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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/28/2008 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
nono  I swear it's always something. Today when i came home from work i had a letter from HR  In regards to the fmla i filed. It said they were unable to determin weather my condition qualifies as a serious health condition. They want my doctors to state the frequency and duration of my flare ups. Now really how is that possible. Then they went on to say to provide the regiment of treatment with the beginning date and how long they expect this regiment to last for this condition. My gi already said the condition started in 1998 and was indefinate he also listed the meds i'm on to treat my condition. I was wondering if any of you guys have had a problem filing with the FMLA. if so please let me know the outcome and what you did or any advice would be appricated. thanks

   Kay

Posted 6/28/2008 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Standard insurance company practices. They reject everything first go around and then make you fight for it. I have no idea why they do that, other than to just upset people. I haven't filed for FMLA, but I did have to go through this to get my Remicade, 6mp, and a few other medications. They rejected all of them first, and the doctor usually has to call up and chew on some insurance persons butt to get things moving. I wouldn't be too concerned unless they reject it again.

Hang in there..
Posted 6/28/2008 5:10 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Kay,

I hate jumping through their hoops. I would double check and make sure your dr marked chronic condition and make sure everything is filled out. If it doesn't apply to you put N/A so they know you didn't skip it. My dr put frequent trips to the bathroom for diareah (spelled wrong, sorry) and she put something to the effect that they are spontaneous and that I can't plan my trips to the bathroom. She also put I was under her care. If everything is filled out, they shouldn't be able to deny you leave. It is the LAW. I know you get 12 weeks and they have to hold your position. I have had to file under ADA for accomodations at my job because my boss says I sit too much and she doesn't like me taking work off to receive remicade treatment. She can't do that, swo I have to file under ADA. Good Luck! I hope this was helpful. I'll be thinking of you.

Kgirlie

Posted 6/28/2008 11:58 AM (GMT 0)
AuntKay, are you filing for FMLA for the full 3 months or are you filing for intermittent FMLA (as needed)?

As a full-time rural letter carrier w/an assigned substitute I pointed out to my supervisor and HR person that when my sub worked when I called for an FMLA day they got the same work done at a cheaper "price". That since I made the arrangments w/my sub to cover my route it wasn't a hassle for them to cover my route that day, I had already taken care of it.

The one problem I REALLY had was that there were some days I "could" have gone in later. If they would have let my sub come in to case the mail and tie it out and let me run the route ... but, of course, since rural letter carriers get paid by the evaluated day rather than by the hour that wasn't an option. The "rule" was whoever finishes the route is the one who gets paid. I had great management tho and there were a few times my sub went in and cased and tied out and I came in and delivered and I paid her out of pocket since I "finished" the route. But they were the few days that she had an appointment in the afternoon and couldn't work all day. And once her car broke down. She was a good sub and a hungry sub and I always remembered her well at Christmas. I made sure she knew how much I appreciated her!
Posted 6/28/2008 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have never had a problem at my company with FMLA. I just went on FMLA last month with this current flare of mine. I was first out for 2 weeks
and then my doctor made me go back to work which was fine, but I'm now on the intermittent FMLA so if I have to call in a day here or there I'm covered. I haven't had to use FMLA since my son was born 2 years ago so they know I only open it when I really need it. I would just make sure your doctor filled everything out correctly.
Posted 6/28/2008 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
tsitodawg I work for a large investment firm and we use to use UNUM too. I had no problems at first when I had my first resection, but on later FMLA times, it was always a fight with them. We use Reed Group now, and they have been great with me.

Kay, I think what the others have said above is probably right. I think maybe you need to make sure the doctor filled out everything correctly.
Posted 6/28/2008 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
Crohnie Too, I was filing for intermittent FMLA just to cover dr. appts and some days when i may be flaring. I'm not wanting to be out the 3 months. I never thought it would be a problem little did i know. Thanks for the information everyone.
Posted 6/29/2008 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with crohn's in 2002 i work for a company of about 300 people. I first filed for intermitent FMLA in 2003 with no problems. My flare up got pretty bad and i went out on short term disability at the end of 2003 for 2 months. I had no problems with the insurance company and got paid,but my doctor was in constant contact with them. I recently am having another bad flare up and have filed for intermetint FMLA again about a month ago.I try not to miss to much time and do work through some of my pain,because it is very true that even though they can't get rid of you from the FMLA protection they will find other ways if they want to get rid of you. Good luck and keep on fighting. Steve
Posted 6/29/2008 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I don't understand why employers even care if you take FMLA since they don't have to pay you when you are on leave. I guess it depends on the job and whether or not they have to pay overtime to someone else to cover for you. Just remember too that your employer can count your paid sick time/vacation time/ disability time against your FMLA. So don't think you have 2 weeks sick plus 12 weeks FMLA. The 2 weeks sick will probably count as part of your FMLA and then you will have 10 more weeks.
Posted 6/30/2008 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
I had coworkers abuse FMLA too. At my corrections job whenever one of the guys wives would have a baby they would file for FMLA to help out. (I have no problem with that). But then, they would call out on FMLA and go fishing or hunting or whatever they felt like. They weren't home helping mom and baby.
Posted 6/30/2008 3:03 PM (GMT 0)

I was just turned down for LTD from UNUM. Funny thing is the accepted my app. for life insurance?!?!

