Mother Suspended From Work For Taking Deployed Son's Call

[The Straight Story]

Mother Suspended From Work For Taking Deployed Son's Call

When loved ones are deployed, communication is precious—and sometimes few and far between. With her son only able to call once or twice a month, answering her cell phone when that rare call from Afghanistan came in was a no-brainer for one Tennessee-based mother. But by doing so, she nearly put her job in jeopardy.

On Valentine's Day, Teresa Danford, an employee of Crane Interiors in Woodbury, Tenn., was suspended for three days without pay for answering her son’s phone call. Danford told CBS-affiliate WTVF that her managers informed her that she would be fired if it happened again.

Danford’s son, Lance Cpl. Mark Rhyne, was deployed to Afghanistan seven months ago.

“You don’t want to miss a word, because truthfully that might be the last time you hear from them,” Danford told WTVF.

http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/116565943.html

[Brickbat]

1. Shameful.

[proud2BlibKansan]

Horrible.

Hopefully the media attention will shame this company into realizing it made a huge mistake.

[Bryn]

2. All the more reason to stand with unions

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. How would a union help in this situation?

I'm not following that reasoning. Union members still get fired for silly reasons.

[Generic Other]

12. Well they get reasonable time off for family leave emergencies

answering the phone from a son in a war zone might qualify.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. That's also a law

This woman probably has a claim under Family and Medical Leave Act.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

33. Um, no - for many reasons.

One of which is an adult child is not a qualified dependent for FMLA - nor is being in the military.

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. Family and Medical Leave covers adult family members as well

I used it when my elderly parents needed me to take off work to care for them. I also have a friend on leave right now caring for her adult son with cancer.

[JVS]

35. Because unions are much less likely to tolerate a "no cell phones" policy, as was in place at that..

job site.

At worst, even if there was such a policy, the union could still say "We think you should cut this case some slack, because if you don't we're going to look for every possible grievance we can find from now on."

[Tansy_Gold]

4. You said it. n/t

[redwitch]

5. That was awful of them. And really stupid.

How could anyone be so unfeeling? And the negative publicity can't be good for business. I hope someone else offers her a better job so she can say CYA to those morans.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. "This company isn't unionized. It's a wonderful company"

and its not in Vermont


nuff said

[Scruffy1]

25. Union YES

[lpbk2713]

7. "Support the Troops"

I'll bet the owners have the obligatory bumper sticker on their gas hogs.

[we can do it]

39. GMTL

[KamaAina]

8. Why do they hate America so much?

:banghead:

[lsewpershad]

9. F..ng Pigs

[Generic Other]

10. That sure shows their true colors

Man. The workplace is a cold environment. Who dares deny that many Americans are total wage slaves? A reminder that bosses carry every size of whip and chain.

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. Agh! Why do I let myself get sucked into reading the idiotic commentary?

[leftstreet]

18. DU needs a GD: Bad Things Mothers Do Forum

Maybe even put in under BREAKING NEWS!!!11

:eyes:

[The_Commonist]

22. Yeah, but the reviews...

...on Google are priceless!
This company is gonna be sorry.

[Newsjock]

Marine's Mother Receives Apology for Phone Call Suspension

Source: WTVF

... Since a story about her situation aired on NewsChannel 5 Thursday, the factory has received threats and harassing phone calls.

Now the general manager is apologizing, and taking back Danford's suspension. Danford will be paid for the days she didn't work, and Crane Interiors has revised it's no cell phone policy. General Manager Chris Anderson says, "We have several retired military personnel that currently work for us, and their service along with Ms. Danford's son's service to our great country is greatly appreciated by all, within the Crane Interiors family."

"We appreciate all that have served in the past, those that currently serve, and all that will serve in the future," Anderson continued. "May God bless them all, and bring them home safely. Again, we apologize to all that were affected by this situation."

Read more: http://www.newschannel5.com/story/14065045/marines-mother-receives-apology-for-phone-call-suspension

[lpbk2713]

15. An apology under duress is not an apology.

Fuggem.

The Mom is right. He's a Marine in a hot zone. Her latest
call may indeed be the last time she hears her son's voice.

[beac]

20. "We are sorry

we got caught and even sorrier we will have to behave like decent human beings in the future." -Crane Interiors

[Missy Vixen]

27. According to what I read in the other thread

This isn't the first time her son has called her cell phone at work from wherever he was and she's been disciplined for it. The company told her that "next time" it happened, she'd be fired.

Yeah, I'm a cynic, but maybe it would be best for the woman to start looking for another job. Crane Interiors will just wait until the press attention dies down, her son will call again, and she'll lose her job.

[Lars39]

13. Contact Info for Crane Interiors:

http://crane-interiors.com/Page3.html

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. nope. On phone, no email. Just fax number.

[Phentex]

29. Their phone number is all over the web...

they probably took it off the company web page to make people have to click a little more.

[gatorboy]

14. Scumbags got caught and backpedaled.

I'm sure tea baggers will be there in no time to defend the company....

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Support the troops! My ass...

[lonestarnot]

19. Ask her, I bet she would agree she needs a union.

[Ken_Fish]

23. Bet her manager is out of a job and apology is on way..

that is pretty heartless. Common sense and decency are grasping for air these days.

[Scruffy1]

26. Manager will get an attaboy

If my forty years of experience means anything.

[Ken_Fish]

31. Man I hope not. Worked for punks in my time

but that is pretty terrible. I still can't grasp how a person could do that without feeling like a scumbag.

[Initech]

24. Way to support the troops, asswipes.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

28. Did anyone read this? It's in the article.

Crane general manager Chris Anderson says the company has apologized to Danford.

And I believe that she is getting her back pay. I think the LA Times article had that info...

[niyad]

36. but, peggy, that was only AFTER they made national news. the fact that they suspended her in the

first place is the news.

[southernyankeebelle]

30. That's what you get in a right to work state. Employees only right is to bow and say yes master.

[Fire1]

32. Got a union?? n/t

[northofdenali]

37. Suppot 'dem troops, eh fatcats:?

[we can do it]

38. Just One More Illustration of How Shitty Companies Treat Employees

like so much disposable trash.........just disgusting

[SaveAmerica]

40. That's disgusting, I've been there and done that and when you miss that rare call it's HORRIBLE!!!

They should spend some time in the shoes of someone who has a loved one over there, it's miserable. What did these guys think, he was calling from the mall down the road or something?