Very long story short: I’ve been a flight attendant for 12 years. I got assaulted at work by a passenger in 2021. Asked for help, but did not get company support for this assault. I got assaulted less than a month later by another passenger. Got company support through workman’s comp for second assault, processed I was in shock from both assaults. Went back to work 7 months later and got assaulted by a coworker. Did not receive company support for third assault after asking for help. It’s like they didn’t believe me even though I have security footage of the first assault. Right before the third assault I was diagnosed with Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder.
Since Covid, there has been an uptick in aggressive behavior and I have faced assault, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. I have reported every incident and my company just ignored me until I told them about one of my disability symptoms… suicidal thoughts. I have a therapist, I’m treated, I’m medicated, I’ve learned coping skills so I did what was necessary to keep myself safe from this symptom. I sought help and I did not attempt suicide. I don’t want to die.
The only reason I told them is for reasonable accommodation reasons so I can have a safe work environment again. My career was never like this before Covid, so I really feel like it can be safe again. I love being a flight attendant but I cannot be abused. It is very damaging to me. Like literal brain damage thanks to my disabilities, but when I told my company, they forced me onto medical leave against my will and I’ve been on unemployment for the last 3 months. They said they were worried about my behavior because I was assaulted three times and worried about my suicidal thoughts. They won’t tell me what I’ve done wrong or unsafe, so I don’t think it’s justified. They literally believe I’m culpable in getting assaulted. I’ve gone from making $6k-8k a month to less than $3000 a month. I am drowning in financial hardship.
My company made me have an assessment with a contracted, biased, psychologist but he said because my cptsd and BPD surface too often and severely I should not be cleared to work. That is discrimination. He didn’t even explain how my cptsd and BPD surface severely.
My doctors (therapist and primary care) cleared me to work and my company denied to return me and asked for more medical documents. I gave them more and they finally allowed me to return!
I was in training today and in the middle of evacs, my company (the medical team) called me and told me my return to work was rescinded because they returned me to work in error. They made me go home.
I was so excited to go back to work. I was so excited to stop drowning. And they just ruthlessly pulled me back under.
I don’t think my brain will ever be the same after this.
Edit: I forgot to mention I have the EEOC involved, it’s just a slow process and I really needed to vent what happened to me today. I am in so much pain.