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Old 10-05-2012, 09:31 AM
 
Location: Chicago area
18,762 posts, read 11,757,490 times
Reputation: 64149

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Quote:
Originally Posted by KABurke View Post
I spoke with a friend who is an attorney, about it. He told me that even if I succeeded in getting back pay and my job back, it would probably only be temporary because then the company would have been forced to rehire me and from that point forward, they would have made my work life miserable. So, I had to ask myself, "Do I really want to go through that again?" The answer was a resounding, "No!"

Also, since the separation notice they mailed to me had excessive absenteeism on it for reason for termination, the unemployment office viewed that as misconduct and they denied my unemployment. I had to appeal it (with the help of my doctor) and won the appeal and got the unemployment from them.

HR departments can be very cutthroat, when necessary. As much as people like to think the HR staff is their friend, 9 times out of 10, they are not.
I would still go after them for your job just for the back wages and then quit a week later. I worked at a place as a registry employee and my crooked manager was canceling my hours to give them to more expensive agency employees for a kick back. I just smiled and applied for unemployment. My job tried to fight it but I was granted unemployment just the same. My manager was terminated a short time later. I laughed all the way to the couch. Found money is just as green.
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Old 10-05-2012, 12:00 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
31,341 posts, read 14,180,545 times
Reputation: 27858
Yesterday, 08:48 AM
animalcrazy
Senior Member
Location: Chicago area
1,489 posts, read 174,887 times
Reputation: 4732



Quote:
Originally Posted by KABurke
I have been in your shoes. I landed a job in 2008 that I had been trying to get for years. The first four or five months were wonderful. Then the company moved it's headquarters to a new multi-million $$$ campus and consolidated all of the satellite offices under one roof. From that point on, the atmosphere became toxic. So much so that the truth about issues regarding jobs, and the future of your own job were never forthright. Lies were told to employees about their future with the company. Covert meetings between managers were held where the employees' futures with the company were decided without the employees' even knowing their job was in jeopardy. Mine included. I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone. The stress from worrying day after day about my job caused my blood pressure to skyrocket to dangerous levels and I basically had a nervous breakdown from it. My doctor wanted me to take time off. So, I exhausted all of my PTO and was into unexcused absences. My doctor faxed (twice) a statement to the HR department telling them that I was still under his care and my absences were to be considered FMLA from the first day after my PTO ended. However, the HR department called to tell me that they were terminating my employment because of unexcused absences/absenteeism and claimed they never received the faxes from my doctor. Bottom line -- don't assume the HR department will "do the right thing" because they won't. Regardless of your time with the company -- 1 year to 20 years, if they want you gone, you're gone.

Have you thought about retaining an attorney? You may be entitled to back wages and your job back. It sounds like what your employer did was illegal.

-----------------------------------------------------
I'm certainly not a hack for Corporate America but in this case KABurke you got what you deserved. Like the job or not --- you gotta show up! Don't like the job? Find another one. But dont just not show up and expect everyone else to cover for you. FMLA was not designed for this type of situation. By the way your doctor should have Fed Ex'd the report in and forced them to sign for it. Faxes can definitely be "lost"....
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Old 10-05-2012, 03:18 PM
 
763 posts, read 2,601,417 times
Reputation: 785
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeerGeek40 View Post
I'm certainly not a hack for Corporate America but in this case KABurke you got what you deserved. Like the job or not --- you gotta show up! Don't like the job? Find another one. But dont just not show up and expect everyone else to cover for you. FMLA was not designed for this type of situation. By the way your doctor should have Fed Ex'd the report in and forced them to sign for it. Faxes can definitely be "lost"....
Excuse me? I didn't just "not show up!" I was under a DOCTOR'S CARE! I had Personal Time to use. Just not enough, apparently, but my physician explained in the TWO faxes to the HR department that I was to be on LEAVE OF ABSENCE until he released me. FMLA = Family Medical Leave of Absence. That's exactly what it was made for. Extended medical leaves. FedEx's can be lost, too. Like I said in my original post, the company wanted me out and they found a way to do it AND get around paying the FMLA. They even tried to fight the unemployment, but lost. Don't judge until you know the story.

Oh, and about the "got what you deserved" part? No, I did NOT get what I deserved. I did NOT deserve to be lied to from every level of management in the company. I did not deserve to be lied to about the HR not receiving faxes from my doctor and I did not deserve the complete disrespect I received from "management." Nobody deserves that.
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Old 10-05-2012, 03:44 PM
 
Location: in my mind
5,328 posts, read 8,517,594 times
Reputation: 11112
The OP, I have dealt with a similar situation.

