Health and workplace bureaucracies

[ImaginaryDay2]

Hi all - just a question if anyone has ever been through this. I'm currently going through some things at work regarding my health and concerns that others have brought to my coordinator and manager (no worries, nothing truly disabling). My question is more for anyone who might have been through the maze called the "workplace health" program. Any advice how to navigate it? So far I have no plan to buck the system - it wouldn't end well for me. However, there are already certain "facts" on record that are not true, and I'm looking at ways to dispute the inaccuracies. It does not appear that this is going to be easy. All work correspondence of any type is definitely being kept. I've also contacted my shop steward so far. This isn't to say the concerns aren't valid - they are - just the way the concerns are being presented.

 

[Lamb]

Hi all - just a question if anyone has ever been through this. I'm currently going through some things at work regarding my health and concerns that others have brought to my coordinator and manager (no worries, nothing truly disabling). My question is more for anyone who might have been through the maze called the "workplace health" program. Any advice how to navigate it? So far I have no plan to buck the system - it wouldn't end well for me. However, there are already certain "facts" on record that are not true, and I'm looking at ways to dispute the inaccuracies. It does not appear that this is going to be easy. All work correspondence of any type is definitely being kept. I've also contacted my shop steward so far. This isn't to say the concerns aren't valid - they are - just the way the concerns are being presented.

Do you have a Human Resources department that handles accusations instead of your bosses? I've never been through anything like that but where I used to work we had HR and then we also had a Mediation department that handled sexual harassment or other matters that employees wanted to remain private.

I don't know Canadian law about how it affects your case but do you feel you're being discriminated against? There are usually laws against that.

 

[tango]

Hi all - just a question if anyone has ever been through this. I'm currently going through some things at work regarding my health and concerns that others have brought to my coordinator and manager (no worries, nothing truly disabling). My question is more for anyone who might have been through the maze called the "workplace health" program. Any advice how to navigate it? So far I have no plan to buck the system - it wouldn't end well for me. However, there are already certain "facts" on record that are not true, and I'm looking at ways to dispute the inaccuracies. It does not appear that this is going to be easy. All work correspondence of any type is definitely being kept. I've also contacted my shop steward so far. This isn't to say the concerns aren't valid - they are - just the way the concerns are being presented.

I can't comment on laws where you live, other than to say it would probably be worth your while taking some time to learn what the law says and how it applies to your situation. Many years ago I was involved in a dispute at the place I worked and left a couple of people in HR on the back foot. They quoted a piece of employment law to me, and I corrected them on a detail that was relatively small but entirely relevant to my issue. My line manager laughed at HR and told them quoting the rule book wouldn't work because I probably knew it better than they did. If nothing else it made it very clear to them that they weren't going to be able to play the card that they were HR and this was their domain, they were going to have to know just what was going on.

It's very true to say that if you want to play the game you have to know the rules. The better you know the rules the more chance you have of successfully dealing with others. Obviously the internet is a good place to start looking although obviously check any links to make sure they are accurate and relevant to where you live and work. If you have a union representative they can be a good place to start as well, just don't assume everything they say is 100% accurate because they may misunderstand something.

 

[ImaginaryDay2]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas so far. I've been in touch with my union/shop steward and they're going to look into disputing certain "facts" contained in a letter that my manager and HR want submitted as part of a medical evaluation. The evaluation itself will have bearing on how I'm "accommodated" in my role at work. Even that's a loaded term, i'm coming to find. So far, I'm being "accommodated" by not driving in the course of business. That's a request of my manager, not a medical requirement so far. There have been some concerns around it - but it's also where some of the inaccuracies are coming into play.

I'd spoken with my manager about the inaccuracies and some of the language in the letter was changed, but not the substance of the errors. I agree that knowing what's in the language of regulations, and especially my union agreement, will give me the most leverage. Right now my shop steward is clarifying some things with the regional rep, so I should hear back about it this coming week.

 

[tango]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas so far. I've been in touch with my union/shop steward and they're going to look into disputing certain "facts" contained in a letter that my manager and HR want submitted as part of a medical evaluation. The evaluation itself will have bearing on how I'm "accommodated" in my role at work. Even that's a loaded term, i'm coming to find. So far, I'm being "accommodated" by not driving in the course of business. That's a request of my manager, not a medical requirement so far. There have been some concerns around it - but it's also where some of the inaccuracies are coming into play.

