What is the name of your state? PA Work in Trenton, NJ
Tues., 8/2/05
My investigation appointment is tomorrow morning, and I'm all worked up.
Thank you for your reply. See how inconsistent the terms are communicated to us! We really are told intermittently we can have 90 days/year! I work in Trenton, NJ, so do I fall under NJ State guidelines, and are they any different from federal?
I am being investigated, and I am very concerned with this. Forgive me I have never been investigated in my life for anything! I do not know the motives behind the investigation. I am being told to bring my latest medical documentation with me (I do not even know what they are referring to) and a list of my medications. I must say I feel very violated and incriminated; I have never been one to abuse my sick time usage, my bank is pretty high.
Can they challenge my condition? Should I provide them any info or should I refer them to my physician? And shouldn't that be confidential as it is my medical records?
I do not know how to handle this; I do not work for a trustworthy company.
Another issue that I am concerned with is the whole confidentiality of the condition on record. We are told that our personnel department keeps the paperwork on file and the condition is to be confidential. When we call out due to the chronic illness, all we have to state is that we are calling out for our chronic illness so that there is no mark on the attendance record. Supposedly, not even my boss is supposed to know what the condition is nor should he probe; he is not permitted to do so. However, he is required to sign a form each year when the LOA is submitted. The thing is that the culmination of this investigation involved several people that I am aware of: obviously, the people in personnel, the corporate health people, and my boss. I know for fact that corporate health has been discussing my condition with my boss (there was a telephone conversation yesterday afternoon, and I heard it). First, should I not have been contacted directly (not via my boss); Second, I received an email later in the day/early evening from corporate health telling me about my appointment, and I found out that this email message was bcc'd to my boss - - WHY? Can you imagine the distrust and negativity this brings with it! not to mention breaching confidentiality! Everybody's playing doctor with me; but I pay my own physician to treat me and care for me.
With this background information, I am most apprehensive as to the motives of this "investigation." I feel that if they are going to challenge anything, this is a medical issue and should be discussed at a medical level physician to physician in accordance with me, not my boss. I am not incapacitated or restricted from duty in any way; I simply have an on-going, chronic condition.
Please - your thoughts on this situation are most welcome.
Wed., 8/3/05
Follow-up from previous post in hiring/firing/wrongful termination forum:
I went to my appointment at the Corporate Health Center. I was asked questions such as:
Q: how long have you been out of work?
A: I'm not out of work, never was
Q. Why are you here?
A: I was told to report here
Q: OK, do you know why they told you to report here?
A: I really don't. I was told "i"m veing investigated."
Response from doctor: OK!
The doctor proceeded to tell me that she would examine me to see if I was fit for duty to return to work, because that's what they do. She told me that for being employed for over 18 years, my file was pretty thin. I answered all questions honestly and sincerely, and the doctor thanked me for that, and let me go.
Upon my conversation with the doctor and nurse at the corporate center, I learned what the center was for and that my hospital is actually a client of the center. The center clears employees to return from loa's or certain illnesses. They really did not understand why I was sent there as I only used 3 sick days all year.
The employee health nurse (of the hospital) discussed my condition with my boss and upon their discussion this appointment of "investigation" was arranged and I was told I had to report. I was never approached about anything. The nurse from employee health only confirmed my appointment, and never even offered me a follow-up meeting.
I perceive this as a breach of confidentiality, not to mention conspiracy based on my medical condition being discussed with my boss, of all people without my knowledge. We are told by the HR department that our information is to be confidential and that not even the boss is supposed to know of the medical condition. Furthermore, those who came in contact with my paperwork such as corporate health employees, HR employees, presumed I was out of work on disability because I was sent to be examined/investigated.
All of this in addition to the ongoing mistreatment that I have been experiencing throughout the years leading to total ostracizing from my department make my suspicions stronger than ever that my boss is looking for something to nail me.
I need to talk to someone about this. I cannot trust the management of my hospital because of conspiracy.
