A friend of mine injured their back at work during a shift in a hospital. They went to the emergency department, got X-rays and the doc said they fractured two ribs. Doc said they would need 4-6 weeks to heal. My friend gave the paperwork to their boss and went home.
Next pay check arrives and they didn't get paid. This is a union shop. Their workers comp was denied even though the jobs own doctors gave the diagnoses.
My friend reaches out to the union who doesn't get back to them for weeks. My friend calls the department head who uses weird language about the “alleged work injury”. My friend goes to a lawyer who tells them that they have a case but it's not worth enough money to him so he won't take the case.
My friend is broke and defeated. I've been giving them extra cash to get by. Union finally gets back to them. The union works with them to dispute the workers comp claim but that'll take months, I guess. The union suggests they regularly go to their doctor to keep up a paper trail.
My friend gets back to work last Monday at the 4 week mark (the earliest date it says on the paperwork they should return) and it's too soon. Their back is killing them. The job is manual. Lots of twisting. There is no way they can do anything that requires sitting.
Additional info: my friends only been at the job for less then a year. In that time they have made a lot of call offs. Unstable living environment due to roommates not jiving with my friends autism. Next they caught covid. Next, they sprained and ankle (it's a manual job) and finally their dad died. Obviously all the call offs in the first year isn't great but they have all the paper work proving it.
Any suggestions would help. I'm giving them extra money when I can but I'm not rich either. I just bought a house and offered my basement if they lose their apartment but it's a few cities over and wouldn't jive with their life. They can't drive due to seizures.
Thanks for your ideas!