Between a rock and a hard place

[weasel]

I'm in trouble with my service. Last year I admitted to someone I was stupid enough to trust that I was having some problems with flash backs and so on, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. This person then went to our service and told them. Without talking to me I was removed from all operations. I addressed the problem and found a solution to it that worked. But it has been a battle to get back operational. I am now only partially operational.

In the process my boss brought up other 'problems' he had with me, but what had never been brought to my attention before many of these I was able to defend myself on. It actually feels like the restrictions are more of a punishment rather than for any concern about my or the crews welfare. I am supposed to be fully operational for training purposes but this has not happened. This is becoming more and more frustrating.

On a job a couple of days ago I was left to work in an unsafe situation. I feel that anything I say about it to my superiors would just be twisted around until the blame lay with me (and have already experienced the beginning of that when I tried talking about it so backed off).

I enjoy the job and am good at it the other guys often 'hunt' me out to either work with of if they have questions. This whole situation is driving me crazy and I'm not sure what I need to do or how to go about it.

[hammerpcp]

Sue the bastards.

[weasel]

That is not an option where I am.

But as I've said I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place .... I really feel anything I do or say with end up back firing on me. I don't want any of this crap to cause 'old' problems to resurface. This whole situation has me feeling really bad and worthless.

[hammerpcp]

Where are you, Nazi Germany? Or communist China? You have rights in today’s western cultures. One of those fundamental rights is not to be discriminated against due to medical illness (BTW flashbacks are a classic symptom of PTSD). We currently have an adversarial system set up. So the only way to enforce these rights is through legal means and to hit the big boys where it hurts, namely the wallet. Let's put it this way....if you acquired Hep C through your daily activities as an EMT or whatever you are, and your company decided to fire you or otherwise make your life more difficult because of this, what would you do? Of course we all want to take the easier, gentler road, and by all means try this way first, but by the sounds of things it won't be doing you much good. There is good reason why we live in such a Sue-Happy society. It is often the only way to get anyones attention and therefore make any change. 8)

[Asysin2leads]

I say sue. If they retaliating against you for a legitimate complaint and creating an unsafe work environment, they are violating federal law. (Guess who had their annual EEO class today?)

[medicnine]

What an back twisted assward way to run an agency. Any chance you can get a job in an agency that offers a supportive "it happens to all of us" environment? I don't know any medics who aren't carrying something. Good luck to you and keep fighting the good fight.

[weasel]

I'm not in the US, so to sue is not an option.

Um I have a previous diagnosis of PTSD. But have functioned very well for a couple of years until this latest incident last year, which seemed to have arisen after the sudden death of a close family member among other factors.

Have been equivalent of emt/medic all up 17 years and have worked fire for 10 years.

My plan IS to get out of the town I currently live in but that involves selling property and will not happen over night.

Some of the BS I'm up against includes having a meeting with a regional manager who said 'he now realized I was quite an intelligent person' so left me thinking WHAT had he been told about me??? But he also didn't take back some of the other items that he had obviously been told about me that were BS.Which is why the whole situation has me feeling totally screwed.

The unsafe situation I was put/left in resulted in a minor injury, but it did require documenting at that point I was being told that the injury was my fault and I was 'fatigued' to cause it, which is more BS.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Doesnt sound like this situation is going to end well. My variant suggestion would be look for other employment, if litigation is not an option. If your in a country where there is no labor board/legal entity overseeing fair labor practice against employers, then i suggest you move out of communist china, or move the ball and chain and get back to work.

If your feeling brazen, unionize, and let the union handle your labor issues.

[medstudent30]

I have to agree with the other posts on this topic. I too was once in a situation like that, and I found other employment.......with a company that has made me feel that if anything isnt right, that I can go and talk to them about it, and hopefully they will come up with a possible solution. [/font:6260f0c93a]

[weasel]

Ok thanks. Was hoping to catch up with someone in the service but not in my town, and in a higher position yesterday but it now looks like that will happen next week. As I said after trusting someone and being betrayed I am very cautious about who I do trust.

I am so scared of doing anything in case it makes the situation even worse for me. Even before Monday nights incident was feeling like there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

But yeah the situation does need addressing, and so thankyou all for the things you have said. I think my service is probably thinking they got me where I won't or cant do anything, I think now that yeah they did but because of that I now HAVE to do something.

Will keep you posted.

Weasel