July 31, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
My children and I are in a desperate situation and I will take anyone’s help. On July 7th, 2006, I was fired from my job as a Licensed Practical Nurse, a position I held with the Western New York Developmental Disability Services Office, for two years. I was fired and lost my main source of income during my 20th week of a twin gestation. When I refused to go out on medical leave and stated my concerns about my restriction’s being repeatedly broken, the New York State agency that prides itself on taking care of the needs of the disabled, fired me. Leaving me as a pregnant single mother with a 5-year-old child to rot on the welfare system.
Today, Thursday July 31, 2008, my second court date was cancelled and needed to be rescheduled, for a later date, due to a “schedule conflict.” Two business days before my court date of Monday August 4th, 2008. I am two months behind on my mortgage, my gas has been shut off for over a month, the “children’s Love Fund” gives me money to get my disabled son to medical appointments and we live on food stamps and “government charity’s.” Mentally, I have spent to many hours worried about if and when justice will be served.
As a reasonable person, I look at my situation and the whole system makes no sense. The facts are clearly outlined by the court and the justice system. The Developmental Disability Services Office does not deny wrongdoing. The judicial system clearly states, I’m entitled to back wages and compensatory damages. Why am I living on the welfare system, taking money from the good people of New York State, (which officially declared a recession today) while I await a judgment that is clearly stated?
I am a respectable person with a solid work history and work ethic. I have served in the United States army, receiving two Army Achievement Medals and several citations for my work ethics. Than I drove semi truck over the road to save up enough money to purchase my home. I than became pregnant with my first son, Dusty and went to school to be a nurse, using the system to help with food stamps and childcare. I only used government assistance while I went to school. Once I started working for WCA hospital, I was able to support my child and I again. When the job with the state became available, I was excited. With my military background and state benefits, we were set. That is until; I became pregnant with my twins. To this day, I still find it hard to believe that a State agency would treat a woman veteran so badly in the twenty first century.
My friends, my lawyer and the Department of Human Rights have all asked me “What is it worth to me? How much money will make it right?” I answer back, “ How do you calculate the damage?” There is simply no amount of money that would make me relive what the Western New York Developmental Disability Services Office put my children and I thru. All I wanted to do was provide an income for my children and I. Everyday when I went into work, I had to endure constant harassment from my Supervisor. My supervisor knowingly jeopardized my unborn children’s health, by breaking all of my restrictions. How would any of you feel, if your employer day after day put your unborn children’s health in danger? If you then, did what I did and sit down with your supervisor and regional supervisor and ask them to abide by your doctors restrictions, only to be told, “if you can’t do your job like everyone else than you need to go out on leave!”
How much is it worth to be so upset that you go to your doctors to get an antidepressant to stop spending your days crying over a hopeless situation. Only to hear, “I can give you an antidepressant to calm your mood but there is a 1 in 6 chance that the medicine will cause pulmonary hypertension in the baby’s (which is fatal). The FDA just sent out a warning about putting women on antidepressants after there 20th week of gestation. Come back if you think you may hurt yourself.” After two weeks, going back to the doctors stating that, “if something is not done we all will die.” How much money is that worth to you? Or the babies being born early at 34 weeks, was it due to the constant stress I was under during the pregnancy? Or bringing the 5-pound babies home after a week hospital stay to find out the electric company is going to shut off the utilities? The whole time knowing in the back of your mind that the situation was avoidable, if the law was followed?
I have done a lot of soul searching over the past two years on what would be fare. Where I would be if I would ‘eve been aloud to work. And where I ended up because I was discriminated against. No one will tell me what my experience is truly worth to make it right, not the lawyer, the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Service Office nor the Department of Human Rights. After careful consideration I believe that 60 thousand dollars would right the wrongs, if that were what the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Service Office would like to do. 80 Thousand if the Department was truly sorry.
In conclusion, I simply need to move on as fast as possible from the negativity that my employer exposed my life to. My 21month old son, Tobias Samuel Glenn has gone thru 7 surgeries already in his life. He needs my attention, not this issue. I am on the deans’ list at the local community college, for my RN degree to support my family. This needs my attention, not a case that is two years old. The 94-year-old man next door, Louis Baglia, needs his money to pay his heating bills. Not to continue to support me on welfare assistance well the courts change dates further and further away.
I am willing to talk to anyone that is able to assist me in expediting my court case or help in settling this issue with my former employer.
I can be contacted at:
Jeanette Glenn
124 Barrett Ave
Jamestown, NY 14701
I appreciate your time,
Jeanette Glenn
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