Do you use Fed-Ex?

[JanS]

I’m a 3+ year cancer survivor. Here’s an excerpt from a new book that has me incensed. Until I know better, if I ever have to ship something, it’s UPS for me…

you might read the second story as to how a successful company can still make money and treat it’s employees well..

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/business/20work.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th

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[TheHouse]

Right to work….if you don’t like the way you’re being treated at one employer, quit and go work for UPS.

Don’t whine and sue. Plenty of companies use “contractors” for many different job duties. “Contractors” are typically compensated higher b/c the company DOES NOT pay their benefits.

I also wouldn’t make my consumer decisions based on one story. You’re also only hearing one side of the story. You have no idea if she was a performing employee or an underperforming employee (you can guess which one my money is on).

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[JanS]

House…I have no use for companies who fire anyone right after they’ve been diagnosed with cancer…shame on them, and shame on you for placing the blame on her without knowing her. I’d believe her way more than I’d believe some corporate….I have heard too many stories like this during my three years as a cancer survivor…it isn’t an isolated case, believe me.

now defend the ass who divorced her because she “wasn’t sexy’ to him anymore after breast cancer surgery…….or was it her fault for getting cancer, too…

sorry..it’s a touchy subject with me…guess you have to live it…

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[charlabob]

Amazing how so-called “capitalists” like to throw the word whine around.

Let’s look up the kinds of subsidies, no bid contracts, and other perqs given to FedEx — then let’s take them away, let FedEx, and Sprint, and others thrive under true capitalism, and use the money we save to provide to Americans(sic) the safety net environment provided in every other civilized country in the world.

Before you do that, buy earplugs — you will not be able to stand the whining of big bidness.

JanS, the only thing wrong with your eloquent rebuttal is the word “sorry”. You damned well better not be sorry. :-)

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[Kayleigh]

How are you supposed to quit your job and find another one when you are going through cancer treatments? And I thought it was against the law to fire someone for being sick?

It might be good to have a national discussion about the trend toward ‘independent contractors’. If that’s the way big bidness is taking us, then we better demand things like a national health care plan, higher wages, guaranteed social security, etc. Otherwise, kiss the American middle class way of life goodbye (if it’s not gone already!) :-(

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[JanS]

Kayleigh…the story of this woman is that Fed Ex is calling her an independent contractor. They do that to their drivers…of course to save money. They also required her to buy her truck, pay the insurance, pay for the gas, pay for the maintenance..she did it for 10 years. When she was dx with cancer (for the 3rd time), she tried to get someone to cover her shifts…no one would. She asked for a leave of absence, and they fired her “because she hadn’t gotten anyone to cover her shifts”…they say they don’t have to abide by the Americans with Disabilities act because she “wasn’t an employee”… that just sucks…so she’s suing….

Kayleigh…some people only see things in black and white…they don’t think with their hearts. Being a cancer survivor who has struggled financially,and watched others struggle financially, I quite understand where she’s coming from…

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[WSB]

My mother was fired from a West Seattle nonprofit shortly after her cancer diagnosis almost 10 years ago. I harbor no ill will — forgiveness is the real way to go on this earth — and will never name the organization publicly, but it really was a lousy thing to do. Their official reason was that she wasn’t giving them enough information about what was going on with her, but in reality, she had just been hit with a stage IV pancreatic-cancer diagnosis, which is about as deadly as cancer gets (she managed to hang on for eight months, which is longer than most PC patients last), and she needed a little time to deal with what was going on. She could have worked at least a few more months for the organization; instead, she spent that time watching soap operas at home; I paid for her health insurance via COBRA (and for un-covered naturopathic complementary treatments which turned out to be the most helpful health care she received through the whole ordeal, but that’s another story) … TR, not sure why she’s sharing this except that it seems to fit in this topic (now that it’s 4/22 btw … would have been her 71st birthday)

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[JanS]

well, Happy Birthday to your mom….hope she’s looking down, and hope you’re gonna have some cake in her honor….

yep, it was a lousy thing for them to do :(

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[charlabob]

A good friend back east was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer 3 years ago. She had a job as a project manager that allowed her to work at home. She continued to do so up until the time she went into a hospice. She never told them, because she was afraid of being fired and losing her health insurance benefits (which were minimal at best.) I wanted so much to be able to say, “Sweetie, you’re being paranoid — tell them; they love you…” But I couldn’t say that. She continued to call in, run meetings, provide assistance — she didn’t slack — she scheduled around many “dentist appointments” which were, in fact, chemo appointments. She lived to see her daughter graduate high school leave the hospice, and die at home.

Happy birthday to your mom, TR! Have cake and a drink and plant a tree…whatever works.

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[TheHouse]

I did some research on this and the litmus test for “contractor vs employee” status is generally the IRS 20 Rule. As a contractor, you are supposed to come to a contractual agreement with the organization as to what your specific duties are. I addition, there there is no such thing as a contractor being terminated (this is a term reserved for employees). The equivalent for contractors would be a breach of contract (the woman apparently breached the contract).

I personally have worked with “contractors” and in each case they signed a contract for a specific length of time and negotiated many personal requirements into the contract. Perhaps this woman did not have the business acumen to do so?

After that is said, I go back to my original post and question the facts in this story. We’re only hearing her side. If what she is saying is accurate then FedEx appears to be in the wrong since according to the IRS 20 Rule they were treating her as an employee by mandating her to do things (unless it was specified in their contract). I do feel bad for someone with cancer, but that is not the main point of the story.

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[JanS]

and that is her argument….they treated her as an employee, so she should have been able to take a leave of absence re: Americans with Disabilities Act. Unfortunately, in discussions with other cancer survivors, I have heard stories of companies who try to get around this just about anyway they can. Yes, they are stories only related to me, but I doubt that the who lot of these women are liars. It will be interesting to see what comes of this lawsuit, see what the courts say.

Again..is that you , House? as JoB said in another thread…you sound so reasonable – lol…

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