Finally going back after 4 months on WC

Upslady20

Well-Known Member
Finally going back to work after 4 months on WC. I will be returning to work with the same foot issues that sent me to the house. The only thing that changed during the last four months was my new found awareness that I am just a number and that WC is slow slow slow. I found out after 4 months that I will need to have surgery on my foot at some point for the nerve problem. Gee would have been nice to find that out 4 months ago..since the recovery will take 3 months whenever I do have it done..
I am not looking forward to Monday... I am sure I will be targeted big time. When I took my paperwork by today my center manager told me I better hit the ground running.. I said can you not give me a few days since I haven't worked in 4 months and he said no.. and then brow beat me over numbers... I cannot wait for the fun.
What is the deal these days if you do not have all of the saftey stuff memorized.. Is that cause for disipline??? Which stuff do I really need to get in my brain by Monday??
Any suggestions on how to survive the return would be appreciated.
 

longlunchguy

Runnin on Empty
We have been told there will be discipline (?) if w don't know the 10 point commentary, the 8 keys to lifting and lowering, and the 5 keys to preventing slips and falls. I don't have them memorized either. As far as coming back from WC, if you are released without restrictions, be prepared to get hammered. They pounded me the day I returned from knee surgery and I can't recall any one who came back and had an eight hour day. If your foot is still bothering you, maybe you shouldn't have been released. You have the right to a second opinion, and you have the right to a specialist such s an ortho surgeon or a podiatrist. UPS and Liberty gave me a VERY HARD TIME but once I fought through the process and began seeing an ortopedic surgeon instead of "their" doctor it was much better because he was calling the shots on my care and I finally had the surgery I needed. Best of luck I know being on comp can be a frustrating experience.
 
Memorized? Just say "i`m a little foggy after four months off,could you remind me". Don`t forget to consult with your steward if you feel overly harassed.
AND DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT! Everything they say to you, everything they do. If you feel you are being over supervised, fill O/9.5 grievances then be repaired to show that you use the proper methods. And limp alot.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"Which stuff do I really need to get in my brain by Monday??"

None of it. Have they paid you to sit and study it? I doubt it.

My sup asked me what it will take for me to memorize all that. I told him he could pay me to come in early, sit in an office, and study. He said UPS won't do that.

They want you to study it at home! On your own time!!! What kind of fool would do that?

I listen to it at the pcms. You'll get to know some of it. When they ask you, make an attempt. It's all you can do!

There'll be no discipline. They can't very well discipline you when they won't pay for your time to learn it. We ARE hourly.
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
Welcome back (?), lady. I'm sure you remember that you DO NOT have to run to each stop, across yards, skip your lunch, etc. You know the drill. This should help your foot a little bit.

As far as memorizing commentaries? Was it a hiring requirment? Well, you know what? It wasn't for me. Course, I started many years ago and all I had to do was qualifiy on p/c then in feeders, no memorizing required. Don't know if that's still the drill. Here, the attitude is, if it wasn't a hiring requirment, then I'm in. You can't fire me for something that you added later on as a condition of employment.

Chill out, girl. You'll do fine.
 

backinbrown

respect my authority
after a three year fight to get my job back. ups made me go to school again last november. before i left school i had to recite them all the seeing habits and the lifting procedure they was pretty stirck. the upser site has them listed in like a pdf if you want to go over them. i start driving again monday after three years off because i was diagnosed with RA rheumatiod arthritis and they fired me but thats another story one stop at a time good luck
 

backinbrown

respect my authority
upsers.com its under my work place click health and saftey resources over to the right is related files below that click swm pocket card, im sure you allready no this but just in case i ws hoping i could help
 

Upslady20

Well-Known Member
Not planning on hitting the ground running as my center manager told me.. Just going to work at a safe pace using my methods.. I am sure I will be a little rusty the first hour but will snap back into fighting mode quickly.. I am sure I will get black marks by my name for not remembering that crud.. and no it was not requirement for my employment 22 years ago.. Thanks for the advice.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
"... and no it was not requirement for my employment 22 years ago.."

