Migraines
Don D
9,834 Posts
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-01-02 AT 12:57PM (CST)[/font][p]Any of you have experience with migraines as an FMLA qualifier? What can I expect to encounter? If approved, it seems it would be a free ticket for the employee to miss 60 days annually (5 day week x 12 wks). I don't know frankly if this is a 'serious medical condition' or not.
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James Sokolowski
Senior Editor
M. Lee Smith Publishers
Some suffers will vomit and not be able to stand light. How would you like to work feeling that way? For that matter, how would you like to be at home in bed feeling that way? As a migraine sufferer myself, I would tell you they can be debilitating. I have had them last as long as 7 days and have felt so bad I thought I would do anything to be put out of my misery. I have never missed work but understand how someone might.
I don't know about qualifying for FMLA although I doubt it would but, if you believe this person has a performance issue, address that as the issue.
"The FMLA is not designed to cover minor illnesses or routine outpatient surgical procedures. Thus, abset complications, common illnesses such as headaches other than migraines, the common cold, upset stomachs, or other routine problems ordinarily will not qualify as "serious health conditions"."
The fact that it says "other than migraines" leads me to believe that the law is intended to cover them. I would and have covered them. You still need to get certification from a physician stating that the employee may have episodic periods of incapacity that will not allow them to work.
Good luck!
Nat
As a migraine sufferer myself, I can say that a severe migraine can make even driving to work impossible, let alone being productive once there. Classsic migraines often include visual impairment of varying degrees. The good news is that new medications can prevent or provide relief from migraines for many people... so, by requiring doctor's certification, you may actually do your employees a favor by encouraging them to get medical attention for their migraines.
For more info on migraines, try this link:
[[url]http://content.health.msn.com/condition_center/mig][/url]
That's someone who gives real migraine sufferers a bad image.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
It certainly sounds like Don D's employee is faking it, but not everyone is. Just be cautious before passing judgment.
One case, however, doesn't mean much. It is necessary to see trends before we can safely say that we should write policy in reaction to court cases.
I'd like to know what you end up doing with this employee. Thanks.
>12:57 PM (CST)[/font]
>
>Any of you have experience with migraines as an FMLA qualifier? What
>can I expect to encounter? If approved, it seems it would be a free
>ticket for the employee to miss 60 days annually (5 day week x 12
>wks). I don't know frankly if this is a 'serious medical condition' or
>not.
Don D. - I have quite a bit of experience with migraines as an FMLA qualifier. When I took over HR at my non-union facility, I found 4 people who had "FMLA" absences due to migraine headaches. Since there was no paperwork, I started over, obtained medical documentation and started the clock. Three of the individuals brought back the paperwork - one apparently decided that her migraines weren't that bad - or couldn't get her doctor to sign off. During the first three months one individual took several days off. Since then there have been very occasional and truly intermittent absences from all three but no abuses. And there was nothing like 60 days - ever. I found that migraines were FMLA qualified and that the sufferers did not abuse. Maybe I was just lucky.
As a migraine sufferer, I can only tell you that my worst day at work is better than any day spent at home with a migraine! I usually try to make it through at least part of the day to take care of essentials even when I have a migraine. I'm fortunate, most of the time I can take medication and get through a few hours. But on those occasions when I can't, you wouldn't want me on duty (if my work was hazardous or required critical decisions) with the accompanying nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, loss of concentration and my general rotten attitude and personality. After two or more days of the meds, the "hangover" effect makes me feel as if I'm in a haze somewhere. Fortunately as the HRM I'm not too dangerous. But, it's a one-person office, so my attendance is often times critical.
I wish my physician and I could find something to treat the cause and prevent the headaches from happening; the best we can do now, as for most people, is to treat the symptoms. But he would think I'm a nut if I showed up in his office everytime I have a migraine. We discuss the situation everytime I'm in his office anyway, so if anything new develops, we have regular discussions about new treatments, medications, therapies, etc. I doubt I would be able to get a same day appointment everytime anyway. Have you considered what these frequent office visits will do to your health insurance rates?
After reading these posts and a recent post from Don D (Paperwork? Sorry Charlie) I guess I better understand why some health care providers are charging a fee to fill out paperwork.
There is an article on WebMD at [url]http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1668.50057[/url]. This may be linked to a cookie on my computer. If so, go to htttp://www.webmd.com and do a search on that sight for "B2 Migraine". A link to the article should be the result.
I have been lucky since i've started on this regimen that my lost days due to migraines have decreased tremendously. Now it's just a couple of hours every couple of months. There were times when I'd be hospitalized for several days until we could get them tamed.
Migraines are serious health conditions and can lead to strokes. I know of several people who have suffered strokes as a result of migraines. There have been several studies done recently to show that migraines are comorbid (co-exist) with other medical conditions as well such as depression and some others. Although we don't have anyone currently on FMLA for migraines, if someone did come in and ask about it, you can bet I'd be very sympathetic to them if they did. Sympathetic, yes; pushover, NO!
>school in North MS but located in Central MS and they would certify
>whatever the brother and sisters from the other side of the campus
>wanted. Hope this helps! Pork
Pork: What in the devil are you talking about? Did you have a liquid lunch or what? I want you to accept this assignment for the weekend, then come back on Monday and explain to us what you consider a 'scheduled migraine' and an 'unscheduled migraine' and who has the ability to schedule one and how they developed that art. The people I come into contact with rarely if ever schedule an illness and never a migraine. Migraines, as we have been shown in many of the above posts, are specifically laid out in the FMLA language as event qualifying.