Environmental Exposure Making Me Sick at Work(Mold?)

[wonderlandalice]

No, no you didn't come off as dismissive. It's good to be asked these questions now so I have all my facts in a row when I need them in the future. It took several weeks for me to realize that there was a pattern related to my symptoms and time spent at work. Even once I began to suspect it, the doctors at the urgent care place I went to ignored my suggestion that it could be related and said it was just bronchitis that was taking a long time to clear up. I contacted my supervisor on May 27th, the same day the doctor pointed out there could be an environmental issue and met with her and the HR director on June 2nd when they had me come to the office for a disciplinary meeting for all the time missed where I brought the subject up again, they told me both times that this wasn't something that it worker's comp covered. I should have known better than to take their word at face value but at the time I was feeling so sick and stressed from trying to figure out what was going on(plus worrying about my supervisor threatening to drop me down to a substitute/part time position because of the time I was taking off which would have cost me my insurance benefits) that I didn't know what my rights were or how to begin. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I'm much better able to face the problem head on.

 

[justalayman]

Now that you mention possible negative action due to time off:

do you know what FMLA is? Family medical leave act.

If you qualify it allows for 12 weeks of medical leave (the need must meet the law's requirements as well) where they cannot terminate you nor enforce a negative action against you.

COVERED EMPLOYERS
The FMLA only applies to employers that meet certain criteria. A covered employer is a:
Private-sector employer, with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year, including a joint employer or successor in interest to a covered employer;
Public agency, including a local, state, or Federal government agency, regardless of the number of employees it employs; or
Public or private elementary or secondary school, regardless of the number of employees it employs.

ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES
Only eligible employees are entitled to take FMLA leave. An eligible employee is one who:
Works for a covered employer;
Has worked for the employer for at least 12 months;
Has at least 1,250 hours of service for the employer during the 12 month period immediately preceding the leave*; and
Works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

 

[wonderlandalice]

I am aware of FMLA and have been trying to get the paperwork from the supervisor since my week in the hospital. I was told it "should" get sent out by this upcoming week. I could possibly drive out there and have been debating doing so to move the process along but I'm still trying to limit my driving to what's absolutely necessary. I'm still dealing with the occasional woozy spells and don't like the idea of being behind the wheel during one of them.

When I do file for it though, how does it work exactly? The supervisor was acting like I would fill it out and then just be out of work for the next twelve weeks. Do I have to know the return to work date when I fill out the paperwork? If I get a medical okay to return to work prior to the end of the FMLA, am I able to return to work early? As I mentioned, the doctors are still running tests and trying to get as many answers as possible. Also, I've been told I can't go back to the house I work at until it's been tested/cleaned per my doctor's orders and my employers have been stone walling me in regards to what's going on with that.

 

[cbg]

FMLA is up to twelve weeks of protected medical leave. It can be taken incrementally or all in a block, depending on which your doctor thinks you need. You only take as much as you need; if you don't need 12 weeks, you don't take 12 weeks. 12 weeks is the ceiling, not the floor.