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Posted 6/27/2014 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
I am required to call my supervisor on a weekly basis to give an update. I'm out on short term disability and have been since March 6. My back surgery was 2 weeks ago. My dr put the deadline date (Sept4) to return to work on my papers. I have to return to work in/by 26 weeks or I am terminated. My supervisor has asked about pain medication for the last 2 weeks. Today it was "are you off all pain medicine yet"? My answer was "no mam, this was a very big surgery and I am still in large amounts of pain". It makes me extremely uncomfortable her asking this. I am not working right now. I am recovering from back surgery. Of course, I'm still on pain meds. She did this last week and today. Then added, "as long as you are decreasing the amount you take...." and she left it like that. I would like any opinions or comments on this please. Shouldn't this be a question she isn't allowed to ask? I am under the care of my surgeon. I am certainly not abusing my meds, by any stretch of the imagination. It's almost like I feel shamed by her, if that makes any sense.
Posted 6/27/2014 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Ann I tend to agree with you, in that I am not sure that is any of your supervisors bussiness??? As long as you are under the care of your doctor or surgeon and he has not released you back to work, and you remain on disability, then what medications your doctor has you on is really none of her bussiness! Now when you are released to come back to work, that is a different story! Then they have a right to ask that, and even test you. I think all she is required to know is that your doctor hasn't released you back to work yet.  

I think I would consider talking with your human resource manager about this??? I would question her right to ask you these type of questions?? 

I might be all wrong about this, but that is my gut feeling anyway!

White Beard

Posted 6/27/2014 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with White Beard.
Posted 6/27/2014 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
I think she is out of line asking you that. Do you have any of your employee handbooks laying around by chance? I am like WhiteBeard, I would talk to someone in Human Resources about this. Yes, I can understand the weekly phone call checking in but asking about pain meds is a complete different animal. I know some employers require the weekly check in & if they don't check in they could lose their job. I think if this were me in the future I would say "no, I have been weaned off my pain meds". Now the reason I say this is, if you tell her you rather not discuss this with her, she will assume you are on pain meds. If she then says well if you are off your meds then you can come back to work now, I would say "no, I cannot return to work because I am not healed". Just my 2 cents.......
Posted 6/28/2014 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all. I am thinking the exact same thing. Just her attitude in general stinks. Obviously she's never had back problems or the surgery. It's almost as if she is mad at me. Well...sorry but I would much rather be at work everyday than going through this hell on earth. Next week, I will try to cut the conversation real quick, if I can. It just really really upset me today. And it may be that I am overly emotional. But I should not be made to feel guilty bc I am on pain meds 2 weeks post op. My entire world as I knew it has changed in every way it possibly could. I hate the stigma attached to pain medicine.!!! I got really really mad after I hung up. And I am certainly NOT one to pop off on someone. But I was thinking...I'm sorry I am still hurting. Would you prefer that I take nothing but OTC things, and cry all day long???? Now I would NEVER say that!!! That would be in immediate end of my job. But you do think things from time to time. We are only human after all. I have got to stop thinking about this....
Posted 6/28/2014 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
White Beard, I wish I did have an employee handbook. I know it's online AT work. What specifically would I look for? The only prob I have about asking is it's all like one big area and the depts are right beside each other. I would hate the HR person to go straight to her w what I said.... Guess I have no choice but to let it go.
Posted 6/28/2014 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
I'm piling on with the rest of the gang. What she's doing also sounds like practicing medicine without a license. Who is she to say what meds (of any type) you need to be on or can or should be on?

Sure, check in to see how you're doing. The job is about your ability to function, not the meds you pick up from the pharmacy.






M.
Posted 6/28/2014 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
I do not believe she has any right to ask you.
Posted 6/28/2014 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
Agree with White Beard.

Keep in mid that She can ask anything - Legal or not - But you do not have to answer !!

(Learned that in the 70's when I was asked, during interviews, if I planned to have children.. yeap More than once. )

Personally I would answer NO medical questions,
none!,
and certainly would make no comments about any medications..
and would not lie about taking or not taking meds.
Even if she happened to be a doctor or nurse, she is not YOUR DOCTOR so that information is not her business
or the company's either.

Be careful even saying 'I feel good'. Who knows how she might interpret that?
Maybe 'my doctor says I am progressing as expected'
Maybe other posters will make better suggestions.

Do not know if companies are legally entitled to your medical information, except to the extent if you can physically do your job. If they are (entitled) they will not be asking you for it.

If you are close friends w/any coworkers suggest you share NO DETAILS. They may feel compelled to share. And if any else answers your phone calls, direct them to make no comments either

Good luck !!

Post Edited (DianeB) : 6/28/2014 9:42:31 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/29/2014 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much. It upset me so bad. My supervisor is over all the clinic nurses. I know she has concerns about me returning to work on pain meds. I would NEVER do anything to compromise my judgement at my job, ever!! I love my patients and have a lot more morals and values than that. Peds isn't for everyone. But I sure miss it. I have 10 weeks before I have to be back. I hope that one day I can be off pain meds. But honestly, I think it's doubtful. I am sure she will have me drug tested before I return. But she has to understand, they will remain in my system for a while. I'm not going to let her harass me. Next week, I will be ready for my phone call to her. I will keep it short, to the point and get off the phone. I'm usually upset every time I get off the phone with her. People need to learn communication skills. I should not dread that weekly phone call like I do. I need to try to not get and stay upset. Focus needs to be on recovering.....
Posted 6/29/2014 7:33 AM (GMT 0)
No she has no right to ask and your under no obligation to tell.

Since Diane and I both have gone to battle with WC we are likely to be more cynical but I like to think it came from hard lessons learned!

Don't tell anyone at work anything more specific then "I'm still under the care of my Surgeon and following his orders at this point ". Things you say no matter how small and seemingly meaningless have a way of coming back to haunt you. Supervisors first responsibility is to your employer not you.
Posted 6/29/2014 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
Even if your company does random drug tests, remember, you are on medications properly rx'd TO you and BY your doctor. You're not doing anything wrong, nothing illegal, and nothing to be nervous about.

I do not believe she can reprimand you for following your doctor's orders.






M.
Posted 6/29/2014 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
I am a supervisor of an employee who just had surgery. I could not get any of her paperwork unless it was sent directly to me. It was sent to HR. HR said they can not even give me copies. They could tell me her expected return date. I agree, she was out of line. As long as you are under dr's care that is all she needs to know. When he releases you, you do not have to tell what you are taking. Those are major privacy issues.
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