Work place harrassment

Man that must really suck. Its unfortunate that people really dont know much about it and really most of the articles you read on the internet all say the same thing of unlikelyhood of getting GBS again and that most people have a full recovery, blah, blah blah… They dont talk about how you can continue to have problems long term, that pain, fatigue, etc and that you can overdue it without realizing it and end up laying in bed again for a week because you can hardly move. The articles online are mostly the same thing and I blame them for not saying the truth and instead giving people the false sense that everything will be fine again in a couple months. Its good hope for people in the beginning going through it but it makes it very difficult to deal with after getting out of the hospital and trying to explain to people its not always as simple as that.

Also statistically speaking, I have been reading about the chances of getting GBS and the chances of someone who has had GBS and getting a relapse of it or getting CIDP. True that the chances are low but consider this.

[LIST][*]The average person has a 0.001% chance of getting GBS[*]Someone who has had GBS has a 3% chance of getting it again.[*]Someone who has had GBS has a 20% chance of getting CIDP
[/LIST]

We could also maybe get our own stats together to argue the point where they say most people make a complete recovery, since it seems there are quite a few people that battle residual symptoms years later.

The percentages will vary slightly depending on whos study you are reading but that is an average listed above so you have beat some great odds once you have a better chance of an a repeat than ever getting it in the first place!

print out as much info. as possible to this “&*!@&*” at work and show the proof you have from this website, many other sites and your doctor that it CAN happen; and the residual effects, (if you’re lucky enough to be stuck with them) as MOST of us on this website are; are a LIFETIME of complications. alot of us; (i for one), am on permanent disability because of it.
show your human resources person (and i use the term loosly), the statistics that doby48 states above. “we the people” of this website will give them more information about your condition than they’ll know what to do with. print it all out and have them put it in your employee file. that kind of “harrassment” at work is absolutely unacceptable!!! 😡 if it continues after you’ve enlightened them, let us know. there are other actions you can take. trust me, the harrassment will stop. you hang in there and keep us posted.
deb

schel, have your very rude person call me-i’ll be glad to enlighten them!!!!! i have had 4 hospital stays in the last year-due to gbs-chronic type relapsing/remitting, and have had 4 partial stay at home relapses in the last 2 months alone. yes, i am the odd one in my area, but like my physio dr told me-it does occur in about 2-3% out of all the gbs people. The fact that your dr has you off means your dr might know of the odds of it happening again, please don’t get too stressed out over that ignoramous at your job-that alone is enough to cause you more problems. if that @#%&head wants to say anything else to you about your health and what it can’t be, ask her/him for an appt-you would be more then happy to make it for the first thing in the a.m.!;) and be sure to ask all the important questions like where did you get your dr degree? do you accept my insurance? and get 5 referrals!:D

if you are harrassed further, ask if ada means anything to her/him. You don’t need the stress from that type of person-you don’t get your paycheck through that person, right? if not then that person is crossing the line when it comes down to your rights under the hippa laws.

now go lay down and get rest!!!! take care.:)

Schel,

First off it’s none of her business about your illness and I would report her to the boss.

Second there are laws out there that can protect you, like the
“Disability Act” Ask her when did she become a doctor and can say for certain that GBS never returns.

Call your state and ask about the “Disability Act” and any discrimination that is not allowed againist people with disabilities in any way, shape or form and that includes any harrassment.

Some people are just very stupid when they open their mouthes and throw things out there that they haven’t a clue what the hell they are talking about.

Speaking of the ADA I just did a quick search on something… Even though state guidelines can vary from federal guidelines, each states must meet or exceed the federal ones. So based on federal guidelines at [url]http://www.eeoc.gov/types/ada.html[/url]

[B]Medical Examinations and Inquiries[/B]
Employers may not ask job applicants about the existence, nature, or severity of a disability. Applicants may be asked about their ability to perform specific job functions. A job offer may be conditioned on the results of a medical examination, but only if the examination is required for all entering employees in similar jobs. Medical examinations of employees must be job related and consistent with the employer’s business needs.

Yes people in the workplace are cruel. But if you have a DR’s note telling you to take the time off to bad for the other person. Also she has no rights to tell you that; she is not a DR. Your Human Resource Manager might want to know for there records. I know when I was having problems I printed off the information on this website about Fatigue also the one about CIDP and gave it to my employer for my files so they know what problems I have and what can happen. So if anybody in management questions the fact I get tired fast working on a production line well I will tell them it’s in my files the information you want. I am on modified duties right now for my CIDP and my back. Some people don’t like that.

The Best of Luck

Sue

Schel,

I’m “grrrrrrrring” right along with you. My heart goes out to you as this is all just so frustrating without work hassles. I do understand.

We are here for you :p

Schel,

The government takes HIPA violations very seriously, and I’ll bet that your employer will also. This person should be reported. Mean people suck.

Suzanne

I was protected under FMLA last year when Ben, my fiance, was sick with GBS. I had had to call in one day after I rushed him to the ER in the middle of the night with flare ups, and they’d had to admit him. I chose to stay with him when I should have been at work. Several months later, my boss was reviewing my performance with me and made a comment about that particular absence from work. I questioned him on it, and he said not to worry about it because the rest of my review was positive (I had managed to hold down a full-time job during a time when I didn’t know if Ben was going to make it or not). Unfortunately, I let it go after that, but in hindsight, I wish I’d fought him on it. The FMLA literature clearly states that the workplace cannot harrass employees taking time off while covered under the act. I don’t know if you’re covered under FMLA, but it’s definitely worth the time it takes to fill out the forms. Also, you can get intermittant leave that will let you work full-time but take time off as needed.

