
what do you like doing ?
And when your old boss attends a dinner where you are the guest
speaker on a thousand bucks a night
- you can tell him to @{~[%%^&£" etc etc ?
sorry, you wouldnt do that would you ? - youre a lady......
I would though...
Best Regards
Tony
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Oh dear, I am so sorry. What a bunch of bums! Yeah, they don't deserve you! Maybe you can tutor? Don't give up. Sue their little butts off. Something! Arrrggggghhhhh!. Brings out the Pirate in me... This is why we have disgruntled workers. Just don't make the evening news, dearie....that wouldn't be good.
Sue in Vancouver
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Thanks guys..some of what they did is in violation of the EEOC rules but as far as terminating me without telling me there is nothing I can do as I was out of the 12 week period.  Def. is not a nice thing to do to someone! ÂÂ
I'm trying to go back to school as I can no longer teach due to the speech problems from the surgery.  I'm finding when I get upset or stressed it gets worse as it did this week.  The doctors said I need to work for myself which I'm working on just a slow process! ÂÂ
If I wasn't on my meds sue I would be on the evening news for running down an insensitive boss LOL
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I've thought about it..my company offered to allow me to apply for an online position but it's only 10 hours a week and they wanted to lower my salary. I need full time if I'm going to support myself and my son. I am looking into a masters program which I'm sure will help with employment. I can do it online too without a lot of stress or talking 8)
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Hey Michelle,
SO sorry. The bums. Can you collect unemployment. How bout a suit against them for terminating someone disabled?? But at a minimus, maybe you could do their 10 hrs a week while doing your masters. Can you be a substitute teacher??? Hope things start looking up for you real soon!!
Hugs
Patti UT
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As long as the doctors agree to the disability I can't collect unemployment but I can disability which is more so...all will work out as it's suppose to. Just a jolt after 9 years w/ the company to find out I was terminated a month ago and no felt I needed to be notified. I'm going to start pushing vr harder this week to make things happen!
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I'm thinking about you Batty. You didn't deserve this.ÂÂ
You are one strong Cookie. Kathy
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Has anyone here ever gone to court over something like this? I think my current company has me on the list to get out and they have no real grounds other than the time I missed for each of my surgeries ...
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Hey Battie,
Sorry to hear about your job. I think your former boss deserves to walk the plank.
Have you ever done any grant writing? I've heard there is a demand for that type of work.
Jean
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No I haven't but am looking into taking classes for govt grant writing.
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That really sucks! I'm really sorry to hear that.
Even if your disability won't allow you to teach full time, hte least they could do is call you in and discuss it with you in an adult manner.
Here is a thought. Is it possible for you to get work with the medical facility that did your surgery? You have both the background and credentials and could be a great help to both patients with brain injury and staff that care for patients with brain injury. Experience is a great educator.
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I went to court with a former employer after I was harrassed because of a brain injury back in 1996. The employer moved my office to the second floor, making it very difficult to get there. The "guys" mimicked and made fun of my speech and walk. It was frustrating and I was demoted because they said I could no longer do the job I was hired for. I sued and after two years of depositions and all the legal mumbo jumbo I settled out of court. Then I turned around and sued them again because the car I was driving was a company car and I was hit head on by a drunk driver and the company refused to pay expenses. I accepted a settlement on that one too.(I was living in Overland Park, Kansas at the time). In 2000 I was driving yet another comapny car and was rear ended at a red light by a drunk and drugged driver. His insurance company paid, but the company I worked for fired me because I couldn't work for three months. I sued them and won. I don't drive company cars anymore. I think they have big signs that say "hit me". (I lived in Texas for this) My head has looked like a well used soccer ball for so long I don't think I remember what it used to look like! Of course after the AN surgery, my memory isn't what it used to be, but then nothing else is either.
Get a good employment attorney and be prepared to wait and wait and wait somemore.
BrendaO
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Hi Batty Princess,
That stinks. Maybe it was time for a change anyway. Who knows. But we are all going to put our heads together here...how about...
1. Technical writing? If you can do Grant Writing, you could do that. I was a technical writer for years, and I was an English major. You don't necessarily have to have computer experience.
2. Also, hospitals employ writers....what is their title? I think it's Medical Transcriptionist.
Just some ideas...even if it's not exactly what you are looking for, it might buy you some time until you find what you really want.
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I just had a meeting with my manager, union and our "attandance manager" and have been "moved up a level in the "attandance management programme"....now for every time I am off sick, even for one day, I have to have my GP fill out a form justifiing the illness!!!!! This is harrassment but not because they are "observing" all employees in the building and have very strict guidelings, even people ill with cancer and still working through thier treatment are being put in this position. In this programme if you "move up" in the levels high enough you'll be "moved out the door"! Great, after killing myself to continue working after all of this I could end up loosing my job for illness......I should have taken the disablility I was qualified for and offered 16 years ago when this all started! I would have gotten it easily but now it would be very difficult because other than being older and "worn out from coping with this all" I am no different than I was then and I know the responce would be "you weren't disabilied all these years how are you now?"
