9
9fingers
Guest
What is the name of your state?CA
SITUATION: *I am a sales rep for a beer distributing company. I was helping a driver unload his truck and when I closed the roll-down door I almost completely severed off the tip of my middle finger. I had to have a 2-½ hr surgery; the nail had to be placed back under the skin, 20 stitches and a temporary pin protruding from the tip to hold the finger together.
*The incident occurred on a Friday and the following (Monday was a holiday) Tuesday I returned to work on “light duty” status. I was on heavy pain meds and HR (knowingly) sent me to pick up another injured employee and take them to the doc. 2 days later HR and management assigned me back to my sales route with someone riding with me. My duties are very physical, using a 2-wheeler, stacking & stocking cans & bottles and constant driving.
*While out on my route I had a manager riding with me, and he almost dumped a 2 wheeler full of product so I unconsciously stopped it and bumped my finger badly.
*3 weeks later I had to have a follow up surgery to remove the stitches and temporary pin and consequently my nail had to be removed as well. The surgeon said my finger was not healing was well as it should be; I explained to him that my work still had me out working and he decided to put me off for 2 weeks on works comp.
*2 days after the surgery my work was participating at an air show and my wife wanted to take our child to see the planes so we went & I saw several people from work. 4 days after the surgery I went to watch a softball game, I had organized the team the month before and it was sponsored by work and I was the coach. Several other employees were questioned regarding why I was there and what was I physically doing (I was sitting on the bench). * 7 days after the surgery I rcvd a call from works comp insurance comp. saying they wanted me to go back to my doctor and get released on light duty; I did so even though my finger was still hurting.
*1st day back to work “light duty” back out on the route. Supposed to have someone (managers) with me constantly but I don’t. Managers have meetings so I am running route alone about ½ the day. Doing a lot of physical work, using hand.
QUESTIONS:* Is it legal to put me back out in the field while on light duty with no help for ½ day? We just had several people go out on disability and they requested to come back for light duty & HR denied them and said to stay home. Is this legal?
*HR & management have been saying comments & giving me looks & I’m feeling harassed. They say ‘you not that injured’, one mgr to another in front of me said ‘let the 9finger boy do some work for a change’. And also talking to other employees ridiculing me.
* Is there any course of action I can take or do I have to continue to “ignore” it? I have been keeping a log of comments and time out in the field alone while on light duty. I can not talk to HR because she is the one who has started the whole thing!
thank you for any ideas or input!
SITUATION: *I am a sales rep for a beer distributing company. I was helping a driver unload his truck and when I closed the roll-down door I almost completely severed off the tip of my middle finger. I had to have a 2-½ hr surgery; the nail had to be placed back under the skin, 20 stitches and a temporary pin protruding from the tip to hold the finger together.
*The incident occurred on a Friday and the following (Monday was a holiday) Tuesday I returned to work on “light duty” status. I was on heavy pain meds and HR (knowingly) sent me to pick up another injured employee and take them to the doc. 2 days later HR and management assigned me back to my sales route with someone riding with me. My duties are very physical, using a 2-wheeler, stacking & stocking cans & bottles and constant driving.
*While out on my route I had a manager riding with me, and he almost dumped a 2 wheeler full of product so I unconsciously stopped it and bumped my finger badly.
*3 weeks later I had to have a follow up surgery to remove the stitches and temporary pin and consequently my nail had to be removed as well. The surgeon said my finger was not healing was well as it should be; I explained to him that my work still had me out working and he decided to put me off for 2 weeks on works comp.
*2 days after the surgery my work was participating at an air show and my wife wanted to take our child to see the planes so we went & I saw several people from work. 4 days after the surgery I went to watch a softball game, I had organized the team the month before and it was sponsored by work and I was the coach. Several other employees were questioned regarding why I was there and what was I physically doing (I was sitting on the bench). * 7 days after the surgery I rcvd a call from works comp insurance comp. saying they wanted me to go back to my doctor and get released on light duty; I did so even though my finger was still hurting.
*1st day back to work “light duty” back out on the route. Supposed to have someone (managers) with me constantly but I don’t. Managers have meetings so I am running route alone about ½ the day. Doing a lot of physical work, using hand.
QUESTIONS:* Is it legal to put me back out in the field while on light duty with no help for ½ day? We just had several people go out on disability and they requested to come back for light duty & HR denied them and said to stay home. Is this legal?
*HR & management have been saying comments & giving me looks & I’m feeling harassed. They say ‘you not that injured’, one mgr to another in front of me said ‘let the 9finger boy do some work for a change’. And also talking to other employees ridiculing me.
* Is there any course of action I can take or do I have to continue to “ignore” it? I have been keeping a log of comments and time out in the field alone while on light duty. I can not talk to HR because she is the one who has started the whole thing!
thank you for any ideas or input!