HARASSMENT : is it or isn't it?

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

I will keep this short and sweet.
I was tardy twice; PM saw me and gave me a verbal warning.
I said I was sorry and promised to not do it again.
I did better in the next few days.
I got stung by a bee/wasp on my right ankle while at work; went to the doctor and was cleared to work the next day.
It got worse after 2 days - went back to the doctor and she gave me 2 more days rest.
On both days, I wanted to use Wokman's Comp; PM shook his head and said, "you're using WC for a bee sting?"
I said "yes, sir, because it happened while I was doing my job."
He said he'll do an I.I. about two issues - the tardiness and the WC.
What should I do?
I wonder if the others are treated the same way - when they come in late and when they use WC.
Please help me !

 

[EthelAnne]

Contact Devin Cassidy--he's the NRLCA Workers Compensation Specialist--703-684-5545. He'll be able to answer your questions.

 

[DB.Cooper]

.
He said he'll do an I.I. about two issues - the tardiness and the WC.
What should I do?
I wonder if the others are treated the same way - when they come in late and when they use WC.
Please help me !

Ask for a union rep to be present during any and all interviews... ask your union rep about harassment, retaliation, disparate treatment, etc...

Btw, are there any Regs or RCAs coming in early and working off the clock (OTC)???? That's just as bad, and maybe worse than tardiness... just sayin'...

 

[Windindaface]

PM is more than likely going to cite this....

PO 603.... 151.2... WORK SCHEDULE... You must report to the Post Office, as scheduled, without regard to weather conditions, and must make every effort to perform full service.

Did you file any injury report for the bee sting?

 

[DB.Cooper]

Oh, and the PM doesn't want to take heat about the WC... he'll have to do some pile of paperwork for that... that's really what's at the root of this harassment/retaliation... ?

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

Btw, are there any Regs or RCAs coming in early and working off the clock (OTC)???? That's just as bad, and maybe worse than tardiness... just sayin'...

Yes and there are other carriers who come later than I do.

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

PM is more than likely going to cite this....

PO 603.... 151.2... WORK SCHEDULE... You must report to the Post Office, as scheduled, without regard to weather conditions, and must make every effort to perform full service.

* I acknowledge my error. I vow to do better.

Did you file any injury report for the bee sting?

* I did everything textbook way :
- After it happened, I texted my supervisor about it
- Filled out paperwork when I got back to the office
- Got home and did first aid (cold compress, elevated the affected part)
- Felt better and thought about canceling the doctor's appointment when I felt better
- texted the same Supervisor and he said I would have to at that point, so I went.
- I told the doctor I was feeling better; that I might be able to perform my duties the next day
- Doctor cleared me to work the next day and I did
- 2 days later, it got worse (swelling and numbness) and I couldn't even put weight on it
- I called the USPS Leave Hotline and filed for SL
- went to the doctor again and she told me to rest two more days, this time she prescribed antibiotics
- went to the Supervisor then to PM to give them the doctor's note
- PM asked, "You using WC for a bug bite?"; I replied, "yes, sir"
- PM called me at home and once again asked if I'm using WC, I gave him the same answer, "Sir because it happened on the job."
- PM then proceeded to ask me about my tardiness and that he'll do Investigative Interviews on those two issues.

 

[DB.Cooper]

Yes and there are other carriers who come later than I do.

Sounds like it's just intimidation and retaliation about your wanting to use WC... he'll get some heat for that, so he's trying to discourage you... will be interesting to see if he wants to go to the trouble of having the union rep in for all of this nonsense...

And if he's allowing off the clock (OTC) work and others to be tardy without hassle, then that certainly seems like harassment and disparate treatment...

If you have a local stew, I'd be discussing all of this with them... if not, give your ADR a call...

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

Contact Devin Cassidy--he's the NRLCA Workers Compensation Specialist--703-684-5545. He'll be able to answer your questions.

Called him, left a message. He's at the national convention in Texas, just like my steward.

 

[DB.Cooper]

Called him, left a message. He's at the national convention in Texas, just like my steward.

It's on your mngt geekazoid to get a union rep present for your meeting/interview with him... just yell him you want a rep present for any future discussions... if they're all gone, then I guess that will give him some time to think about it....

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

Sounds like it's just intimidation and retaliation about your wanting to use WC... he'll get some heat for that, so he's trying to discourage you... will be interesting to see if he wants to go to the trouble of having the union rep in for all of this nonsense...

- He said we'll just wait for the Stew to be back from the Convention then we'll have the I.I.
I said, "yes, sir."

And if he's allowing off the clock (OTC) work and others to be tardy without hassle, then that certainly seems like harassment and disparate treatment...

- They issued verbal warnings to them during a safety talk. But I don't think they'll follow through with an I.I.
But for me, he said he would.
- And BTW, during those times he said I was tardy, I wrote on my timesheet I arrived 5 minutes later. He said I didn't. They have the timesheet and I couldn't remember exactly the dates. ?

