my DON called today and told me i lost my job

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in rehab; med/surg; l&d; peds/home care.

i have been off work for 3 weeks, off for 3 more at least due to a TAHBSO. I am now undergoing chemo.

i turned in all my doctors notes (copies) and letters saying i need at least 6 weeks off. well, today they called to tell me that my insurance will be cancelled end of the month, after telling me yesterday that they would double up the deductions in march when i came back. i don't qualify for FMLA again since i didn't work enough hours last year.

i'm really bummed. the admin tells me one thing yesterday, and the DON changes the decision today. i've worked there for 6 years, but i guess they can't help pushing someone down to PRN status and yanking away their insurance. now i have to worry about how i will pay for all my medications and my chemo and doctors appointments. i have no one to support me.

why couldn't they just wait a couple more weeks? why did they lie to me?? i just hate this. i know we're an at will state, but i'm still upset. the kicker is, that once i go back, they won't let me sign on for half-time or full-time status, which would qualify me for insurance. instead, i have to be contingent, but work half time hours, and after 6 months, they'd "maybe" offer me insurance. what?? that makes no sense, but i don't have any energy to worry about this. i've been shaking ever since i got this phone call today. and of course my DON had to throw in her, "i need your medical records to see what they did." um, four pages of paperwork from the hospital, plus two docs certification letters are not enough saying i need time off??

whatever. life can't get any worse at this point.

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I'm sorry this has happened to you. As far as the DON wanting to see your medical records, I don't think she has that right if you don't want to give them to her. It's personal. All she needs is the statement from your doctor as to your ability to work or not. If it were me, I wouldn't even go back there since they won't let you go back to your previous status. I'd be finding something somewhere else. Good luck!

By the way, where I previously worked, there was a nurse who'd had some health issues and was out of work for awhile. The nurse manager stopped that nurse's physician one day when he was on our floor and asked personal medical questions about her. Last I heard, there's a lawsuit going on over this.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

Where I work, only HR gets to see any correspondence from your doctor re: the need for time off, etc. Why ever would your DON ''need'' anything from your doctor, seeing as how she's told you that you don't have a job any more anyway?

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What state do you live in?

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Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

Soooo sorry that you are going through this.

What I don't get, is WHY on earth they want your medical records if they let you go... Technically, isn't it none of their business anymore??

Prayers for you.

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Specializes in rehab; med/surg; l&d; peds/home care.

i won't give my DON any more papers, just wanted to clarify that. this DON has pretty much harrassed me ever since she started 8 months ago. my admin has known me for 5 years and knows about my health issues, but i have always been able to hang on for the minimum i need to work for insurance. yesterday, admin told me i would be okay, they would double up on my premiums for a month when i came back, as long as i would be able to work the time when i came back. today the DON called. at our facility, the manager of your dept and HR (one person) gets the notes. this DON never believes anything happens to me. don't know why. and two of my docs do work there, so i will be told if they ask any questions. i think they believe i can "coerce" these docs into writing me for time off. she thinks i have more power that is possible!!! and they can't forge the hospital papers from er/surgery. so whatever...it's just frustrating.

they are sending me COBRA papers, but i doubt i can afford it, esp if i can't find another job. and most jobs give you benefits after 60 days around here. so if i go somewhere else, i'll take their insurance for sure.

ugh. people can be so cruel.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

That is pure evil. I"m so sorry. Best wishes.

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Specializes in rehab; med/surg; l&d; peds/home care.

im in michigan...

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I am so sorry that this happened to you. I really recommend that you consult an attorney to figure out your legal options. This all seems a little too fishy...

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You know, you work hard to maintain your insurence, then when you get sick you get shoved out the door and you lose it. I agree with Tweety. I'm so sorry for these troubles you are having.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I'm for calling a lawyer, also. This doesn't seem quite kosher to me.

I'm sorry you're having problems on top of your problems. I'll be keeping you in my prayers.

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my admin has known me for 5 years and knows about my health issues, but i have always been able to hang on for the minimum i need to work for insurance. yesterday, admin told me i would be okay, they would double up on my premiums for a month when i came back, as long as i would be able to work the time when i came back.

Can you talk to the admin people you know? This is just about the crappiest thing I've heard of happening to anyone. Hang in there. I know it feels hopeless. Try to have faith. And please keep us posted. ((rehabnurse))

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