Q: My husband fought for our country during two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He had a struggle finding a job because all his work experience was military. Once he found a job, he gave it his all.
I know he always got to work ahead of time and worked hard, because he came home exhausted. He often worked through lunch without claiming overtime. His supervisor gave my husband many compliments, saying he "worked rings around everyone else."
Several weeks ago, just before his 90-day review, my husband was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. His doctor said he needed a month off from work and counseling. The company didn't offer sick pay so my husband asked for leave without pay.
He was terminated the next day. His supervisor said he was sorry but the decision was made above his head and probationary employees didn't have any rights. He was "employed at will."
A: Probationary employees do have rights. Unless you're leaving out part of the story, like violent episodes at work, the employer terminated your husband because he needed a four-week leave. PTSD qualifies as a disability, giving your husband protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA's protection against illegal discrimination trumps employment at will. Your husband can call the Alaska State Commission on Human Rights or the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission for assistance.
When a doctor told a former U.S. Marine suffering from PTSD to ask for six weeks of medical leave without pay during his 90-day probationary period, his company denied it. The employee, Adam Brant, appealed to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which ruled he had the right to unpaid leave unless the leave created an undue hardship for the company. The company, EZEFLOW, settled with Brant for $65,000.
Your husband's employer needs to talk with him in what's called an interactive process, the outcome of which is based on several factors including the employer's ability to handle a month-long absence and your husband's ability to perform his job. Your husband can also get help from a number of programs set up to help veterans secure and keep jobs.
Q: I asked one of my co-workers for a small amount of assistance with our company's proprietary software program. He told me he'd get around to helping me but then he left the office without doing so. As a result, I didn't complete a project and was dinged for it.
When I explained to my boss what happened, he didn't listen. I quit in disgust.
I need to know whether it's best to leave this three-month job off my resume or explain why I quit. My former boss reads your column and I'd like you to comment on employers that don't provide training to new employees but expect them to beg help from co-workers.
A: Leave the job on your resume. If you don't and a hiring interviewer learns you left it off, perhaps by asking you what you did during that time gap, you appear dishonest.
You can say you resigned because the job and employer weren't what you hoped to find when you took the position. Then, outline what you seek in an employer and job. If your interviewer likes what you say, he'll move on to the next question.
Don't however, fall into the trap of blaming either your past employer or co-worker. No employer wants to hire a finger-pointing employee. Further, blaming wastes time and mental energy. After all, if you say others are the responsible ones who need to fix things, you admit you have little power.
Yes, your co-worker could have helped you. Is there more to that part of the story? For example, did you ask him in time or start the project late? Yes, employers needed to provide new employees training on proprietary software. Your employer may have done so, as the best training often comes from on-the-job assistance from co-workers -- which you characterize as begging. Finally, was your boss a rude man who "didn't listen" or was he tired of how you shift responsibility to others?