Please help!
Tues., 8/2/05
My investigation appointment is tomorrow morning, and I'm all worked up.
Thank you for your reply. See how inconsistent the terms are communicated to us! We really are told intermittently we can have 90 days/year! I work in Trenton, NJ, so do I fall under NJ State guidelines, and are they any different from federal?
I am being investigated, and I am very concerned with this. Forgive me I have never been investigated in my life for anything! I do not know the motives behind the investigation. I am being told to bring my latest medical documentation with me (I do not even know what they are referring to) and a list of my medications. I must say I feel very violated and incriminated; I have never been one to abuse my sick time usage, my bank is pretty high.
Can they challenge my condition? Should I provide them any info or should I refer them to my physician? And shouldn't that be confidential as it is my medical records?
I do not know how to handle this; I do not work for a trustworthy company.
Another issue that I am concerned with is the whole confidentiality of the condition on record. We are told that our personnel department keeps the paperwork on file and the condition is to be confidential. When we call out due to the chronic illness, all we have to state is that we are calling out for our chronic illness so that there is no mark on the attendance record. Supposedly, not even my boss is supposed to know what the condition is nor should he probe; he is not permitted to do so. However, he is required to sign a form each year when the LOA is submitted. The thing is that the culmination of this investigation involved several people that I am aware of: obviously, the people in personnel, the corporate health people, and my boss. I know for fact that corporate health has been discussing my condition with my boss (there was a telephone conversation yesterday afternoon, and I heard it). First, should I not have been contacted directly (not via my boss); Second, I received an email later in the day/early evening from corporate health telling me about my appointment, and I found out that this email message was bcc'd to my boss - - WHY? Can you imagine the distrust and negativity this brings with it! not to mention breaching confidentiality! Everybody's playing doctor with me; but I pay my own physician to treat me and care for me.
With this background information, I am most apprehensive as to the motives of this "investigation." I feel that if they are going to challenge anything, this is a medical issue and should be discussed at a medical level physician to physician in accordance with me, not my boss. I am not incapacitated or restricted from duty in any way; I simply have an on-going, chronic condition.
Please - your thoughts on this situation are most welcome.
Wed., 8/3/05
Follow-up from previous post in hiring/firing/wrongful termination forum:
I went to my appointment at the Corporate Health Center. I was asked questions such as:
Q: how long have you been out of work?
A: I'm not out of work, never was
Q. Why are you here?
A: I was told to report here
Q: OK, do you know why they told you to report here?
A: I really don't. I was told "i"m veing investigated."
Response from doctor: OK!
The doctor proceeded to tell me that she would examine me to see if I was fit for duty to return to work, because that's what they do. She told me that for being employed for over 18 years, my file was pretty thin. I answered all questions honestly and sincerely, and the doctor thanked me for that, and let me go.
Upon my conversation with the doctor and nurse at the corporate center, I learned what the center was for and that my hospital is actually a client of the center. The center clears employees to return from loa's or certain illnesses. They really did not understand why I was sent there as I only used 3 sick days all year.
The employee health nurse (of the hospital) discussed my condition with my boss and upon their discussion this appointment of "investigation" was arranged and I was told I had to report. I was never approached about anything. The nurse from employee health only confirmed my appointment, and never even offered me a follow-up meeting.
I perceive this as a breach of confidentiality, not to mention conspiracy based on my medical condition being discussed with my boss, of all people without my knowledge. We are told by the HR department that our information is to be confidential and that not even the boss is supposed to know of the medical condition. Furthermore, those who came in contact with my paperwork such as corporate health employees, HR employees, presumed I was out of work on disability because I was sent to be examined/investigated.
All of this in addition to the ongoing mistreatment that I have been experiencing throughout the years leading to total ostracizing from my department make my suspicions stronger than ever that my boss is looking for something to nail me.
I need to talk to someone about this. I cannot trust the management of my hospital because of conspiracy.
Please help!