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Another Update about My Work Schedule

L

lightNlife

New member
Today's meeting with my supervisor went VERY VERY well. He was more understanding and reasonable as I could have hoped. Not that I expected him to be otherwise, but as I'm sure many of you have felt, there's a certain degree of uneasyness experienced when we lay it on the line with some people about CF.

I have the option of going down to a 30hr week or a 32hr week while still retaining my current benefits package (yeee hawwww!!!!) And although I cannot "officially" be a telecommuter--meaning the company will not furnish a laptop or home office supplies for me--I will be permitted to work from home as often as I need to, provided I keep my project managers informed of my schedule and make a concerted effort to be in the office as much as is reasonably possible for me. My supervisor also let me know that a change in status isn't something that is set in stone, meaning, if at some point I could tolerate a 40 hour week again, we can switch back. Wow. Just wow.

What a relief! Actually, it's more than that. It's a blessing. Nothing happens by accident, and I knew when I started the job with this company that it was just the right place for me. I'm very glad that I had the chance to prove myself a diligent, ethical employee before I had to ask for accomodation. I've seen on many occasions that people who know "me" are more likely to take the CF part in stride when I don't force it on them as if it is my whole identity or have an overblown sense of entitlement because of it.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes and prayers on the matter. God is faithful and I know that it's in the best interest of my physical, spiritual, marital, and emotional health that I take things easy for a season.
 
L

lightNlife

New member
Today's meeting with my supervisor went VERY VERY well. He was more understanding and reasonable as I could have hoped. Not that I expected him to be otherwise, but as I'm sure many of you have felt, there's a certain degree of uneasyness experienced when we lay it on the line with some people about CF.

I have the option of going down to a 30hr week or a 32hr week while still retaining my current benefits package (yeee hawwww!!!!) And although I cannot "officially" be a telecommuter--meaning the company will not furnish a laptop or home office supplies for me--I will be permitted to work from home as often as I need to, provided I keep my project managers informed of my schedule and make a concerted effort to be in the office as much as is reasonably possible for me. My supervisor also let me know that a change in status isn't something that is set in stone, meaning, if at some point I could tolerate a 40 hour week again, we can switch back. Wow. Just wow.

What a relief! Actually, it's more than that. It's a blessing. Nothing happens by accident, and I knew when I started the job with this company that it was just the right place for me. I'm very glad that I had the chance to prove myself a diligent, ethical employee before I had to ask for accomodation. I've seen on many occasions that people who know "me" are more likely to take the CF part in stride when I don't force it on them as if it is my whole identity or have an overblown sense of entitlement because of it.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes and prayers on the matter. God is faithful and I know that it's in the best interest of my physical, spiritual, marital, and emotional health that I take things easy for a season.
 
L

lightNlife

New member
Today's meeting with my supervisor went VERY VERY well. He was more understanding and reasonable as I could have hoped. Not that I expected him to be otherwise, but as I'm sure many of you have felt, there's a certain degree of uneasyness experienced when we lay it on the line with some people about CF.

I have the option of going down to a 30hr week or a 32hr week while still retaining my current benefits package (yeee hawwww!!!!) And although I cannot "officially" be a telecommuter--meaning the company will not furnish a laptop or home office supplies for me--I will be permitted to work from home as often as I need to, provided I keep my project managers informed of my schedule and make a concerted effort to be in the office as much as is reasonably possible for me. My supervisor also let me know that a change in status isn't something that is set in stone, meaning, if at some point I could tolerate a 40 hour week again, we can switch back. Wow. Just wow.

What a relief! Actually, it's more than that. It's a blessing. Nothing happens by accident, and I knew when I started the job with this company that it was just the right place for me. I'm very glad that I had the chance to prove myself a diligent, ethical employee before I had to ask for accomodation. I've seen on many occasions that people who know "me" are more likely to take the CF part in stride when I don't force it on them as if it is my whole identity or have an overblown sense of entitlement because of it.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes and prayers on the matter. God is faithful and I know that it's in the best interest of my physical, spiritual, marital, and emotional health that I take things easy for a season.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Lauren, What great news! It seems your very satisfied with this set up which is the best part.

