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Thu 2 Mar, 2006 03:48 pm
Man Fired For Taking Off To Be With Dying Wife
Company Offers Job Back After Initially Defending Firing
WINDBER, Pa. -- A company that fired a 13-year employee as his wife lay dying of brain cancer has offered the Pennsylvania man his job back.
Rug Doctor said the company has offered back pay and no break in seniority to former sales representative Bernard Chippie. But it's unclear if he will take the carpet-cleaning company up on its offer.
"I don't think the offer is one of compassion. They're afraid of what I might do (a lawsuit)," he told The Tribune-Democrat.
Earlier, Chippie said he notified his employer on Feb. 13 that he would not be able to finish his weekly route because he had just learned his wife had between two days and a week to live. He went to Kathleen Chippie's bedside at a hospice that day.
"There was never a question of where I needed to be," Chippie said.
He said that three days later, his boss demanded that he show up at work the next day. He said he was fired when he said he couldn't.
Three days after that, Kathleen Chippie died at the age of 56.
Rug Doctor said earlier this week that it went out of its way to accommodate Chippie.
The company said Chippie used all his vacation, sick days and unpaid leave well before Feb. 13.
But Chippie said he had 160 hours of accrued vacation from never taking a full week in 13 years.
Now, he's wary of their job offer. But he also said he fears he could lose unemployment benefits if he doesn't take the job back.
He has an airtight case under the Family and Medical Leave Act unless it's a really tiny company. (Doesn't sound like it is.)
No...I've heard of Rug Doctor...it's big enough...I'm pretty sure they're carpet cleaners, maybe a franchise..would that make a difference?
I've been amazed through the years how some people deal with others important life issues, like someone in their familiy dying.
This is a pure guess...but I have a feeling this isn't the companies policy...It feels like this "boss" is one of those people who you could look in the eye and say "My wife just died today" and he would respond..."Oh, yeah, well, ok, what about this report that was due this morning."
You know how companies give 3 days grievance off?
That makes it sound like...well, he's in the ground....better get back to work....
At least I'm just hoping it was this individual who was a jerk.
Chai Tea wrote:You know how companies give 3 days grievance off?
Yeah, I had that when my father died many years back.
I know a woman who had to be in the hospital with her four year old daughter, who had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Her boss (who happened to be a nun), called her at the hospital, and insisted that they discuss work issues, in great detail. The mother was absolutely beside herself, and was furious with her boss.
Oh God, I don't know WHAT I would do/say if someone did that to me.
It's bad enough when twice now in 8 years I have taken off 2 whole days in a row because I had an expceptionally bad cold.
Day one you feel like crap, wishing you could just not show up and the boss would use her brilliant powers of deduction to figure out you're sick, since you left looking like death warmed over 12 hours before.
But....you call in, then flop into bed. Around 4 you call back and say...I'm still sick, don't look for me tomorrow...response..Oh, well call first thing in the morning.
?????WHY????? I'M SICK, I just told you I'm not ready....
Day 2.....you get...Well, you know, you're supposed to bring a doctors note to come back to work for 3 days out or longer.....
I HAVE F*CKING BEEN OUT THREE DAYS!!!
Look, if I'm dying, I'll come in, because I can't deal with this stupid sh!t.
My boss is an RN....but believe me, they are the toughest even on themselves...like if they are having surgery, and the doc says "you'll be out one week" it doesn't matter if for some unknown reason your particular body isn't ready....It's supposed to be one week dammit.
Anyway, off track (sorry) but it's that same feeling like grieving or sickness can be worked out on some timetable.
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