K
koyan75
Guest
I work with de-institutionalized mental patients in the state of Tennessee. On two occasions, i have had to accompany patients to supported employment.
In the first case, a worker at a fast food restaurant accused me of verbally abusing the patient. I was cleared and returned to work but only after being on suspension for one month without pay. My health suffered and I also lost about $100 in back pay- allegedly due to the fact that my pay came in a lump sum. During this suspension, I couldn't pay my health insurance premium nor could I afford to go to the Doctor. Due to lack of funds, i was essentially trapped at home. I could not even attempt to get another job within the field I work. Suspensions prohibit that from being possible.
I returned to work for a week. At the start of that week, I accompanied a patient to another work place. At the end of the week, I was told I was suspended again- allegedly for "cursing" in front of the patient. The accusation was made by a worker at the business as in the last case.
Again, I'm receiving no pay, have only $17 dollars and have been unable to pay my health insurance for a second month. I will no doubt be out for a month again with no way to pay bills.
These accusations are baseless yet require no proof for a suspension (ordered by the State Investigator) to occur. I am considered guilty until proven innocent.
When I went to pick up my check due from the last suspension, I discovered that all my co-workers know what has happened again. I am an object of ridicule and derision. Co-workers who would converse with me previously, now ignore me pointedly.
These accusations are made by people who apparently have some malicious intent for whatever screwed up reason existing in their own minds. The accusers have been described to me as "rednecks, ignorant and not too intelligent." The typical run of the mill trouble-makers so to speak.
Nevertheless, they have damaged my reputation,caused me financial harm, great emotional stress and made me an object of ridicule.
As regards the second business, a friend of mine worked there for seven years and has stated clearly how abusive the environment was as per false accusations. His detailed accounts annihilate the credibility of these
people quite effectively. He also warned me before I was sent there to speak to no one, and keep my mouth shut. He said that even this would not suffice as I was a "job coach" and some supervisors there consider job coaches to be lazy, useless and good for nothing and would file complaints due to their attitudes. He witnessed this several times himself. I warned my employer what would happen if I was sent there and pleaded not to be sent. I was ignored. Prior to this, all employees were given the choice of whom they worked with. If they felt uncomfortable with the situation, they would be placed elsewhere.
In any case, is it legal for a state to suspend an employee of a private employer? They monitor the employer due to a class action lawsuit which shut down the mental institutions. Is it legal for them to take such an unreasonable length of time to do the investigation irregardless of the highly negative impact upon the accused?
Is it legal for the state to refuse to allow me to know who my accuser is? Is it legal to refuse me copies of the accusations/statements or other documents or to know their contents?
I've been working with the company for over two and 1/2 years. I've never been suspended before or maliciously accused like this. My record is clean, until now.
I was very puzzled by this sudden series of attacks until I was told the state was on the rampage. I was told the state was mad that there weren't enough Incident reports being written. It seems like the employer is trying to satisfy the demands of the state for more such reports. I'm caught in the middle.
Under this bizarre system, I could be suspended every month or so! All it takes is a malicious accusation to be made. Co-workers whom I do manage to talk to tell me that everyone is living in fear of the state. People are afraid to talk to anyone except people they know extremely well for fear that some accusation will be made.
Under this system, malicious people can use the state as a tool to inflict damage upon those they accuse. The state apparently has no procedures in effect to protect people from malicious accusations. The state doesn't even attempt to ascertain the credibility of the accusers prior to suspending the accused or to determine the veracity of the accusations.
Do I have a cause for defamation against these two businesses? I'm sure I will be cleared of this second charge just as in the first.
Is the state violating Federal law via it's actions? There is no due process at all and any judgement is reached by one person acting as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner. Based upon their "opinion", I could be fired from my job & the employer would have no say in it, no choice. If that happened, I would be have the label of "offender" and my future employment prospects would be very bleak.
Help!
In the first case, a worker at a fast food restaurant accused me of verbally abusing the patient. I was cleared and returned to work but only after being on suspension for one month without pay. My health suffered and I also lost about $100 in back pay- allegedly due to the fact that my pay came in a lump sum. During this suspension, I couldn't pay my health insurance premium nor could I afford to go to the Doctor. Due to lack of funds, i was essentially trapped at home. I could not even attempt to get another job within the field I work. Suspensions prohibit that from being possible.
I returned to work for a week. At the start of that week, I accompanied a patient to another work place. At the end of the week, I was told I was suspended again- allegedly for "cursing" in front of the patient. The accusation was made by a worker at the business as in the last case.
Again, I'm receiving no pay, have only $17 dollars and have been unable to pay my health insurance for a second month. I will no doubt be out for a month again with no way to pay bills.
These accusations are baseless yet require no proof for a suspension (ordered by the State Investigator) to occur. I am considered guilty until proven innocent.
When I went to pick up my check due from the last suspension, I discovered that all my co-workers know what has happened again. I am an object of ridicule and derision. Co-workers who would converse with me previously, now ignore me pointedly.
These accusations are made by people who apparently have some malicious intent for whatever screwed up reason existing in their own minds. The accusers have been described to me as "rednecks, ignorant and not too intelligent." The typical run of the mill trouble-makers so to speak.
Nevertheless, they have damaged my reputation,caused me financial harm, great emotional stress and made me an object of ridicule.
As regards the second business, a friend of mine worked there for seven years and has stated clearly how abusive the environment was as per false accusations. His detailed accounts annihilate the credibility of these
people quite effectively. He also warned me before I was sent there to speak to no one, and keep my mouth shut. He said that even this would not suffice as I was a "job coach" and some supervisors there consider job coaches to be lazy, useless and good for nothing and would file complaints due to their attitudes. He witnessed this several times himself. I warned my employer what would happen if I was sent there and pleaded not to be sent. I was ignored. Prior to this, all employees were given the choice of whom they worked with. If they felt uncomfortable with the situation, they would be placed elsewhere.
In any case, is it legal for a state to suspend an employee of a private employer? They monitor the employer due to a class action lawsuit which shut down the mental institutions. Is it legal for them to take such an unreasonable length of time to do the investigation irregardless of the highly negative impact upon the accused?
Is it legal for the state to refuse to allow me to know who my accuser is? Is it legal to refuse me copies of the accusations/statements or other documents or to know their contents?
I've been working with the company for over two and 1/2 years. I've never been suspended before or maliciously accused like this. My record is clean, until now.
I was very puzzled by this sudden series of attacks until I was told the state was on the rampage. I was told the state was mad that there weren't enough Incident reports being written. It seems like the employer is trying to satisfy the demands of the state for more such reports. I'm caught in the middle.
Under this bizarre system, I could be suspended every month or so! All it takes is a malicious accusation to be made. Co-workers whom I do manage to talk to tell me that everyone is living in fear of the state. People are afraid to talk to anyone except people they know extremely well for fear that some accusation will be made.
Under this system, malicious people can use the state as a tool to inflict damage upon those they accuse. The state apparently has no procedures in effect to protect people from malicious accusations. The state doesn't even attempt to ascertain the credibility of the accusers prior to suspending the accused or to determine the veracity of the accusations.
Do I have a cause for defamation against these two businesses? I'm sure I will be cleared of this second charge just as in the first.
Is the state violating Federal law via it's actions? There is no due process at all and any judgement is reached by one person acting as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner. Based upon their "opinion", I could be fired from my job & the employer would have no say in it, no choice. If that happened, I would be have the label of "offender" and my future employment prospects would be very bleak.
Help!