Worker's Being Fired Over Hurricane Frances

These are some examples of people losing more than property from Florida's recent hurricanes. It's not due to damage at their employment either, it's from not making it back to work on time.

www.wesh.com...

(Channel 2 - WESH in central Florida)

These examples involve city employees and hospital nurses. I know they are considered essential personnel and were badly needed after the storms, but they are people with families that they put first - wouldn't you? I also doubt their wages would support the risks to their own families if they didn't evacuate.

This one really bothers me. Their employers probabaly feel they need to set examples, but at the same time there have to be exceptions (small children they are responsible for, etc.).

You would at least think the managers would give those people a little leeway after all there was a hurricane blowing out of control and things that are affected by that would take pride of place like making sure your family is safe how can you fire someone for not turning up straight after such an event. (People these days huh)

My wife is a nurse here in Columbus Ohio. I remember her saying that there is some state or national rule (I forget) that requires all medical workers be at their hospitals during times to national emergencies. I will ask my wife about it later for more details - she is in bed right now.

If I remember it correctly the city has to declare some type of extreme emergency and all workers in the medical field must respond to their work places. Even if workers did not respond I don�t think they would be fired here because there is a huge nursing shortage.

We get some fairly bad winters here in Ohio. There are times that the city will declare the roads unsafe to drive. So, if you are out driving on the roads you will be arrested - Except of course if you are a medical worker. I always thought sucked. My wife isn�t a terrible driver but when there are gigantic snowplows stuck in ditches I really don�t want my wife out driving around on the frozen roads, but I guess that�s part of the job.

Originally posted by zerotime

My wife is a nurse here in Columbus Ohio. I remember her saying that there is some state or national rule (I forget) that requires all medical workers be at their hospitals during times to national emergencies. I will ask my wife about it later for more details - she is in bed right now.

My wife isn�t a terrible driver but when there are gigantic snowplows stuck in ditches I really don�t want my wife out driving around on the frozen roads, but I guess that�s part of the job.

See I understand that there may be rules like that if you are in the medical field, but I don't see how they can be enforced like that if someone can't guarantee your safety and that of your family in the meantime. But there is a nursing shortage everywhere so I am sure they will find work elsewhere.

As for city workers, that goes too far. I wonder how many employed by the private sector had a problem like this too.

The company I work for has about 100 employees. Some of them didn't make it back for over a week and we didn't have any word from them at all. We had tried to find out ahead of time what peoples plans were, but it was impossible. The important thing when they showed up was that they were okay. In situations like emergencies and disastors when everyone is left to fend for themselves and their own families you just can't go that far.

Originally posted by zerotime

My wife is a nurse here in Columbus Ohio. I remember her saying that there is some state or national rule (I forget) that requires all medical workers be at their hospitals during times to national emergencies.

If I remember it correctly the city has to declare some type of extreme emergency and all workers in the medical field must respond to their work places. Even if workers did not respond I don�t think they would be fired here because there is a huge nursing shortage.

This is true down here for many jobs. I currently work in the medical field, but can attest that it is also true in the airlines, police, and the hospitals. I had one relative that works at a hospital in Lakeland, and was told to pack for three days after her shift on the night Frances hit. Most hospital Ids have a note on the back to allow travel through areas that the police have blocked off so you can still get to work. A friend of mine works in the Department of Corrections, and some of the personnel that called in there, got their tails put in slings as well. Back in the airport days, people where expected to work right up to the last minute, getting anything that could fly out of town, bedding down equipment, but where allowed to leave once this was accomplished. You had to have people back there to greet the first flights coming back to town and fix any equipment damage though as well, and again that meant driving back through the tail end of the storm.

Just seems to me you have to map this out. There will always be the people who will be able and willing in an emergency to be there. But there are people who can't. This has to be planned ahead of time. If you have small children, etc. and other conerens that tie your hands you can't be on the list for mandatory.

Major accolades to the ones who do stay behind and face it all, but it's just not realistic that everyone can.

Also, there is a diffrence between medics & civil servants. Geez, the city where I work the City Manager was unavailable due to family emergency. I backed off. You have to understand.

Well, They where public works employee�s, who do you think does most of the clean up after a storm hits�

There is water contamination to check for, road debris to clear, trash that has to be picked up from one side of the city to the other. Then you have the support personnel for those departments, the people that take phone calls, etc�
If I am not mistaken, DOT, the Water Department, and waste disposal all fall under Public Works.

Now my sister works for the court, and they got most of the week off, because that was an unnecessary department for the city at that time.

As far as letting some people off due to family, well that is going to fall under the problem that you cannot discriminate against someone just because they�re single. You cannot expect someone to work every emergency and let the same people have time off, that�s totally unfair. So these departments unusually let you know upon hiring that you will be expected to work during city emergencies, everyone not just the people without family.

If you don't like the rules, get a different job. Do I blame the workers? Hell no I would put my family first before any job. If you take that kind of job, then you have to put up with all it comes with.

This is small potatoes compared to all the military folks who have to go to Iraq & fight a war, whether or not they believe in the reasons behind the war. Of course if they don't show up they go to jail.

k outsider - but we are talking about an act of nature - not an act of war

Almost fogot to add.

If you really were concerned with your family then maybe you would have taken steps to make sure you kept your job.