Fired For Treatment Of Service-connected Disabilities?

[ej10]

I am a Congressional staffer and am currently working on a bill that would protect veterans from losing their jobs for needing "too much" time off for the treatment of service-connected disabilities. I am very interested in hearing from anyone who has been in this situation.

Have you ever lost a job for your dr. appointments, time spent traveling to the VA clinic, etc.? Or been unable to get the treatment you needed (e.g. missed appointments) because you couldn't afford to lose your job? Or do you know anyone who has? It would be good if we could share some of these stories as we're working on this legislation.

[gp747]

I am a Congressional staffer and am currently working on a bill that would protect veterans from losing their jobs for needing "too much" time off for the treatment of service-connected disabilities. I am very interested in hearing from anyone who has been in this situation.

Have you ever lost a job for your dr. appointments, time spent traveling to the VA clinic, etc.? Or been unable to get the treatment you needed (e.g. missed appointments) because you couldn't afford to lose your job? Or do you know anyone who has? It would be good if we could share some of these stories as we're working on this legislation.

My hat is off to you thankyou.

[Testvet]

I was in the hospital recovering from my 4th heart attack in less than a year when the Post Office sent a supervisor to my room to issue me a "letter of warning" for missing more than 3 days of work in less than a year on an unschedulaed basis I guess they thought postal employees were supposed to "schedule" heart attacks, I was on a heart pump machine lets just say the visit upset my doctors and nurses as much as it did me this was in Feb 1998 I left the Postal Service in May 2000 after a failed triple bypass 2 failed stents and 7 heart attacks yes veterans need protection from employers and the federal government agencies are some of the worst offendors so exempting them from enforcement which is normally done is just wrong they need to be forced to obey the rules also

[john999]

When the USPS learned I was getting regular treatment for my service connected disability they began demanding I get a statement from my doctor after every visit that I was not a threat to myself or others. I resented that to say the least. They eventually drove me out of my job and into the arms of the VA and SSD.

[Vync]

I agree with *Bergie*, but I have not yet lost my job because of seeking medical treatment. I missed about 5 weeks of work last year (used vacation time for 3 weeks, short term disability for 2 weeks). I'm now completely out of vacation time.

Each visit to the VAMC consumes at least half of a business day. Here is a sample visit:

1 hour = Traffic to/from VAMC

15 min = Shuttle bus to/from VAMC and parking deck

10 min = Wandering to/from clinics

1-2 hr = Clinical visit

30 min = Pharmacy

20 min = Travel window

And that's on a good day. If I go to the x-ray or lab, increase time significantly. If I have to go to the ER, I might as well write off the rest of the day. Also, after jumping through those hoops all morning, I really don't have much energy left to devote toward being productive in my job.

It would be great if the VA would authorize me obtain medical treatment at the hospitals next to my home or work, but you have to fill out a mountain of paperwork and hope for approval. That would allow me to only miss an hour or two, instead of half a day minimum.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is supposed to protect Veterans too. Corporations today know ways to terminate someone without making it look like it was due to their disability.

Corporations also would rather employ a worker who will be productive, not one who is constantly out sick or at the hospital.

[john999]

Employers can drive a truck through the ADA. It is all lawyer-speak. I was told by EEOC that I did not even qualify as a disabled person. A year later I was fired. Then I got disability retirement via a lawyer.

[Vync]

John, what was your SC disability percentage?