Here’s a note from Allison in multiple parts.
What happens when you have a boss who tell you you will be getting health insurance, then tells you he never said it and you are advised by other employees to not ask again or you’ll be terminated?
Allison, your boss can’t promise you health insurance. Based on the terms and conditions of the plan, you either qualify or you don’t. Sounds like your boss didn’t know what he was talking about.
Also, what happens when said employer will not allow you time off to get a root canal and you are working in pain and you just have to suck it up and you cant go to the ER because, well, see first issue – no health insurance! bascially , my job was threatened and I had to suck it up because I needed the job and my dentists hours conflicted with my work hours.
Ouch!
Are you asking me if your boss acted illegally? There are medical emergencies that are covered under FMLA, but let’s stop talking about your boss and all that drama. Let’s talk about you.
There are low-cost dental clinics at local community colleges. I have a friend who left her job in Human Resources to pursue a career as a dental hygienist. She recruits patients for her clinic, too. Go visit Google and find one of those clinics. Your teeth are so important. You need to fix this issue.
The I got terminated for being late for a cracked tooth. I was in agony. so, I worked there for 2 years. I never got my health insurance or time off to take care of things like a busted tooth or to move. Suggestions? I just want to make sure I get my unemploymnet as i support myself.
You were terminated for a cracked tooth and being late? You want to know if you qualify for unemployment? Well, there’s no harm in applying. I have no idea if you will qualify. You need to look at your state requirements.
I will say this much: I understand why you feel cheated and mistreated. You’re in an unfortunate situation. I believe that living life well is the best revenge.
- Don’t look back on this employer and wonder if you can sue him for firing you.
- Move forward.
- File for unemployment, update your LinkedIn profile, and create an account on Monster.
Allison, you need to find a basic job — any job — that pays more than unemployment. You can’t support yourself on $300/week. This is why I really advocate having an emergency fund so you can take care of your teeth, buy private insurance if your employer doesn’t offer coverage, or leave a shitty job before it starts impacting your health.
[Any other thoughts out there?]
Good luck and keep us posted on your dental issues!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
If you have earned paid time off, most state laws require this to be paid out to you. In most states, absences for personal illness, such as you describe, should not disqualify you from seeking unemployment benefits. This does not mean your former employer will not contest your claim, but probably won’t win.
Hopefully, you have already filed your unemployment claim and should start receiving payments in the next few weeks. In Ohio, where I reside, you file on-line and submit your weekly notifications on line. It might be similar in your state.
Your former employer does not sound like a great place to work. This may be a blessing in disguise. As you work on your job search, don’t settle if the environment of a future employer does not look good. You will be able to assess this from the time they first contact you — how to do they handle applicants. If not treated well, if they are unorganized, not friendly, this will tell you a lot. Trust your instincts.
You will also need to be prepared to talk about why you left your last job. Don’t badmouth your former employer. I always suggest to my coaching clients to write the response down and practice it so that it comes out natural and not rehearsed.
You might want to say something like the following: My former employer did not have a sick time benefit and did not offer any flexibility to deal with urgent situations. In a very short time, I had some dental issues which required time off to repair. After two years of dedicated service and not taking any time off, they decided to release me due to the time I needed to take care of my dental situation.
If you talk the way you type, then they were probably “offboarding” you.
Go file for umemployment, get Medicaid, get your grill fixed and then get a better job with better management.
@Penina I think you have a very awesome way of working with clients. I could *never* be so gentle and optimistic. I told a chronically unemployed acquaintance of mine that I wouldn’t offer her any career advice because a) she wouldn’t take it & b) I wouldn’t wish her employment upon any employer. Needless to say, this person isn’t talking to me, right now.
@Anastasia I don’t know if they were managing her out — but I think your second sentence is the best way to handle this.
This sounds like Allison might live in a smaller community that might not have a lot of businesses where she can find employment. Why else would she dedicate herself to two years of lying management and threats of being fired for asking a question about a benefit she was promised? Unless, she doesn’t know that people serve themselves best when they keep looking for a better opportunity while they are working at a not-so-great place.
If her community is large enough where the United Way has a First Call For Help center, she can probably call their hotline at 211 (if not, look in the phone book under United Way) and find out what resources are available in her community for low-cost or sliding fee scale dental services and any other community resources that she might need. The typical rule at 211 is they will give out 3 contacts per call, but you can ask for more, or call back. They may be able to point Allison in the direction of some career services as well.
If Allison lives in a state that doesn’t offer many services, she will see teeth missing in many people in poor areas. Poverty in a state without much help is immensely visible. I lived in Milwaukee several years ago, and smelled decaying teeth of the people I worked with who were getting government assistance. There were not a lot of places that offered sliding fee scale dentistry there at that time, even when I called 211. One place charged $50 if your income was low, whether they did any drilling or not. When you don’t have money $50 is a lot of cash to have someone look inside your mouth.
Allison will need to check with her state to see what medical/dental services she might be eligible for. However it takes a long time to find out if you qualify and by that time Allison could have a new job. It’s still worth a try.
If nothing else, perhaps she could barter services with a dentist.
I disagree with Penina’s suggestion that Allison tell a potential employer that she was fired. I have always been taught that she’d be shooting herself in the foot for saying she was fired for any reason. If she wants to get that foot in the door, don’t shoot it off!
@Madge The United Way/211 tip is so good. You have me thinking that many people take a “smile” for granted. I have several family members who are in need of major dental work and don’t have the time, resources, or personal commitment to get on the phone and find assistance. They’re easily defeated, too, because they are embarrassed by their situation. “I’m poor and I deserve this rotting tooth in my mouth.” They’d rather go toothless, or refrain from smiling, instead of fighting the institutional battle to find decent & affordable dental care. In some cases, I’ve heard family members say that they deserve the pain and problems. Sad. So sad. I try to remind everyone that decay in your mouth can cause trouble in your heart, lungs, and kidneys. Good dental hygiene isn’t just cosmetic — it’s a requirement for a healthy life. Everyone deserves good health, regardless of socioeconomic status.
I live in a small rural community and we have a network put together through the county’s children and family services and the department of employment and social services that helps people find low cost and no cost “people services” from counseling to dental care. Our local public health office can also help with low cost dental referrals. It may require making the link from one section of the social services network to another and some legwork on Allison’s part, but there is help out there.
@Jackbuilt I think there’s a big ‘reward’ for people who can take the first step and ask for help. I think the asking part is so hard for many people, though.