Shannon

Hi

Now you see, I am naughty. I would enjoy thinking about writing to the person concerned stating:

“I was delighted to learn that you do not think the symptoms I am experiencing are a re-occurrence of GBS. It is a great relief to know that you are sure it cannot happen again. Would you be so good as to let me know what precisely it is that you think is happening and what actions I might take in order to help myself to get better?

I was surprised to learn that it was not GBS again, as the medical researchers in the field state that GBS can in fact occur again, in anyone, and that there is no immunity built in to a first attack. Also, because there are those who have in fact had GBS more than twice and there are families where GBS has hit 3 or more people.

I had been given to understand that, as with polio – where the central nervous system is attacked, and thus the post polio syndrome can appear years later – it would appear that the same may be true of GBS, where the peripheral nervous system is attacked.

Although the cause of GBS is unknown, medical research is on-going.

I look forward to your reply as to what it is that you believe is happening and what medical intervention you consider necessary.”

Why do I enjoy the idea of writing such a letter? Simply because if someone is trying to be a twit (at my expense) I don’t mind helpng them. Just imagine, how the heck they would try to answer it. (And I bet they would to).

I know that is not a letter we would write but go on – wouldn’t you love to?

As to Shannon being told ‘ not to worry, because the rest of the review was positive’ simply states that being absent in order to take someone to the hospital is considered a negative by the employer. If that is how they really feel they would have no problem having their position put in the public domain. Yes?

It’s funny how different people can be. I used to do Staff Reports, I would have put Shannon as a caring, concerned and decisive individual, able to quickly assess and deal with emergencies. A person who could prioritise. I would be interested to know what the person who interviewed Shannon would consider a ‘correct response’ to the situation she met.

Oh, I’ll shut up

Well my goodness Teresa Anne, I think the lettter is FABULOUS! I think I’ll keep a copy in case I ever have any future problems. And you are right on the ball with your assessment of Shannon, she is GREAT!

Oh, thanks, TA. That’s really sweet. I’m still at the same company, but I recently took a job with a different department. My new boss is so accepting of my situation with Ben, I actually feel like I’m taking advantage. Good thing I rarely take vacations because I just use those days for doctor’s appointments.

Thanks, Natalie. I think only someone in situations like ours, whether you’re the patient or the caregiver, would understand. The rule in my household is that we go to the hospital when we first become ill with weird symptoms, and we don’t wait it out to see if it’s going to get better because it probably isn’t. We’ve had to apply that rule a few times in the last 19 months.

T.A,

What a great idea and a great letter! I also love the idea of putting this in writing. What possible response could the recipient give? The mental picture of them just trying to think of an answer is priceless!

TA wonderful letter!!! what i would give to be a fly on the wall when that self degreed dr/work personal, nosey lady read and tried to reply to that beautifully edited letter!:) actually i would need to video tape that situation.:D
shan you know You the Girl!!!!:) your wonderful to be there for ben like you always are. HUGS!!!

schel, you need to do the fmla papers quickly otherwise they won’t be excepted for this illness time. best be prepared in times like these then to put more stress on yourself worrying about what will happen if…

great letter t.a. we should ALL sign it and submit it to the “twit”. maybe she’ll get a clue!

Story on page 1 of today’s New York Times:

After losing a leg in the line of duty a San Diego politce officer spent nearly a year in rehab before returning to work, doing his job for another 5 years with an artificial limb. The officer was granted a disability retirement last year after 16 years on the job. Then 10 months later San Dieago cut his pension by about 10% along with those of about 180 other disabled employees. HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH DOING THAT.

I officially retired this year after 10 years on short term and long term disability with 24 years of service before disability. I had to go on Medicare Plan D because the company excluded long-term disaabled employees from retiree drug benefits. I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT.

Comments, anyone?

Regards,
Marge

Marge

I don’t know how they get away with it. But it might be worth finding out WHY they get away with it. And making a public fuss about it too.

Schel, of course you’re scared, it’s natural. But would you not be scared of not making the call? By the way, what is an FMLA?

Thanks for the kind words about the letter, you are all very sweet but really, it would want some editing before it was actually sent to anyone. Plus a bit of adding to!

Schel, I would be scared of losing my job but if the company have rules – then they have rules – and, if you happen to come along and meet those rules, whether they like it not, the rules are to be honoured or they can end up in big do-do.

Putting the stress factor on vacation is easier said than done but I doubt that your employers spend sleepless nights worrying about how to deal with you. If they did that for each employee they would not sleep!

If by any chance you are feeling like the little cog in a big wheel, bear in mind that if a cog breaks, the whole machine can grind to a halt, if it breaks in the right place.

Teresa

Good luck with everything, Schel. After several months of not being covered by FMLA because I didn’t think I’d need it anymore, I’m thinking of starting it up again. It takes so much stress off you because you can’t predict when you’re going to need to use those days off. It also allows me to use my sick days to tend to Ben’s needs. In fact, I just took two more days because he’s back in the hospital.

Shannon