Privacy and workmans comp

[wilsons42009]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Illinois

I was recently terminated from my place of employment due to as they put it attendance issues and production rate issues. I was in the middle of a workmans compensations claim and knew that they were looking for a reason to terminate me. While working there I was always told by my direct supervisor and his boss that my work was very good. They have told me on one occasion that I needed to work on my production but that was over a month ago. Since then I had been keeping track of my production and it was improving until I was injured on the Job. When I was injured and after I reported the injury my employer would only allow me to see the company physician. This clinic sent me back to work with no time of for recouperation and told me it was thier policy to get workers back to work not to keep them out of work due to an injury. I was sent back to work without any relief from the pain of the injury. After two weeks of working in pain I went to my personal doctor and they took me out of work and scheduled test stating that they believe there was something wrong that the company clinic was not looking for.
During my employment and the workers compensation claim my supervisor chuck was discussing the claim and my employment history with another employee that was not in a management position.
What can I do.

 

[Beth3]

During my employment and the workers compensation claim my supervisor chuck was discussing the claim and my employment history with another employee that was not in a management position. What can I do. About that, nothing. The particulars of your work injury are not protected by any confidentiality laws.

If you believe you were terminated in retaliation for filing a worker's compensation claim, your recourse is to file a complaint with your State's Worker's Compensation Division. You may find it helpful to consult with a worker's comp attorney first. WC tends to be complicated stuff.

 

[commentator]

From the sound of this, you need to speak with a Worker's Comp attorney immediately. If you were released to full duty after a worker's comp claim, when the claim is over and settled, you having reached what the doctor said was Maximum Medical Improvement, then you can be terminated for other LEGITIMATE reasons, such as absenteeism or job performance. But definitely not while you are in the middle of a worker's comp/on the job injury issue.

It does not sound like you need to be wandering out there filing complaints with WC board for yourself. It wouldn't be too expensive, most of these attorneys will take your case without fees at the beginning.

 

[wilsons42009]

Thank you. I did get an attorney. I have went to my own doctor and have had testing done. My injury is not getting better. The wc doctor that the employer sent me to sent me right back to work immediately and my doctor believes that this has made the injury more severe. Now they are saying I may have to have surgery and are sending me to a neurosurgeon.