This is both a personal and a political post.
I have posted recently about the differences between health care costs here in Brazil and back in the US. I think I may have commented in other posts on the differences between sick time off for employees here and in the US.
Now I would like to comment on a very real situation which highlights the differences.
Right now – today - I am worrying about a very dear personal member of my close circle who has just undergone life-threatening surgery in the United States. S/he is doing fine – thank the heavens.
What strikes me as outrageous is that back in the States s/he is grateful that his/her employer will not fire him/her for being sick. His/her medical situation requires at least four weeks off from work, yet his/her employer will grant only two weeks – the rest will be without pay.
S/he has expressed appreciation that his/her employer will "allow" him/her to work the other two weeks via laptop in bed at home. S/he is GRATEFUL to be able to work from her/his recovery bed at home so she can at least make a little income during her unpaid leave time. WTF?
Hello?!
Call me crazy, but I prefer a country that gives workers the time they need to recover – without stripping them of their income. Here in Brazil a worker would not be forced to choose between medical recovery and paying one’s rent. You would be given the time to recover, with pay. It is a worker's right. Greedy, heartless companies do not have a say in the matter.
Hello America! Your system is broken!!
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1 comment:
You are so right! When my husband had his spontaneous pnuemothorax, people thought he was crazy for working from home after he was out of the hospital. There was no risk of him losing his job and he was encouraged to stay home without working.
Not to mention, he spent 4days in the ICU, and more than a week in a room. I didn't receive one call from my insurance and didn't pay a cent!
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