ready to say forget it!

I am about ready to throw in the towel. Well as some of you know I was originally scheduled for August 29 for my surgery. Was told from my bosses (Docs in the office I work at) that they wanted me to wait until after our new computer program was up and running and that they wanted me to do the training on the new system. OK that was fine as I was already expecting this delay. So I called and rescheduled my surgery for Nov. 28. Told our office admstr yesterday, she took it to the board meeting (again the docs), she called me to her office today and told me that now they want me to WAIT until after the first of the year cuz I no longer have any vacation left. ok does anyone notice a change in their story? Keep in mind that it was one of these same docs that sent me to see Dr. Coster in the first place. My insurance approval expires Dec 31, 2005. I have set aside the 600.00 in my cafeteria plan to have this done this year. If I don't spend the money by the end of the year I lose it. Is morbid obesity not a medical condition. Does anyone know can they keep denying me this surgery? Sorry to ramble but I am really angry, disappointed and hurt. I have not had the chance to speak with any of the docs in my office about insurance approval and other stuff. But beleive me I will be addressing this with them Will go for now I'm sure you are all tired of reading my woes. Thanks for letting me vent!

Take FMLA if you qualify...otherwise, tell them you will take the time off unpaid. Sounds as if they are trying to dupe you out of your insurance approval to me. If they continue to resist, you will KNOW that they are. Good luck! ~~Sherry

Just tell me how you feel. Most employers should understand. If you explain that the delays they are imposing on you will cost you a finanical hardship, which will effect your work, they should comply with your request. If that doesn't work, then threaten to quit. Most likely the time they've invested into your will be to valuable. That's the route I'm taking to get my short term disability pay. I'm not supposed to get it until next year, but I'm having surgery some time in Sept. Don't give up and stand your guns!

I feel so bad for ya I remember when you first brought this too us when you rescheduled.....the only words of caution were ....Do you really trust this place to not turn around and do it again. I am so sorry they went against there word.....I would just go them and let them know you CANNOT wait until after the first of the year and if you cannot get unpaid leave you'll be filing for FMLA! Hopefully you qualify for FMLA. You got to stand up for yourself tho......this might be your only chance.....insurance often changes Jan 1!!!!! I will be wishing the best for you......You gotta do this for you tho!!!!! Take Care and vent anytime you need to....thats what we are here for....the good and the bad! Good luck with them and let us know how it turns out jesi

It IS covered under Short Term Disability!!! Your employer is jacking you around and that's not fair! I would do what Sherry said and take FMLA or tell them you'll apply for Short Term Disability. I had to because I was gone for 4 weeks and then went back part time for the first 2 weeks. I didn't have any vacation either. My boss was way cool though and still paid me for my first 3 weeks. I feel for you. You should just tell them how you feel and let them know that you need the ppwk for FMLA and STD. they have to oblige. Please keep us posted as to what they say. Good luck and we're here for you!!! Big hugs, Jen

Well isnt that a big ole crock of cr@p! I say they are jacking you around. I would be very wary because like someone else said....Insurance often changes at the beginning of the year. I would make sure I applied for FMLA and get it doen before the beginning of the year. I dont necessarily think that the drs are doing it. I would maybe think it would be the office manager or who ever makes the decisions on the insurance. Especially if your insurance is self funded versus fully funded. (Self funded means that the insurance co just oversees it but the company you work for pays for the bills. Its cheaper for a company to do that than it is to pay for the insurance co to do it all. thinking that maybe if the employees see it coming out of thier gainsharing etc....they will think twice about having any type unecessary surgery etc.

Very true! I wanted to add about FMLA, and this is the big one that most people dont' qualfiy for Work at a location where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles.

I remember your earlier post about them havng you postpone your surgery to get the system up & running & thought is was very unfair of them to ask you this but also very nice of you to agree to wait. I feel thay are taking advantage of you & this is not right. I hope you can work this out with them. The way I look at it,you do have some clout if you are brave enough to use it. You say they want you to do the training. Use that as tool. You may need to threaten to quit before you do the training if they don't agree to let you have the time off in November. That may scare them into thinking differently. Of course, that also could backfire on you. They could let you go & then you'd be without a job. Be sure to get it in writing if they say you can take the time off. I don't envy you. I hope this all goes as you want it to. They are really being unfair. I don't know the legalities but I can't see how they can keep you from taking off to have the surgery, especially since you probably won't be off all that long. Most people only take 2 weeks & I know of some who go back even earlier. Good luck & let us know what happens. Dixie

Sounds to me like they don't want that bill on their health insurance. The rates might go up. Also could be that they are planning on changing coverage and it won't cover WLS. You need to do it anyway. Stick to your guns but be prepared that if you have to threaten, you may end up with no job at all. But I can't imagine that if it comes to that, that they would win against unemployment. Especially if you have a good work record. Document everything they've said to you if you can. Protect yourself.

Kim, maybe it is because I work for a large corporation but I have 40 employees and I can tell you that HR would NEVER allow me to dictate when someone could take time off for surgery. Regardless of the surgery. THe bottom line is that I doubt they have the right to force you to wait. So what that you are out of vacation? I would think this is totally a short term issue and you do not have to have vaction in most companies to use short term. I would not recommend threatening to quit- that sets you up in an adversarial position and can linger even after this situation all shakes out. Instead, I would sit down with whomever is the decision maker- not the person claiming to be the messenger but the REAL decision maker. I would outline that this is critical to your health and that of all employers you would expect them to understand the need to take care of this health issue. I would also explain that you have demonstrated your committment to the office by agreeing to the first delay but that it is unreasonable to request you to do so again over a difference of one month. I would ask for documentation that says you have to have approval to schedule medical treatment that may cause an absence from work- I highly doubt they have ANY. If they pu**** I would tell them that you respect their position and thank them for talking but be clear that you disagree with the decision and that you intend to explore your legal rights on this issue. In addition, I would document EVERYTHING- date, times, names etc. I think if you confront this logically and without threats they will recognize that you cannot be pushed around and are likely to agree with the Nov date. If not, I would protect my job- again by not threatening- but I would consult legal counsel- someone familar with employment law. Most attorneys will give you free advice or advise you of your rights for a nominal fee. Anyway, not trying to butt in but just throught I would share my two cents. I agree with those above who said they are taking advantage of you. No one has the right to dictate when you can address your own well being. If this were a hysterectomy would they make you wait? I doubt it. In most cases medical issues are unplanned, in this case you gave them plenty of notice and opportunity to make arrangements for your absence. I really hope that this works out for you and know that whatever your course of action you take there are plenty of folks here that are pulling for you. OK- sorry I totally wrote a book but this just burns me! Best of luck to you, Kim! -Nan