H1N1 Employment Warning for Contract Folk

[IdaBriggs]

Someone I know who was performing white collar/office work while working as a contract people, just got "let go" after over a year at a company because she contracted H1N1. She was diagnosed with it, told her employer, was forbidden from returning to work for two weeks, and then escorted from the premises within days of returning because her work wasn't done while she was gone.

In other words, she was let go because of absenteeism while being forbidden to return to work because of H1N1.

She has no legal recourse.

[NightWatcher]

1. gotta love being a sub (contractor), you still do all the labor, but get no protection

or unemployment, or benefits, or taxes withheld

[IdaBriggs]

3. She is not a sub. She is a contract employee.

The employer is/was skirting the law by referring to her as a "contract" person (thus avoiding paying her benefits), but nothing will happen to them because that is the way it is, especially in Michigan.

[NightWatcher]

8. I've done the same thing. (I guess I used the wrong lingo)

it's just a (seemingly less than legal) dodge that many more employers are doing to skirt the law and their responsibilities. My SO is currently a contract employee with absolutely no protections

[Statistical]

2. Hmm lets follows this to logical conculusion.

More employees hide H1N1 thus infect more people. Rather than 10%-15% of population being infected it is more like 30%-50%. Double the death rate.

Even for the selfish company they lose. Instead of 10-20 people out for 2 weeks at a time they have 50-100 people out.


Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people
Well I got the pistol so I'll keep the Pesos
Yeah and that seems fair

[IdaBriggs]

6. Correct. nt

[roamer65]

4. Sounds like a shitty place to work.

I hope she finds a better place than this one.

[IdaBriggs]

7. In Michigan, shitty isn't an issue. Work is work, and everyone is "grateful" to have a job. nt

[NightWatcher]

11. I'm sick of being told the "you should be happy to have a job in this economy" so swallow this shit

I was promised a raise, benefits, and change in responsibilities, but only received more work as they fired one guy and I now do two peoples' work at the entry rate ($8 an hour). No raise, no benefits, but I should be damned happy....... this is the new copout from admins

[roamer65]

12. I'm from Michigan.

...and even the company I work for doesn't treat contractors that way. They treat medical leave as medical leave, from what I have seen.

I think everyone with a job in MI is thankful to have one nowadays, but I wish there was legal recourse for her. Fat ass Engler is to blame for the "right to work" BS.

[704wipes]

24. I don't buy the 'grateful' to have a job BS

There is no job that is worth a runny shit, in my opinion, just some that are tolerable.

[dysfunctional press]

26. i was working at a bank as a collector during the ronbo raygun recession...

when someone asked the bank manager about an incentive program during an employee meeting, he replied that "your incentive is that there are 10 people out there who want your job."

nice.

[Junkdrawer]

5. Moral: Don't tell your employer if you have H1N1 and come to work while contagious...

The rest of the contract people will be sure to get the message.

[IdaBriggs]

10. Or will wise up and refuse to disclose private medical information

just because it will possibly help other people. Which do you pick - helping other people medically, or chance putting your family in a position with no income?

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. And hug your employer...a lot.

and drink from his/her cup when no one is looking.

[Odin2005]

9. WTF? How is that NOT illegal!?!

:grr:

[IdaBriggs]

13. Contract employe = no rights. At will state. They can let people go

for any reason whatsoever, especially when you aren't even a "real" employee.

Its Michigan. Be grateful to have a job.

:shrug:

[Taverner]

15. As a temp you don't even have a contract

Some companies have even had Sex Harassment cases dismissed because the plaintiffs were temps

[depakid]

16. Just one of an increasing number of ways that America resembles third world nations

[Taverner]

14. Makes total sense. When you are a temp, you are a slave

You have no rights - you don't even really have a contract

I think some companies have even skirted Sexual Harassment suits because the plaintiffs were temps.

Oh, and this is the dream of every CEO out there - for us to be a nation of temps, with no recourse to anything. This is the "ownership society" they talk about.

[libodem]

17. Idaho is also a "right to work" state

which is double-speak for anti-union, anti-employee, anti-benefit, state. This story scares the bejesus out of me. I'm a community-college contact instructor with zero benefits, no heath insurance, no sick days, no vacation, no retirement, no nuthin'.

I'm pretty sure my son with asthma just got over h1n1 this last week. I've been scared shit-less over the prospect of catching it my self. Not that I'm afraid to be sick but I don't get paid if I don't work.

BTW, our Republican Governor is about to kick the hell out of any part time employee who does have benefits. Apparently they have been receiving full time insurance benefits and they are about to get an 800% in what it costs to have health insurance. Almost no warning to try and reconcile the family budget for 2009. They are going to be fucked.

[stray cat]

19. If you can't afford to be out sick for a week or two

get a seasonal and H1N1 vaccine if it becomes available.

[jwirr]

20. How long does swine flu last? Two weeks is a long time for flu.

[IdaBriggs]

21. I believe she had to be completely symptom free before she

was allowed to return. Since this is a flu virus, that means two weeks if you take antibiotics, or 14 days if you don't. :shrug:

I may be wrong, but my impression is most of the problems are caused by the secondary infections?

[IdaBriggs]

22. Kicking. nt

[RB TexLa]

23. You never have to revel any medical condition to your employer

and there is no reason you should

[IdaBriggs]

25. Morning kick. nt