After Marine son is wounded, woman lobbies to expand family leave act

[unhappycamper]

Marcia Chmill was denied rights under the Family Medical Leave Act by her employer when her son John, now 26, was severly injured during his second tour in Iraq in 2004. Chmill worked to make sure an amendment was added to the act securing rights for parents of adult children injured while serving in the military. Here John stands behind his mother (in his Pittsburgh home) and a slew of letters and emails she sent to and received from government officials about the amendment.


After Marine son is wounded, woman lobbies to expand family leave act
By Emily Brown ,Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, May 22, 2008

PITTSBURGH — Marcia Chmill was able to bring her son John, a corporal in the Marine Reserves, home to Pittsburgh after he had spent a month at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

He was alive. She was so happy, she never mourned the loss of her son’s left eye or dwelled on the fact that two-thirds of his left hand was gone. His physical therapy was going well. John was making progress after several surgeries. A halo stabilized his shattered right leg.

But then came her own setback.

Her employer, the University of Pittsburgh, denied her coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act and said if she took any more time off to help her son, her job would be terminated. Her three-year battle was just beginning.

"How am I going to take care of my son?" Chmill asked. "In my heart I knew a mother can get her son to heal better (than a stranger) by tending to him."


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54979

[old mark]

1. It is apalling to me

that a university would be as shitty as they have been. I worked forthe State of PA in Civil Service, and had a constant fight to gain and use even unpaid Family Leave to care for my wife.
She has been on disability for many years, has Hep C and widespread bone disorders.
I had been written up, denied leave, called a liar, acused of being absent because of drug abuse, and blamed for many personnel problems for "encouraging" other people to use Family Leave for their family health problems.
In the last five years, I also sufferred 2 heart attacks, a quad bypass, and a pacemaker installation. I was disciplined after returning to work from these surgeries, and they were listed in my record as "long absences".

The administration of this law is terrible-it is being used to punish the people it was designed to protect, but then again, what's new.
I wish Ms Chmill and her son all the best.
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