My former boss

[BWS1982]

That I had through the end of Feb, wrote me up and never told me. The reason? From what I found out, it has a link in one way or another to Crohns. As far as I know after working there almost 3 years, I was supposed to be advised of such an action immediately, and sign something while having a 1 on 1 session etc... You know, massive bank, lots of protocol? This case? Nothing. I wasn't supposed to find out VIA THE GRAPEVINE FROM A NEW BOSS. Did she forge my signiture? That should warrant a write up.

I found out when my new boss (who's so supportive, he's awesome) mentioned it, and I was like "she did? I never knew, why?" He explained it was for some poor financial/performance markers that were linked to me spending time off the phone. Which was while trying to actually do my job (when I would put my head down because I thought I was going to pass out or run to the bathroom). Granted I pushed myself and should have stayed home sick more often (Kev will vouche for us guys bein' stubborn about this stuff)...I only had so much time I could get paid for before I'd be unpaid and use up all my FMLA hours (then get fired). I needed money and I needed to try, so I came in on my "good days". Even my mom started getting on my case. I felt like I was going to end up bankrupt and living at home forever if I didn't try, so some days when I felt a tad better, I'd head off to work for a partial day, only to feel my heart start to race like a woodpecker later in the shift and have to put my head down for a few mins while logged on to the system (when they're recording calls still, but clients are NOT on the phone)...What was I supposed to do, leave and drive home in that condition? Just code that as unpaid time after crashing into a guardrail?

Yeah, I realize I was being paid for this 10 or 12 minutes, I didn't mean for it to happen, and it's not like it happened more than a couple times. Some of the times I also ran to the bathroom after speaking to clients too while on the system (no time to log out when you are about to mess yourself 30 seconds from a toilet). Sorry, there's nothing I could do once it happened. But to an extent, I'm not defending myself, I realize they had me there and I had an obligation to fulfill my duties if on the clock. That's another subject. What I AM objecting to is not my set of actions as much as the way she handled herself not with just this but her demeanor while on her team, this was just the final straw. She made other comments about being concerned about my numbers on days I went home early, instead of a "I hope you feel better you look like death" I got a comment about how it ruined numbers that affect her numbers. Such empathy.

My new boss is like "She should have told you..."....yeah, I know, but she didn't. He made light of it and said lets look to the future, focus on improving and getting over this health issue.

She probably has some loophole in the FMLA system (which says no corrective action shall be dealt while protected, due to said medical condition, this is A FEDERAL ACT OF THE USA), maybe because I chose to attend my shift, I can be penalized like the next guy. Otherwise part of me wants to go to HR and report that, but I don't want to step on any toes if it makes a difference later for some reason, perhaps just let it pass and be glad she's not my boss anymore. I know my new boss is in my corner.

People all over the call center floor will spend paid time out smoking, across the building socializing, reading books, doing homework, etc...ON A REGULAR BASIS, EVERY DAY. Many times management looks the other way. I had a legitmate reason I got up a-runnin', I was about to have feces running down my legs!!! BULLS***!!!! And in my condition, the safest thing to do was, sorry, put my head down before I fell over or threw up. The thing with Crohns we can all attest to is the up and down of this, so many times I couldn't gauge my quality and miscalculated my ability to work. Damn, what an idiot I am (sarcasm injected). :yrolleyes:

I get the fact that she mentioned once that if I'm there she has to unfortunately judge my performance like everyone else, so I should stay home sick if not 100%. I wasn't written up for "performance" per se, but for empty space recorded at the end of phone calls where I didn't IMMEDIATELY move on to the next call. But if I was up to the task early in the day and later went downhill quick, I couldn't predict that. I don't think it best to leave work in that condition, and I can't help the bathroom needs, sorry lady. I did my best, I pushed myself for both my benefit and because I felt I wanted to do my job, it's just low to treat me like a malfunctioning piece of machinery.

:ymad:

 

[dad_01]

Wow, that's a pretty difficult situation. But, if I understand correctly, your new boss is much easier to deal with?

