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

[Jay Weigel]

What a great thing, Mike! You deserve a break today....and for awhile.....

On Fri, Mar 23, 2018 at 11:02 AM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
>