I-Team: Post office fires woman diagnosed with leukemia
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Woman Fired
A woman being treated for leukemia says she was fired for using too much sick time.NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I.—A North Smithfield woman who was diagnosed with leukemia said the post office intends to fire her because she used too much sick time.
Cheryl Ross, a 16-year career postal worker, initially went on sick leave to deal with stress and depression when two of her three sons were sent to fight in Iraq in 2008 at the same time.
“It was terrible, I was crying all the time,“ Cheryl Ross said.
Ross was out for three months. When she went back to work, she got some bad news.
“I was diagnosed with a form of leukemia,“ she said.
It’s called Sweet syndrome. Lesions appear on the arms and face. It causes pain and fever, but it’s treatable.
Ross would work when she could, but her treatments forced her to use up her sick leave over the next six months.
The post office fired her.
“The post office fired me because I was out sick, and I didn’t have enough Family Medical Leave Act. So, they fired me,“ Ross said.
Ross’s union went to bat for her and got her job back. The union negotiated a deal with the post office that let Ross go back to work, but only if she agreed to not call in sick for two years.
“I didn’t think it’s fair. You can’t help what you come down with,“ Ross said.
This fall, Ross came down with the flu. Her leukemia medication weakened her immune system. Even with the flu, she offered to go to work to stay in compliance with her agreement. But she was told to stay home.
She was fired again.
“I feel very hurt, very hurt that they could do something like this to me,“ Ross said.
The post office said Ross is scheduled to be fired and that it is dealing with Ross’s union. But Ross said she doesn’t expect to get her job back.
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Employers are not supposed to fire you for being pregnant, or for any other condition that is covered under FMLA but a lot of them still do it and get away with it.
I don’t know all the specifics on this case but it doesn’t seem right that somebody lost their job for a serious illness as that is something that occured through no fault of her own. I am sure that the post office violated some law but is covering that up since firing her probably saved them money.
You cannot be fired because you are pregnant. That is federal law. You have them pretty tied up at least until six weeks afer
Postal workers (all full-time), plus Dod, FAA, IRS, FEMA, etc., get 104 hours of sick leave per year. Depending on seniority, postal workers receive 104, 160 or 208 hours of vacation per year.
It is unreasonable for anyone to look for a hidden story (more than the lady is telling). This is the way it is at the good ‘ole PO. They call them “lame and lazy”. The goal is to have a reduced workforce comprised of sprinting automatrons who never miss work and repeat the adage, “How high do you want me to jump”, over and over.
The settlement agreeing to two years of perfect attendance was improper. The APWU (I assume) should have ponied up the money and arbitrated instead of accepting such a ridiculous settlement.
(Retired clerk, 35 years federal service - 30 years as an APWU officer)
People it’s time we look at every case with more than just numbers.
This woman used up her sick time, let’s look at the reasons! She’s has not one but two sons fighting for(our)Country. Now it appears that required her to use some personal sick time for family reasons. Then she comes down with cancer and her doctor takes her out of work. Now our federal Postal Service in all it’s wisdom decides they don’t want her anymore even with her doctors backing. If this is our Federal Goverment at work, then shame on them and God help us all!
DM
Are most postal workers union? Is that the ONLY reason why she may get fired? There def seems to be more to that. Where i work i get 15 sick days a year. We also have 90 emergency days if we need them. Glad i don’t work for the post office
Workplaces actually plan for a certain amount of ‘off time’ for sickness. Most places have sick days offered if needed, and expect employees to call in two or three times a year.
Some places will buy back unused sick days at the end of the year, a few will, only if NONE are used, but the majority tell the employees that the unused sick days are forfeit.
If a company tells an employee that sick days are a part of a benefit package, the employee feels they have the right to use them. BUT—most employees, like the post office, will get rid of people who use them. It’s a real catch 22.
Unfortunately the post office aren’t the only employers who get away with unfairly firing somebody. I am seven months pregnant and work in a group home and have reason to fear that I might get fired before I go on my maternity leave in 3 weeks. One of my supervisors has already asked me if I thought it was a good idea for me to be working.
Another part of this problem is that so many people take advantage of the system. The take sick time and medical leave when they don’t need it. So when somebody who really does need it and have no choice but not to work they are faced with the threat of being reprimanded or, in this case, fired.
This is the ultimate insult to the intergrity and dignity of Postal Workers. We have been treated unfairly for quite awhile. If you are sick or have a disability, you are considered a target. Over the last year they have removed several disabled employees in Southern New England alone because of their disabilities. They use the Family Leave Act(FMLA)against you, and have a new program called the National Reassessment Program (NRP) to remove the disabled and sick from the Postal Service. The unions fight them but the Postal Service gets what they want. I had 22 years of service in when I was removed from my job.
All i can say is that it has to be really bad to be fired from the Post Office. There is more to this story. M<y husband is a retired letter carrier. He has seen alot over the years. He retired with alot of sick time, and he had 3 knee surgeries. As he siad it is people like her that give the Post Office a bad name.
I’ve heard that the mail must go through, and to do so it requires steady workers, but this is ridiculous.
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