It is starting to make me feel like I am going crazy! Can she tell me something one day and then change her mind the next day and take it all back? i.e stating that I have 9 vacation days left to use for doctors appointments and/or any days that I am sick. Then after taking 2 sick days because of a flare-up (which was a direct result of the stress and treatment at work) I have all of a sudden exhausted all 9 vacation days and the 2 days will now be deducted from my pay check.
My once approved accommodations that were in effect prior to me going on FMLA are no longer effective.
This actually blows my mind...my manager's boss told my manager that I was not allowed to work from home any longer. My manager said he would not communicate that to me because both he and his boss had both approved otherwise. So my manager's boss said to direct any of my work at home notifications to him and he would deal with them. The policy states that employees can work from home at manager's discretion. However, this has nothing to do with employees that have a serious health condition and disability (the specific reason for my accommodation request).
According to my manager, his boss specifically told him the following:
Allowed to Work at Home = Managers Discretion
Managers Discretion = Answer
If employee name = "SOB" then
Answer = "NO"
Else
Answer = "YES"
These are the games they continue to play on a daily basis. They know that stress causes a flare-up in my condition and I truly believe, as horrible as it sounds, that they are using this to their advantage. They are angry that I threatened to file a complaint to the EEOC while out on FMLA.
Since returning to work, I have made 2 attempts to file a complaint with the EEOC but after waiting for almost 1/2 hour, the call was disconnected and I didn't get any return phone call despite having left my number if such event were to occur. Very frustrating.
I have learned of an active lawsuit that was filed against my company, which did get public attention. I found some references to it online and it does have some similarities to my situation.
"Case 1:09-cv-10065-GAO Document 1 Filed 01/16/2009 Page 1 of 11 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS Eastern Division Case No. ____________ EMPLOYEE NAME, Plaintiff, vs. COMPANY NAME, Defendant. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial INTRODUCTION EMPLOYEE NAME brings claims for sex discrimination (pregnancy) and for retaliation and interference with protected rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. and Mass. Gen. L. c. 151B, and for violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq."
I called the lawyer representing this case and spoke with her briefly. Her initial assessment fee is $350/hr. So, that was the end of that.
The problem that I am faced with is that certain companies can get away with just about anything because of the different people who are or once were affiliated....and the amount of money they have. I don't know if I am fighting a loosing battle or not but they are coming after me full force so it is just a matter of time at this point.
I am obviously missing something, why would they be this dumb? They use the top lawyers so it isn't that they don't know the laws and what they are doing is illegal. Something is off...any ideas?
