LeafLover Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Ever have the worst luck in the last day, month, year? An incident that you just have to shake your head at, laugh, cry, or do both at the same, and say, "This f'n sucks!" I'm not trying to make this a tragic, morose thread but I've just been hearing lately about how people in my circles have had the worst luck: car broken into in front of her home (twice in last 3 months), gal getting a speeding ticket on her birthday, etc., including one of my own: Last week I empty the top drawer of a four drawer metal file cabinet that the employees in the office use. I forgot that days before I had cleared out the bottom drawer. Well, my employee last week opened the 2nd and 3rd cabinets almost simultaneously and the metal file cabinet came crashing towards her and knocked down a rather large portrait frame. Well the frame came crashing down on her neck and lower back and she was trapped under a 200lb file cabinet. Long story short, she is an employee who has 3 back surgeries, a titanium plate in her neck and fibromyalgia as well as RSD prior to her employment with me a year ago. Mind you, this is an employee who regularly misses work so she can get nerve blocks in her spine from her pain specialist she has been seeing for years. So, she has gone to the doctor under a worker's comp claim and the adjuster refers her to another pain specialist. Great. She has been having chronic neck and back pain for 10 years! What doctor is going to say that her neck pain and her back pain is no longer due to her injury. Don't get me wrong, I'm no insensitive a**hole and I genuinely feel sorry for this gal, but truly, I see no end to this. But, from an employer's perspective, this worker's comp claim can last for God knows how long. Seriously, she can pick up a piece of paper six months from now and say she had a pain gong up her neck and off to the doctor she goes with another work injury. Really sucks for her health and for me as an employer! I've just been shaking my head thinking, I can't believe this **** is happening. I wish it happened to me! It's times like this that really makes me so happy to just sit and relax with a good habano. We've all been there....habano solace. (My apologies in advance to the brothers in Australia. I know you all have it much worse than this as of late)
Guest rob Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Best wishes to both her and you as her employer. Hopefully she's an honest person and this anxiety youre feeling should ease.
El Presidente Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 It's a tough one. In business when **** goes down (both ways) you are relying upon the strength of your relationships develped over time. Keep her close not because of what you fear but because it is the right thing to do and you want to do it. If she is a decent person she will do the right thing. Hopefully your fears are unfounded. Dialogue and a genuine caring attitude right now and into the future is your best defence against unwarranted claims. Regardless of the pre-existing, a work accident occured which may or may not have exasperated it. For sure it wouldn't have made it any better As a business owner the crosshairs could be trained on you right now. She would be getting advice from friends and family and possibly worse. Your personal relationship is a card at the table. Don't be aloof in the coming months through/due to a gnawing fear. Her health is the prime concern and how she can rehabilitate and continue to contribute as an important part of the team. Good luck my friend. It is a precarious position and one none of us in small business would like to be in.
PigFish Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 It's a tough one. In business when **** goes down (both ways) you are relying upon the strength of your relationships develped over time. Keep her close not because of what you fear but because it is the right thing to do and you want to do it. If she is a decent person she will do the right thing. Hopefully your fears are unfounded. Dialogue and a genuine caring attitude right now and into the future is your best defence against unwarranted claims. Regardless of the pre-existing, a work accident occured which may or may not have exasperated it. For sure it wouldn't have made it any better As a business owner the crosshairs could be trained on you right now. She would be getting advice from friends and family and possibly worse. Your personal relationship is a card at the table. Don't be aloof in the coming months through/due to a gnawing fear. Her health is the prime concern and how she can rehabilitate and continue to contribute as an important part of the team. Good luck my friend. It is a precarious position and one none of us in small business would like to be in. That is very profound my friend but coming from someone other than a person that I know is of the highest integrity, a relationship builder and enlighten employer (did Lisa ever get her BMW?) I would say that you live in a fairytale. I want to believe in my heart as you do. I want to trust my fellow man, but time and time again he does the wrong things. The person that understands personal responsibility is going extinct. In some parts of the world, your best employee would eventually sue you for giving him free cigars to smoke while working if he were ever to get an ailment that supported the claim!!! This "blame the man with more money than me" behavior is now endemic to an 'entitled' society. One perhaps not yet formed in the land of Oz. I hope not, for your sake. Arnold I hope that your employee realizes what you have taken on by hiring her, semi-disabled, in the first place. It was an act of your generosity to work with a person and deal with a person with limited mobility and pain issues. A stronger person may never have had this accident in the first place. This is what makes you the fair, honorable, and enlighten man that you are. I am hoping that your employee recognizes the power of your ideals the ones that "allowed" her the employment opportunity in the first place. While I agree with Rob that a personal relationship is an edge, until the employee understand that employment is a bilateral contract for services and not an entitlement, the future for small business is bleak. I want to point fingers... but will resist the urge! Having concerns for your employee AND your own wellbeing and hard earned business does not make you an insensitive prick my friend. The fact that one feels the need to apologize for his interests and concerns, financial or otherwise is a symptom of the disease of "entitlement" society. If too political Rob... sorry! -Ray
El Presidente Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 That is very profound my friend but coming from someone other than a person that I know is of the highest integrity, a relationship builder and enlighten employer (did Lisa ever get her BMW?) I would say that you live in a fairytale. Lise is holding out for a Porche Ray I see where you are coming from. My point was that she is holding AA to Arnolds J10 and the flop was A87. Arnold needs all the cards to fall right or for her to inexplicably fold her hand. You pray for the 9 and work on the fold.
