Congrats you've survived cancer, by the way, you may or MAY NOT have a job

cekramer
cekramer Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello all,

Well I just got suckerpunched today. I had lunch with my boss and he just told me I may not have a job next month, when I'd plan to return to work. Apparently, business is down and unless new biz happens in the next month or so, he said I may not be able to return.
Has anyone had difficulty upon returning to work? And a while back there was a mention of not continuing on insurance after six months of leave, that I would have to revert to COBRA benefits. Is that freaking legal? I am calling a resource center tomorrow to speak to an attorney. I can't believe this BS after all I've been through and how much I've given to this company the last 3 years! I am definitely keeping my options open and job searching but what a welcome back gift.

Disgusted CK

Comments

  • melm
    melm Member Posts: 104
    #2
    CK -
    I am so sorry you are having to deal with this mess. Contact everyone you possibly can and make sure your rights are protected. I had a bilateral mastectomy in Dec and returned to work the end of Jan. right after my 1st of 6 chemo treatments. Before I was diagnosed in Nov., my boss had promised me a promotion to be recommened to administration within a month of my review. Well, he never made the recommendation. When I returned to work I was informed that I was not mentally or physically able to handle the responsiblities of the promotion. The deal is that is was mostly just a new title with more money & BENEFITS( 90 sick days paid!), no extra duties that I couldn't deal with. Long story short, by March I had to go to his superior and human resources and complain of his harrassment and bullying. This guy never has asked me how I'm feeling or chosen to acknowledge that I have been battling a life threatening disease. Never would tell me if I could work from home to save my sick days for my recon. surgeries. Anyway, after 10 days of meeting and interviews with other employess, they gave him warning and I was told that after my chemo my job would be "re-evaluated". I finished my last chemo 2 weeks ago and just spent the last week at home with severe Neutropenia, but will return to work on Monday. Don't know how things will turn out but must turn it over to God.
    It is a rotten shame that people can't understand, or choose NOT to understand what kind of BS we have all had to deal with. Employers need to be trained in taking care of their employees who are dealt this tricky hand.
    Please keep us posted on the outcome. Hang in there, girl! I'm with you all the way!!!!!
    God Bless you -
    Mel in Ark.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • imdebra
    imdebra Member Posts: 20
    #4
    please make sure to document everything in writing from now on. sounds like you may need it. you are afforded many rights that our mothers didn't have, such as the disabilities act and family leave act. use them, that's what they're there for.
    since i was diagnosed in feb, i've run into some really wonderful people, but also some real buttheads with preconceived notions about cancer patients. just stay stong, do what you can to protect yourself without having to go to court (i hear that can be worse than the disease) and know you're not alone. oh, and if you do have to find another job after your treatment is over, there's also the hipa act of 1996 that says if you change jobs and have to change insurors because of a job change, you cannot be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition by the new insuror as long as you've had coverage for the past 12 months with no break incoverage for more that 63 days. hope that helps.
  • maestro099
    maestro099 Member Posts: 7
    #5
    melm said:

    CK -
    I am so sorry you are having to deal with this mess. Contact everyone you possibly can and make sure your rights are protected. I had a bilateral mastectomy in Dec and returned to work the end of Jan. right after my 1st of 6 chemo treatments. Before I was diagnosed in Nov., my boss had promised me a promotion to be recommened to administration within a month of my review. Well, he never made the recommendation. When I returned to work I was informed that I was not mentally or physically able to handle the responsiblities of the promotion. The deal is that is was mostly just a new title with more money & BENEFITS( 90 sick days paid!), no extra duties that I couldn't deal with. Long story short, by March I had to go to his superior and human resources and complain of his harrassment and bullying. This guy never has asked me how I'm feeling or chosen to acknowledge that I have been battling a life threatening disease. Never would tell me if I could work from home to save my sick days for my recon. surgeries. Anyway, after 10 days of meeting and interviews with other employess, they gave him warning and I was told that after my chemo my job would be "re-evaluated". I finished my last chemo 2 weeks ago and just spent the last week at home with severe Neutropenia, but will return to work on Monday. Don't know how things will turn out but must turn it over to God.
    It is a rotten shame that people can't understand, or choose NOT to understand what kind of BS we have all had to deal with. Employers need to be trained in taking care of their employees who are dealt this tricky hand.
    Please keep us posted on the outcome. Hang in there, girl! I'm with you all the way!!!!!
    God Bless you -
    Mel in Ark.

    I can't believe that employers can be so cold hearted. My mom got diax with BC and she currently is a room attendent at a hotel. She is preparing to get her nodes removed. Would this affect her ability to perform her duties, b/c at times she has to lift heavy things? Also, would the cancer treatments make her too weak to go to work? How long would the employer let her have sick leave? And what can my mother do to prevent any discrimination from her illness?

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