In response to the 8/10/2011 complaint
I am writing you because I didn’t know what to do with my job situation, therefore I was forced to seek another job.
I worked for Lincare in Bellingham, Washington. I have worked for them since March 11, 2010 as a full time customer service representative. At the time of my hire we had 2 customer service reps on staff. About 3-4 mths after my hire the other service rep was let go. The search for a new person to fill that position began. We went thru a few people and finally hired a person December of 2010. After about 3-4 this employee began to spend her time during working hours on her cell phone accepting calls and texting friends. In addition she began using vulgar language (specifically the F_ _ _ word) in the work environment continuously. This in addition to non professional interaction with another employee. I took this information to my manager, then to the area manager and ultimately to the compliance department because I wasn’t getting any help.
After about 9-10 months of continually asking for someone to address this issue the employee was talked to and ultimately she left.
At this point (July 2012) the company did not hire anyone for her position and I was to absorb that full time positions work. In addition the center manager began taking large amounts of time(started December 2012) off either for vacation or for medical issues, which required myself as well as the sales representative to pick up her duties for an extended length of time.
During this time we acquired a new Area Manager (November 2011) . Under his direction I am required at his discretion to work additional hours above and beyond the normal forty hour week (being paid overtime for it).
Before this area manager was hired I was experience extreme stress, anxiety, depression and a number of other issues. Because of this my doctor submitted a doctor’s note stating I was under her care. (I continued seeing her ongoing this entire time, as well as going the counseling, as well as call the employee assistance program).
At the time I received my yearly evaluation ( which was 11 months late) I asked my center manager to prioritize what she would like me to do on a daily basis as I was at a point where I could get everything done on a daily basis working 9-10 hours a day. She never provided this information even asking several times.
I would ask her for help on going and she would make herself unavailable. This went on for several months, in which time I would ask my area manager for help since a majority of the time I was alone in the office unable to leave for breaks and at time unable to get my lunches.
We I would try and talk with my center manager about issues of concern that were affecting our center, her response would be “you have betrayed me” or “that hurts my feelings” and she would sulk and or go home and cry, leaving me alone in the office for even longer periods of time.
The entire staff has tried talking with our area manager about our situation but he continues to insist this is the way our company is going to run its business.
A couple of months ago after talking with my doctor she wrote another note to keep me at 40 hours and if I was working more than that to accommodate with enabling to take breaks and have time to recoup.
The Human Resource dept, the managers and myself went round and round over this as the company stand is they can work us as much and whenever they want, and that they cannot accommodate this doctor’s note of 40 hours or any of the doctor’s notes I have submitted.
My center manager knows my health issues in addition to the stress related ones, I had a brain tumor a few years ago. Once I recovered from the surgery I was left we severe migraine in addition to having fibromyalgia, 55% less sight, 60% less hearing, etc. Since I started working at Lincare I am experiencing extreme allergic reactions from what appears to be the mold and mildew left over from a flood the center had. They didn’t replace the carpet nor the walls and we have had ongoing difficulty with the company wanting to clean the vents. As a result several of us are affected by the allergens in the office.
I have areas of concern that I don’t know if there is anything I can do or is this company allowed to continue doing what they are:
The issue of hours. Are they allowed to ignore a doctor’s note or ignore an FMLA and work you as much as they want?
The issue of having clean the vents and making sure mold and mildew is eliminated.
I have been and continue to be a quality employee. I continue to work the hours needed but health wise it is taking a huge toll. In the years I have worked for them rarely do I work only 40 hours a week. Do the laws support this international employer or do the employee’s have any right?
As of Saturday May 18th Lincare posted my job on Craigslist to be filled without any notification to me. Only after several other employees saw the posting an questioned the area manager about it did I get an email.
I filed an L & I claim, do to the overexertion and the tearing of my menisus. The claim was denied even though I was left alone to take care of all patients and provide some with (M60) oxygen tanks weighting over 50lbs each, which I had to lift up out of their designated area and carried sideways (as the warehouse was always so crowded that I couldn’t walk straight) to the front office or through the warehouse to the patient’s vehicles.
There are other’s of us in the Pacific Northwest under the management of this person and employee’s are either leaving or being fired by this manager.
Is there anything anyone can do?
Respectfully,
Michelle Huff
Below is the email I sent the Corporate office for help:
My name is Michelle Huff, I work at Lincare, a division of The Linde Group in Bellingham, WA. We are an office of 7 employees. I have just passed my 3rd year with Lincare and until recently completely trusted Lincare would take care of their employees. About 1 and a half years ago, when we had 2 customer service reps I went to my center manager as well as district manager and share my concerns regarding the other csr not only texting on her telephone all day but also using foul language such as the F_ _ _ word all day long. This went unaddressed for a very long time.
Last July the employee left and wasn't replaced. From that moment on I have been the only csr. From the moment I started my job to current I have given Lincare over 150%. I have consistently worked 9-10 a day, five days a week and when asked on the weekend also. The district manager we acquired last year does not treat his employees with respect and recently when asked does not trust us. He is very condescending and bulls his employees. Several employees in his region have quit because of it and there are a few who are on leave's of absence because of his demand to work ongoing overtime, causing health issues for these employees. I became one of those employees a few weeks ago.
My doctor restricted me to 40 hours a week maximum. Upon sending this restriction into the Lincare corporate office I received a call from Linda Feller who informed me Lincare could not accomodate me only working 40 hours a week, and that Lincare never hires a full time employee to work only 40 hrs a week. Basically there wouldn't be a job for me if I could only work 40 hours a week. I was never informed of that when I was hired and I don't believe it is honest business to pull that out of a policy book after the fact.
I am a very hard worker, it is how I was raised, in addition to being raised with honest, integrity and ethics. I want to share this with you because I really want to believe at the top of our company is someone who really cares about the employees as much as we care about our patients. I am grieving the lack of integrity presented for the district manager in our area, the human resources department that stated "I am here for you" but the actions proves otherwise. I am wanting to maintain my job to the fullest of my ability, but you can't over work your employees endlessly without accidents or illnesses, that is just common sense. I am asking for a response that will address the issues I have communicated. What I am personally asking is for someone at the top to hear my concerns and talk to me about what can be done when it appears no one cares.
Thank you for taking the time to read what I needed to share.
Respectfully, Michelle Huff
