I'm frustrated

[soberups]

So I broke my little toe on Friday by dropping a stinger on it. I was able to keep working until my sup showed up, and with his help we finished the route with no service failures.

The ER x-rayed it and told me it was fractured. They taped it up, gave me some pain meds and told me to stay off it as much as possible. I explained to the doctor that I was a UPS driver and needed to cleared for full duty so that I could drive the truck and have a helper do all the walking due the fact that it is peak.

He put on the release form that I am "able to drive a truck but prolonged walking is restricted at this time."

My center manager says this means I am on TAW and that this will count as a lost time injury. It is a point of professional pride for me that in 23 years with this company I have never missed a workday during peak season.

If I am able to drive and utilize a helper...per the doctors release...why does this count as a lost time injury and why should I be on TAW when I could be out on car busting off 15 per hour? No "time" was lost, or will be lost, all I need is a helper which is contractually permitted during peak anyway.

I have always viewed peak season as being sort of like the World Series or the NBA Finals...its a time to nut up, put aside any issues or minor injuries, and just get the work done. Just because I cant do any "prolonged walking" is no reason to make me sit in the office all day.

 

[hurricanegunner]

Your center manager is punishing you. He is pissed off because you dared to get injured; especially at peak. If the doctor said you can work with a helper, there is no medical reason for you not to. This is just your center manager wanting to punish you. I've been through it as have many drivers. We get punished for daring to get injured. And in our area, we don't get a driver's pay for TAW. Yet another punishment. I know how frustrated you are. I've been there. Just hang in there. Do your TAW. When you come back to full duty; punish them.

 

[Upsdriver88]

Because it was a reported as on the job accident. UPS is afraid that if something happened on the road with an injured driver, the company would be liable. If you hadn't reported it, like you are supposed to, then I'm sure they would have worked with you. I turned my ankle a few years ago, but didn't make an "on the job" claim. They gave me a helper all day and everything was good. Sorry to hear about your accident.

 

[Dis-organized Labor]

So I broke my little toe on Friday by dropping a stinger on it. I was able to keep working until my sup showed up, and with his help we finished the route with no service failures.

The ER x-rayed it and told me it was fractured. They taped it up, gave me some pain meds and told me to stay off it as much as possible. I explained to the doctor that I was a UPS driver and needed to cleared for full duty so that I could drive the truck and have a helper do all the walking due the fact that it is peak.

He put on the release form that I am "able to drive a truck but prolonged walking is restricted at this time."

My center manager says this means I am on TAW and that this will count as a lost time injury. It is a point of professional pride for me that in 23 years with this company I have never missed a workday during peak season.

If I am able to drive and utilize a helper...per the doctors release...why does this count as a lost time injury and why should I be on TAW when I could be out on car busting off 15 per hour? No "time" was lost, or will be lost, all I need is a helper which is contractually permitted during peak anyway.

I have always viewed peak season as being sort of like the World Series or the NBA Finals...its a time to nut up, put aside any issues or minor injuries, and just get the work done. Just because I cant do any "prolonged walking" is no reason to make me sit in the office all day.

I love the attitude Sober. We need a few more like you

 

[trplnkl]

Sober I do admire your will to "play with the pain". The fact that there are ANY restrictions on the Doctor's note makes this a TAW injury. Here TAW is not counted as lost time because you are still working. That, along with insurance carrier encouragement, they perfer TAW to you staying at home. I guess it could be different in your region.
I don't buy into the "punishment" aspect, until you return to full duty. That is when they will be on your backside for a little while, every little mistake you make becomes as serious as running hookers out of the back of your package car..

 

[Bubblehead]

So I broke my little toe on Friday by dropping a stinger on it. I was able to keep working until my sup showed up, and with his help we finished the route with no service failures.

The ER x-rayed it and told me it was fractured. They taped it up, gave me some pain meds and told me to stay off it as much as possible. I explained to the doctor that I was a UPS driver and needed to cleared for full duty so that I could drive the truck and have a helper do all the walking due the fact that it is peak.

He put on the release form that I am "able to drive a truck but prolonged walking is restricted at this time."

My center manager says this means I am on TAW and that this will count as a lost time injury. It is a point of professional pride for me that in 23 years with this company I have never missed a workday during peak season.

If I am able to drive and utilize a helper...per the doctors release...why does this count as a lost time injury and why should I be on TAW when I could be out on car busting off 15 per hour? No "time" was lost, or will be lost, all I need is a helper which is contractually permitted during peak anyway.

I have always viewed peak season as being sort of like the World Series or the NBA Finals...its a time to nut up, put aside any issues or minor injuries, and just get the work done. Just because I cant do any "prolonged walking" is no reason to make me sit in the office all day.

