how to take a leave of absence?

[george]

I am a full time combo worker and was wondering how I should go about getting a leave of absence from work?

I have severe ocd/anxiety problems and after 5 years of working nights with little sleep I really need more than a week off.

thanks

 

[susiedriver]

Talk to the best worker's comp lawyer in your state, for starters.

 

[trickpony1]

...and/or a good doctor that understands the crap that occurs at our workplace. He may be able to write a letter to the company explaining your situation.

 

[ddomino]

George, I was off for six months due to anxeity and depression. I saw a psychiatrist and was able to get paid from short term disability. Currently STD is 60% of your base pay. You must pay taxes on std but I was below the tax line that year, because of my deductions, that I got all taxes paid, even state, refunded 100%. If you do go out under anxiety/depression you can NOT go to your family doctor. Read the back of your card. It tells you substance abuse mental health issues are handled by a different carrier than BC or Aetna. The company is Solutions, but also uses another name.

There is no sence in taking an unpaid leave if you are really disabled due to high stress and anxiety that is on you due to company policy or management in general.

If you e-mail me from my profile, I will give you my home phone number. You can then call me and I will try to help guide you through. Right now I am out on comp due to recent surgery, so you could call during the day. Please don't take this as a joke, I have helped many drivers in my center because I seem to retain useless knowledge about UPS.

Either way Good Luch. D

 

[ddomino]

George,

If you want to know exactly what and where UPS stands, log into www.upsers.com click on "my life and career" then "more benefits..." then "health care benefits" and you will find an article on the family leave act. Watch the propoganda, because if you are hurt off the job its disability, on the job comp. Illnesses usually will be covered under disability also. Read with a grain of salt. Care for spouse or child and adoption or foster care isnt covered under disability. Also see that vacation time will be used first not just unpaid time off.

Whatever you do, Do your homework and find out what will cause what to happen.

 

[ups79]

ddomino:sounds to me like you might be one of those slackers the rest of us have to cover.

 

[ddomino]

79

What are you doing online at 3 in the afternoon? Are you one of those slackers? I have been with UPS for more than 22 years. I was out for six months due to anxiety, and now four months because I was injured and the company doctor wanted to save the company money. He didn't order an MRI till six weeks after the injury. His response to the results was "I don't know why what we are doing isn't helping. You need to see a specialist."

I am many things, but a slacker I am not. The benefits are ther because people like us, assuming your a driver, may someday need them. I think that working 17 years with little lost time, and then needing six months off, working another five with no lost time, then loosing six or more due to an injury doesn't constitute being a slackoff. George came here for help and I think I can help him. Can you?

 

[toonertoo]

Many people do not understand as of yet that a mental illness is the same as a physical illness. I think it is much harder to prove and there is still such a stigma attached to it.
It is a real illness. Why people recognize heart, kidney, liver, and other physical problems, but cant recognize that the brain can have problems also. And not terminal problems, problems which can be handled with medication, just like blood pressure, cholestrol, sugar, etc. If you never had it in your family of close friends consider yourself lucky.

 

[speeddemon]

......" But sir, I am going on a two year omage to find myself".....

 

[ddomino]

Make fun all you like but I hope you never have to deal with it. Everybody handles what is dealt to them differantly, and to condem one is wrong.

 

[speeddemon]

I didnt condemn anyone dip&hit. You will learn not to read anything into my posts. It says what it says. Loosen your tie, your brain needs more oxygen.

 

[fedxsux]

Go to your doctor and get an FMLA form filled out stating you have a serious illness. This will give you 12 weeks. At least here in CALI it does

(Message edited by fedxsux on October 20, 2005)

 

[swingdriver]

George, go see a psychiatrist if u haven't already. You're not crazy! Millions of Americans suffer from what u have explained. The doctor will help u, things will get better. Keep u're head up.

 

[tammy12]

in va drivers get 250 aweek short term disability has not gone up for years 212.00 after taxs long way off from normal pay. any areas get more

 

[ddomino]

Tammy, Does UPS provide the std? and or long term disability?

Here in metro-Phila PA the company covers both. The disability pay is 60% of your base pay, with a cap. Std is taxable, but ltd wasn't when indivdualy paid for, but I don't know now because UPS started paing for it Aug 04. The ltd was new in the last contract. I think nationaly, but it could be just in supplemental. You may want to call the std provider and see if it has changed.

 

[ok2bclever]

In Michigan, it's $350 before taxes per week for short term disability.

The long term disability that can last up to five years is 60% of the employees base weekly wage up to five hundred a week before taxes and was part of the 2002 National Master negotiated contractual improvement so the long term definitions, monetary amount, etc is nationwide.