Hello all, i'm currently experiencing a bullshit issue with my workplace. I work 3, 12 hour shifts. Fri Sat Sun. My job started hurting my wrists pretty bad because it's a very physical machine to load/unload. It was the day before I had to go back to work and I decided to get checked out because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle the next shift. Well the hospital said that xray was fine but that doesn't mean anything besides nothing is broken/fractured. They put me on light duty with a note stating “No heavy lifting or other strenuous activity until further instructed by an orthopedic doctor”. I called up my job and they said we might not be able to accomodate you, as we have 3 other people out with workplace injuries. (Do you not see a fucking pattern here?) Anyways. I said okay, what would you like me to do then?
The supervisor told me that the note wasn't specific enough even though it seemed pretty straight forward to me… so I called the hospital back and had them rewrite me a note to be out for the whole weekend because I go to orthopedic on Monday. I sent them the new note. They call me like 2 hours later and it's two supervisors and a “safety” member. The safety member did nothing but berate me and tell me that she thinks it's more of an attendance thing (i've missed work for all legitimate reasons WITH NOTES). They said they watched the cams and I looked fine walking out the last day I worked. I said it's not that black and white as I think it's a tendon/nerve type thing.
They proceeded to tell me that it's unacceptable and they will not accept it as a workplace injury since I didn't report it on the clock. I told them directly to have HR call me or someone that actually understands how injuries in the workplace work. I don't want workers comp, I literally just want STD for the time i'm out because it's this job making it worse and I just got verbally abused saying i'm just doing it for the time off. Any advice? I know not to sign anything. My ortho appt is today and they will decide my fate but this job IS absolutely responsible for making my wrists hurt.