Getting a warning letter for being injured on the job?

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browndave

Guest
It is common practice for management to give a warning letter for a employee being injured on the job in our center. Management always insists that you can not get injured if you are following the safe work methods and if you are injured then you will get a warning letter for not following procedure. Has anyone else experienced this type of harassment? Can UPS legally do this? It sounds like they might be opening the door for a possible harassment lawsuit! any input is appreciated!
 
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interested

Guest
Browndave,,

There is an excellent on-line resource for you to investigate this situation. It provides free legal advice for you to get the answers you are seeking.

As always document and report your injury. Document any conversations you have pursuant to the injury, whom those conversations are with- and an accurate timeline of the events related to the incident and the days following it.

The link for this site is:

www.injuryboard.com
 
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rth87

Guest
I had the same experience except that my supervisor said that I would receive a letter if I was injured and wasn't using safe work methods. Which we all know it is impossible to use all of the methods and work at the pace they want you to. I started using the methods and having been injured since. Now he harasses me about production.
 
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ups_vette

Guest
rth:

You don't chew gum and walk at the same time do ya?

If you do, stop immediately. I see from your post you can only do one thing at a time.
 
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proups

Guest
You can use the methods and make the production numbers. There are drivers all over the country that have 25 years safe driving, have never been injured, and bring it in on time every day.

I agree that someone who has an injury while working that could have been avoided by using the methods should get a "do better leter."
 
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tieguy

Guest
Browndave we generally don't give warning letters for your one and only injury. How many have you had in your career?
 
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local804

Guest
Not get injured using safe work methods????? I think the most common injuries are due to repetitive motions on and off the job.SAfe work methods play a major part in working safe, but we are only human. I have never heard a supervisor giving a warning letter out for safety violation.If he does, I am sure that it is more than it looks like.....
 
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dannyboy

Guest
Warning letter for safty violations, YES. Warning letters for injuries, hardly unless you were really doing something stupid. Now in most if not all regions they do send out letters of concern, but these are not warning letters.

Actually, in most areas, driving without your seat belt on is a termination offense at the first time you commit it and get caught.

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browndave

Guest
I have never had any on job injuries but several coworkers have. They were all given warning letters also. Management at my center use intimidation very heavily. We are pretty much harassed for any thing that does not benefit them.
 
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wornoutupser

Guest
I was bitten by a dog a few years back and the center manager refused to let me call it in.
The next morning, I called it in by myself, and the pound picked up the dog.
This was a good thing, or I would never have known that the dog was 4 years behind on his shots!
It is a common practice in my building to do everything possible to not let a hourly call in an injury.Most of us know the number to call and do it anyway.
 
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dammor

Guest
"You don't chew gum and walk at the same time do ya, If you do, stop immediately. I see from your post you can only do one thing at a time"

Vette, Are you having a bad night, or are you just rude?
 
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dannyboy

Guest
Worn out

Where are you located?

If you want help, Email me privatly and we will see what I can do. What you are telling me is against the law.

Dammor

Since Tie is mellowing out, Vette feels like someone needs to take over;)_

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rth87

Guest
vette I can see that you are in management with that attitude you would have to be.
 
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tieguy

Guest
"Since Tie is mellowing out, Vette feels like someone needs to take over;)_"

Thanks I think. I don't generally get torked unless someone decides to provide me with some parental counseling or I see one of those MBE's with a yellow stripe down his back trying to cross the road. Can you say full speed ahead?
 
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proups

Guest
I agree with dannyboy to a point. There are letters of concern being issued, but management is getting very concerned about the rising costs of worker's compensation.

I have seen "injury investigations" that are just like accident investigations. Management goes out to where a driver is injured and has the driver walk them through what happened. This can be a good thing, because in some cases, the customer location could have a hazard that caused the injury.

I like to see these injury investigations. I am sure that we all know drivers that get "injured" during hunting season, or when we all know they have something planned that would take them away from work for a few days without pay. They fake the injury to get paid while being out. All of the other drivers have to pick up the slack, and I for one would like to see these people disciplined and/or terminated!

Does it sound like I feel pretty strongly about this???
 
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omegaman

Guest
Work safely at all times. Their numbers are a joke and always have been. In my building, management is the problem. They are like the Keystone Cops. They can't do anything! They can't get the trucks loaded properly, dispatch properly, fix routes or make the right decisions. They expect us to make up for lost time due to their stupidity and incompetence. Stop chasing their ridiculously unfair numbers and insure your own longevity.
 
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over9five

Guest
"I am sure that we all know drivers that get "injured"...."

Do we? I dont. Do you? If you know of such people, I would hope you reported it to Liberty Mutual. Should be pretty easy for them to get a picture of him loading up his hunting gear when he should be recovering.
You write as if you have personal knowledge of people abusing the system. If you have, and you have not reported them, you share in the abuse.
I, too, feel strongly about this. Faking an injury should result in termination.
 
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snowdog

Guest
I am a full time service provider working outside of Montreal, Quebec and I can tell you firsthand that written reprimands for job related injuries have occurred up here too. It happened to me a little over a year ago and I immediately filed a grievance upon receiving the letter. I partially tore a hamstring muscle while "following proper work safety methods" attempting to lift a 135lbs box - using my legs - not my back. The letter of reprimand was thrown out after my grievance hearing.

It's just another intimidation tactic UPS management tries to use against employees - either to discourage them from reporting injuries and work through it, or because they just don't want you there anymore. My advice to anyone who is being intimidated in this manner is to see your shop-steward or Union Agent IMMEDIATELY. Once you accept a letter of reprimand for a job related injury, you have set a precedent which can affect other cases in the future. The burden lies with management to prove you did NOT follow proper safe-work methods. Federal Labor Laws here in Canada prohibit employers from any disciplinary action against employees being injured on the job. I'm not sure what the laws in the U.S are, but it would definately be worth looking into.
 
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dammor

Guest
"I have seen "injury investigations" that are just like accident investigations. Management goes out to where a driver is injured and has the driver walk them through what happened."

Proups, I guess when our driver here that got run over by a cattle truck gets out of the hospital and is through with his planned hunting trip management should have a walk through to determine how in the hell he was injured.
This case is extreme, but there are times you can do everything just right and still injure yourself. I don't have a soft spot for the slackers, but I don't judge all by the acts of one or two. Neither should you.

(Message edited by dammor on November 02, 2003)
 
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