- Joined
- Mar 21, 2022
- Messages
- 154
So basically this is about when I came back to work after a taking 2½ days sick time due to back pain immediately after a disagreement with a supervisor.
Upon showing up to work I discovered that I'd to remain certified until I'd visited their chief medical officer (CMO). This in theory meant that I'd be getting paid for 40 days to stay at home, but I knew that was too good to be true. So I told a member of management that I'd be okay to go back to work, saying there was no need for the CMO visit. I ended up going back to work the next day, but they still insisted on the CMO visit. I was never actually told the reason why I was being sent there, and I forgot to asked due to all the distraction from defending myself over initial incident with supervisor. It might have made some bit of sense to send me initially, as they were saying that they couldn't let me work. In that case I'd be being sent in to be certified well enough to come back. But now that I was back working, the only reason for me to be sent, would be to make me fear (if I were lying) that their doctor might be able to prove that there was nothing wrong with my back. I figured it was just a scare tactic, that would cost them another day of me being off work.
Five weeks later at the CMO's, I explained how I'd pain in my back and that I took two days off as a result of it, and I talked through the symptoms I had. She acted surprised that I was even sent, and after 5-10 minutes she said "that's all fine, I'll just get a urine sample before you go". I told her that I'd rather not. I had done one before upon first getting employed by the company, but there wasn't anything personal to it that time. She basically said that "no result" is viewed as a positive result. Now I don't think she was saying this to manipulate me but I think maybe that I didn't like the idea of someone acting as if I'm a potential junkie just because I find it intrusive. She asked sympatethically if I thought something might show up. I said that that's not why. She tried to reassure me by saying that the nurse will talk you through the procedure, and that "everyone who comes here gives one". She again asked if I suspected that something might show up. I revealed that there was "an emotional sting" in this for me considering the circumstances. She showed that she understood what I meant. As I still acted hesitant, she began to realise that it was never explained to me by management why I was sent. I was hoping that this error on their part might be a way out for me, but it wasn't. She did say that management won't see the details of the medical report, and that they'll just see whether it was successfully completed or not. Interestingly, I think all this talk gave me the impression that it was between me and her! She said that no one was forcing me to do anything and said she'd give me some time to think about it.
I decided to go ahead with it. This OH unit is 3 hours away from where I'm based so it might have seemed like a trip in vain otherwise. This doctor then went to speak to the nurse beforehand, and I was then brought by the nurse to another area for the urine test. Before giving it I was asked to empty my pockets which I wasn't expecting... that certainly didn't happen during my employment screening visit. I did not like being asked to empty my pockets. I asked why and she said "you're giving a urine sample". As I was about to put the phone and wallet down on the table she said no one's going to take them, which I found very offensive. Obviously I didn't expect anyone to take the items. I wish I'd said no at that point. So the nurse didn't talk me through the procedure! If she had, she'd have explained about the emptying of my pockets when we sat down beforehand. What really hurts me is the thought of the doctor telling the nurse to "make sure this guy" empties (as an exception) his pockets because of my expressed hesitancy. God I nearly always regret opening up to people!
I have been questioning whether this was meant as a message to me from management, vicariously through the CMO office. Also, the fact that my pay was withheld without a valid reason until after the CMO visit, made this hurt all the more. Was it their way of saying "we're not really sure if you were really sick that time, but you're also going to wonder why you were really made give a urine sample that time". It is illegal in my country to withhold pay, so I'm wondering if the the pay wasn't withheld, then maybe I wouldn't have felt coerced. It would mean so much more to me to have declined the test and have that victory even if it meant being fired. But if it were malicious I'm sure it was only a bluff. I have requested a copy of the report from management to the CMO, and have also considering ringing their office in order to get that doctor on the phone, to give my feedback on the day. If it affected me that much then maybe I should stop carrying it.
Please share your thoughts?
More details about the initial incident and the job I work:
I work as a city bus driver in a fairly toxic semi-state company. One day when I'd taken over a bus with a bad seat. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the fact that I'd a long first half before the break... 5½ hours. But add to that the lay-over periods (at the termini) were taken away due to running late in traffic. My back began to get very stiff.
After driving for 4 hours without standing up, I requested to turn around before getting to the terminus in order to put the bus back on time, and to get a chance to stand up. They're supposed to allow a driver a chance to stand up in such situations, which he did, but he got narky about it. It's a fairly common thing to do if the bus is empty at that point. But there was a misunderstanding in doing so and the inspector (in the control centre) thought I was taking the break at the terminus. A few minutes later he radioed into the bus in a panic that I hadn't made the end point, and said that he was going to report me. I was about to defend myself but he ended the call on my first few words. This seemed really uncalled for and after previous abuse from supervisors all year, it seemed like the final straw for me.
By the time I got in for my break, after handing over the bus, I realised my back was still in pain and decided to go home. There have been other times when I worked headaches and pain on the job, but this time I decided not to. I called the control centre on my phone and told that same fella that the conditions weren't good enough and that I was going home and hung up before he could say anything! I didn't care about how it looked.
I'd heard a few other drivers bragging about how they go sick when either bullied or when the company breeches its own rules. And having faced abusive behaviour from supervisors before and having had it get ignored upon being reported, I began to let this go to my head. I went sick for two days; the first I needed, and the second I'd to take as I couldn't get a doctor's visit the first day. Technically, it's easy for anyone to fake being sick and get a doctor's note, and there's a culture of doing this in my company, but the way I did it wasn't smart. I should have been polite on the phone when I was saying that I was leaving work that day. I did feel throughout this, that they might have some sort of other trick up their sleeve.
