fired from her retail job for having an allergic reaction while at work

[shocked]

Saskatoon (Canada) woman says she was fired from her retail job for having an allergic reaction while at Urban Plannet in Saskatoon

[Jessica]

link http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/saskatoon-woman-says-she-was-fired-for-having-allergic-reaction-on-the-job-1.2959923

[hedgehog]

Aside from the obvious, that one should not be fired for having a reaction and seeking treatment rather than dying, I do have a problem with this.  It says,at least twice, that an ambulance should be called if there is no epipen.  Of course, an ambulance should be called even if there is one. 

[lakeswimr]

I think this will raise awareness and that she will likely get her job back and there will be training about this in the company, etc.

There are inconsistencies in her two versions of the story--the one in the news video and the one on her FB page and also these both have inconsistencies with the written news story as well.  So, who knows what actually happened.  Whatever it was, it would seem the manager messed up big time.  It is good that the message that ana is a serious situation for which the ambulance should be called got out there along with the idea that people shouldn't be fired for having a reaction.   I find the inconsistencies strange but maybe they could be easily explained by the confusion a person sometimes has when they have ana and typical reporters not getting all the details right stuff.

[SilverLining]

I think this will raise awareness and that she will likely get her job back and there will be training about this in the company, etc.

There are inconsistencies in her two versions of the story--the one in the news video and the one on her FB page and also these both have inconsistencies with the written news story as well.  So, who knows what actually happened.  Whatever it was, it would seem the manager messed up big time.  It is good that the message that ana is a serious situation for which the ambulance should be called got out there along with the idea that people shouldn't be fired for having a reaction.   I find the inconsistencies strange but maybe they could be easily explained by the confusion a person sometimes has when they have ana and typical reporters not getting all the details right stuff.

I only read one article, and it seemed to be.....incomplete is the best word I can find. That one article seemed to me, the employee did not have her epi-pen, and there were a few other issues the employee was not taking responsibility for. It made me wonder if she was actually fired for something else completely unrelated and decided to make a post about being fired for an allergy to get her job back.

I chose not to say that on FB. And I am not saying I am right....only saying that was what came to my mind when reading the employees version of the event.

[SilverLining]

I see her story is improving.

Still doesn't answer why she called a manager up, but didn't bother calling an ambulance herself.

[lakeswimr]

Without going back and rereading the article, the FB post she posted, and without re-watching her interview, there are multiple inconsistencies between the three versions, not just one or two.  In the end it seems obvious that the manager did not respond properly, though.

Just a few that I remember--
The epi pen or lack of one--one version says that she forgot her epi pen.  Another said it had expired and she couldn't afford a new one (that would be horrible if true).  one version said the manager suggested she go look for it in her car and she did (which should wouldn't do if she knew she had not refilled it due to expense, right?)  Epi pens obviously shouldn't be kept in cars, even in Canada.

She said she went outside to call 911 and she said that she nearly collapsed inside and her coworker had to maybe carry her and drive her to a clinic (seemed she didn't go outside). 

There was more.  As I said, I know ana can make people confused so maybe her memory isn't clear and that explains it and the reporter could have gotten things partly wrong, too.  Who knows. 

[SilverLining]

I agree that in all her versions the manager did not respond appropriately.

I'm glad head office is investigating.

[Macabre]

The only way that her manager did not respond well IMHO is in firing her. That was wrong.

But really, her reaction isn't her manager's problem to solve.

I always train a few coworkers to use an epi and let them know where in my desk my work Epis are kept. If I lost consciousness, I would hope they'd injection me and call 911. Bu it's not my manager's job to do that call 911 in a normal anaphylactic reaction. It's mine.

[lakeswimr]

Sure, but it seemed she was very concerned about leaving work and I am guessing that was what was part of her hesitation--she wanted the manager to understand why she was leaving and he wasn't understanding.  I know someone on another board who knows everything there is to know about FAs and is very responsible for her children and handles ana properly but when she herself had ana she didn't want the epi and said later she could see her judgement was very affected.  She wasn't thinking clearly and made poor choices.  So, while it wasn't her manager's responsibility, I think any human should try to offer at least very basic help in a situation like this--offer to call 911 or whatever.  This manager seems to have not understood or believed the severity of the situation.  Of course, I would not recommend counting on others. 

The things the manager did wrong, IMO, are not assessing the situation properly to see if his employee was fit for work when she was telling him she was not before dismissing her claims and firing her for a medical condition.

[Macabre]

Good points. If my employees say they need to get medical attention, I need to make sure they feel able to get it. And I have helps in one instance.

[spacecanada]

The story sounds funny to me too.

From the employers perspective, they should have an occupational health and safety protocol in place. All businesses should, with required number of first aiders, a list of who they are, make sure x many are on staff at any given time, etc. Where I used to work (two places, for sure), for any medical emergency the manager was to call 911 if needed, call a first aider to provide assistance, and if possible, another employee would accompany and/or drive the injured person to the clinic or hospital. If anything, the OHS plan needs to be reviewed by this company.