[Hi Ruby ,

You neuro is a big JERK--working for a major company in HR and union issues FMLA is a law and you can sue your employer if terminated for missing time under FMLA-- if you have good reviews at work etc....the court will see right thru the garbage. You owe it to yourself to find a DR who works as a patients advocate --not against them --I wouldnt want to put my health or life with any DR who said this garbage---and who is not looking out for his patients best intrest. Your neuro sounds likes he has his own political issues or personal issues with FMLA which should have no factor in protecting the well being of his patients. Please find another DR asap. I been on the job 25 yrs and had cancer and neck fusion and I have a demanding job --no problem ever with FMLA --and our company is so big we use a thrid party vendor --who we know trys to reject the paperwork first time usually for any petty issues-- but thats why I stress the importance of DR who supports his patients needs. Please find another DR. Best wishes always.

Hi, and sorry about all your issues with your strange Neurologist.

There really should be no issue with the neurologist signing off on the FMLA, if he stands by his diagnosis.

I had FMLA, started 4 months after injury, after having been given notice about taking "too much time off for PTO ( our version of sick time - lol, 'personal time off' - so personal they have rules about how often you can use it) in a given work period. My PCP filled out the first form, my Neurologist filled out a backup a few months later - both for intermitent time off as needed for Chronic / Acute Headaches from Concussion/PCS.

I filed FMLA for 2 years, for intermittent time off, without difficulty - because I insisted on working "through" my problems. However, since no real resolution was occurring with maximizing of medication, and new symptoms were also evolving throughout the course of the 2 years, I eventually missed a "deadline" for filing the next FMLA, and it was near that time the employer finally "offered" some sort of "accomodation" to my work schedule or job status, when my problems were maximizing my troubles with focus and cognition....so I really couldn't understand what they were going on about.

Long story short - I was terminated within weeks of that "accomodation" offer, due to "excessive absenteeism".......before I could focus enough to try to figure it out, (in Maryland there is a statute of 180 day limitation on wrongful termination) I couldn't even get 1 co-worker to discuss how I was treated throughout the course of the injury and my schedule and the end result for collaboration - so attempts at lawsuit were out of the question.
Especially whilst in the throws of my cognitive problems, focus, and other symptoms - and the family being totally unable to help.

Back on point - the FMLA, of late, and most anything set in motion in the past by the Federal statutes has had some work arounds set in motion by State's Labor departments, and not denied by the Federal level, in that they are not as strongly anti - State as they were at their inception - so States, and employers do have much more recourse to be able to get around the rules and "stick it to" the employee, and we have the "malingerers" to thank for that.

Insurance Reasons
 

I have worked in the health insurance industry for over 15 years. The reason your doctor would say this is because employers share and use this information to see what health problems future employees have. For example, if an employer has a small group employer group health plan and one employee has cancer or some other diagnosis that is serious or will end up costing the insurance company money they look at is as a risk factor and they rate the entire group up. All the employees in that company that are covered under the small group employers health plan would have to pay more. Employers who offer insurance like to find people who have minimum problems so they can keep their rates low.
Also, an employer looks at an employee as an investment. They spend time and money training etc. if that employee has a past history of taking extended time off for any reason they look at that employee as a bad investment.
Not fair, and they are not supposed to share this information or have it held against you but I have seen them do just that time and again.

I work at a County job, so they have plenty of employees. I went back to HR and they told me to tell them again to fill out the paperwork. I've got a week to do it or I'll be terminated. I then asked HR if my primary Doctor could fill it out since he referred me to the Neurologist and they said no "the neurologist has to fill it out since he wrote the no work excuse. I did send an email to the "United States Department of Labor" and they would send a reply within 3 days.