Posted by 8 Miles on January 16, 2004, at 18:56:36
In reply to Back to work after med leave. What do I say?, posted by sfmom on January 15, 2004, at 15:05:14
Well, gee, I would have to say "congratulations" to you. Where I work, if someone goes out on leave for medical reasons associated with "mental disorders" they would have to provide about a 4 page document from a Doc saying that they were of no potential harm to self or others (unequivocally). NONE. No chance whatsoever that they have even a "possibiltity" of "whigging out". That is one reason that even though I could probably use a month or so away from work, I am afraid of the implications that doing so would follow me forever. My boss is already quizing me, and asking me for documentation about my "condition", which he has known about for 8 years. He had just recently told me that he understood that I had some limitations due to my "condition" and from the medications that I take, and he was willing to work through that with me. Well, that olive brach lasted about 10 days before I saw that there really were no olives on it. He is just trying to gather enough documentation so that he can have me put out of work. He thinks he is so smart. He really wants me out of his office because I have too much information that I could use against him (I'm NOT just being paranoid here!). What the rear-end doesn't know, is that I studied the American's with Disabilities Act from cover to cover. He doesn't have a clue what rights I have under this act that is part of EEOC guidelines. If he pushes me much furhter, he will find out. I have about 200 pages of documentation regarding the ADA, and my rights (which are the same as if I were physically disabled). If I ask him for "reasonable accomodations", which he CAN provide, he pretty much has to "play along". If he wants to push it, I can always file a Department of Labor claim for Occupational Ilness. I don't have to PROVE that the job CAUSED my illness, all I have to show is that it exacerbated a known condition. I hate being messed with personally, but even more so by people who think they know it all. I won an EEO claim against a former boss, largely because neither she, nor the agency, was prepared to challenge or disprove my allegations (they couldn't have anyway). SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO......back to YOU. If you have received medical clearance to return to work, the LAST thing I would worry about is what everyone else thought about you. I would just tell them that you had an illness that was successfully treated, and now you've come back to work. I would not offer any more than that to anyone, even to my "so-called" buddies.
So, I again say congratulations for getting the treatment that was necessary to make you better, and for the ability to return to your job. That really is something to be happy about, and not scared about.
I wish you good luck!!!
8
poster:8 Miles
thread:301291
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040109/msgs/301810.html