I've worked somewhere over 23 years in I.T.. I also served in the Naval Reserve but wasn't activated by federal order, only took Active Duty voluntarily which doesnt qualify me for VA benefits.
I was always told to go to work, work hard and the company will take care of you from my parents. So thats exactly what I did. Wife, child, and worked hard even made employee of the month many times in my Company. The company I worked for was a small local successful company that got acquired by a large corporation when the founder died. I was the manager and continued to work late hours, miss my sons sport events, and sacrifice time. By no fault of my own, I felt sick for a week, and later would find out my gull blatter erupted inside my stomach and caused me to go septic quick. I ended up spending time in ICU, and in the hospital (thank goodness for University hopitals). My new boss (who was from the corporation that purchased the company I worked for) would call my wife wife every couple of days about my status, asking how I was doing, etc. I thought it was a nice gesture at the time. I was in the hospital almost a month including recovery. Life changing results from that included 6 surgeries, loss of balance and other issues that made it hard to recover. The company said “take your time getting back” so I spent the time I had with tubes sticking out of me, waiting until they took those out to go back to work. When I went back coworkers were excited, whom I considered friends.
I was of course protected by FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) for a couple months on the job. I actually made employee of the month the last month. My boss from out East decided to make a visit and didnt tell me why. I assumed it was for an upgrade we were conducting.
Came in monday, they sat me in a room with the HR rep and told me I was “Laid off”. I asked if anyone else got laid off and they said no-one else was affected. They sent me home with one month of crap cobra insurance. The day after my FMLA expired. My boss literally lied to me when I was sick, checked up on me, and in the end they decided to let me go because I was a “health risk to their insurance” as my lawyer friend said.
I never heard from anyone I was close to at that company nor my boss ever again its been 4 years.
Corporations, HR, bosses are NEVER your friends. They will lay you off in a heartbeat to save money for their own raises. NEVER EVER SACRIFICE TIME WITH YOUR KIDS OR YOUR FAMILY FOR WORK. NO MATTER WHAT