I just got back from surgery on the 18th. My surgery was on the 11th and my FMLA was approved for 6 weeks. I guess it helps when you work in your HR Dept. My DR was very detailed with the forms. No one questioned his first submittal.

Posted 6/30/2008 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
i tried to use FMLA when working for verizon wireless [through met life] and they wouldn't have any of it. i got fired for absenteeism.
Posted 6/30/2008 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Until this thread I had never heard of employers having companies manage their FMLA. I always thought HR had to do that. You bring in documentation, they note it in your file, done. I never realized it could be so difficult.
Posted 7/2/2008 10:30 AM (GMT 0)
Well i took my FMLA back to my dr. with the areas highlighted as hr is requesting. I'll soon know something either way wish me luck.
Posted 7/2/2008 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
I am in HR and I never question the Doctor. I am not a nurse so if he says you need time off then you get it. Unless he forgot to fill something in you are approved. I have worked in companies before that used an outside service. that is nice, I sure miss that, they have nurses on staff etc. Continue to fight them on this I can find some FMLA info for you to help you if necessary! here is a website you can use too http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/ Karen
Posted 7/18/2010 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
I've been pushing through the pain and symptoms for my colitis for the passed decade. But I've been force imbalanced about an hour south of where I live now and when I get flare ups, I really have a difficult time getting to work on time and sometimes have to take a day off. We can only have three days off in a rolling year and I'm constantly having to use vacation time just to keep from getting negative marks in my employee file. I've read this thread and I'm interested in the potential of intermittent FMLA. Can someone explain in detail the best way to initiate this?

TIA!
Posted 7/18/2010 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
I am so happy I work for a small company and have a very understanding boss. She lets me come in late or leave early if I have a dr appt and still pays me for it. As long as all my work is done, she is very understanding of me needing some time off.

I'm so happy I don't have to deal with all this.
Posted 7/18/2010 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
You initiate intermittent FMLA the same way as a full 3 month FMLA. The difference is that your doctor needs to specify INTERMITTENT FMLA as needed due to the spontanaity of our Crohn's disease activity. At least that was my experience back in the late 1990s.

AuntKay and I were dealing w/the USPOD and FMLA as rural letter carriers.

And it is VERY TRUE that UNUM was EXTREMELY difficult to work with back in the 1990s and there was more than one lawsuit instigated against them because they were so unreasonable.

Posted 7/19/2010 4:39 PM (GMT 0)

I'm on intermittent FMLA and I am also in HR.  I have only once worked for a company who had someone else handle their FMLA.  It was a huge company.  My current employer is pretty large, but the HR department handles it there.  I have been on intermittent FMLA continuously for about 2 1/2 years and have never had any problems with them questioning anything.  The dr. says that the frequency and length of the flares are unknown/not predictable and that has always been sufficient.  Just have the dr. say as much as possible (i.e. "flare could last 2 weeks to 2 years" or "last flare was 6 years").  Hopefully they will get the idea then that it's not something he can put an exact number on. 

In working in HR at several companies, I've seen some that believed every single person was abusing FMLA (except for pregnancies...everyone is all happy if you have a baby, but not sympathetic if you are ill) and some that are great about it unless they suspect you are abusing it.  And people do abuse it and it makes it more difficult for people like us.  People at my husband's work actually call it the "Friday, Monday Leave Act" because so many people abuse it and only call in on Fridays and Mondays.  That's really sad when many of us have to jump through hoops to get it approved.  

I had one manager at a previous job decide I was abusing it because the doctor told me to do pilates or walk to help relieve stress (when I wasn't eating and my heart rate was 200).  Since I was able to do that on occasion, she decided I was abusing the FMLA.  At my current job, my boss's daughter also has Crohn's, so she completely understands.  It all depends on the company, the HR people, their policies and your boss as to how easy they will make it be for you to qualify.  That's the sad truth.     

Posted 7/19/2010 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks a lot for the answers. I'm still not sure I want to apply for FMLA, I guess it will depend on my current flare up. I'm on Lialda and it was working pretty good until about two weeks ago. The only things that have changed is that I tried a health suppliment called Reliv and it looks like the Lialda pills are coated in something more shiny/slick?
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