Neither were delivering 1DA by 10:30, or delivering 150 lb packages. (Just suggesting you don't go with that line of defense!)
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
After reading these posts it all comes back. But when I had an ankle injury the 4th one, I got them to give me a phone number for our medical advisor, or whatever, and I insisted I would be back where I was in a few months as I knew I couldnt break another ankle the 5th time. I went to water therapy, prescribed by their doctor and it was a Godsend. At first I thought "how silly" but I continued the regime, and knock on wood have not got reinjured in 10 yrs. The water takes the weight off the injury so it can get stronger, without it I would have been on comp constantly as I was after every injury. Now I realize your injury is not the same, but if you do not feel you can safely do your job, do what I did, and ask for an opinion with the head of your medical dept. As a senior employee you need to get stronger so you can enjoy your life at Ups and do your job, and your life after (yes I hear there is one).
As for memorizing, I do not know how to recite them, but I use them every day.
My big question Friday was "why cant we salt the parking lot" Every morning and evening I fight my way to and from my vehicle, on a solid sheet of ice. The only thing I can think of is we are off the clock then. The boss said, "I have called them 5 times" I said "I got an idea, call someone else" Its darn sad when you fight it all day but then when trying to go home you skate to your vehicle, and dam near slide under it when you pull on your door. And the customer counter door and area is clear. Duh. things that make you go HMMMMMMMMM. We have porters who could throw some ice melt out there. Someone could run through at nite while all the cars are gone.but nope, fight it!!!!! Then when you get hurt after or before work in the parking lot, you are on your own time. Silliness at its best and cheapest way to prevent an injury.
 

Treegrower

Well-Known Member
After reading these posts it all comes back. But when I had an ankle injury the 4th one, I got them to give me a phone number for our medical advisor, or whatever, and I insisted I would be back where I was in a few months as I knew I couldnt break another ankle the 5th time. I went to water therapy, prescribed by their doctor and it was a Godsend. At first I thought "how silly" but I continued the regime, and knock on wood have not got reinjured in 10 yrs. The water takes the weight off the injury so it can get stronger, without it I would have been on comp constantly as I was after every injury. Now I realize your injury is not the same, but if you do not feel you can safely do your job, do what I did, and ask for an opinion with the head of your medical dept. As a senior employee you need to get stronger so you can enjoy your life at Ups and do your job, and your life after (yes I hear there is one).
As for memorizing, I do not know how to recite them, but I use them every day.
My big question Friday was "why cant we salt the parking lot" Every morning and evening I fight my way to and from my vehicle, on a solid sheet of ice. The only thing I can think of is we are off the clock then. The boss said, "I have called them 5 times" I said "I got an idea, call someone else" Its darn sad when you fight it all day but then when trying to go home you skate to your vehicle, and dam near slide under it when you pull on your door. And the customer counter door and area is clear. Duh. things that make you go HMMMMMMMMM. We have porters who could throw some ice melt out there. Someone could run through at nite while all the cars are gone.but nope, fight it!!!!! Then when you get hurt after or before work in the parking lot, you are on your own time. Silliness at its best and cheapest way to prevent an injury.
 

ups_vette

Well-Known Member
I listen to it at the pcms. You'll get to know some of it. When they ask you, make an attempt. It's all you can do!

There'll be no discipline. They can't very well discipline you when they won't pay for your time to learn it. We ARE hourly.

over9five....You're saying that you don't get paid for the time you spend at the pcm, then you are correct in saying you're not getting paid to learn the commontary. However IF you are paid for the time at the pcm, you ARE being paid to learn, and you can be disciplned because you were paid for the time to learn it.
 

