A Work Vent - How Picky Can They Get??

[MeanLaureen]

I just needed to get this off my chest because my corporate office is driving me nuts. Also makes me think - no, make that know, that their employees mean absolutely nothing to them.

As most of you know, I was out of work for 2 months on short term disability due to a really severe flare up of my Adult Onset Stills Disease. Technically I went back to work early, against my doctors wishes and my better judgement.

I just felt it was best that I get back into work because it's a crazy time of year and I was worried about my employees. I didn't want to put more burden on them than needed - I really do care a lot for them. (For those of you that do not know, I manage a corporate concept store for an unnamed personal expression company *coughhallmarkcough*)

My doctor needed to write a letter to my company, releasing me back into work and listing any special needs or restrictions that I might have as to my job.

All he wrote was that I would possibly need "short intermittant breaks" and that if the illness progresses, I may need to return to my leave of absense.

Well I get a phone call from my boss. Apparently the office isn't "happy" with me needing short sporatic breaks. She asked exactly what a short break is and why I need it.

I told her that a short break is "5 minutes to sit down and rest when the pain gets to be too much a couple of times a day"

Apparently that is too much to ask.

I had to call the doctor and get him to write them a letter defining a "short break", the medical reason this should be allowed and then it will go to the corporate doctors to then decide whether I should be "granted" this horrible inconvenience

My boss asked if I was "following doctors orders" since I came back. I told her I was and needed maybe 3 breaks a day and even then, when I did take them, I did paperwork while resting. She "hmphhed" that and said that it would have to be researched by company's medical team.

What a joke this company has turned into. I so miss working for an independant franchise. I seriously have a hard time believing that this company has continously won the ranking of one of the top companies to work for. Guess they were just looking at their "talent" and not at how the field personnel is treated. *sigh*

I'm sure they won't look at the fact that I worked 10 hours yesterday and will dock me for the 15 minutes in breaks that I took.

Thanks for allowing me to vent. I needed it

 

[dzneelvr]

Very sad situation. I worked in corporate for 2 decades and got out (by way of reduction in force, so there went any loyalty or reward for good work). Your description is typical behavior. Corporate doesn't care about the individual, only the whole. Be prepared for more of the same as long as you work there. The friends I have that still work there are overworked, stressed, unhappy, and hanging on for the paycheck because it IS difficult to change jobs.
I'm now in the non profit medical world and absolutely love it. I am happy and can honestly say contributing to the good of the individual. I don't know how it all got so "screwed up", but it did in corporate. Try the best you can to keep your work-life balance, but most corporations will slowly suck the life out of you.
Watch your health closely. You cannot afford to give away your health to a company.

 

[crz4mm2]

I have problems with companies all the time when I write notes like the one you have. Always it seems, they write back that they need SPECIFIC times etc and I always end up filling out some big form with all the Ps and Qs....
It is a pain in the butt for all concerned.
I hope you feel better soon and your company realizes what a vaulable employee you are (even WITH 3 - 5minute breaks a day!).

 

[Serena]

My work is being a pain too. They demanded a set time for me to come back to work. There is no set time. In two weeks, either that tumor will be reduced or it won't. Either I'll need surgery or I won't.
I know this season is hard, but how can you answer them when there is no answer.

How are you supposed to know when the pain will be too much for you? Bodies don't work like that.

 

[Lynn CC]

I've had a lot of time over the years to watch how businesses prosper or not.
It's a shame that a lot of companies are run with the $$ signs first. I agree it should be people first, then money but it's on rare occassion that one finds a company as such.
I think if you look at the other side people are trying to get whatever they can out of the company they work for, $$$, and don't have the companie's best interest in mind either.
This can happen either way with small or large businesses.
If we could just get all the "caring" employees, and employers under one roof...wouldn't that be harmony!

{HUGS} to you and I hope you get some of the compasion you need right now, and deserve while your still suffering and being loyal at the same time!

 

[lapinluv]

I also work for a large company that is supposedly the best to work for. It's a joke. While the policies at the top may be great on paper, if they aren't properly enforced or enacted all the way down to chain, they aren't worth anything.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon! Take the breaks you need, because you come first.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I'm sorry they are treating you like this. They have to make reasonable accomodations and a few short breaks certainly sounds reasonable to me.

 

[Disney Ella]

What is the big deal about a five minute break? I don't know why you should even need a doctor's note for something as trivial as this. What is the point of stressing out a valuable employee over something like this?

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by lapinluv
While the policies at the top may be great on paper,

Kinda reminds me of the movie Christmas Vacation were Clark was anticipating his bonus (the new pool) and all he got was a membership to a "something" of the month club.

The boss (after being kidnapped ) made the comment that "it looked good on paper" but when he saw how it affected "the little people", he had a change of heart.

 

[LoraJ]

That is horrible!!!

Do they allow people in the building to take smoke breaks or do people smoke at their desks?

I don't see why they are being so hard on you for 3 short breaks for health reasons when there are probably people who take more smoke breaks during the day.

How big is your company? Is this a boss saying this? Are those at HR aware of the situation?

You may want to review your HR policies. I bet it is fine with them. I really don't understand the problem that people are giving you. It seems so cold hearted.

 

[Pin Wizard]

That's horrible! If there's a medical reason, why do they even question it. I'm guessing you gave them things in writing from your doc. Seems they are right there along with most of the companies. I worked for Tenet Healthcare for 8 years. My boss actually said to me...this is not a family friendly company. Thanks for confirming what I thought all along! Sad!!

