ssbars
05-25-2005, 12:22 PM
Colorado
I work for a large company that owns hospitals all over the US. I'm a medical biller working in a centralized office. I'm full time, and prior to mid 2000 worked part of that time from home. I had a baby in 2000 and continued that schedule. Subsequently telecommuting was cancelled and I came back to work on a schedule of Mon-Thurs approx 36 hrs/wk due to daycare and commuting issues. In 04 I confronted my supervisor about a patient who was billed by the supervisor in error. The error was not corrected and I was told to disregard it. Shortly after this I informed my supervisor I was pregnant and would be taking maternity leave in approx July 04. Since then a pattern changed in my direct treatment. I was called into the office frequently regarding various accts etc. In May of 04 I requested that I be removed from the billing for the hospital I worked because my delivery was close and the billing involved high stress, and working a lot of very sick baby accts which caused addtnl stress. the supervisor complied and I satisfactorily performed my job until my delivery date. The day I returned from maternity leave I was immediately informed that I must change my work schedule to 40 hours per wk-I work some distance away due to location changes by my employer so this also required I work 5 days per week. I was told this was due to 'business needs had changed' though there were no duty changes while i was gone. At first I refused, stating I wished to return from maternity leave to the same position and hours I had worked prior to leave. I was informed by HR that position was eliminated and the position now avail for me was 40 hrs/wk. I asked if, since my position was eliminated were they laying me off and they stated if I did not accept I was considered to have 'voluntarily resigned'. this change had other repercussions as in my rural area finding new daycare due to my new hours was difficult. I left that meeting sick, and stressed and was referred to the designated work comp clinic. Under duress/threat of termination, 2 days later, I agreed to the new post maternity schedule and several wks later made new daycare arrangements. Life at work has really sucked ever since. Most recently I was given notice that my unexcused absences were one absence from exceeding acceptable company standards-one of the days the spvsr referenced absent was a Saturday (not applicable). another was an excused day ( I had a copy). another was 2 consecutive days but supposed to be only one incident per policy-it seems apparent the supvsr is 'hunting' for something to 'get' on me. She also pulled me into her office regarding the absences and during the course of the conversation lifted her shirt to a level of the bottom of her chest, exposed pants that were undone to below the panty line (exposing herself) and zipped her pants in purposefully full view (she had to move back, and lean back for this to even be visible to me). since then the course was just intimidation. I am not overly social. Others have been reprimanded for talking to me at my desk less than 3 minutes, the supervisor has talked to me about accounts while placing her hand on my shoulder ( I am not huggy and dont even hug relatives so I dont like being touched by a 'stranger'). I have been under this supervisor without incident until this pregnancy. I requested conference with HR regarding my concerns, and the exposure, and was ignored. I then reported a formal complaint to the companies corporate Ethics dept. They corrected my attendance records, and revised the attendance policy. The harrassment, exposure, retaliation and maternity leave discrimination issues were all 'unsubstantitated'-so nothing done. I have made numerous applications to transfer out of this dept, and made everyone aware I am uncomfortable (especially in the office of) the supervisor but have been unable to get out. Since I requested the conference with HR, although they ignored me, my supervisor has not touched me-this was about a month ago. I believe my supervisor is retaliating for my reqstg a change in duties at advanced maternity, and I believe she changed my schedule to punish me and intimidate me. What is your take? Is there anything I can do? or even should? or should I live with it?
I work for a large company that owns hospitals all over the US. I'm a medical biller working in a centralized office. I'm full time, and prior to mid 2000 worked part of that time from home. I had a baby in 2000 and continued that schedule. Subsequently telecommuting was cancelled and I came back to work on a schedule of Mon-Thurs approx 36 hrs/wk due to daycare and commuting issues. In 04 I confronted my supervisor about a patient who was billed by the supervisor in error. The error was not corrected and I was told to disregard it. Shortly after this I informed my supervisor I was pregnant and would be taking maternity leave in approx July 04. Since then a pattern changed in my direct treatment. I was called into the office frequently regarding various accts etc. In May of 04 I requested that I be removed from the billing for the hospital I worked because my delivery was close and the billing involved high stress, and working a lot of very sick baby accts which caused addtnl stress. the supervisor complied and I satisfactorily performed my job until my delivery date. The day I returned from maternity leave I was immediately informed that I must change my work schedule to 40 hours per wk-I work some distance away due to location changes by my employer so this also required I work 5 days per week. I was told this was due to 'business needs had changed' though there were no duty changes while i was gone. At first I refused, stating I wished to return from maternity leave to the same position and hours I had worked prior to leave. I was informed by HR that position was eliminated and the position now avail for me was 40 hrs/wk. I asked if, since my position was eliminated were they laying me off and they stated if I did not accept I was considered to have 'voluntarily resigned'. this change had other repercussions as in my rural area finding new daycare due to my new hours was difficult. I left that meeting sick, and stressed and was referred to the designated work comp clinic. Under duress/threat of termination, 2 days later, I agreed to the new post maternity schedule and several wks later made new daycare arrangements. Life at work has really sucked ever since. Most recently I was given notice that my unexcused absences were one absence from exceeding acceptable company standards-one of the days the spvsr referenced absent was a Saturday (not applicable). another was an excused day ( I had a copy). another was 2 consecutive days but supposed to be only one incident per policy-it seems apparent the supvsr is 'hunting' for something to 'get' on me. She also pulled me into her office regarding the absences and during the course of the conversation lifted her shirt to a level of the bottom of her chest, exposed pants that were undone to below the panty line (exposing herself) and zipped her pants in purposefully full view (she had to move back, and lean back for this to even be visible to me). since then the course was just intimidation. I am not overly social. Others have been reprimanded for talking to me at my desk less than 3 minutes, the supervisor has talked to me about accounts while placing her hand on my shoulder ( I am not huggy and dont even hug relatives so I dont like being touched by a 'stranger'). I have been under this supervisor without incident until this pregnancy. I requested conference with HR regarding my concerns, and the exposure, and was ignored. I then reported a formal complaint to the companies corporate Ethics dept. They corrected my attendance records, and revised the attendance policy. The harrassment, exposure, retaliation and maternity leave discrimination issues were all 'unsubstantitated'-so nothing done. I have made numerous applications to transfer out of this dept, and made everyone aware I am uncomfortable (especially in the office of) the supervisor but have been unable to get out. Since I requested the conference with HR, although they ignored me, my supervisor has not touched me-this was about a month ago. I believe my supervisor is retaliating for my reqstg a change in duties at advanced maternity, and I believe she changed my schedule to punish me and intimidate me. What is your take? Is there anything I can do? or even should? or should I live with it?
