Received an abandonment letter while on fmla. Gave HR fmla paperwork on first day of not going in, and had surgery latter that day.
How should I handle it?
Hindsight is 20/20 but it sounds to me as though you waited too long to submit the paperwork and then did not follow up with your mgt team after the surgery. You just don't walk in and have surgery--surgeries, other than emergency, are scheduled in advance. FMLA is automatic but there are still procedures in place that must be followed and it sounds as though you did not follow them. You also did not keep in touch with your mgt team after the surgery.
Your first phone call should be to the union. They should be able to get your job back for you.
There is no "waiting period" for FMLA. Yes, it's true, you should have done this sooner because it appears that, even though you turned your FMLA paperwork into HR, that doesn't mean your center got the message. Ever been faced with that before? We all have. I'm betting your papers are still in HR. And FMLA is NOT automatic. You MUST be approved.
Another thing. Is it approved by your caregiver? That is, just because YOU filled out YOUR part doesn't mean you're approved. Just asking here. Is your paperwork in order and was it approved?
And, yes, talk to your mngrs. Let them know what's going on. As uncaring and harsh or as the best people-person in the world, you KNOW this company is notorious for not passing on the CORRECT information that is vital for YOUR job or YOUR life! You got the abandonment notice. Did you call the person responsible immediately and try to remedy the situation? Did you immediately contact your steward or BA? If not, do so now. You might be surprised at the response.