Advice about leaving a great job? :(

[honeydewnyc]

Hello fellow Nurses,

I'm writing this looking for some kind of insight and asking what your thoughts on this might be. I'm very conflicted at the moment. I work in a city hospital - NYC HHC, in the ER where the experience is the blessing of a lifetime and I absolutely love working there and I love what I do. I go in feeling happy and leave fulfilled. I've been there for about 7 months, and unfortunately I am experiencing some medical issues that might force me to leave. Having only 7 months, I realize that I'm probably not eligible for FMLA, and I doubt the Union can do anything for me as new hires are on probation for the first year.

I only have my associates, working on my BSN right now, but what are the chances of getting another hospital job after my medical issue resolves? Is there anything that anyone can suggest that I bring up with my HR department to protect my position?

It's breaking my heart because I've only ever wanted to work at this hospital and I feel like all my hard work, taking bs jobs to build a resume, will all be wasted. Not to mention only 7 months experience probably just makes me look like a new grad still. I'm trying to be realistic and assume that they won't re-hire me if I leave. With the medical issue I've tried to persevere and ignore for several weeks now, hoping to keep my job, but it seems to have made my condition worse.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks Nurses.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

FLMA is based on hours worked, not length/type of employment. So you need to research that. Also, in most places 6 months is the union starting point, so look at that as well.

And look at short term disability--does your facility have that?

With all this being said, work with your practitioner as far as what is happening with you, what your treatment options are, and if in fact you are going to be disabled, is this a short term thing--what the deal is.

I get that the ER is AWESOME and exciting and cool and if you love it, you really LOVE it. If there is a way to salvage your job, you need to gather your facts first. And once your facts are gathered, THEN decide where to go from there.

I would not leave a job I love over you "may" have to or "it might be".

Best wishes

[honeydewnyc]

Unfortunately at my place of employment, the union only covers us after 12 months from the date of hire. We are on probation the entire first year. Also, I checked into the FMLA hours - we need 1250, I only have 1000 which is a total bummer!

What I am experiencing is brain related so there is no estimated length of healing unfortunately so I'm unsure of whether this will be short term or not.

Thank you for your advice, I will definitely look into short term disability Monday.

[artisticmind]

FMLA is 12 months, it doesn't cover employees with less employment than that except special considerations for military and I believe pilots as I quickly glanced at the FAQs. FAQs: FMLA - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor

Talk to your hr and supervisor to see what they recommend. Is it possible to go PRN instead of FT or PT with your condition?

[Jules A, MSN]

Also definitely talk with your doctor for clarification first. I know someone who received a frightening diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and thought they would have to be on disability but thankfully their neurologist encouraged them to keep working and they have done great for several years.