Ah. The things I wish I knew when I first got diagnosed. I hear wonderful stories from other patients at different centers about how the social worker at their hospital explained everything to them. Even handled alot of their paperwork with their health insurance companies, human resources department of their job, and claiming Social Security Disability. Well noone told me what to do. I even got in contact with my HR Dept of "_the company whom I will not name_" and thought I had everything covered....... Until I received a phonecall from my benefits manager telling me I was being "let go" in 2 weeks if I could not return to work. That I had exceeded the 6 months of short term disability and needed a clean bill of health in order to return to my job. She told me to call her when I had a decision. Hmmm. Well I wasn't going to be able to return to work being that I had just finished chemotherapy treatments and had a horrible chest infection and I was dehydrated. I was starting radiation the next month. What the hell happened? Im losing my job.. because I have cancer.. WHAT?!
After hanging up with the HR lady I quickly got ahold of all of the paperwork I had signed 6 months prior. I had filed for short-term disability and FMLA (Family Medical Leave of Absence) with my job. I was approved for both. Short term disability stated a 6 month leave and FMLA stated they couldn't exceed 12 weeks.. So let me do the math = 9 months. It has only been 6 months.. What is going on? I started to choke up and feel faint. I called the social worker at the hospital and she told me that both FMLA and Short-term Disability could run concurrently. Great. I'm being let go of my job because chemo took me 9 months instead of 6. Fabulous. As I mentioned in "My Story" in the 'Let's start off' blog.. I was sick all the year before and used up all of my sick time before I was even diagnosed. I had to take this FMLA leave just to go and see the doctor. So it had started right from the beginning. So now- while I was sick from my last chemotherapy treatment - I was dealing with the news of the stop of short term disability money and my health insurance. I was told I could elect a cobra for 435$ a month. Ha. Not going to happen. Feeling faint again. I quickly called my mother and she told me to immediately go to the Social Services Department and apply for Medicaid and foodstamps. Ok check. And then she said to call my doctor and have him figure out when I would be able to return to work So I could know whether or not to apply for Social Security Disability.
With sharing that quick overview into my financial fiasco in the middle of treatments, I want to make sure everyone knows the basics of the FMLA from the US Department of Labor website.
Which can be found here: http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf
To most of you - This probably is common sense- I probably sound like an idiot.. But to a 21 year old I had NO CLUE what I was doing. I had alot to deal with and the last thing I thought was possible was to get fired from cancer. I figured short term disability would kick into long term If I wasn't finished with treatment. (Shows you how much I knew then but now I know better) I never elected Long term Disability coverage- and boy did I learn from that one.
I just never want anyone to go through what I am going through now.. financially.
We have enough to worry about.. while KICKING CANCERS ASS!!!
Email me ideas for blogs, your experiences, stories, news anything!
=) til' next time.
-Megan
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