Need To Redue Work Hours.. Help

[mjan]

OK.. my symptoms..mainly fatigue including MUSCLE fatigue..coupled with vision problems is making my job very difficult. I have mentioned to my supervisor that I am thinking of this and what did she think. If I reduce my FTE hours from 40 to 32 could I ever get it back? She told me to discuss with the VP..she could not say.

Now you must know that this agency is cutting back AND letting folks go. I am a social worker and we are actually a bit short in that area by 1.5 social workers..but there is a freeze on hires.

What I guess I am asking is that if I reduce my hours due to a medical reason.. am I setting myself up for being let go?

I dont yet qualify for FMLA for another 3 months ( I checked).. can get a medical leave but they cannot guarantee my job security until 7/09.

Any ideas? Dos.. donts??

Thanks Jan

[janiedelite]

Sorry, I don't have advice about cutting back your hours, but I wanted to suggest you have a long-term disability policy in place! Your employer might already pay for it in your benefits package, but if not then you should sign up asap! With my policy, they looked back at my work hours for the 6 months prior to the date I quit work and decided that for the last 3 months I worked I called out sick so much or left early they were able to reduce the waiting period for payment by that 3 months! Also, make sure you sign up for the maximum benefit available (many plans just pay 50% of your pre-disability income, but you can upgrade to 66% for very little out-of-pocket.)

I'm not encouraging you to quit your job or anything, but you never know what the future holds especially with dysautonomia. I'm sorry you're having to make these decisions!

Take care, Janie

[iheartcats]

My doctor encouraged me to wait for FMLA. Then you can reduce hours with a letter from a doctor with job security (up to 60 days a year). So you could work 4-days a week for a year (52 weeks=52 days plus some flexibility with additional days) and not lose your job.

I'm personally almost out of FMLA and have taken so much I'm going to run out with 3 months left before the year is up. Since I'm suffering from more fatigue now it's getting hard so I have to check into disability if I don't see much improvement on a new medicine in the next few weeks. It's very stressful. I know I'm eligible for short-term and long-term...but I don't know how it works (do you have to do short-term first, etc).

I'd try to hang on until FMLA and use vacation/personal days if you can. If you can make it through until July, you'll be protected. I thought my three months would never get here last year, but they did.

Good luck and let us know how things go.

[mjan]

Thanks Cat and Janie. I DO have both short and long term disability as a benefit.

I have to make a decision on whether or not I can afford to lost over $700 a month working less. I would LOVE to only work 32 hours especially is its for 3 days. But like I said they are letting people go and I don't want to give them ammunition. I work hard BUT I am making mistakes. Forgetting.. not SEEing well.. or placing the wrong name full or part of a name on our forms which are legal and thank good ness the secretary catches some.. and my supervisor. I love what I do and dont want to make ANY mistakes.. its patients and families lives.

I am not sick enough to stop working..but just in case this will all lead up to disability I want to make a good effort try.. ya know?

Jan

[jhjd]

One thing I would say as an employment lawyer is, when you're looking at FMLA leave, remember that you have to have worked 1250 hours in the last year to qualify...so if you take too much FMLA leave one year, you may be setting yourself up to not have worked enough the next year to qualify. Also, make sure to check and see how your employer defines "year." It can be calendar, but it may also be rolling, fiscal, etc.

Instead of taking time off, have you thought about seeking reasonable accomadations under the ADA? This can include things like a later start time, or being allowed to take a nap in the middle of the day, or brighter lights, a special computer screen, etc. Ask your doctor if there's anything practical he thinks would help you. In some cases a reduction in hours may be classified as a reasonable accomadation, but it sounds like that may be iffy given your workload.

Finally, if you really can't work- and you need to be honest with both yourself and your employer about this- I know this is really hard to do, but it's better to start the disability process sooner rather than later, as it takes a long time

Good luck!

[mjan]

One thing I would say as an employment lawyer is, when you're looking at FMLA leave, remember that you have to have worked 1250 hours in the last year to qualify...so if you take too much FMLA leave one year, you may be setting yourself up to not have worked enough the next year to qualify. Also, make sure to check and see how your employer defines "year." It can be calendar, but it may also be rolling, fiscal, etc.

Instead of taking time off, have you thought about seeking reasonable accomadations under the ADA? This can include things like a later start time, or being allowed to take a nap in the middle of the day, or brighter lights, a special computer screen, etc. Ask your doctor if there's anything practical he thinks would help you. In some cases a reduction in hours may be classified as a reasonable accomadation, but it sounds like that may be iffy given your workload.

Finally, if you really can't work- and you need to be honest with both yourself and your employer about this- I know this is really hard to do, but it's better to start the disability process sooner rather than later, as it takes a long time

Good luck!

Thanks for your response. As I said I will not qualify for FMLA till after 7/22/09. I already changed my start time later in morning on a few days.. and if I reduce my FTE to 32 hours and I get 3 days off in a row..it may work. I DO have my computer screen font enlarged but sometimes its any or all signs..

So.. does FMLA only give you a number of hours one time? I used it in the past but intermittently.. I was not off that much. Initially I had to use it for 3 weeks and then improved. But my symptoms are now more and getting worse.

ANy ideas?

Jan