Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Update on Hubbie's Job


Well, it's official.  He's lost his job.  Right now I am so angry, I want to lash out.  This is what 11 years of exemplary service gets you?  His file is full of letters of commending him for work above and beyond his job description.  He's got months of vacation time and sick time because he never takes off work.  It is all meaningless...and makes one wonder if any of their work is meaningful.  According to the hospital, they 'HAVE' to fire hims so that the client doesn't sue them.  My answer was, "Well, what about you?  You had no protection.  You go into a welfare or social security office in this city and you have security guards where ever you look."   Even the main hospital has security guards on the different floors.  Why does a place that deals with drug addicts and mental illness have only one security guard who sits at the front door?  Why was this client, who was under the influence of drugs, allowed to enter the program to begin with. 

My response to hubbie was sue to which he said they sign a form when first hired that in casee of assault or injury they will not sue the hospital.  And these forms must be signed or else you are not hired.  Sorry, but I find something wrong with that.  After all, you are not supplying the proper security.  What was my husband to do?  The hospital said he should have called the security guard.  How?????  He's on the third floor; the security guard is at the front entranceway downstairs.  The elevator is slow.  Had my husband not defended himself, who knows what this client would have done before the guard could have gotten there. 

So, the days of waiting and hoping are over.  It hasn't been easy.  There was always hope, but deep down we both knew that employers are a 'a dime a dozen' to these places.  It doesn't matter how good  your work is.  The bottom dollar is this:  A drug addict is allowed to come into a program, assault a counselor, and get away with it.  If the counselor strikes back, he loses his job.  Either way, the client, who has never worked a day in his life...makes his money selling drugs to our children...wins.  And it all started over a $2.50 metrocrd that my husband had no control over.  Program rules--no insurance, no metrocard.  The client went beserk when he was refused.   At least now we know where we stand, and we can move on from here....unemployment, getting resume together, and perhaps getting back into my days of being an activist.    After all, what is that program waiting for...for one of their staff to get killed?

Thanks to all of you for your support.  It means so much to me.

8 comments:

  1. Another rotten example of how Our System rewards the 'bad guys' and hurts the 'good guys.'

    Tell me, is what's behind this, the view that all clients have been 'abused' and thus, must be coddled by the System? Oh and the huge issue of anyone can sue over anything and the 'bad guys' know it well.

    And even if a member of their staff got killed, wouldn't it still be assumed... That the killer was one of life's 'abused' and should be 'Understood' and not necessarily punished?

    :-(((

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  2. the sad thing is if your hubby would have abided by the rules and allowed himself to possibly be assulted then he would still have his job.. if the assult would have been fatal then you would have had an apology. I do not know where this country is going to ... Yes we have freedoms many other countries do not have yet we also have issues (problems) other countries do not even have to worry about... It is the big man that seems to always win. You just have to love it... mary if you decide to become an activist let me know... I'll stand beside you... ;-)

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  3. It's a really frightening position to be in. I am a counselor myself. Any client can say whatever they like and I will lose my job. And where I work, we don't even have one security guard so we are totally on our own. The hospital is afraid of being sued and feels that the client won't sue if he knows they took action. Who cares what or who was at fault; the client is always right...sadly. I deal with it at my job to some degree. For example, I set an appointment for a client at 11:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. He never shows. But, I go in a little early on Thursdays to wind down before I start work and he is at my door. I haven't even started work yet. And, when I try to set rules by not meeting with him only when it is convenient for 'him' and try to instill a little reponsibility in him, I am called to the office and chewed out. I tell you, I was so mad at my boss that day that tears flowed...and everyone knows...run the other way when I get that mad.

    For right now I am going to bide my time. Hubbie has to fight to get his 5 weeks vacation since they don't like to pay it. He loses over 150 sick hours. Then, we have to get him on unemployment for now. But, all this while I will be doing whatever necessary groundwork so that when he is situated, I will burst their little bubble.

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  4. Aunt Amelia, unfortunately, the bad guys know the system all too well. Hubbie didn't even have to defend himself. This guy knew exactly what he was going to do. It's just too easy to sue nowadays.

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  5. Oh no! What terrible news! It's so unfair. May the new year bring better things for you both.

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  6. This is so unfair. I had no idea that this was going on. This practice of catering to those who just drift through life on our tax money is really out of control. I am stuck for words to say and will have to allow myself cool down a bit before saying anything more.

    Hugs
    Sobeit

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  7. Oh man! Talk about a rough time for you both! I'm sending lots of healing, calming and job finding energy your way!

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  8. I'm so sorry - this is the worst news!

    I would sue the hospital anyway - for mental anguish - for not providing proper protection for their employees - for whatever. You may not be able to sue for assault or injury from an attack - but surely there is something to make them pay for what they have done to your husband!

    There just has to be some way to make them accountable for what happened. My heart goes out to you and your husband. I wish I could fix this for you. :(

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