I have come to whine

[Not_Giving_Up]

I was in the hospital in the IMCU unit for four days, one night in a regular room, for the worst asthma/upper respiratory infection of my life. I repeatedly attempted to contact my employer via the office phone, cell phone numbers, and home phone. Every time, I got nothing but voice mail. I left messages letting them know what was going on.

The doctor would not release me to go back to work for three more weeks. I kept leaving messages about what was going on, as well as begging the doctor to let me go back to work. Not once did my employers call to see how I was or even if there was a chanec I'd be returning to work.

I finally convinced the doctor to let me go back to work, but I was not up to speed, and couldn't work a full week. I was doing breathing treatments at the office, I tried to be there. However, when you can't take two steps without becoming nauseated and out of breath, it makes it very difficult.

The following Monday morning, I was on my way to get bloodwork done, and got a call telling me that I was being fired. It wasn't from my employer, but a guy that was placing temps in the office to help while I was gone. He told me that he was handling all of the HR stuff now. I called my employer, and it was confirmed.

I filed for unemployment, and all was well. It was determined that I was terminated for absences beyond my control. Every two weeks, the unemployment check came in and sort of took care of the bills. What it didn't take care of, my parents helped with.

A month ago, I went to file my claim (via automated phone system). It tells me that my claim is being closed. I call the live person number, and it is explained that I would have to open a new claim. In August 2004, I was unemployed. I found a job within a week (as a temp), so I only got one check. The claim stays open for a year. Now, I have to start everything over again.

So, I am told that the employer has to respond again, so I won't get a check until they do. Last Saturday, at 8 AM, the phone rang, but the number did not show up on the Caller ID. My husband was up, but didn't answer it. He then heard my cell phone ring, but it was also unavailable, so he just let it ring. Then it made the noise to notify of a new message, so he woke me up with the phone in his hand. I was someone from TWC, saying that she needed me to respond to the employer response. The message said that she would be there until noon, and that if I did not contact her by Wednesday, my claim would be denied. I called and left her a message. She called me back on Monday afternoon.

The employer is now fighting the claim. She kept asking me if there was a policy about this, about that. I told her that there WERE no policies when I was there. (The company had been audited by the state employment commission, and they managed to keep them away from the office by having them meet them at the attorney's office. After that, I was copying policies from another company that she got from someone that she knew. None of these policies ever went into effect while I was there. I was hospitalized before I finished them.) So, it looks like they are now claiming that there was a policy that would justify them terminating me. I told the woman on the phone that they didn't contest the first time around, and that the only reason why I was re-certifying was that my claim had been open a year, and explained the circumstances. Her response was "Well, they're bringing these issues up now."

I know where bodies are buried (metaphorically speaking, of course!) and I have evidence. They know that I know what I know. Do they really want to go there? Maybe they think that I'm a lazy liberal and won't fight them. This pisses me off. It wasn't my fault I got sick. I've never been that sick before, ever. Of course, the compassionate conservatives didn't give a shit.

Just a note here - they were openly shrublovers, I'm not making assumptions. Hannity was blasted from the stereo three hours a day if they were in the office, and they ate it up.

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. OK, it's more ike I have come to bitch...

:kick:

[Kenneth ken]

2. .

:hug:

I've no advice or witty comments.

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. Thanks

It just makes no sense to me that they would contest NOW, but not the first time around.

[Kenneth ken]

4. if it makes no sense

it must be real life. That's something that's always left me confused.

:hug:

[Not_Giving_Up]

5. So true

The thing is, if my claim had not been open for a year, they wouldn't get the chance to do this. I don't get why the claim stays open a year if you only draw one check, but whatever. It's all a big load of bullshit.