What's the situation right now - you're still working there but have an unfavorable write-up from your prior boss?

 

[BWS1982]

Yeah, that's pretty much correct.

The new one is great by comparison. He's said on several occasions "don't worry, we'll get through this health stuff" and "It'll all be okay, just do your magic" (he means use my skills, as I used to be a top performer at the site for the job before Crohns in 2006, made hundreds a month in incentive bonuses, etc...) So he's focusing on the positive...etc...and often asks if I'm doing alright.

I just hope the write up doesn't haunt me or have some part in further corrective action later down the road.

I wasn't the perfect employee through this flare up, but I don't deserve what I had gone through. I told a close coworker there about a couple things she said and the coworker got really upset (she was a friend of mine who quit recently, one of the reasons being my old boss).

 

[Jeff D.]

Oh man I would be fuming. I'm glad your new boss is cool though. I don't know what you should do but I will hope that whatever happens is for the best. I don't think anyone deserves to be treated like that. Best of luck

 

[butt-eze]

Benson-That is definitely an irritating situation. I think that if you really enjoy where you're working that the best thing to do is just appreciate your current situation. However, I would document the information that you learned and the conversation with your current boss. These details and conversations may be helpful in the future. There is no sense in sturing the pot if the current recipe is good. I am in no way trying to make light of your situation. You should be pissed.

I had a work situation where they let me go because my crohn's disease was a "red flag". They were concerned that my health would become an issue and not that it currently was. I made the mistake of being honest about my disease. I only missed 3 days in 5 months. They were consecutive days due to a reaction to azathioprine. I explained that and they still held it against me despite 3 months of perfect attendance following those absences.
They also had the balls to ask me to stay one more week but then resign after that week. Needless to say I did not return for an addition week just to keep them afloat. The kicker is that I worked for a major medical clinic in the Puget Sound area. You'd think they would be the most empathetic people. Not so! They were all about the money. As it seems your company is or was.

Let us know how things pan out for you.

 

[BWS1982]

Yeah, I think putting it on the back burner is best, for now....I "sort of" enjoy it, it's complicated, and involves insurance benefits being in place, etc....

But as for your situation, I was under the impression that Crohns qualified as an official disability in the US and that we have protection from actually getting fired for it with or without FMLA in some jobs. Now I understand there are jobs that you are SOL no matter what (like government/military jobs or like a cop or something, as it would actually literally endanger you or others due to your "handicapped" ability to do your job)....I thought I saw somewhere that Crohnnies have certain protections, like you couldn't fire someone for being in a wheelchair one day or in many places, you'd end up in court. I forget but I thought it was some disabilities act that was akin to protecting race/gender/etc....

I can see if a pilot is found to be color blind, or if a radio host goes deaf, yeah, but certain situations.....

 

[AbstractDonut]

The smoking thing kills me too, they are addicted to it so they get 15minutes like every 2 hours or something like that, or 10 minutes. Yet if you do not smoke you get no benefit. I bet they lose more hours to cigarettes.

 

[BWS1982]

The smoking thing kills me too, they are addicted to it so they get 15minutes like every 2 hours or something like that, or 10 minutes. Yet if you do not smoke you get no benefit. I bet they lose more hours to cigarettes.

yeah, that's pissed me off ever since I joined the work force 10 years ago.

What I think would be fair is if I got a break for my hourly bathroom trips, my ass is addicted to porcelain.

 

[Kittee]

Ah *hugs*! I know exactly what you mean. I too push myself and work on days when I'm not 100%.

I mean seriously...if I didn't work on days when I wasn't 100% I would work what? 2 days a month?

 

[BWS1982]

Thanks Kittee...

Did you ever respond to my question about what kinda games you build environments for? I asked it in the "Whaddya Do?" thread for you and didn't seem to see a response. Not only do I love games, but I went to school for such tasks (among many others), 3D S Max, Maya (which we weren't taught though), etc....

edit: and to add to the above issue of write ups being meaningless, they aren't so at this bank at least, they're straws on a camel's back, and the boss lady I mention in the post would love to break that camel.