Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Dot Your I's and Cross Your T's

Hello Folks,

Here's a little story that hasn't ended yet.

My wife is a "brittle" diabetic. She was diagnosed at the tender age of 18 yrs. old. I have known her since she was 19 yrs. old and in college. Despite her designation as a brittle diabetic, her health has been relatively pretty darn good. She's had an occasional set back, but nothing unusual for a person with her disease.

In the job that she now has, if she does have an issue with her diabetes, she can head to the cafeteria and eat or drink something to help her restore her sugar level.

Well after three decades of working for the same company, they wanted to take her off her fork-lift she's been on for 20+ yrs. and have her work in the "yard" jockeying tractor trailers around and backing them up to the truck bays.

An insulin dependent person cannot obtain a CDL license and drive over the road. However, the company thinks that such a person would be fine jockeying these monsters around the "yard". Go figure.

They have been going down the seniority list telling those above her that they need to train on this job. They all got "restrictions" for not doing it. It was now time to ask her.

So, she went to her endocrinologist and got a letter stating that she shouldn't be driving any heavy equipment like a tractor trailer. The company knew exactly what the letter meant and it's intended purpose, but have now taken her off the fork-lift that she was driving just today and asked her to go on light duty!

It's like a game they play and this is how they treat a loyal American worker of 30+ years in the USA.

I've been reading Rick Pitino's book, Rebound Rules, Pitino mentions in one of the later chapters that employees in America are not as faithful as in the past because they do not "feel the love" from their bosses. Here is one good example. My wife feels that instead of the respect and admiration she should receive from the company she served for over three decades, she is getting a slight shove out the door even though she has many years left in her to work.

I felt a similar way when I was working for a public school system and became ill. My 30-something principals could just not relate to the fact that I was ill, older, and fell under the Americans with Disabilities Act just like my wife does. But instead of pursuing a job that no one cares whether or not you're in, I accepted the fact and decided not to fight it and retired under disability. I now collect disability pension and Social Security Disability.

So, whenever you find yourself in similar situations, please be sure to "Dot Your I's and Cross Your T's" before "The Man" tosses you to the side for a newer and faster model.

dad