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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