Ok, not hobby related at all but a rant about life. Please do not feel like you should read this unless of course you want a reason to have a drink....
I have mentioned my accident at work back in March 2022. While I am doing better I still have a number of issues such as hand eye coordination and not being able to drive (everything is too fast and I cannot process what is going on around me quickly enough). Crowds cause confusion and load noises add to my daily headaches. But I can get out and start doing things again. The medical issue in my head with the tumor appears to be not growing and stable so that is very good.
Thus it was with great surprise I received a certified letter from my employer JetBlue on Thursday. It said because of my injuries and my not being able to perform my job for a year the company was terminating my employment for admission reasons. All benefits are forfeited. Effective Friday September 1, 2023. And thank you for your years of dedicated service. After recovering from my shock I looked into it legally and yes a company can do this. My email was shout down and no calls returned. I have no retirement benefits like flights.
So, I guess technically I am unemployed but being retired sounds so much better.
I will now end this rant and move on with life. Thank you for listening, I feel better. And if you tonight rise a glass of adult beverage please do so and with this toast; "Here's to the pencil pushers. May they all get lead poisoning."
Thank you for listening.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteDifficult to know what to say! The managers and administrators who hide behind policy and procedure must be a special breed that lack basic compassion, understanding and doing what is right. I am sorry that after such loyal service that is how they treat you!
Hopefully all will work out one way or the other and more importantly your health will continue to improve. I shall have a wee dram in recognition of your ‘retirement’ and to the damnation of the pencil pushers
Sounds like a rough deal. I suppose this is how JetBlue remains a low-cost carrier. Hopefully, the transition to retirement makes this shock a little less bitter.
ReplyDeleteFrankly that's shocking and given that the accident happened whilst at work, I would have expected some form of compensation or long term medical leave. That's what would happen here in the UK. On a positive note good to hear the tumour appears stable!
ReplyDeleteI shall raise a virtual glass to you for your retirement and whilst not wishing ill on my fellow man, may the pencil pushers come to their senses!
Sorry to hear your news Mark. I will certainly raise that glass tonight.
ReplyDeleteI guess "congratulations" are in order (?) for joining (officially) the ranks of we retired gentleman adventurers. At my former employer, a person who worked for me had a stroke. It was then that I read the fine print on the supposed "long term disability" coverage and "protections" in our benefits (which we paid for, by the way). Similar to your situation, it turns out that they carried her for a few months and then kicked her out (of course, there was no way that she was going to recover from a stroke and return to work in the six months allowed). At least in her case, they notified me (and her) up front that the clock was ticking. As her supervisor, I fought the issue (and lost), but I made darn sure that I had contacted her spouse (who was handling things during her recovery) to let him know the situation and that the clock was ticking. Lousy deal aside, it sounds like someone failed to take care of you by letting you know this was coming--or didn't care enough to and their true colors have shown: in the latter case, your better off putting them behind you.
ReplyDeleteSeems pretty shit Mark - a fairer solution would have been to retire you as medically unfit and continue whatever benefits you should have accrued as a normal retiree.
ReplyDeleteIt seems odd this was the end result - in our (no doubt jaundiced) view of the US, I would have thought a workplace accident like yours was an invitation to litigation and a ridiculously excessive compensation award from a civil jury - but like all things, probably the reality is not as dramatic as the few cases we have all heard about in the media!
I'm so sorry to hear this. The penny-pinching bastards.
ReplyDeleteThank you all very much for the very kind words and thoughts. Time to move on with my life and put this behind me. While I will still be dealing with medical issues your comments have cheered me up and we can always find joy in out toy soldiers and our games. Thank you all so very much.
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