Upslady20

Well-Known Member
Survived my first day back.. was able to recite the lifting and lowering and slips and falls.. did't ask me the 10 point thing.. yeah...clocked out at 8:25 my supervisor told me I should be able to finish by 6:30 yeah right. Also told me I had until WED to get my numbers where they want them or he will be back out on WeD for a serious ride... I guess I will be seeing him on WED.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
While that is a reason to mark your calender with a smiley face, just do what you are suppose to. He will get tired and go home at 5pm. If he has some insight to something that you are doing wrong which costs you 2 hrs per day, then its a win win. He gets his numbers and you get to go home and ride horses before dark. Good Luck, it will be fine. And maybe even get fixed.
 

upsgrunt

Well-Known Member
over9five....You're saying that you don't get paid for the time you spend at the pcm, then you are correct in saying you're not getting paid to learn the commontary. However IF you are paid for the time at the pcm, you ARE being paid to learn, and you can be disciplned because you were paid for the time to learn it.


How much memorization can you retain when working on it for 3 minutes every 24 hours? You could make a better argument than that for being paid to learn all that stuff verbatim.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
How much memorization can you retain when working on it for 3 minutes every 24 hours? You could make a better argument than that for being paid to learn all that stuff verbatim.
yes 3 minutes doesnt seem like much, when you just want to get to your truck and leave so you do not have late air. Or when they throw a piece of paper at you and tell you to learn it, Like /when should I do it? We all use it everyday anyway, we just dont know the proper phrases, or in order....
 

Griff

Well-Known Member
over9five....You're saying that you don't get paid for the time you spend at the pcm, then you are correct in saying you're not getting paid to learn the commontary. However IF you are paid for the time at the pcm, you ARE being paid to learn, and you can be disciplned because you were paid for the time to learn it.

Lets cut to the chase here. Nowhere in the contract does it say we are required to recite flavor of the week keywords, catchphrases, etc. These things are dreamed up in some conference room in Atlanta and have no place in the real world. It has nothing to do with being paid for the time or not, it's not our job to help you pass safety audits. I've never recited any of the questions/answers correctly, guess how many warning letters I've received? Guess how many injuries? Guess how many accidents? I'll give you a hint, they are all the same number.

There comes a point in time where people have to realize that UPS has engineered the "rules" to place ultimate blame on the driver. Just think about all the methods, looking through these eyes the world is a controlled environment and nothing is chance. These methods aren't in place to help you, it's to place blame. You're either a safe driver or you aren't, all the methods in the world wont carry you to the Circle of Honor. If you make it there, your a great driver but you had a heavy dose of luck on your side.
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
Lets cut to the chase here. Nowhere in the contract does it say we are required to recite flavor of the week keywords, catchphrases, etc. These things are dreamed up in some conference room in Atlanta and have no place in the real world. It has nothing to do with being paid for the time or not, it's not our job to help you pass safety audits. I've never recited any of the questions/answers correctly, guess how many warning letters I've received? Guess how many injuries? Guess how many accidents? I'll give you a hint, they are all the same number.

There comes a point in time where people have to realize that UPS has engineered the "rules" to place ultimate blame on the driver. Just think about all the methods, looking through these eyes the world is a controlled environment and nothing is chance. These methods aren't in place to help you, it's to place blame. You're either a safe driver or you aren't, all the methods in the world wont carry you to the Circle of Honor. If you make it there, your a great driver but you had a heavy dose of luck on your side.
The fertilizer flows down hill...unfortunately the hourly employee is always at the bottom. I'm just waiting for a tie to say that it helps us grow as UPSers.:biting:
 

wily_old_vet

Well-Known Member
AND DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT! Everything they say to you, everything they do. If you feel you are being over supervised, fill O/9.5 grievances then be repaired to show that you use the proper methods. And limp alot.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Keep a notebook in your pocket and write down everything they say to you. There are things they've said to you that you've repeated here that you should be documenting. Also, in the future never come back off a injury on a Monday. You will be dying by the end of the week. I had a UPS nurse tell me to come back on a Wednesday (of course she also thought they shouldn't load you up on your return).
 
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