Vent/advice. After a tough pregnancy and traumatic delivery at the hospital where I work, I can’t physically go on the grounds w/o panic. I’m on meds and working with a therapist. Was working with my mgr on remote work then in an office setting. Had a plan to slowly return to the clinic. Our director pulled the plan with 2 weeks notice and said tomorrow I have to be in the clinic FT or risk being fired. My fmla paperwork is in process but not received. Ada denied. What options do I have?
I definitely feel for you, but if you've had lasting injuries, I don't know how the ADA can deny. I was beaten by a patient years ago i had sustained a tbi among other things when they tried to put me on the same floor and had a panic attack. I would request that if anything to change of floors/wards is not. That's not too much. Look into getting a lawyer. They don't let your employer walk all over you and could get you a settlement, too, if you choose to go that route. It took me a lot to get over my assault, and it took the lady assaulting a lot more people before they took her out. But mental health is a tricky thing, and there's not enough funding in place to help with it.
I had to be revived twice during delivery and now my heart rate jumps to the 130-145 range anytime I’m physically near the hospital. I tried working a vaccine clinic during flu season but after 3 hours my heart rate had not calmed down and I was getting light headed. It took me a day and a half at home to feel back to baseline. I’ve been checked by cardiology and have nothing physically wrong with my heart (had covid twice so wanted to rule it out) so the heart rate is believed to be a trauma response to the location where I almost died.
My director and leadership act like I’m trying to milk a situation and be lazy. I get more work done remotely, and there is a lot of work that needs to occur remotely so the clinic staff can focus on their appointments. For whatever reason, my director is suddenly very against me working remotely in any capacity. I think he thinks I’m faking my trauma response. I have an Apple Watch and it alarms of high heart rate when I’m near the hospital. I have documentation from a psychiatrist and cardiologist. But fighting for mental health support takes almost all my energy at this point. I need to focus on me and get better.
You can reach out to https://askjan.org for consult/advice.
I would also wait for FMLA. Based on my experience working with pts and feeling out FMLA constantly some workplaces do not honor FMLA but continue advocating for yourself.
Why was ADA denied? Lack of documentation?
I filed with EEOC yesterday but have to schedule an appointment and there are currently no appointments available. I think I can go down to the office and be worked in, but I won’t be able to go down there until next week. Here’s hoping!