You lost me Sober.
Haven't you done all you can?
It is what it is, now put your foot up and get better.
Aside from your foot, the only one hurt by this decision is your center manager's numbers.
I have to believe if he could cover up the injury with the scenario you outlined he would.
I guarantee all "your" packages will be delivered.
We really are easily replaced, as disheartening as that may be for some.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

The friend/T sup in our building said "if you get injured on the job don't you dare file a claim with Liberty Mutual". If you don't understand that line of thought, you will never get it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I would call your center manager tomorrow morning to see if he has reconsidered his decision. I would think that he would appreciate your willingness to work and would take advantage of your route knowledge by assigning you a helper for the duration of Peak.

I can tell you from experience that it will be difficult for you to just drive. You will find yourself sorting and wanting to make deliveries. Your adrenaline will be flowing and you will ignore the pain.


We have a driver who has a cast on his right hand. I didn't even realize he had hurt himself until I saw the cast. I thought he had broken a couple of fingers but it turned out he broke his hand. He has been assigned a helper and is continuing to work.

 

[cachsux]

Personally,I would down those Percosets,call the center and tell hem you can`t drive in to work under the influence (your doctor will back you up) and give the center manager the finger as you relax until you`re well. Don`t want to be mean but we are all numbers,a tool utilized for a job. We walking talking screwdrivers. Don`t let it get to you.

 

[What'dyabringmetoday???]

You folks should put the pride aside. If you are hurt, get better. Otherwise, you get worse and the people that REALLY count on you, your family, will suffer. If you think anyone at this company will remember in the future that you "helped out" while injured, you are mistaken.

 

[brownmonster]

If you really wanted to come back to work you would have done a Ronnie Lott and had the toe cut off. TAW will be quite entertaining as you will be able to offer some of your good advice to management as you watch them scramble to put out all the Peak fires.

 

[bumped]

Work as directed. Take TAW for the 9.5 hours a day and learn those safety questions.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Work as directed. Take TAW for the 9.5 hours a day and learn those safety questions.

9.5 hours? Wouldn't it be 8?

On a related note:

You folks should put the pride aside. If you are hurt, get better. Otherwise, you get worse and the people that REALLY count on you, your family, will suffer. If you think anyone at this company will remember in the future that you "helped out" while injured, you are mistaken.

W has a good point, although I would think that they would most certainly appreciate the effort in the short term.

 

[soberups]

9.5 hours? Wouldn't it be 8?

No, the number of hours of TAW that you are entitled to is an average of the number of hours per day you have worked over the preceding 6 week period...in my case it would be a bit over 10.

There is another person on TAW in my center; she is cleared to drive but is healing up from a broken ankle. They have been using her to shuttle pup trailers full of delivery volume out to the bike helpers we have been using. If I dont wind up on my route with a helper I'm sure I will be driving a vehicle in some capacity. Its better than sitting in the office but I would still rather be on my route. Call me a masochist, but I actually enjoy peak season.

 

[grgrcr88]

I really admire your tenacity and desire to stay at work, however you should take the chance to do as little as possible during peak, you have earned it. Work as directed is a beautiful thing!!

 

[bad company]

W has a good point, although I would think that they would most certainly appreciate the effort in the short term.

You really think so? Supervisors I've worked for always had a habit of forgetting about any extra effort you give them almost instantly. It's like they all have Alzheimer's.

 

[bumped]

You really think so? Supervisors I've worked for always had a habit of forgetting about any extra effort you give them almost instantly. It's like they all have Alzheimer's.

No, the supervisors don't forget the extra effort. They expect it all the time.

 

[over9five]

Your center manager is punishing you. He is pissed off because you dared to get injured; especially at peak.

I would call your center manager tomorrow morning to see if he has reconsidered his decision. I would think that he would appreciate your willingness to work and would take advantage of your route knowledge by assigning you a helper for the duration of Peak.

I agree with BOTH of these.

However, I would just do what they say. No one cares (but you) if you work Peak or not, and as someone else said, "no one will remember". Relax, enjoy the TAW.

 

[old levi's]

So I broke my little toe on Friday by dropping a stinger on it. I was able to keep working until my sup showed up, and with his help we finished the route with no service failures.

The ER x-rayed it and told me it was fractured. They taped it up, gave me some pain meds and told me to stay off it as much as possible. I explained to the doctor that I was a UPS driver and needed to cleared for full duty so that I could drive the truck and have a helper do all the walking due the fact that it is peak.

He put on the release form that I am "able to drive a truck but prolonged walking is restricted at this time."

My center manager says this means I am on TAW and that this will count as a lost time injury. It is a point of professional pride for me that in 23 years with this company I have never missed a workday during peak season.

If I am able to drive and utilize a helper...per the doctors release...why does this count as a lost time injury and why should I be on TAW when I could be out on car busting off 15 per hour? No "time" was lost, or will be lost, all I need is a helper which is contractually permitted during peak anyway.

I have always viewed peak season as being sort of like the World Series or the NBA Finals...its a time to nut up, put aside any issues or minor injuries, and just get the work done. Just because I cant do any "prolonged walking" is no reason to make me sit in the office all day.

What is a stinger?

 

[1989]

What is a stinger?

The trailer hitch (the ball that the trailer sits on)