Probably the best thing about this job is that I get to talk to so many great people. There is so much nonsense out there in the media, and our country is so divided. But then you talk to salt of the earth people, and it is just a great reminder that most people just want to live their lives. Work, spend time with friends/family, have some fun, hope the Bears do something this season, etc.
That is why I get extra pissed off when I see an insurance company, or in this case, an employer, do something really shitty to a worker.
I got called by a guy who has been working for the same company for about 40 years. Talk about loyal. He’s filled in on holidays. Skipped a vacation once after two guys quit. And despite working a heavy duty job and having aches and pains over the years, he never filed an Illinois workers’ compensation claim. None of the injuries have been serious enough to do that, but he certainly could have milked it if he wanted to at any point.
This is a dream employee. In fact, he told me that he considers his work to be his family.
Recently he was doing his normal job which involves lifting a bunch of heavy material, and something happened that had never happened before. He felt a pop in his back. This was different, and soon thereafter, he had some pain shooting down his leg. He took a break, hoped it would get better, but it didn’t. So he told his boss, who told him to go see a company clinic doctor.
So far, so good.
It was recommended based on his pain that he see an orthopedic doctor. He found one and made an appointment. The problem is that he needs a claim number for them to see him. Otherwise, he will have to pay for the treatment out of pocket.
His boss is refusing to disclose who the insurance company is and has ignored a bunch of calls. He’s hearing through the grapevine that he will get fired if he goes further with this. With friends like these, who needs enemies.
The good news is that this is a very simple problem to solve. We can look up who the insurance company is online. Filing a case will force them to pay for his care. The bad news is that this had to happen this way at all. This guy has given his work life to this company. Businesses do not survive without employees like this.
This is not how you should treat people. If they are treating their best employee this way, I can only imagine the nonsense they have put others through. This worker has a major injury, and it sounds like it is a herniated disc. It would not have happened if he was not working for the employer. This employer benefited from him. He is entitled to Illinois workers’ compensation protections.
In the end, everything will work out fine, but it is beyond frustrating that he had to deal with this nonsense. It is not a surprise though. The insurance company is not your friend and is not looking out for you. And in my experience, no matter how great of a worker you are, most employers are not looking out for you either.
