Man Fired For Taking Off To Be With Dying Wife

[OhioChick]

Company Offers Job Back After Initially Defending Firing

POSTED: 7:21 am EST March 2, 2006

WINDBER, Pa. -- A company that fired a 13-year employee as his wife lay dying of brain cancer has offered the Pennsylvania man his job back.

Rug Doctor said the company has offered back pay and no break in seniority to former sales representative Bernard Chippie. But it's unclear if he will take the carpet-cleaning company up on its offer.

"I don't think the offer is one of compassion. They’re afraid of what I might do (a lawsuit)," he told The Tribune-Democrat.

snip~ But Chippie said he had 160 hours of accrued vacation from never taking a full week in 13 years.

http://www.newsnet5.com/family/7608999/detail.html

What a sad state of affairs.

[AndyA]

1. George Bush's America

This is what conservative Christian values have led to.

What was it he said about restoring integrity?

BULLSHIT! Shame, shame, shame.

[Faygo Kid]

2. Appalling. George Bush's America.

Hope the guy gets multiple solid job offers from decent companies. "Rug Doctor" - nice PR, guys.

[htuttle]

3. Isn't this precisely the sort of thing the FMLA is for?

Is that still in effect? I'm pretty sure it is, since I have to create all sorts of reports and tracking for it at my workplace.

If so, he probably could sue their eyebrows off.

[elehhhhna]

5. If they have less than 50 employees they don't have to comply,

but they're still disgusting P'sO'S, regardless.

[htuttle]

8. "Rug Doctor" is a nationwide brand -- definitely more than 50 employees

I wonder if this is a local independent franchise or not? In the article, it links to the main Rug Doctor corporate website (and from the looks of their headquarters, there are probably more than 50 people working at that location alone).

Maybe the corporation thought they found some loophole in the FMLA? :shrug:

[elehhhhna]

19. The rule is 50 peole in your state, but if it's a franchise

w/less than 50 empleoyees, he's out of luck.

[donco6]

10. That was my question, too.

We have employees taking time regularly. ??

[Brewman_Jax]

4. Just incredible

that any company would be so heartless, and I'm hardly a proponent of compassion.

I guess that is Bush's* example of compassionate conservatism. :(

[fasttense]

6. The guy should have been working. We don't hire people to

go watch their spouses die. If he wanted to see her die, he should have found another job. What with millions of people out of work, he can be replaced for half his pay very easily. Why should the employer foot the bill for his time while his wife dies?:sarcasm:

Welcome to the New Christian "Dobson" moral values. If you cause a minor inconvenience to your employer, you are out on the street and deserve it.

[China_cat]

9. Why should the employer foot the bill for his time while his wife dies?

I know you marked it as sarcasm but the FMLA doesn't require the person to be paid while taking family or medical leave...only that their job still be there when they come back.

[Kber]

11. What about the 160 hours of earned, but untaken vacation

that said, I didn't read that he asked for paid time, just time.

[LostinVA]

13. he didn't -- he just asked for up to a week off to be with her

while she died. He was ordered to come back to work. He refused. LAWSUIT.

[LostinVA]

12. It has nothing to do with not being paid

One, he says he has 160 hours of leave time. I believe him. But, even if not: he wasn't fired for asking for pay, he was fired for refusing to come in the day before his wife died. That's sick. Especially treating a long-time worker like that.

[China_cat]

14. I realize that was the case here.

I was commenting on fasttense's remark of 'why should the employer PAY for somebody to go watch his wife die'. Even if he hadn't had the accrued time coming (with pay) he should have been eligible for FMLA which does not require that it be paid leave. Therefore, the employer cannot bitch that he's having to pay for something he's not getting.

[LostinVA]

17. Sorry -- your post sounded like you were saying something else

We're on the same side!

[zbdent]

7. Wasn't there something about the Family and Medical Leave act

that the Repukes always hated . . . like its passage?

(BTW, a raging Bush supporter at my workplace used said act when his wife had serious back problems and nobody was able to stay at home with her and help her with just plain daily living . . . bet he never thanked a liberal for that . . .)

[madinmaryland]

15. Compassionate Conservatism?

BS

:grr:

[bleedingheart]

16. You know what is really sad...

the fact that this guy accrued a fair amount of vacation time...didn't use that time to spend with his wife when she was well...and when she was dying he used up a lot of his time and then his company (who benefited from him not taking his time) fired him...

This is proof that sacrificing for the company is not a good idea.

[LostinVA]

18. Excellent post -- I bet he's thinking that now... *sigh*