Upon showing up to work I discovered that I'd to remain certified until I'd visited their chief medical officer (CMO). This in theory meant that I'd be getting paid for 40 days to stay at home, but I knew that was too good to be true. So I told a member of management that I'd be okay to go back to work, saying there was no need for the CMO visit. I ended up going back to work the next day, but they still insisted on the CMO visit. I was never actually told the reason why I was being sent there, and I forgot to asked due to all the distraction from defending myself over initial incident with supervisor. It might have made some bit of sense to send me initially, as they were saying that they couldn't let me work. In that case I'd be being sent in to be certified well enough to come back. But now that I was back working, the only reason for me to be sent, would be to make me fear (if I were lying) that their doctor might be able to prove that there was nothing wrong with my back. I figured it was just a scare tactic, that would cost them another day of me being off work.
Five weeks later at the CMO's, I explained how I'd pain in my back and that I took two days off as a result of it, and I talked through the symptoms I had. She acted surprised that I was even sent, and after 5-10 minutes she said "that's all fine, I'll just get a urine sample before you go". I told her that I'd rather not. I had done one before upon first getting employed by the company, but there wasn't anything personal to it that time. She basically said that "no result" is viewed as a positive result. Now I don't think she was saying this to manipulate me but I think maybe that I didn't like the idea of someone acting as if I'm a potential junkie just because I find it intrusive. She asked sympatethically if I thought something might show up. I said that that's not why. She tried to reassure me by saying that the nurse will talk you through the procedure, and that "everyone who comes here gives one". She again asked if I suspected that something might show up. I revealed that there was "an emotional sting" in this for me considering the circumstances. She showed that she understood what I meant. As I still acted hesitant, she began to realise that it was never explained to me by management why I was sent. I was hoping that this error on their part might be a way out for me, but it wasn't. She did say that management won't see the details of the medical report, and that they'll just see whether it was successfully completed or not. Interestingly, I think all this talk gave me the impression that it was between me and her! She said that no one was forcing me to do anything and said she'd give me some time to think about it.
I decided to go ahead with it. This OH unit is 3 hours away from where I'm based so it might have seemed like a trip in vain otherwise. This doctor then went to speak to the nurse beforehand, and I was then brought by the nurse to another area for the urine test. Before giving it I was asked to empty my pockets which I wasn't expecting... that certainly didn't happen during my employment screening visit. I did not like being asked to empty my pockets. I asked why and she said "you're giving a urine sample". As I was about to put the phone and wallet down on the table she said no one's going to take them, which I found very offensive. Obviously I didn't expect anyone to take the items. I wish I'd said no at that point. So the nurse didn't talk me through the procedure! If she had, she'd have explained about the emptying of my pockets when we sat down beforehand. What really hurts me is the thought of the doctor telling the nurse to "make sure this guy" empties (as an exception) his pockets because of my expressed hesitancy. God I nearly always regret opening up to people!
I have been questioning whether this was meant as a message to me from management, vicariously through the CMO office. Also, the fact that my pay was withheld without a valid reason until after the CMO visit, made this hurt all the more. Was it their way of saying "we're not really sure if you were really sick that time, but you're also going to wonder why you were really made give a urine sample that time". It is illegal in my country to withhold pay, so I'm wondering if the the pay wasn't withheld, then maybe I wouldn't have felt coerced. It would mean so much more to me to have declined the test and have that victory even if it meant being fired. But if it were malicious I'm sure it was only a bluff. I have requested a copy of the report from management to the CMO, and have also considering ringing their office in order to get that doctor on the phone, to give my feedback on the day. If it affected me that much then maybe I should stop carrying it.
Please share your thoughts?
More details about the initial incident and the job I work:
I work as a city bus driver in a fairly toxic semi-state company. One day when I'd taken over a bus with a bad seat. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the fact that I'd a long first half before the break... 5½ hours. But add to that the lay-over periods (at the termini) were taken away due to running late in traffic. My back began to get very stiff.
After driving for 4 hours without standing up, I requested to turn around before getting to the terminus in order to put the bus back on time, and to get a chance to stand up. They're supposed to allow a driver a chance to stand up in such situations, which he did, but he got narky about it. It's a fairly common thing to do if the bus is empty at that point. But there was a misunderstanding in doing so and the inspector (in the control centre) thought I was taking the break at the terminus. A few minutes later he radioed into the bus in a panic that I hadn't made the end point, and said that he was going to report me. I was about to defend myself but he ended the call on my first few words. This seemed really uncalled for and after previous abuse from supervisors all year, it seemed like the final straw for me.
By the time I got in for my break, after handing over the bus, I realised my back was still in pain and decided to go home. There have been other times when I worked headaches and pain on the job, but this time I decided not to. I called the control centre on my phone and told that same fella that the conditions weren't good enough and that I was going home and hung up before he could say anything! I didn't care about how it looked.
I'd heard a few other drivers bragging about how they go sick when either bullied or when the company breeches its own rules. And having faced abusive behaviour from supervisors before and having had it get ignored upon being reported, I began to let this go to my head. I went sick for two days; the first I needed, and the second I'd to take as I couldn't get a doctor's visit the first day. Technically, it's easy for anyone to fake being sick and get a doctor's note, and there's a culture of doing this in my company, but the way I did it wasn't smart. I should have been polite on the phone when I was saying that I was leaving work that day. I did feel throughout this, that they might have some sort of other trick up their sleeve.
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