CanuckSARTech Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Lise is holding out for a Porche Ray I see where you are coming from. My point was that she is holding AA to Arnolds J10 and the flop was A87. Arnold needs all the cards to fall right or for her to inexplicably fold her hand. You pray for the 9 and work on the fold. I had a hand like that last night that screwed me.
mazolaman Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 sympathies mate. It'sa tough dilemma,as you're doing your bit by employing folk. I'd say Rob is correct with his aproach,the employee may have an attack of good will towards you,and if not,they have fewer bullets to fire at you. It's one of the major reasons why I employ nobody. Or,you could sue the drawer manufacturer for building unstable furniture(yes,I am joking)! Good luck mate.
Fuzz AI Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Hope everything works out for you. Just in case it might happen again, install a lock that stops multiple drawers from being opened at the same time and also use an anti-tilt device.
Dbone Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 That's terrible Arnold. Hang in there bro, it'll pass. So true about being able to, at the very least, enjoy a Habano during these times. It can calm and help you gather thoughts. Lucky for you, YOU can do that. I have to suffer through the winter without being able to enjoy that pleasure... See bud... already looking better
Rogers72 Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 That is very profound my friend but coming from someone other than a person that I know is of the highest integrity, a relationship builder and enlighten employer (did Lisa ever get her BMW?) I would say that you live in a fairytale. I want to believe in my heart as you do. I want to trust my fellow man, but time and time again he does the wrong things. The person that understands personal responsibility is going extinct.In some parts of the world, your best employee would eventually sue you for giving him free cigars to smoke while working if he were ever to get an ailment that supported the claim!!! This "blame the man with more money than me" behavior is now endemic to an 'entitled' society. One perhaps not yet formed in the land of Oz. I hope not, for your sake. Arnold I hope that your employee realizes what you have taken on by hiring her, semi-disabled, in the first place. It was an act of your generosity to work with a person and deal with a person with limited mobility and pain issues. A stronger person may never have had this accident in the first place. This is what makes you the fair, honorable, and enlighten man that you are. I am hoping that your employee recognizes the power of your ideals the ones that "allowed" her the employment opportunity in the first place. While I agree with Rob that a personal relationship is an edge, until the employee understand that employment is a bilateral contract for services and not an entitlement, the future for small business is bleak. I want to point fingers... but will resist the urge! Having concerns for your employee AND your own wellbeing and hard earned business does not make you an insensitive prick my friend. The fact that one feels the need to apologize for his interests and concerns, financial or otherwise is a symptom of the disease of "entitlement" society. If too political Rob... sorry! -Ray Great Post. I'm all for worker's comp if the employer is clearly negligent and that is what brought it about but it has snowballed into a monster here in the US and is horribly abused in the vast majority of cases yet no one does anything to reform it.
El Capitan Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Feel your pain Leaflover. One of my staff moved a couple of 5 kg boxes and strained her back last year. Be prepared for a long and sometimes absurd process at times. My experience is that the buck will always stop with business. We learned a lot on how to improve our processes so as to create a safer environment. Although it was a massive pain in the ass at the time, some good did come out of it. I hope you are insured for this kind of event, as the medical claims do get quite hefty.
LeafLover Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 Feel your pain Leaflover.One of my staff moved a couple of 5 kg boxes and strained her back last year. Be prepared for a long and sometimes absurd process at times. My experience is that the buck will always stop with business. We learned a lot on how to improve our processes so as to create a safer environment. Although it was a massive pain in the ass at the time, some good did come out of it. I hope you are insured for this kind of event, as the medical claims do get quite hefty. Definitely insured, but, still a PITA.
