If you work retail or for any package delivery service, this may not be the “most wonderful time of the year” for you. Long hours and lots of heavy lifting?
Of all the delivery services, only FedEx won Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards making it into the top 50 companies to work for in 2017.
On the other hand, we’ve all heard the stories from friends in the USPS.
Tight, timed deadlines to deliver mail, daily exposure to extreme heat or cold, long holiday hours, and heavy lifting — but we’ve come a long ways from the days of the Pony Express, right?
According to the Postal Employee Network, working for the post office may be legitimately unhealthy for you.
http://postalemployeenetwork.com/news/2010/06/working-for-usps-may-be-dangerous-to-your-health/
Reading the comments section below the above article definitely brought out the cons of being a postal employee, especially the mail carrier positions. Disgruntled employees came out of the woodwork with their own personal tales of woe.
Many spoke of injuries to their backs and joints due to rushing to haul loads of heavy mail in order to meet deadlines.
One particular comment rang true. “It all depends on your Postmaster.”
Got a great boss? Your life doing a hard job may not feel so bad. You roll with the punches.
One punch you don’t need to ever “roll” with is pushing yourself to do your job while injured. Not even your boss has the right to ask you to do this. Doing so will only further damage your body.
Such long-term damage could change your whole life and destroy your ability to work altogether. You’re not a cheap asset just waiting to be used up and tossed away!
If you’re afraid to tell your boss about your pain, willing yourself right now to continue working while experiencing significant pain, there is hope!
In many situations, no matter who was at fault for a job-related injury, you have the right to workers’ compensation. A free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury/workers’ compensation lawyer will help you know if you have a case. http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html
If you qualify, your lawyer will also instruct you about the specific steps you need to take to protect yourself.
Meanwhile, records, records, records!
Be sure to document in writing your injuries for yourself, your doctor, and your employer. In fact, handing your doctor in writing questions and specific facts about your injuries may inspire him to be meticulous about your case.
A three ring binder with pocket folders is very helpful for organizing. Keep records of everything! (Your workers’ compensation lawyer will love you for this, too. )
What if your injuries are not job-related?
While your options are much more limited, talking to your boss or your HR department is a good first step.
According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, any company that has more than 50 employees is required to grant 12 weeks of unpaid leave if the employee has worked for them at least one year. At least this keeps your job intact!
Smaller companies often will find a way to use you in a limited capacity while you heal. You can check out this article to find other ideas to help navigate through this rough patch. http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2014/01/21/injured-and-unable-to-work-what-to-do.html
Injured on the job in Missouri? You need a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney. The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC will give you a fair evaluation of your case. Call 636-244-3737 today!
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