Employer Placed Me On "medical Leave" After I Have Been Gone

[Lostinthesauce]

I apologize if there is a thread like this already. I could not find it.
So, I'm a veteran diagnosed with PTSD which also carries extreme anxiety and depression. My issue going on at work is this. I have only been with this company for approx 2 months. While working for them an issue with my medication not making its way to me multiple times. I travel all over for my work so I count on VA mailing system for my medications as well as family to forward it to wherever I may be. So basically I have gone without medications for approx a month because of mailing issues. This has depleted all built up levels of medication in my system causing me to now experience and display the side affects of my PTSD at the workplace. My medicine does extremely well in helping me but without I'm a walking ticking time bomb of massive amounts of extreme emotions and feelings.

So I noticed this and what was happening to me at work so I decided to approach supervision about what's up. I absolutely went into much more detail and was more then likely very animated while in my discussion with them. Long story short, it was suggested I take some time off to get my meds and myself straight. At that time I didn't say yes or no to the idea I just left it hanging. Once the next day came and time for work I decided hell no I'm not in a mental state to be able to go to work. Since then I have been gone 4 days now. During that time I called supervision to notify them im not coming In but I got no answer or call back. Today I finally get a text from one of them stating they have placed me on medical leave and to come get some paperwork to bring to the doctor to fill out.

I guess this is where my questions begin.

I can find no policies on any type of leave under my company. I do not qualify for FMLA, I have only worked for them for two months.

So how can they have me on medical leave? I can find no direct number to HR anywhere. I just want to know if how this all happened, do I fall under some type of protected status? Nothing documented is in my hands. So how do I know that possibly if it comes down to it, can they just term me for missing work, job abandonment of what not.

I'm just speculating at this moment. I just know the stigma that can be attached to a vet with PTSD at the workplace and know of buddies who had been discriminated against once it was known that they had PTSD.

Side note..I finally got meds issue situated and they are on their way.

Sorry for my long ramble but at this moment my mind and speed control of my thoughts is basically no there.

Any help, responses, guidance, thoughts or anything will be greatly appreciated

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I don't believe that there is any sort of automatic legal protection.....that is, you went to your employer, told them you're struggling, and they gave you time off. Normally its a fight to get any type of medical leave, even for those who are indeed entitled to it. And for those who don't have to fight for it, it usually doesn't happen that fast. I suspect this is something that is individual to your company, so really your only option is to contact your employer directly. However, once you get the paperwork completed by your doctor, you will likely have a bit more protection.

In many instances, being new to a job means that the employer doesn't have to make concessions if you get sick and can't work. I think that you're a bit lucky, because your employer could have easily said "sorry this isn't working out, we're going to have to let you go" for the simple fact that since you're new, it could be considered a probationary period.

 

[joeylittle]

@Lostinthesauce, the company may have their own short-term disability insurance (if they are mandated by the state, and if they are in the US). Or, they may be covering you under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) - they have a little more control over how they handle this, whether your leave is paid or unpaid, how long it will be for, things like that. But it's not unreasonable that they would see your situation as one qualifying for short-term disability; it is to their advantage to comply, especially if they are insured.

I finally get a text from one of them stating they have placed me on medical leave and to come get some paperwork to bring to the doctor to fill out.

The follow up to them would be something along the lines of, "Thank you for that. Can you tell me if this leave is paid or unpaid, and do you have a timeline for when you'd like me back to work? I don't want to be out for longer than necessary."
Or, if you need to pick up the paperwork from the supervisor personally, ask them when you see them.

But it sounds to me like they are giving you leave, and that's a good thing.

 

[Lostinthesauce]

Thank you both for your reponses!! Since I posted this I have done a little more digging on the net. I'm now looking into differences from federal to state down to city laws that pertain to this subject.

Your right on how I should respond back. I actually came across a site that somewhat helps you develop a script of important questions and ways to keep the employer employee relationship during this period at a direct yet respectful and professional level.

I'm still running into more issues that I need help with though.
I started thinking about what my worker classification technically is?
Is it an employee or independent contractor?
I looked up labor laws and read how the difference can be established, but to tell you the truth it could fall either way. It's not as direct as one would think.
When I was hired and going through orientation stage, we were being informed of policies, practices, rules and regs but nothing about benefits and insurance. I was never given a handbook with any info or company contacts for different branches.
So I asked around a little about the insurance and benefits and I get answers stating that they do offer health, 401k and some others. What is weird is I'm being told that you have to enroll within the first 30 days of employment. This was never stated in any way by anyone at any point during my employment.
Trying to find any of this information on the net is next to impossible. I though it was basic public info to be accesible easily at anytime by anyone?
I have found that there is a confidential compliance hotline established for employees, clients, investors etc to able to utilize if they are subject to discrimination or bad practice.
Where and what is the number? I found where the company states that this is true. But does not provide any number to go along with the statement.
I'm just confused. This is a big company that has been established since 1889 and is a 10+ billion dollar annual rev company.