LeafLover Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 It's a tough one. In business when **** goes down (both ways) you are relying upon the strength of your relationships develped over time. Keep her close not because of what you fear but because it is the right thing to do and you want to do it. If she is a decent person she will do the right thing. Hopefully your fears are unfounded. Dialogue and a genuine caring attitude right now and into the future is your best defence against unwarranted claims. Regardless of the pre-existing, a work accident occured which may or may not have exasperated it. For sure it wouldn't have made it any better As a business owner the crosshairs could be trained on you right now. She would be getting advice from friends and family and possibly worse. Your personal relationship is a card at the table. Don't be aloof in the coming months through/due to a gnawing fear. Her health is the prime concern and how she can rehabilitate and continue to contribute as an important part of the team. Good luck my friend. It is a precarious position and one none of us in small business would like to be in. This situation has been really weighing on me lately. Feel sick to my stomach with this. But, I keep that under wraps and make sure she goes about her business and seeks the medical attention she needs. In fact, I had given her the week off last week to recuperate. I am playing the caring, understanding employer card, which I am genuinely, but of course I am not neglecting that I have a liability in this whole ordeal and believe me I am keeping track of it. I can't help in her recuperation or in her medical care but I will be looking out for my best interest as well by making sure that I keep track of her progress with the work comp doctors as well as making sure that I do and give her the right type of work/environment/schedule the worker's comp docs says she needs. Either way, self employment has it's upside, and a very vertical down-side. Thanks Rob.
LeafLover Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 That's terrible Arnold. Hang in there bro, it'll pass. So true about being able to, at the very least, enjoy a Habano during these times. It can calm and help you gather thoughts. Lucky for you, YOU can do that. I have to suffer through the winter without being able to enjoy that pleasure... See bud... already looking better Thanks Andy. Definitely this will pass, hope I can come out of this in good shape though. Bundle up out there, I heard you all are in for some crazy snow.
LeafLover Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 That is very profound my friend but coming from someone other than a person that I know is of the highest integrity, a relationship builder and enlighten employer (did Lisa ever get her BMW?) I would say that you live in a fairytale. I want to believe in my heart as you do. I want to trust my fellow man, but time and time again he does the wrong things. The person that understands personal responsibility is going extinct.In some parts of the world, your best employee would eventually sue you for giving him free cigars to smoke while working if he were ever to get an ailment that supported the claim!!! This "blame the man with more money than me" behavior is now endemic to an 'entitled' society. One perhaps not yet formed in the land of Oz. I hope not, for your sake. Arnold I hope that your employee realizes what you have taken on by hiring her, semi-disabled, in the first place. It was an act of your generosity to work with a person and deal with a person with limited mobility and pain issues. A stronger person may never have had this accident in the first place. This is what makes you the fair, honorable, and enlighten man that you are. I am hoping that your employee recognizes the power of your ideals the ones that "allowed" her the employment opportunity in the first place. While I agree with Rob that a personal relationship is an edge, until the employee understand that employment is a bilateral contract for services and not an entitlement, the future for small business is bleak. I want to point fingers... but will resist the urge! Having concerns for your employee AND your own wellbeing and hard earned business does not make you an insensitive prick my friend. The fact that one feels the need to apologize for his interests and concerns, financial or otherwise is a symptom of the disease of "entitlement" society. If too political Rob... sorry! -Ray Ray, Frankly, I do feel disappointed in myself as well especially when I gave her employment knowing full well what her medical problems were. I always let her have time off to take care of her medical appointments for her ailments. So, she has been working for me but I also have been taking care of her. Recently I gave her a day off and I called her to see how she was and she said she couldn't talk because she was speaking to "her adjuster." The work comp adjuster! WTF! The adjuster hasn't even called me yet. And she talks about her as if the adjuster was already part of the medical team. My employee said she called her as directed by the doctor's office because her pain is just too much and she needs to go back to the doctor (which would be an unsheduled appointment) to get more pain management (meaning more strong pain meds). WTF! Sadly, I know that in the back of my mind, this employee is going to take me for a ride on this one. And yah, I did hire her knowing that she has all these problems and I let her know this. But, she does know how work comp works because I told her the need to counsel one of the field employees for unsafe practice as that employee was starting to complain about her back hurting her. I told her how important it was from a work comp perspective to make sure the employees would work in ways that would prevent injury. And also impressed upon her how back injuries can be lengthy. I guess that conversation is coming back to bite me in the ass. What's done is done and I will have to see what comes out of it. Hmmm......I suppose that's why my signature line reads: Give em your heart, they want your liver. Thanks for your reply Ray
LeafLover Posted February 5, 2011 Author Posted February 5, 2011 Thank you gents for the support well wishes, sympathy and empathy. It sucks when you hit a bad streak. Hoping to get out of it soon. I have my habanos for meditation.
CanuckSARTech Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Fingers crossed for you, Leaf. Hopefully, it's much ado about nothing. Fingers crossed and best wishes (for both you, and for the easy recovery of your employee also).
LeafLover Posted February 27, 2011 Author Posted February 27, 2011 Just a follow up: My employee returned to work last week. Prior to this, I adjusted the metal file cabinet so it wouldn't fall (secured it to the wall). She appeared to be in the same shape and spirit as she was prior to the accident. Through her approximately 3 week absence, I just held back and didn't think about it. I figured, what's done is done and just sat back and waited for her and the doctors to contact me. And that's the end of that.....hopefully. Moving on..... Want to thank all of you with all your worldly advice and wisdom as well as encouragement.
Dbone Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Well played Arnold - cooler minds always prevail
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