What a waste of the precious health care dollar for Ontario:
1.qualified nurse who know when she shouldn't be at work books off ill.....dollars spent on her sick pay and her replacements pay
2. health care dollars spend to pay someone it "watch and graph" people's sick time (not done by the manager already employeed done by someone who's only job it to do this)
3. Qualified nurse has to see her doctor...health care dollars spend (may not even need a doctor's attention for the issue at heand) health care dollars spend for his fee
4. form filled out by the doctor, he "extra bills" the nurse for it but it is in the nurses contract that the hospital will pay for notes they request......health care dollars spend to give the cost of the note back to the nurse
5. occupational health nurse reviews the note and varifies it is sufficient to cover the illness and reports to the "attandance manager"
helath care dollars spend
6. "attandance manager" spend time working on nurse file about this.
No wonder there's no money to treat the sick people in Ontario in a timely manner!
Kathleen
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I might be tempted to offer the manager a small brain injury of his own,
to help him "pro-actively emphasise with his team"
i.e. see how he feels like it when it is his turn....
(maybe they will all visit him in hospital - maybe not ?)
I have Italian friends who may help here.
Strange though, I am sure one of your congressmen or house of reps
is a trauma survivor of some kind - and would be quite interested
in the land of the free - "so long as you are well" attitude
I would have thought that a public service body - or public health
might be a bit more concerned as to their image
Best regards
Tony
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To Kathleen_Mc
Sounds like you work for Kaiser South.  We ahve an attendance program similar. It was started because on the abuse that Kaiser allowes in its contracts. (Best benefits in healthcare). Problem is that is doesn't take into account people that actually have problems. However, as management we can intervene and stop the attendance nazi's as long as the illness and time away from work are justified. I believe yours are.
Not being sure of where you are in nursing, or where you are in regards to corporate retirement, I might suggest that you consider an area where your time is more flexable. Nursing Mangement seems to work for me...  Of course this may change for me significantly when I am post-op.ÂÂ
As far as misuse of the corporate dollar, I think anyone that has been in healthcare can speak to the abuse of healthcare money. It is an abomination. I hope that your peers at least are sympathetic to your problem, even though they may not be able to help with the attendence issue.
Batty, keep you chin up.
Agreeing with many others, there is most probably a highranking official who at least in this election year will take up your cause. Broadcast e-mail is a great tool.
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Batty Princess:
You clearly got a raw deal and were treated shabbily, in the process. You certainly have a right to be angry. I would be.
As others have posted, you likely have various work options - especially if you can do something online - and if you pursue a Masters degree, as you said you were considering, those options may widen. You appear to have a good attitude and of course, that always helps.
I wish you success in all that you do. Please keep us informed.
Jim[/color]
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Thanks guys.
I'm going to tax school right now which unf. isn't a full time year round job but it's something. Hoping to get a masters in accounting and work from home or at least for myself. One day at a time! I know there has to be something better down the road and I don't want to keep working for someone who doesn't appreciate me and is more concerned with the all mighty dollar. They aren't trying to stick to their budgets etc...
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Batty,
I'm worried about you. You really don't deserve this and to not inform you is really wrong. To top it all off, it's difficult to get disability. I know how tired you can get teaching. It is so demanding and when you have hearing and balance disabilities, it's even more difficult.
1. Are you able to subsitute ?
2. With No Child Left Behind, there is a huge demand for tutors. I even see tutoring businesses springing up. You might be able to start and run your own business.
Good Luck
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No on the substitute
No on the tutoring. I did offer to try to tutor the two kids across the street to see if I can handle it. But in order to make enough to live off off I need full time work being the only household provider and having my son who likes to eat....LOL I did speak with a state rep who's suppose to try to help streamline the vr process since it seems to be taking extrememly long :o( Work was in their rights to let me go since I didn't come back for 12 mos only 6 before going back out. It was just a moral thing by not telling me.
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Battyprincess,
Why can't we have a fundraiser for you? Each of us could have some kind of something and then send the funds to you. We did it for a friend of mine who had brain surgery. Not an AN and it was great. It wasn't a nationwide thing, just local but we raised ten thousand dollars. We have to have your permission and a mailing address, but the rest is easy. I'm sure we could get the local newspapers and TV stations to doing something. What do you say, Batty? I really want to help. I was a single Mom of two daughters for many years and I know it isn't easy under the best circumstances and when you have the problems we do, you need an extra little hand up. What do all of you say about helping out? It could be neighborhood bake sales, garage sales, all kinds of things. Feedback, please.
Hugs,
BrendaO
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Brendalu thanks for much for the offer. You just gave me warm fuzzies. I just got into an arugment with my mom today over cobra insurance. I can't afford it and she says I can't afford not to. Makes me wonder how many people are thrown into what I'm going through. It boggles my mind there are so many resources for the poor(most of the ones I know who are getting help are abusing the system and choose to be poor) and the old but nothing for us in betweens. I don't mean to sound nasty as I'm just frustrated. Does anyone have a crystal ball and can tell me this will get better before it kills me? LOL :o