Just thought I better share this tidbit someone told me through pm in regards to my recent post re: daycare..blah, blah. I was recently made aware of how going part time can screw your SSDI chances if you don't make enough income you don't earn enough quarterly credits and then if you do this for years it can mess up your 40 quarter look back where they look to see if you have at least 20 quarters completed. Hope that made sense. If not, here's a great website. Basically if you make over $920 (2005 amount I believe) you earn a work credit (part time name is this, it's called quarterly credits when you are full time (not income based)). As long as you are earning 4 work credits in a year part time its like you are working full time when it comes to applying for SSDI benefits. This great website explains this better than I am in a few short sentances.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/Financial%20Eligibility%20for%20SSDI.htm
">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...lity%20for%20SSDI.htm
</a>
I had previously been under the impression that SSDI looked back at my lifetime of earnings but infact it will only be looking back 40 quarters (10 years) so it's something to know for sure. Also SSDI, as you probably already know, pays out based on what you've earned. I also thought this was lifetime based...no, no it's previous few years I believe...so if you go part time for some long amount of time you could be reducing your income for years to come. But it's a hard call, going on SSDI when you still want to work 32 hrs. is no way anyway near similar options I realize but for me I think I'll work as much as I can and then stop for SSDI because my income has risen to a point that the SSDI benefit is quite nice. I realize easier said then done though.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Lauren, What great news! It seems your very satisfied with this set up which is the best part.

Just thought I better share this tidbit someone told me through pm in regards to my recent post re: daycare..blah, blah. I was recently made aware of how going part time can screw your SSDI chances if you don't make enough income you don't earn enough quarterly credits and then if you do this for years it can mess up your 40 quarter look back where they look to see if you have at least 20 quarters completed. Hope that made sense. If not, here's a great website. Basically if you make over $920 (2005 amount I believe) you earn a work credit (part time name is this, it's called quarterly credits when you are full time (not income based)). As long as you are earning 4 work credits in a year part time its like you are working full time when it comes to applying for SSDI benefits. This great website explains this better than I am in a few short sentances.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/Financial%20Eligibility%20for%20SSDI.htm
">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...lity%20for%20SSDI.htm
</a>
I had previously been under the impression that SSDI looked back at my lifetime of earnings but infact it will only be looking back 40 quarters (10 years) so it's something to know for sure. Also SSDI, as you probably already know, pays out based on what you've earned. I also thought this was lifetime based...no, no it's previous few years I believe...so if you go part time for some long amount of time you could be reducing your income for years to come. But it's a hard call, going on SSDI when you still want to work 32 hrs. is no way anyway near similar options I realize but for me I think I'll work as much as I can and then stop for SSDI because my income has risen to a point that the SSDI benefit is quite nice. I realize easier said then done though.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Lauren, What great news! It seems your very satisfied with this set up which is the best part.

