What is the worst thing that has happened to you at Work?

[smokeyblue]

I was filling in on day shift and came in to work one day to find out that the husband of my good friend and coworker had died by suicide the night before. We all had gone out just two nights prior and had plans to go out a few days later and it was absolutely shocking because they presented themselves as the perfect couple. The department I worked in was extremely close knit, really almost like a family. I spent most of the day on the phone letting my afternoon shift people know what happened. I was so mad at him for doing this to my friend and was searching for a reason why he'd do it. Well in the days weeks and months later the picture unfolded and I found out my friend was a total sociopath and she had royally screwed this very smart, kind and giving man over. What unfolded was so awful, shocking and downright bizarre it could have been a Lifetime movie. I felt very stupid for being there for her and consoling her at his funeral and honestly she couldn't have cared less he was dead and the whole thing was an act.

While she was off of work the few weeks after it happened I really wrestled with what to say to her. One day I gathered up the strength to give her a call and let her know I was thinking of her and was very sad about what happened. I didn't get even near the response I thought I'd get. She was gleeful if not jubilant that she had been dating and living with another man; her husband had only been dead for 3 weeks! I was just sick. It was just nauseating having to work with her once she returned because there was so much tension because everyone was just disgusted. Luckily for everyone's sake she quit a few weeks later pretty much not to be heard from again.

 

[DVC-Don]

Got shot at once and wound up in the ER four or five times due to injuries. I was a police officer. I still have a limp from one knee injury 40 years ago.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I was walking down the steps of a portable classroom at the school where I worked. My foot kind of bounced on one step and my ankle turned sideways. It hurt like heck and I immediately sat down on the step. The teacher I worked for at the time sent me home, so I hopped/limped out to my car. I called the HR dept and was told since it happened at work, I had to go to a medical clinic that handled our worker's comp injuries. After waiting for almost two hours, the doctor just kind of poked at my ankle and ordered an x-ray. It was Friday afternoon, and I was told I would have the results on Monday. Really? If it was broken I wouldn't know until Monday? I called the HR rep and asked if I could go to the ER. She said sure, but the district wouldn't pay for it and my insurance might also reject the claim because the injury happened at work. So then I got a call from the x-ray tech at the clinic. He told me that he couldn't tell me the exact results of my x-ray, but that I should stay completely off of my ankle for the whole weekend. Don't put any weight on it at all. I asked if it was broken. He said, "Well, I'm just the tech and I'm not allowed to say anything. The doctor will see the x-ray on Monday morning. But I'm warning you to stay off it." So now I'm freaked out, thinking my ankle was broken and I wasn't getting proper medical attention. I called my own doctor's office for advice. The doctor said to wrap it up, apply ice, take Motrin, and use crutches until I could get the results. She sympathized with my plight, but said insurance companies are really strict about work injuries. She couldn't see me for this injury and I was pretty much stuck with the lousy clinic.

I stayed home the following Monday and the doctor from the clinic called and said my ankle wasn't broken, but the bone was chipped. I should come back to get an air cast, but it should pretty much heal on it's own. I asked if I could walk on it and she said, yes, I could walk on it. I told her about the alarmist call from the x-ray tech that had me off the ankle all weekend. She just brushed it off. I had to go back every two weeks and see the doctor, who was not an orthopedist and would just glance at it. I still feel like I didn't get proper medical care for the injury.

The teacher I worked for said the custodian determined that my foot bounced on the step because it was rotten. I must have stepped right on the weak part which caused my foot to bounce back and my ankle to turn. They had the step fixed, and the principal told my teacher not to tell me! Of course, she did, because I could have had a claim against the district. I wasn't interested in suing anyone. I just wanted my ankle to be taken care of properly. The moral of the story is, if you want good quality medical care, don't get injured at work!

 

[CdnCarrie]

Coworker and young daughter were killed by her boyfriend.
Twice I have worked places where people were arrested and convicted of embezzling from our employer.

 

[princesspiglet]

I used to work for a television station in Marketing (my degree). I had a co-worker that hated me because of my religious beliefs (Wicca) at the time. I took a 12 week maternity leave and when I came back she had filed a complaint against me and stated that my beliefs made her uncomfortable and she couldn't work there. She was also a minority so she told HR that my beliefs were racist and that if they didn't fire me or move me then she would file a lawsuit against the company for discrimination. I came back from leave and was immediately summoned into HR. I was told that they were moving me to Traffic and I could either take that position or be fired. I refused the position and was fired. Two days later, I applied for unemployment and filed a lawsuit against the company for wrongful termination. It took 2 years to process, and a lot of misery, heartache and tears, but I won the lawsuit and was paid back pay and was also awarded my job back ( which I turned down). I continued to collect unemployment the whole time also.

Long story short...the co-worker that had me fired was fired a year later for punching another co-worker in the face! And as for me, I am happily and gainfully employed in a job that I absolutely love...and I also got to spend the first 3 years of my daughters life as a stay at home mom!

 

[princesspiglet]

My DH is active duty army with 4 deployments under his belt. I'm pretty sure he has had some terrible days.