Woman Loses Benefits over Facebook Photo

Originally posted by getreadyalready
I forgot to mention earlier. It is very, very easy to set your profile to "private!"

She wanted all the world to see her happy photos, and so they did!

That is true, but facebook keep all the information, that could be used against you later. But for the moment you can change your profile to private. But strangely enough, the default is set to public if you're on the same network as the profile you're viewing. It's easy to join a network if for example, you're at the same university etc.

The privacy settings allow your friends to view, or just selected friends. But people add friends so often now, the former is hardly a private setting.

[edit on 23-11-2009 by john124]

Originally posted by KyoZero
So let's get this straight...she is in such major depression she can't get herself up to work but she can go out and party?

This is exactly what I thought when I read this news!

If you are in such a depressive state, you won't go to party.

End of story.

If she can manage to get out to "socialize" and have some fun, she's in perfect state as well to go to work and fulfill her responsibilities.

Neither facebook nor the insurance are the problem here.

I dunno. Not enough info to really make a call. I have a pal who is chronically depressed. She ison meds for it, but they just blunt the symptoms some. Yet, she can still laugh if she hears something funny. Depression is not a 100% always on thing. You have good days and bad days. The good days are ok and she could probably even work on the good days. The bad days are very bad, and work is not an option.

A company like IBM will not tolerate an employee who can work Monday, not work tuesday and wednesday, work part of the day thursday, and not work friday.

reply to post by plutoxgirl


Possibly she was that day, but the photo doesn't prove she was happy the rest of the week, or the week after etc - Which obviously matter. I'm sure the definition of depression doesn't require somebody to never smile.

A photo isn't a scientific metholody to determine somebody's well-being, so her doctor's opinion should over-rule facebook.

[edit on 23-11-2009 by john124]

reply to post by john124


It seems reasonable to me that a doctor may prescribe fun for a depressed patient. If she lost benefits for that then there must be more to it than that. It also seems rather crazy that they would base this result on a facebook photo or a series of photos. Does that not create a precedent? If one looks depressed on facebook can they now claim they are depressed and get benefits? Obviously a photo is a perfectly acceptable form to show the state of mind of someone, and they are way cheaper than a professional. I think we should all get to have fun on our insurance companies dime now!(J/K of course)

Oh yeah, isn't healthcare free in Canada? How can they remove benefits, doesn't that just mean the government picks up the tab in their single payer system? She is the same as before, except now she doesn't have to pay for insurance. Last time I checked, Clinical Depression was a medical problem.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


My problem with this whole scenario is what the hell is IBM giving workers comp for depression anyway?

I mean, come on. We're all depressed. It's a freaking depressing world. Get over it, get help, or put yourself in an institution that can help you if you are that bad. But workers comp?

They show those depression commercials to make everyone think they have some condition, then they tell them no theyre not depressed when it's time to pay up. They can't have it both ways. Also the argument that she was 'happy in the photos' so is not depressed, is the stupidest thing I've read all day. It is shoddy black and white logic, the kind low IQ cops use.

Come on. She is so depressed that she is unable to work but she seems to be well enough to go out and have a good time and also maintain a Facebook page? What a load of BS.

We all get depressed sometimes. You have to suck it up and go to work even when you feel like crap. Sounds to me like someone playing the system so she doesn't have to work and get paid for it.

reply to post by Nutter

Well I suppose it's an illness that literally paralyzes some people. Someone said if she was out at a bar partying she could be at work. I'd speculate that even some of the most severely depressed can sometimes handle getting out there for an hour or two (working 60+ hours a week is a whole other story). And what better way to show the world that you're maybe "okay" again? Beyond this, I don't know.

one smiling picture doesnt mean anything, what a joke. im not sayin she isnt faking it. she could be. however, people with even the most severe depression smile sometimes. you can smile and be depressed. she needs help getting out of her depression, the last thing you should do is give her issues for tryin to be happy.

I would be more worried about someone that is taking antidepressants and drinking. all the anti depressant i know of have warning not to use with alcohol.
With depression people have there good days and bad.

If the good days are to the point that they are euphoric then its bipolar disorder.

This is just a another case of a insurance company dumping someone on a technicality.

I know a PI (independent contractor)that used to work for a insurance company till they edited one of his vidios and changed his written report on someone that was disabled.(this is something that could cause him to lose his PI license.)
He later testified for the disabled person in court.
There are a number of PIs that don't care its just a paycheck for them for everyone that the insurance company can drop by hook or crook.