 

[swea_pea1]

Originally posted by LoraJ
That is horrible!!!

Do they allow people in the building to take smoke breaks or do people smoke at their desks?

I don't see why they are being so hard on you for 3 short breaks for health reasons when there are probably people who take more smoke breaks during the day.

How big is your company? Is this a boss saying this? Are those at HR aware of the situation?

You may want to review your HR policies. I bet it is fine with them. I really don't understand the problem that people are giving you. It seems so cold hearted.

Lora brings up a great point....especially for somebody living in Richmond.

One morning, my DH received a memo from management that said that employees were no longer permitted to leave their desks in the morning to grab breakfast in the cafeteria, even if they were eating it at their desk. When he told me about it, I asked him "how are they going to balance that against the smokers in the office and the breaks they take?". He posed the question to management and the "rule" was rescinded the next day.

It's worth looking in your employee handbook to see whether breaks are included in your benefits anyway. If they aren't, then I'd probably pose the question.

Another thing....FMLA covers any time you are away from work, whether it is days or hours. Under the rules of FMLA, the way I understand them, you have a certain amount of time (maybe 7 days? I'm not sure) to have your doctor certify that time away from work is covered. So, it may be possible to document your "breaks" and have your doctor certify the time as FMLA after the fact.

Good luck!

 

[katerkat]

Oh my gosh, how annoying! I'm dealing with the opposite - my doctor ordered sit-downs (pregnancy complications) and my managers will yell at me if they think I haven't sat down recently enough.

If you do paperwork during these "breaks" I wouldn't even tell corporate they are breaks. Geez!

 

[Kallison]

I'm supposed to take two 10 minute breaks a day but I never do. However if I need to leave early for an event at my kids school or like yesterday, still not feeling well, I do it and don't expect to be docked. It's a shame that employers can't treat their employees like adults.

 

[1stNoel]

Do you have a procedure at work for complaining to the main office? My guess would be that it's your supervisor that is the problem here and not the company. Most corporations are aware of the laws, but sometimes don't do a good job making sure their managers do.

Your employer has the responsibility of making sure that you are well enough to return to work, but they also MUST make reasonable accommodations to help you return. Your need to take short breaks would be considered very reasonable as far as an accommodation.

I see two ways to resolve this issue.

First, you can take it to state disability and tell them you want to work, but you are experiencing problems getting your employer to comply with the break schedule that your doctor has prescribed. They would prefer to have you working and will investigate it.

Second, you can file a complaint against the manager with the corporate offices.

Either way the manager is going to be mad, but she's not doing her job and that's not your fault.

 

[kathyk2]

According to the Americans with Disabilies Act, employers are supposed to provide reasonable accomodations to employees who request them. A five minute break qualifies as reasonable. I'd do some research on Title III of the ADA if I were in your shoes. I'd also provide information about your illness if your company needs it.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Do they allow people in the building to take smoke breaks or do people smoke at their desks?

Actually no, they can't smoke at all. Since we are their retail outlet and a good portion of our product is paper based - well, you can see the reasoning behind that..lol. If an employee does smoke (none of mine do) they have to do it on their lunch time or designated break.

If you do paperwork during these "breaks" I wouldn't even tell corporate they are breaks. Geez!

I'm required to have all my paperwork done on Monday or in the hour before the store opens. We are not allowed to start working earlier than an hour before opening (well, we can but it doesn't count towards our required 9 hour a day minimum shift) Of course this is impossible given the amount of accounting we have to do alone, but tell that to the people behind the desks in corporate.

Do you have a procedure at work for complaining to the main office? My guess would be that it's your supervisor that is the problem here and not the company. Most corporations are aware of the laws, but sometimes don't do a good job making sure their managers do.

Actually, it is the corporate office coming down on me through my supervisor.

They have pushed the law quite a bit concerning medical issues. They have tried to stick their noses in where it doesn't belong and both I and my assistant had to put them in their place - more so me. I have had to tell them more than once that I would have to speak to my lawyer before I answered a question they asked and miraculously they told me they "didn't need to know that after all".

They have stopped any direct communication between me and the benefits director incharge of FMLA and disability because I caught her in a very bad lie concerning my FMLA coverage. She told the HR director that I had never sent back my paperwork (which I had). When the HR rep called me (I have known her for a long time - we worked for an independant together) and told me I can't file my sick leave as FMLA qual. and told me that this person said I never returned my application.

I had the FedEx receipt at work with me so I called the Benefits director and asked her what the problem was - she said that she had my paperwork right in front of her and that I called her and told her over the phone that I was declining FMLA coverage. First off - that contradicts the HR directors story and second off - can you just "decline" coverage for something that "official" without signing some kind of form?? If not, anyone can say you declined when you didn't (as this case)

She also told me that she would have to make the decision as to whether or not the company could make concessions to allow me to remain employed with them.

I called the HR person back and said "You told me that she said I never returned my FMLA application?" she said "Yes". I said "funny, she just told me that she had it right in front of her" Needless to say she got very angry, told me she was contacting the head of the HR department and for me not to worry because she will see to it that nothing happens to me.


Anyway, my boss seems to think that this "special" concession will pass but it actually has to be reviewed by their medical team first.