Just thought I better share this tidbit someone told me through pm in regards to my recent post re: daycare..blah, blah. I was recently made aware of how going part time can screw your SSDI chances if you don't make enough income you don't earn enough quarterly credits and then if you do this for years it can mess up your 40 quarter look back where they look to see if you have at least 20 quarters completed. Hope that made sense. If not, here's a great website. Basically if you make over $920 (2005 amount I believe) you earn a work credit (part time name is this, it's called quarterly credits when you are full time (not income based)). As long as you are earning 4 work credits in a year part time its like you are working full time when it comes to applying for SSDI benefits. This great website explains this better than I am in a few short sentances.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/Financial%20Eligibility%20for%20SSDI.htm
">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...lity%20for%20SSDI.htm
</a>
I had previously been under the impression that SSDI looked back at my lifetime of earnings but infact it will only be looking back 40 quarters (10 years) so it's something to know for sure. Also SSDI, as you probably already know, pays out based on what you've earned. I also thought this was lifetime based...no, no it's previous few years I believe...so if you go part time for some long amount of time you could be reducing your income for years to come. But it's a hard call, going on SSDI when you still want to work 32 hrs. is no way anyway near similar options I realize but for me I think I'll work as much as I can and then stop for SSDI because my income has risen to a point that the SSDI benefit is quite nice. I realize easier said then done though.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Oops still figuring this all out... I misquoted something in my last post. I stated that the amount one would receive from SSDI was based on what they made in the few years leading up the disability which is not true.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html</a> states:
"SSDI pays a monthly benefit based on the amount of F.I.C.A. payroll taxes the person has paid into Social Security over his/her working career. The benefit may be anywhere from one dollar per month to around $1,700 per month."

Why I was getting this confused is because if you work full time for many years and then cut back to part time but decide to try to get SSDI from the date in which you made the switch from full time to part time you'll need the part time to not be over the 'services' amount of $520.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Oops still figuring this all out... I misquoted something in my last post. I stated that the amount one would receive from SSDI was based on what they made in the few years leading up the disability which is not true.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html</a> states:
"SSDI pays a monthly benefit based on the amount of F.I.C.A. payroll taxes the person has paid into Social Security over his/her working career. The benefit may be anywhere from one dollar per month to around $1,700 per month."

Why I was getting this confused is because if you work full time for many years and then cut back to part time but decide to try to get SSDI from the date in which you made the switch from full time to part time you'll need the part time to not be over the 'services' amount of $520.
 
L

LouLou

New member
Oops still figuring this all out... I misquoted something in my last post. I stated that the amount one would receive from SSDI was based on what they made in the few years leading up the disability which is not true.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html">http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hep...hepc/ssi_and_ssdi.html</a> states:
"SSDI pays a monthly benefit based on the amount of F.I.C.A. payroll taxes the person has paid into Social Security over his/her working career. The benefit may be anywhere from one dollar per month to around $1,700 per month."

Why I was getting this confused is because if you work full time for many years and then cut back to part time but decide to try to get SSDI from the date in which you made the switch from full time to part time you'll need the part time to not be over the 'services' amount of $520.
 
G

Grendel

New member
lightNlife,

Wow! Congrats!!! I wish my employer had a heart (or was at least reasonable) like yours.

My only caution is that you get everything in writing. Say it is for your records. It is very important to CYA. My employer stated before I started that as the year progressed my duties would change and my income would increase. He also said that telecommuting for one or two days a week was OK, and or I could telecommute in the AM and come into the office in the PM. I did not get it in writing and now my duties have changed, my income has not changed in the 20 months I have been employed with this company, and I am told not only can I not telecommute, but I really need to aim to arrive in the office at 8AM and no longer 9 AM to accommodate for my AM congestion, something that was acceptable before. Because nothing was in writing, I have no recourse and my choice is to accommodate or leave the job.

GET IT ALL IN WRITING.

Otherwise this is Awesome!

Best,
Grendel
 
G

Grendel

New member
lightNlife,

Wow! Congrats!!! I wish my employer had a heart (or was at least reasonable) like yours.

My only caution is that you get everything in writing. Say it is for your records. It is very important to CYA. My employer stated before I started that as the year progressed my duties would change and my income would increase. He also said that telecommuting for one or two days a week was OK, and or I could telecommute in the AM and come into the office in the PM. I did not get it in writing and now my duties have changed, my income has not changed in the 20 months I have been employed with this company, and I am told not only can I not telecommute, but I really need to aim to arrive in the office at 8AM and no longer 9 AM to accommodate for my AM congestion, something that was acceptable before. Because nothing was in writing, I have no recourse and my choice is to accommodate or leave the job.

GET IT ALL IN WRITING.

Otherwise this is Awesome!

Best,
Grendel
 
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