I'm sorry this veers off of the real topic on what this topic is really for but oddly enough trying to protect myself against any possible type of discrimination for my PTSD or retaliation efforts is what now has me into all this other stuff.
I didn't bring it up in my initial post but when I went to my supervision to explain my medical issue I also indulged the wrong, not acceptable, ILLEGAL practices that are huge stressors and triggers that ignite and heighten my lack of coping skills and ability to think and asses situations as clearly as I should. So I kind of brought up some stuff that could ruffle some feathers. I didn't directly implicate any individual hand or supervisor but who I spoke to could figure out the individuals or work areas that I was explaining.
Just to clarify, I went to my immediate supervisors MANY times to let him know what I was seeing and make him be aware of it. Each and every time I was either blown completely off or given the least of any attention or respect for it. Also another huge stressor that I couldn't take anymore.
I'm not a pot stirer, whistleblower. Drama queen or complainer for the most part.
I am passionate, serious, professional and damn good at my trade. So I expect to have the type of work conditions, safety, and supervision respect that I'm expected of and giving to others.

 

[Lostinthesauce]

I don't believe that there is any sort of automatic legal protection.....that is, you went to your empl...

I get it and understand your point of view and it could be the case and I should feel lucky.
But I believe it's a little more technical then that. (Maybe)
1.) for the added issues I somewhat just explained in my second post about some somewhat to extremely unorthodox work habits and habitual violations that are being ignored and sometimes promoted by supervision. Issues that could and would have the entire project shutdown by outside agencies.
2.) I was sought out and asked by personnel to come to this job. I didn't just apply and have an interview and happened to get hired. It caused some ripples with certain individuals.
3.) this job site already has heat on it now with investigations, and corporate hanging out trying to get to the bottom of harassment and discrimination claims and cases for racial/ethical issues AND drug problems on the site from finding paraphernalia and actual workers passed out in the can with their stuff still Stuck in them. (A different company worker on a different project on same plant)
So there is some things going on that are making this sime situation I'm in a little more detailed do to everyone is trying to go by the book but at the same time don't know what's in the book. So anything could happen right or wrong.
Ha I do feel LUCKY, every night I walk off that plant alive!!
That kind of puts me dealing with my monkey PTSD in perspective.

 

[joeylittle]

This is a big company that has been established since 1889 and is a 10+ billion dollar annual rev company.

Call HR. There will be an HR department, and specifically, people who manage employee benefits. In really big companies, it's actually easy to miss some of the steps - health care enrollment is one, benefits another. If you look at a pay stub (which you might not get if you are direct deposit, but you can usually find if there is a section for employees on the company website) you'll see whether you have contributions going to health, pension.

I didn't bring it up in my initial post but when I went to my supervision to explain my medical issue I also indulged the wrong, not acceptable, ILLEGAL practices that are huge stressors and triggers that ignite and heighten my lack of coping skills and ability to think and asses situations as clearly as I should. So I kind of brought up some stuff that could ruffle some feathers. I didn't directly implicate any individual hand or supervisor but who I spoke to could figure out the individuals or work areas that I was explaining.

It's a little hard to follow this - but try and not mix issues. It's a big company, so they will be ADA compliant. That means they cannot discriminate against you for a valid disability diagnosis providing that you are doing the job as well as someone without a disability would.

Anything else is not about you, it's only about doing your job and enforcing what they want you to enforce. Try and not mix anxiety about a PTSD diagnosis into that equation, it will just make you feel worse and won't really help, in my opinion.

 

[Lostinthesauce]

Call HR. There will be an HR department, and specifically, people who manage employee benefits. In...

I apologize if I didn't clearly explain.
Let's try again. I may not know everything but I'm pretty well versed in knowing a lot of steps and procedures for this type of thing but with this company it's a little harder. First off I (everyone) never received a company handbook. Therefore no guideline to policies and procedures. Nothing to be found on the net as well. Cannot find a single contact for HR on the net. It's like its hidden.