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

It's on your mngt geekazoid to get a union rep present for your meeting/interview with him... just yell him you want a rep present for any future discussions... if they're all gone, then I guess that will give him some time to think about it....

Yes, there will be no discussion with Management until a Union rep is present.
I don't know why he's always trying to intimidate me. Could it be because of my color?!? ?
Oh, and did he have to call me at home and asked me again if I'm using WC?

 

[DB.Cooper]

If you don't have the little card, Google Weingarten Rights... and if he's giving you grief because of your color... then maybe time to think about an EEO complaint... just sayin'... I'm sure he'd love that...

Sounds like he's really sweating that WC deal... probably because he knows he's gonna catch some grief about it from above...

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

If you don't have the little card, Google Weingarten Rights... and if he's giving you grief because of your color... then maybe time to think about an EEO complaint... just sayin'... I'm sure he'd love that...

- Hubby said the same thing; would get a private lawyer if we need to.

Sounds like he's really sweating that WC deal... probably because he knows he's gonna catch some grief about it from above...

- I didn't know WC could cause him a lot pain...
I got stung while I was on the job - how could that simple fact be so complicated?

 

[Morty]

You can start documenting when others arrive to their case.

And then conciously start leaving for work so you're about 10 minutes early.

 

[btdtret]

WONDERing WOMAN -- [ Verbal warning for being tardy ]

-- Unfortunately you did not mention how tardy you were.

-- Might want to look at Section 145.12 ( Definition of the "5-Minute Leeway Rule ) in the F-21 ( Time and Attendance handbook )

- Although each employee is required to clock in and clock out on time, congestion at the time clock or other conditions can sometimes cause clock time to vary slightly from the established work schedule. Therefore, a deviation may be allowed from the schedules time for each clock ring up to 0.08 ( 5 minutes ). However, the sum of the deviations for the scheduled must not exceed 0.08 hour ( 5 minutes ). This "5-minute leeway route" applies only to full-time and part-time regular schedule employees. Part-time flexible, casual, and temporary employees are allowed the 5-minute privilege for clocking purposes but are paid on the basis of their actual clock rings.

-- Also Section 432.46 - Five-Minute Leeway Rule in the ELM.

-- My last post office had a time clock with "swipe" cards for the rural carriers. Last about 3 years before we went back to signing in on the 4240.

-- The practice was stopped after the first Stand-Up as it took several minutes for the rurals to line up, find card, swipe out, swipe in, enter "training", and reverse the process after the Stand-Up. Added double the minutes of the actual Stand-Up.

-- A bit of a stretch, but try "disparate" treatment if manglement says it only applies to city carriers and clerks.

-- Good Luck.

 

[DB.Cooper]

- I didn't know WC could cause him a lot pain...
I got stung while I was on the job - how could that simple fact be so complicated?

Oh yeah, they'll treat it as an on the job injury if you file for WC... lots of hassle with that.... district safety peeps will have to look at it, etc., etc.... hail they even get *some* flak for unscheduled SL... but WC... that's another whole thing... he wants you to just take SL and not make a fuss about it... just ask him if this is the issue... ask if he's worried about the hassle he's gonna get over WC???

 

[btdtret]

WONDERing Woman -- "PM shook his head and said, "you're using WC for a bee sting?" "

-- Guess the "all-knowing" PM is unaware some folks have real bad reactions to a bee sting.

-- Too bad you can't capture a couple of wasps and leave them in the PM's office.

-- Of course, I will disavow ever posting such a suggestion!

 

[Rt2mailman]

If you were just looking for the days off from wc and you don't need the Dr. Visits paid for, you could ask the pm to give you administrative leave for those days. It might make everyone "happy".

 

[Diana_of_Themyscira]

Oh yeah, they'll treat it as an on the job injury if you file for WC... lots of hassle with that.... district safety peeps will have to look at it, etc., etc.... hail they even get *some* flak for unscheduled SL... but WC... that's another whole thing... he wants you to just take SL and not make a fuss about it... just ask him if this is the issue... ask if he's worried about the hassle he's gonna get over WC???

Then why did he not just tell me? He could have just been honest about it instead of sending me mixed signals. At one point he said it was up to me whether I go to the doctor or not. The next he was shaking his head when he learned I would be using WC. It happened on the job, I am under the impression that that is the basic requirement for a WC case.
I got stung/bit twice before by wasp/bee (on the arm and on the finger) and I just shrugged it off. I still told the Supes about it though. Both times I didn't have bad reaction to the bite/sting.
This time it's different because my foot swelled so much that I couldn't wear my shoe. It felt numb and I couldn't put weight on it. And this is the "driving" (dominant) leg I'm talking about.
Whenever accidents happen, I always hear people murmuring about some carriers "milking" the WC system. Well, I'm not one of those carriers. ?Mine was an honest-to-goodness accident.