Originally posted by andy1033
reply to post by JohnPhoenix

 

But the thing is she was out socializing, which means she could goto work.

You don't understand depression at all and I would advise you not to comment on something so severe, when you are so completely pig ignorant about it!

Originally posted by MR BOB
thoughts are. i find it amazing that one can get benefits for having the blues..

This post is sickening!

Depression is not "getting the blues", depression is when you wake up in the morning and your whole soul cries out in pain with the realisation that you must face another day. It is when every last drop of energy has left you and you have no motivation or will to do anything but stay in bed, preying you never see anybody.

When you feel physical pain because of it and your mind tortures you, telling you how worthless and useless you are.

In fact, typing this is depressing me and I'm going to quit.

People who have never suffered depression really cannot understand just how bad it is and to those people, never ever belittle it! Do you realise that depression is the biggest killer of young men in Britain and the USA??

Originally posted by plutoxgirl

Originally posted by KyoZero
So let's get this straight...she is in such major depression she can't get herself up to work but she can go out and party?

This is exactly what I thought when I read this news!

If you are in such a depressive state, you won't go to party.

End of story.

If she can manage to get out to "socialize" and have some fun, she's in perfect state as well to go to work and fulfill her responsibilities.

Neither facebook nor the insurance are the problem here.

Rubbish!

In fact, something her Doctor, counsellor or psychologist will be doing is working on getting her to socialise, go out and spend time with her friends. The Doctors will see that as being extremely important.
If she was at the state where she really couldn't get out for a night and smile once in a while, not only would she be on sickness benefit but her depression would be classed as so severe that she would likely need hospital, psychiatric treatment.

It's pretty despicable that there are people here who are suggesting that she basically hasn't got a right to go out and enjoy herself, as if she did, it would be proof that she is dishonestly claiming benefit.
There is a huge difference between being in a working environment and being in a bar with close friends, after having a few drinks.

This woman will get all her missing money back, I can assure you of that, because I know what depression is and I know how it is treated medically and how it is treated in the courts. She will be refunded and whoever stopped her claim will be sacked.

[edit on 24-11-2009 by triplesod]

reply to post by ~Lucidity


Well, my thoughts are that if she can go out and party and maintain a facebook page while she's at it, then the least she could be able to do is work from home.

Also, obviously she wasn't depressed when she got the job. If she isn't able to do her daily routine because of her "condition" then she should be placed somewhere where she can perform from home or something. But, to give workers comp for someone who "just can't make it to work because I'm sooooo depressed"? Please.

Originally posted by triplesod
This post is sickening!

Depression is not "getting the blues", depression is when you wake up in the morning and your whole soul cries out in pain with the realisation that you must face another day. It is when every last drop of energy has left you and you have no motivation or will to do anything but stay in bed, preying you never see anybody.

Well then how did she get a job in the first place?

Also, boo hoo.

I have a chronic illness that I have to take medication for. The medication makes me sick (stomach craps and all that goes along with it if you know what I mean) on a daily basis.

Now, if I couldn't get up and go to work each day (and yes, it IS painful most days) I loose my job.

But this woman gets workers comp for "depression". Please.

It's pretty despicable that there are people here who are suggesting that she basically hasn't got a right to go out and enjoy herself, as if she did, it would be proof that she is dishonestly claiming benefit.

No. What is despicable is that she is on benefits for "depression".

This woman will get all her missing money back, I can assure you of that, because I know what depression is and I know how it is treated medically and how it is treated in the courts. She will be refunded and whoever stopped her claim will be sacked.

So, I can't claim workers comp for my dibilitating illness but she gets a free ride for being "depressed"? That is despicable.

[edit on 25-11-2009 by Nutter]

reply to post by Nutter

Sorry about your illness and that you can't get compensation for it. However, to be this ugly, not to mention illogical, about someone who also more than likely has a severe illness and can get disability benefits without really knowing all the details is pretty weird.

www.dumpert.nl...
** photo's


This is the woman mentioned in the article.. she looks really depressing..
poor girl

Its moments like these that make it fully clear to me that something is wrong with the people of this earth, i mean how could this possibly happen ? Are we losing the plot ?

reply to post by ~Lucidity


Why couldn't she work from home? It is IBM after all.

reply to post by jasperaldo


Nothing depressed about that party girl.
Wonder if she used her benefits to pay for that very visible boob job?

Originally posted by Nutter
reply to post by ~Lucidity

 

Why couldn't she work from home? It is IBM after all.

Subtract the Facebook, add a webcam, multiply the 1-800 numbers, and she is in biz....