Workplace advice

Morning everyone! Hope you all are doing well.

Yesterday, I discovered that all of my vacation time was taken for my surgery recovery. I was out for two whole weeks. Given no medical leave, no nothing. When I went to HR about it I was told, "Well. You had an elective surgery." Could someone please tell me why that matters? I wasn't out sitting on a beach somewhere, I was at home recovering from a major surgery. The whole thing has REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. I've always felt like I worked in a "fat unfriendly" environment, but this somehow solidifies it. Example: I once overheard my boss on a phone call and he made the comment about an acquaintance getting married, "He was dating a girl who gained a lot of weight. She must have weighed 250 pounds. I guess he didn't marry HER." That has stuck in the back of my mind for AGES.

Now, I am emotionally in a bind over this and trying SO HARD not to be overly sensitive. I have been a very loyal employee to this company. Hardly ever take a sick day, almost never use all my vacation time, always on the ball with my work, etc. I just feel so...unwelcome here. Does anyone know where I'm coming from? Am I being a big baby?

Would someone that had had non-elective surgery been handled differently? That would be the thing that would make me feel differently.

I had to use PTO for my recovery time. Even if it had been heart surgery, we must use all of our PTO before we can go on any kind of short term disability use.

I'd try not to take it personally. Your boss sounds like an ass though 

We have medical leave in place in case anyone needs to be out for whatever reason. Surgery, pregnancy, etc. But they decided mine didn't COUNT towards my medical leave because I had "elective surgery".

I think they treated you in a way that is crappy, but probably legal. I don't think you get much of anywhere complaining that people at work weren't nice enough to you, though (I don't mean that as harsh as it sounds -- I am trying to spin it from the perspective of your boss).

If I were you, I'd probably suck it up and look for greener pastures. When you leave, if you have an exit interview, mention that you felt unfairly treated when you were forced to take vacation time for your surgery, but do so calmly and respectfully.

Good luck, that does not sound like a very caring workplace environment

Trust me, I'm not done with this. I was told bariatric surgery is covered under FMLA, and that was the discussion I had with HR at least a month before my surgery.

Then you should go back and further discuss this with them. Personally, elective or not, you can probably prove medical necessity.

Just don't bring up anything personal into it. Keep it professional and on point with the surgery.

(Then go look for greener pastures, because those pastures aren't good!)

ooh if you had that discussion with HR prior to your surgery, yes, I would definitely go back and press the issue. Good luck!

FMLA doesn't get you paid.  Vacation time gets you paid.  Are you prepared to hand them back your paycheck to get vacation time back?  FMLA only secures your job while you're away.

I'm sorry that you have to experience this, but unfortunately being heavy is the last 

socially acceptable thing you can make fun of/be meanspirited  about w/o any 

politically correct tag lines being attached to you, sad, but true..

this could also be a huge hormone dump for you and you're ultra sensitive to things

you normally shrugged off...

 soon you will be one of the faceless normies, that no one will point out

how fat you are..remember this feeling, and act accordingly...

words hurt, longer than any punch will....

Thank you, love.