Besides that I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding your second response about mixing issues as well as not mixing anxiety about a diagnosis of PTSD?? I may just not be understanding but are you referring that the two do not coincide? If so then I'm totaly ignorant to the knowledge and my daily life of living with this.
If not then please explain for me to understand. I apologize but I could just not be able to clearly see it cause I'm on a pretty serious run of 5 weeks without my medicine, going through some issues that are really jacking up my PTSD family of side effects and now I'm pretty much locked up in a room 24/7. So I may not be the shiniest spoon in the drawer right now.

 

[Lostinthesauce]

Little update medicine has arrived but can't get from post office till morning.
Got paperwork from work to basically bring to VA doctor to fill out and explain what's up with me and get me back on my way to getting back to work.

Those of you so far that have shared some thoughts and ideas with me, I greatly appreciate it and I mean it.
This isn't a new experience for me but it is a very rare episode for me to go through and extremely hard to get through with no support. I'm doing this all on my own since I am 16 hrs from home for work, don't know anybody, not registered in the VA here so I get treated like a piece of **** when I ask for HELP.
When it was time to decide to stay or leave the military it was a hard decision but some factors guided me to leave. At that point this PTSD thing wasn't nearly as much of a THING as it is today. Many of us in my band of brothers had already been demonstrating symptoms and effects without knowing what was really going on with us. Believe it or not all of them and I were robots, brainwashed puppets for our great ARMY!!! Why not we loved what we were doing, we loved one another like brothers and we were f****ng psychotic nutbags. WE ARE RANGERS!!!!
Anyways, hard as it was I broke out and separated from the Army. I at this point had no diagnosis or anything for what was already deeply imbedded in every ounce of my brain and body. Also at that time I never believed in anything like mental illness, therapy, medicine. That crap was all bogus and the ones that said they had anything and needed help and medicine I thought were lying and making stories up.
They were punks to me!! Man up and deal with your stuff on your own and quit being a B!!!
That was my remedy for everything. You could pay me to go to the VA for nothing. Anyone who went to the VA was a disgrace to themselves and their country and just exploiting the VA for their own benefit when they really didn't need it. So I lived this way for approx 7 years and during that time was going through all the steps stages effects of PTSD with no help. Night terrors non stop, flashbacks, paranoia, guilt and depression, extreme anxiety and depression. I couldn't handle society correctly, constantly on the defensive and looking out. I was a soldier scanning my area and dissecting every little thing I came across. Fighting like it was a hobby and very fun hobby at that. I did do drugs but never got crazy with it or got addicted. But alcohol oh that sweet wonderful alcohol!!!! That was my medicine and I didn't realize it. I would drown myself in it. Looking back it was disgusting. I drank amounts of alcohol that should have killed me. But it helped the pain go away. We'll eventually that medicine got me in trouble. Damn man I just keep going on!!! So let's sum it up, legal issues got me to hook up with VA. This is seven years after leaving the military. VA does their thing, we share wonderful dialogue and batta bing batta boom I have PTSD with all kinds of other jacked up stuff as well. I go hard when I do things. So when I picked up my package of PTSD I got the industrial, super size me, buy 2 for the price of one packages. I went through all the types of therapy and psychologist along with massive different types of meds. None of them were narcotic either cause of my drinking. Finally I found my mirical cure to mask my stuff and I started to get better and a whole new world comes alive. I have been like that for the most part ever since. A couple times I got fed up and felt I could control it without having to depend on these damn pills. I ended up in jail one time and I ended up in the psych ward of the VA the other time. When my little pill buddies are out of my system I'm a lost soul that is encompassed by the devil himself. And that's what I am going through right now as we speak. I'm not going to talk about it yet but I have my new found ways of keeping me somewhat able to not turn crazy so that's keeping me out of jail and the psych rooms right now. So I see doc tomorrow and start my script tomorrow so in about 2 weeks hopefully I should be good. Now I'm gonna go eat some grapes

 

[joeylittle]

First off I (everyone) never received a company handbook. Therefore no guideline to policies and procedures. Nothing to be found on the net as well. Cannot find a single contact for HR on the net. It's like its hidden.

Yeah - all I was saying is that I work for a really, really huge place also, and there was no employee handbook and figuring out who to talk to about transferring my benefits from my previous job was nearly impossible. These places are byzantine. But if the place has a website, and there is a tab "for employees", you can usually figure something out if you look hard enough.

I don't know why they make it so difficult, they just do. Just validating your experience and encouraging you to keep looking, it shouldn't be this hard, but sometimes it is - that's all.