[Magdalen] Well, here's how it's all been going down.

[Scott Knitter]

Mike, this is such good news! A better way forward. You need and deserve
every minute of this break!

On Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 5:59 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Such good news of a plan that “works” for you Mike!
> Lynn
>
> On Mar 22, 2018, at 3:31 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Wishing you all the best with this process as it evolves – and hoping that
> you receive this message!
>
> Marion, a pilgrim
>
> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>
> From: M J _Mike_ Logsdon
> Sent: March 22, 2018 4:24 PM
> To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
> Subject: [Magdalen] Well, here's how it's all been going down.
>
> Last Tuesday some might recall I was holding onto my final thread of
> thinking I could continue in my job.  I went to bed that night fully
> knowing that early the next morning I was going to email my resignation.
> And when I woke up, and realised the previous day hadn't been a dream,
> reality came crashing back in, but this time with something new.  Like a
> pleasant flash bulb the idea hit me that, just like the boss who was making
> all this misery possible had told me two years previous when my vasulitis
> was in full bloom and Stanford treatment, that I literally purchase SDI
> with each paycheck (for those whose states may call it something different,
> SDI = state disability insurance, in my case only temporary because I will
> never have the option for permanent * ), and as such am always within my
> rights to avail myself of it.  With what was the first of several waves of
> relief (and which continue), I sat down at the computer and composed not a
> resignation email, but a notice email that I was shortly to be filing for
> SDI and FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act; CA has its own version, which runs
> simultaneously).  (FMLA is actually the most important part of the picture,
> because [a] with a doctor's certification [which I got on Friday] my
> County-paid medical insurance premium will continue to be paid each month,
> and [b] with the near-impossibility of employer denial [in my case anyway]
> I am guaranteed a job to go back to [which will be June 7, exactly one day
> after the completion of the maximum 12 weeks FMLA allows], even if my job
> duties and supervisorial overlordship are different [which wouldn't bother
> me none].)
>
> A weak attempt on the part of my supervisor was made to "get me to talk"
> (ie, meet) with either her, her boss (general manager), or both.  In such a
> situation, such is not legally required, so other than, via email response
> to hers, stating the generically obvious fact that I'd reached a point in
> our section of mental and emotional discomfort such that I could not
> adequately perform my job, I made it clear that no other direct
> communication was either necessary or required (as per my research of my
> rights), and that even if it were I at this time would not feel comfortable
> doing so.  I said "generically obvious" earlier, in that the wording was
> extremely non-specific, and that the point was obvious, even if only to her
> as the only official witness to how she'd been treating me in such an
> unpredictable fashion over the previous two years that literally each day I
> came to work not knowing what was in store for me.  (Read:  unhealthy work
> environment.)
>
> From that point forward, my only communication was with our benefits
> coordinator at County Human Resources downtown, who proved extremely
> helpful all the way through to yesterday when she confirmed for me that
> everything had been confirmed, approved, and I'd be receiving the letter in
> the mail (today, no doubt).  She was even so good as to provide me with
> confirmation (which I'd asked my own peeps at the Agency twice for but was
> ignored both times) that my final timesheet prior to leave beginning had
> been both submitted and approved.  (A very important paycheck, as it
> represents both April rent and April medical insurance accounted for the
> "normal" way.)
>
> Next hurdle, SDI.  Hurdle, because even though I pay for it, the state
> could easily say I don't qualify for it with this leave of absence.  As my
> doc warned me (who's definitely on board for his part of the filing), they
> could easily say "Everyone gets stressed at work."  But if that doesn't
> work (and let's all hope it does; it's not like I'm asking for much),
> Everett and I will definitely be okay, as there's a couple other sources of
> money at our disposal, not the least of which is his savings which he more
> than generously made available, even before my telling him I'd definitely
> pay him back.
>
> So, I've got 2+ months of what I've needed literally for years now:  an
> uninterrupted break, a vacation as it were, in which to finally, ...
> finally, ... regroup, rest, and heal.  And yes, definitely heal.  If I'm
> still working for the same supervisor when I return, she has no idea just
> how calm, how centered, how balanced, and how self-confident an underling
> she'll be dealing with.  I will no longer be stomped on.  Period.  I can
> only pray I will present such a stance with a smile, or at least something
> closely akin.
>
> Thanks to all for your prayers.  I wish I could say I no longer need them!
>
> ( * I am never to be eligible for permanent disability because I didn't
> work under Soc Sec long enough to have earned it.  The Agency, until 2011,
> did not participate, and in 2011 when we all had a choice I opted, for as
> long as I'm an Agency employee, to remain outside.)
>
> M J (Mike) Logsdon.
>
> "Aaugh[.]" -- Charles Brown.
> "Avoid dull needles and use a soft cloth." -- E Kovacs.
> "...[My mouth is a] shithole..." -- 45th US President.
>
>


-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA