ejpritz Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Hey guys: I do not know if anyone here can help. Here is the situation. My mother has workes for 26 years at a bank, she worked her way up to being a "customer service manager" , started as a teller, and then became on of the people at desks when you wlka into a bank branch. She got ill last year, went on disability, and now is trying to go back tow rok. She has no helath insurance because this Company cancelled i on her. apparantly she was supposed ot be paying COBRA, and they never snet out a notice. We do have an attroeny who proved they never sent a notice, and he is tyring ot get her insurance back but it is taking forever. Anyway, two months ago her disability checks stopped coming. I have no idea whay, she did not tell me. Then she decided that she was reday to go to work and did not wnat to fight the disability insurance again, so she figured to let it go. She went down to her branch, where as I said she has put in over twenty years. They had an oepning as a Bank teller. She decided that life is too short to work overtime and have the stress her old job gave her, so she decided to go back as teller just for the benefits, and doing somehting productive. She had no issue with the salary cut, she has learned that money is not so important in life. Anyway, her bank just underwent a merger with a huge corporation, I do not know if I am alowed to say names, so I will not. Thus there is a new Branch manager. She applied for the job, called him and he told her she did not get it. When asked why he replies that she is not a "good fit" with this new Corporation, that they are looking for different qualities in its empoyees then her previous employer. She is devestated. Talk about tkaing a step back. She really was so excited about going back. We live in a town that is one square mile, everyone banks here and they all know my mother and everyone is constantly asking "when is she coming back" Even complete starngers stop and ask me. Is it legal for them to deny her an open position when she is finally well enough to go back tow ork? My sister and I are now trying to get as many people as possible to clsoe tehir accounts at this bank and tel the manager exactly why they are doing it. I am suprised at how mnay people seem willing to do so. We were also thinking of getting the media involved. A good customer at this bank, who adores my mother, is a columnist for one of the tow large papers in Boston. I was thinking of emailing him, this si the exact kind of story he likes to write, a big coproration screwing an employee of over 20 years when she gets cancer. Does anyone have any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 I think I would go back to the attorney. Due to the merger, I think it gets a little complicated. The COBRA violation etc. is worth pursuing and once they know an attorney is involved something may open up for her (especially if the teller hired was younger with less experience ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejpritz Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 I wish I could get hundreds of people to clsoe their accounts, I am really contacting the media, does anyone think that is bad idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 It is just amazing how some od these companies can treat people that have gone through illness. Please, talk to an attorney immediately. Usually the consultation is free and if the attorney thinks you have a good case, the will usually take the case on contingency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 I agree with Katie. RUN back to the attorney and talk it over with him. The COBRA thing starts if off as a bad start. The rest of it smells bad as well. Keep us posted. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejpritz Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Thanks guys, we will be meeting with an attorney as soon as my mother decides exactly what she wants to do, wheter pursue this or say to hell with them and look for another job altogether. In the meantime, her boss will get his, as we are leading a campaign to have people clsoe their accounts and so far have been getting a pretty good response form people. I am just tyring ot make people aware of what happens when they get sick, people need to know that this could happen to them or their loved ones. I wish we stayed more on top of them form the beginning with attorneys and so forth, I guess I just had too high of expectations for her Company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmek Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 You think like i do, I always want revenge. My question though is, if the town you live in is one square mile, then how many other banks are there around that these people could open new accounts at? or for your mom to work at? I would let an atty handle this, and if while doing so you can get some people to close an account thats great. I just know if it were me, i could not just up and close my bank accounts although sometimes i wish i could!! Good luck to you and best of luck to your mom finding a new job. This is pretty much what my mom is going to be doing, although im not sure how much sucess she will have, being 66 yrs old. God Bless Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I live in a small town. Within the city limits are two banks, a feed store, four churches, a grocery store, a bar and two dollar stores. I closed my account at the bank my family has dealt with for years...joined a credit union. I had been having some big issues with automatic deposits that weren't credited for up to a week, yet checks being processed in less than a day and bouncing to Kingdom Come because I figured that DIRECT DEPOSIT meant just that - RIGHT to the bank! I started shifting my business and hadn't closed my checking account yet when they bounced yet another check due to all the fees they were charging me - and they took that money out of my son's savings account! I had been looking for a new bank because even though I lived in the small town and the family has belonged to this bank since its beginning, they wouldn't approve me for any loan I applied for! Gets to the point where "hometown support" just ain't worth the hassle and expense! I DID see the president of the bank on the money coming from my son's account, all the fees I was charged because they couldn't process a deposit in a timely manner but could process checks in record speed - closed all my accounts with them and have never even thought about going back. Credit union is the way to go, even if I can't use a local ATM (local to where I live, not where I work) to access cash and have to drive 30 miles to get to the building to do any business... Good luck to your mother. Keep in contact with the attorney. Revenge is not the best way to go, it has a way of biting you in the butt. Remember, when you drop to someone else's level to fight, you get dirty and beat by experience... Definitely get all the ducks in a row and sue 'em, but watch the hate campaigns, don't give THEM a reason to sue YOU. Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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