ABSOLUTELY AMAZING

This morning prior to leaving work, I had a meeting with my boss in regards to someone I"m precepting right now. She told me before I left the room that her boss wanted me to call her in regards to my upcoming surgery on the 28th. I called her and she started telling me that if my WLS surgery wasn't emergent that I was going to have to postpone it until September because we were in the "peak vacation" time right now and it might be inconvienent for the unit for me to be off. She then proceeded to tell me that when I did have it, she may not be able to give me two weeks light duty, which she does for everyone else. To say the least I was floored. First of all, I have bought plane tickets for two of my three children to go and stay with my father in Ny for the week of and the week after my surgery. Second, don't you think if I postpone the surgery BC/BS is going to say, "well she really doesn't need it."? Well I didn't sleep well just thinking about her audacity with what she said. So.....when I got up I called my boss, who by the way, told me she wasn't counting on me to come in during July, and not to worry about it, that I wrote a letter telling her boss that I was sorry that I was still having surgery and that they had known about it since early April and had known that it would be the end of June or beginning of July and that they waited until 19 days prior to my surgery date to say that they had a problem with it.....and it was just something that they were going to have to deal with. I also told her that I not only had several hours of my time invested but also a lot of money already invested in having this surgery. I don't think they are going to give me a hard time, however, if they do I will go over their heads and take it to human resources. I didn't need this with how nervous I am about the whole thing. It just really angered me that she thought I was just going to say, "ok, I know I just wasted several months of my time and thousands of dollars but don't worry." Can you believe this is happening??

Anne, this is absolute weight discrimination & I would let them know ASAP, believe me you could slap them w/a lawsuit so fast over that one. I sued a former employer over weight discrimination & won $50,000 in my suit & that was a settlement, so I'd let them know real fast that they may want to sing another tune about this one. Keep us posted, Candi

Thanks Candi, Believe me I will do something if they try to block my having the surgery.

if you have a human resources division take it right to them, let them know you will contact the eeoc , and will not be given the run around at the last minute. when yo go to HR take a cassete recorder with yo and place it on the table before the interview starts. tell them you want ot make sure that everything is above board just in case it has to get legal. that should be enough to shut them up but if not youll have some good info for your suit.

Thanks Joe. I looked at all the personel policies and procedures and didn't see anything in them regarding having elective surgery during "peak" vacation times. I was planning on taking it as far as I need to go to ensure that nothing stands in my way.

Anne don't you dare back down. What amazes me is how some people sleep at night, all they think you are is a number. I know everything will be ok. Don't you worry about it. GOD'S got your back. Barbara Krantz

Thanks Barbara. I appreciate the support more than you know. Anne

Anne, Also, this is not "elective surgery" if referred via a physician technically. I agree. sounds like this is someone trying to balance their workload and they didn't plan very well. Saying this is "Peak Vacation Season" is garbage, in my opinion. A person that had a brain tumor that needed to be removed (even if not immediately life threatening) would they have to wait for the "Off Season"??? Nah, I doubt it. This sorta stuff just peeves me off that someone would be so insensitive to as someone to postpone surgery so I apologize for my tirade. I would definitely not fold on this one to the whims of someone's scheduling dilemma. My motto that hangs in my office is very apropos here: "Your lack of planning is NOT my emergency ..." I hope you power through this problem!

YEP YEP YEP, Love that saying too, LOVE IT!!!!!!!! How ya feeling Will? Candi

William, I sent her a letter saying, "I am an employee that comes to work, works extra when we are short, which is all the time, and volunteers for projects when they are brought up in the meetings. I feel that I am an asset to the Trauma Unit and am not a "problem" employee always making excuses for excessive absences and always having issues. I do not spend a lot of time complaining about what's going on around me. I try to "go with the flow" as they say." "Again, I'm sorry that my plans can not change. I know that upon my return I will again contribute to the overtime and anything else that is asked of me. I'm not trying to be a difficult person, but this is how it has to be." My plans WILL NOT change. I already told my boss that I am very upset that her boss even attempted to do this to me. Also, she had told me that there was a policy on taking time off during "peak vacation" time for elective surgery and some of ny piers and I went through the entire policy and procedure manual for Human Resources and no where did we find ANY policy for ANY kind of surgery and in no policy was there mentioned anything about "peak vacation" time.