I'd spoken with my manager about the inaccuracies and some of the language in the letter was changed, but not the substance of the errors. I agree that knowing what's in the language of regulations, and especially my union agreement, will give me the most leverage. Right now my shop steward is clarifying some things with the regional rep, so I should hear back about it this coming week.

Depending on how this plays out you may feel that you are being exceptionally pedantic where regulations are concerned but sometimes it's the fine detail that can swing something. If nothing else when the people whose job it is to know this stuff come to understand that you know it as well they should extend at least a little more respect. The trouble is that depending on just what is involved it may be your position becomes untenable, and if things are headed that way it's good to have an exit strategy in place ahead of time. If antidiscrimination law is something you can wield to your advantage it may be better to be aware of what options you have even if you're not overtly brandishing them as possibilities - if the company crosses any legal lines you can hit them with it later even if you don't let on that you know what they've done right away.

Where medical conditions are concerned you may run into issues with the concept of "reasonable accommodations". You could argue endlessly over what counts as "reasonable", so if the company wants to play hardball they may opt for cutting you loose, letting you take them to court over it, and then dragging out the arguments that they "did everything they could" for long enough that you give up and go away because you'll run out of money to pay lawyers long before they will.

I don't say this to alarm you, just to suggest possible ways this might play out. Let's hope and pray that the company looks to resolve things rather than just come up with something they can call a "win".

 

[NewCreation435]

It is hard to say not knowing what the policy is of the company you work for. You might try bringing up your concerns to HR.

 

[ImaginaryDay2]

Just an update. My Dr. has backed the recommendation of no driving during the course of business. That's impacted me the most as I'm not able to get to the communities my team serves. I've been given tasks that keep me busy and use my skills, though, just not in a way I'd prefer. I may request a compromise with my manager and the disability team as far as my driving as my license hasn't been restricted or revoked in any way. While I'm willing to not transport clients, I'd really like to stay engaged in communities.

 

[Lamb]

Just an update. My Dr. has backed the recommendation of no driving during the course of business. That's impacted me the most as I'm not able to get to the communities my team serves. I've been given tasks that keep me busy and use my skills, though, just not in a way I'd prefer. I may request a compromise with my manager and the disability team as far as my driving as my license hasn't been restricted or revoked in any way. While I'm willing to not transport clients, I'd really like to stay engaged in communities.

Can't you suggest having one of those safe driving devices put into your car so your driving habits can be monitored since you aren't restricted on your license?

 

[ImaginaryDay2]

Update - I've been put on medical leave from my job
I was informed not by a meeting with anyone, not by a call from my manager or coordinator, not even a call from disability management (DM), but by email!

I have some idea why this came about, which I'll keep confidential, but there are some political things going on. Apparently I need to have a driving test before I can start a graduated return to work. There aren't any restrictions on my license, it hasn't been suspended or revoked, but my doctor recommended no driving unless I can pass a road test. What led to that was I was driving with a colleague as a passenger. My peripheral vision was blocked a bit, and when I pulled out onto a street a car was coming. I stopped when I saw the car, but didn't reverse or go forward. In retrospect, I should have reversed. The other case was with the same colleague. It was driving rain and I was having trouble with the rain and glare from the road. I slowed down because of it, and (apparently) was swerving a bit from my lane. This made its way to the coordinator, up to the manager. Manager says "no driving". Doctor subsequently recommends "no driving" and here I am. This has been construed that there's a driving restriction, which doesn't exist.

There are some other issues medically that have been misrepresented by my manager, and I feel ways that I can't express here. I'll be calling my union steward today to find out if I can grieve this and go back to work. So far I've done everything requested of me by disability management. However, I've asked for information from them that hasn't been forthcoming and I feel as if I've been shut out of my own care planning. There are issues they're asking about NOW that could/should have been resolved weeks ago. I'd been informed that a medical questionnaire was needed from my neurologist, and that it was going to be sent to me. It never came, and my DM case manager said later that it wasn't necessary. NOW it is again. I wanted to take care of that a couple of weeks ago. All I want is to go to work...

 

[Lamb]

Wow, they're really putting you through the ringer!! Prayers for you.