Things were generally fine over the 10 years I worked at my company. I dealt with some bad supervisors and employees over those years, but eventually most of them quit, and the general atmosphere was a good one.

Then, we reached a point of severe financial problems, and ended up getting taken over by a much larger company.

This new place has a totally different culture and not one that I like or have much respect for. I have had phases of severe stress since this merger.
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Old 10-07-2012, 07:11 PM
 
1 posts, read 573 times
Reputation: 10
Good evening,

It is understandable you feel stress in this changing and difficult work environment. Many people in your situation would feel the same way. You had the courage to talk about the issue and to seek for assistance. Know this is the first step to release stress.

In your post you explained the situation with great awareness of where you currently stand. You even do take responsibility for some of the stress you experience. Congratulation again for being self aware and so open-minded!

Quote:
"they have made my life miserable and I am suffering extreme levels of stress as a result. I'm not blaming them, I know that the stress I am feeling relates to my own personal issues, but it has been very difficult and I find that I am having a really hard time."
In order to feel greater at work, it might help to explore ways to work on your own personal issues. Indeed, for now, the management will not change and you do not have any control on it, whereas you may work on increasing your personal strengths and self confidence to detached yourself from the stress others may cause you.

Therapy may be the option if you feel you have to deal with past events. Coaching may be the best option if you want to move forward and find solutions to assist you to :

-grow from the current experience,
-empower yourself,
-focus on creating a better work environment.

Please feel free to visit my website for more information about self leadership coaching. Executive Coaching, Expat Coach & Life Coaching . I will be glad to discuss with you about some of the similar experiences my clients went through.
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Old 10-07-2012, 08:01 PM
 
Location: NYC
16,061 posts, read 26,694,582 times
Reputation: 24848
Quote:
Originally Posted by shiphead View Post
Next time someone from management comes up and approaches you and you freak out. Let me know if you still have your job. lulz
Just fine. I spoke to my manager and I let him know I was under a tremendous amount of personal stress, more than anyone should have to deal with at once. He was very understanding and let me know I could just talk to him, take some time off if needed.

One point I did have a melt down, and completely lost it. The man couldn't have been more understanding and ad my co-workers rally around me to help for a few weeks until I could get things in line.

That is how a team, a company and a boss work together to keep good employees. I was a top performer, but with a terminally ill father, a mother just diagnosed with three types of cancer and alzheimers and a sister diagnosed with cancer all in three weeks it was too much. I was very lucky to have a supportive team.

We are all human, and can only be pushed so far. Everyone is different.
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Old 10-08-2012, 03:32 PM
 
3,082 posts, read 5,429,071 times
Reputation: 3524
Quote:
Originally Posted by shiphead View Post
Learn to live and love stress.
What? I don't think this is an appropriate action at all. What do you even mean by this? How does one go about "loving" stress?

Stress is absolutely horrible. People get sick from holding in stress and just "dealing" with it. People who tell you to love stress probably don't have much stress at all in their lives. They might think they do, but they really don't. Take this from somebody who has personally seen their stress level increase dramatically over the last year being in a stressful environment. Stress needs to be reduced or diminished completely. There is no embracing it. Sorry to burst your bubble. You need to address it with your employer. If they don't help you cope with it, or worse, they fire you, then F**K them! Get on U/E and find a better, less stressful job. It'll probably be a blessing in disguise anyway.

Last edited by Tekkie; 10-08-2012 at 03:43 PM..
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Old 10-08-2012, 03:36 PM
 
763 posts, read 2,601,417 times
Reputation: 785
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tekkie View Post
What? I don't think this is an appropriate action at all. What do you even mean by this? How does one go about "loving" stress?

Stress is absolutely horrible. People get sick from holding in stress and just "dealing" with it. People who tell you to love stress probably don't have much stress at all in their life. They might think they do, but they really don't. Stress needs to be reduced or fixed. There is not embracing it. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Clearly this poster has never experienced real job stress.
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Old 10-08-2012, 03:46 PM
 
3,082 posts, read 5,429,071 times
Reputation: 3524
Quote:
Originally Posted by KABurke View Post
Clearly this poster has never experienced real job stress.
Indeed, I believe so.
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