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Anyone who has taken FMLA please respond - all smiles

Posted: Apr 24, 2015

Hi,

I'm considering filing intermittent FMLA for chronic photophobia. Periodically I cannot look at the monitor and thus cannot work because of it. I have 8 hours PTO left and if I am out of PTO, I need FMLA to cover me taking off without pay.

I'm a good producer, show up and work my schedule, high quality, and handle 4 accounts on a weird evening/weekend shift (my choice of work times) so that I do not run out of work. Previous to this year, I was rarely OOW, but now even with 4 accounts (one of which is very very huge) and an evening/weekend schedule, I have been OOW quite a bit.

Here are my concerns:

1) My accounts would be reduced to one primary and one secondary so that I would repeatedly run out of work.

2) If my account left, then I would be leaving.

For anyone who has taken FMLA (particularly intermittent FMLA), after you filed, did they pull tricks and treat you so badly that you felt you had to quit and go somewhere else?

I would be intermittently taking off a few hours or even one day without pay if I have no PTO left for the very reason that the photophobia is so bad I cannot bear to look at the monitor it hurts so bad.

Are you working toward diagnosis, though? What your post sm - acuteMLS

[ In Reply To ..]
sounds like is that this could go on indefinitely.

The 2 scenarios aren't exactly "tricks", but yes I think it would be legal to limit your accounts and if you run out, you run out. It's also possible your primary or secondary could leave. They would have to give you an account to make up for that, but you'd have to learn a new account, etc. Again, not a "trick" but if something like that would cause you to quit, you should know it could happen.

While the employee has a right to FMLA, the employer reserves the right to staff their accounts reliably, so if you're taking off a few times a week, they may have to get other people on your account (which could also cause you to run out of work).

FMLA - Mollie

[ In Reply To ..]
I took FMLA last year due to a relative's illness and subsequent death. I was out two months and came back to my same account just as I had left it.

Just wondering - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I've never had a problem like this, or known anyone who did, but imagine it must be agonizing. Chronic pain of any kind is exhausting. Is it possible to lessen the intensity of the monitor's light or place a filtering screen in front of it? Can eyeglasses be made of some substance that could filter light effectively but still allow you to focus? Just wondering.

photophobia migraines - all smiles

[ In Reply To ..]
I've already adjusted the monitor, put a glare screen in front of it, tinted my glasses rose tint (recommended as best color to cut glare by ophthalmologist and optometrist), and everything else I could do for that end.

I really don't have headache, just severe eye pain in light, eye pain similar to my previous migraines when I had headache, nausea, and phonophobia also.

Ordinarily, I awake with photophobia and it is gone by the time I have to work my evening/night shift. Sometimes it is not and does not go away. I cannot drive in the morning, etc., until the photophobia goes down.

I just talked to the pharmacist who said neurologists recommend 200 mg of magnesium daily for chronic migraines. That might be the solution because about 2-1/2 to three years ago I stopped taking the calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement I used to take. That coincides with the start of this photophobia thing. So I bought calcium/magnesium/zinc tablets and started taking one daily today.

Will see what that does for me.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

Magnesium absorption - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
What works better for me in terms of absorption is either Epsom salts in the bath or magnesium oil on the skin. I have a hard time absorbing those chalky pills. Natural Calm in warm water before bed is also helpful. Good luck.

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