FMLA abusers (employees, job, salary, fired)

[ma5cmpb]

I know we all (probably) know some co-workers who abuse FMLA. Calling off work everyday just because they can't get in trouble for it.

It can't be just be me who notices this. Any stories?

[Hemlock140]

We all may suspect that co-workers are abusing FMLA, but we don't know. Even the person's supervisor is not told what affliction the person is suffering from, the letter from the doctor is only seen by HR and/or the employer's contracted FMLA administrator. People can seem perfectly healthy but have a disease that prevents them from working at times, such as Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). FMLA also applies to the person who must stay home to care for family members, including children and parents. Often an elderly parent will have multiple health issues requiring assistance and medical appointments. I'm sure there is abuse, just don't make assumptions.

[Suburban_Guy]

Plenty of stories, do a search

Living it up on FMLA leave

My coworker is abusing FMLA and I'm the only one who knows

[ma5cmpb]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

We all may suspect that co-workers are abusing FMLA, but we don't know. Even the person's supervisor is not told what affliction the person is suffering from, the letter from the doctor is only seen by HR and/or the employer's contracted FMLA administrator. People can seem perfectly healthy but have a disease that prevents them from working at times, such as Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). FMLA also applies to the person who must stay home to care for family members, including children and parents. Often an elderly parent will have multiple health issues requiring assistance and medical appointments. I'm sure there is abuse, just don't make assumptions.

But some people will come out and tell you that they are abusing FMLA.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by ma5cmpb

But some people will come out and tell you that they are abusing FMLA.

Yes, which is not too bright. I recall a case where the person's work involved lifting and had a back issue. When HR got wind of the fraud because they had bragged to someone who reported it, a private detective was hired and got video of the person playing basketball at a local school playground on a day they had called in. He was fired, and it was upheld by the Department of Labor after an investigation.

[LakeLifePA]

Here's the thing, if you're not in their chain of command or directly supervising them it's none of your business, and you should mind your own since you're ignorant of any facts.

[Old Sol]

FMLA is usually unpaid. What's so great about "living it up" if you're burning through savings?

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Robert20170

Here's the thing, if you're not in their chain of command or directly supervising them it's none of your business, and you should mind your own since you're ignorant of any facts.

This.

And, no, I don't know of anyone abusing FMLA and why you should even care is beyond me.

[lae60]

Originally Posted by blueherons

This.

And, no, I don't know of anyone abusing FMLA and why you should even care is beyond me.

Well, often people do know BECAUSE THE ABUSER brags about it!

I had a co-worker who was approved for FMLA to care for her granddaughter who had seizures. She took the kid to Disneyland, while on FMLA. Even bought annual passes for them to go often. WELL>>>>if the kid could go to Disneyland, then likely she did not need specialized care and could go to after school daycare, like all the other latch key kids. And she eventually did when the FMLA gig was up.

Why do I care?

Someone else had to do her job. Her job was protected---saved for her, so we could not rehire someone else to do it. So some work did not get done, some had to be done by already over worked employees. Her salary was still paid so no overtime for someone else to do her job.

Part of her job was to answer the phones and greet and direct anyone who walked in the door. So EVERYONE in the office had a 2 hour shift doing this job off and on by rotation for many weeks, as there had to be someone answering the phone and managing the walk in folks. A timekeeper from another office had to do our payroll. Lots of folks had to cover her absence.

Our work lets employees use their sick leave for this, and also annual-vacation leave from others, either donated specifically to that worker, or excess that was donated to another worker that passed away or retired on disability before using all the donated leave. So her pay continued.

So it does affect us (not me now, as I am retired) by the workload, but also because our leave bank would have less leave for deserving people because someone used leave they did not deserve.

Eventually this was investigated and she was not allowed to continue this.

Since I believe in karma, I was not surprised when she herself became ill and most of her FMLA leave was already fraudulently used. She got breast cancer So now she only gets paid if someone specifically donates their vacation time to her. And lots of folks remember her Disneyland trip brags, while we were doing her job...so donations will be fewer than normal.

[veuvegirl]

So missed a major part of the story. The first time I have heard of any abusing FMLA. Not sure why anyone would when it isn't paid.