Officer With Cancer Fired

[Willowdared]

Officer With Cancer Questions Firing
POSTED: 9:10 pm MST October 17, 2008
UPDATED: 7:47 am MST October 18, 2008

YOUNGTOWN, Ariz. -- A former Valley police officer battling a rare form of blood cancer said he’s been fired after using up his family medical leave.

Detective Ed Siemen protected and served the citizens of the small west Valley town known as Youngtown for the past six years.

"I've been a police officer for 13 years and I've done a good job," Siemen said.
Two years ago an on-duty injury led doctors to discover a tumor on Siemen's spine. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

"I was given three years in 2006 and I’ve used up two years of that," Siemen said.
Siemen said he continued to work while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. In June, he applied for a medical retirement. He then was placed on family medical leave.

On Thursday, Siemen said he received a termination letter from the town manger informing him he had used up his leave and was being denied additional leave.

"Right now I am fired,” Siemen said. “I have no benefits, I have no insurance, I have no income."

CBS 5 News tried to track down the police chief and were told she was using up some time off. The town manager referred reporters to the town's attorney, Michelle Swann, who said state and federal law prohibited her from talking about private medical issues.
"I'm not mad, I'm hurt,” Siemen said. “It's not the way you treat people."

CBS 5 News made phone contact with Youngtown Mayor Mike LeVault to ask him the status of Siemens’ application for medical retirement made in June.

Levault could not say why it had not been processed yet, but said he would like the issue "ramped up and heard as quickly as possible."

"I'd like to see it approved so I can get on with what life I have left," Siemen said.
Siemen is a single father of two teenagers. His fellow officers have set up a fund in his name at any Bank of America.

[BigDawg]

Now thats beyond wrong. I hope the town folks rally up behind the Officer and give the town council and the Chief hell for their choices.

[Xiphos]

Holy crap how scary is that???

[Rhino]

I think he has a good case to sue the city for discrimination based on a disability.

Hopefully Youngtown will be changing it's name Siemenville. (Make your own joke, it's too easy for me.)

[Pinki]

That is incredibly wrong.

[Jenna]

This has to be illegal.

[2 Blue 4 U]

Wow, that is so F'd up, are there no Unions out there. Such a heartless move, I really hope they do not get away with doing this.

[nsb22]

That's truly messed up. May they get whats coming.

[TXCharlie]

That sounds bad, but wanta hear something even worse?

A Dallas officer was shot and partially paralyzed several years ago. Later the city announced that he'd be terminated and have to go on Social Security disability after his city disability runs out in a year, because he was unfit for duty.

I think they finally found him a desk job after a big public and political outcry, and I think I heard that he actually regained enough of his physical abilities to function as a detective.

[2 Blue 4 U]

That sounds bad, but wanta hear something even worse?

A Dallas officer was shot and partially paralyzed several years ago. Later the city announced that he'd be terminated and have to go on Social Security disability after his city disability runs out in a year, because he was unfit for duty.

I think they finally found him a desk job after a big public and political outcry, and I think I heard that he actually regained enough of his physical abilities to function as a detective.

Glad all worked out for that Dallas Officer. But wouldn't getting shot be considered Line of Duty? If the Officer was unfit for duty because of his injuries, shouldn't he be qualified for a 3/4 tax free pension? We have that here in the city, I may be naive but isn't that policy a national thing. I do know sick policies are different for each department but I assumed LOD injuries were treated similarly.

[Captain America]

Thats what happens when people in charge worry about the bottom line and forget about having compassion for another human being. Use you up and throw you away.

[TXCharlie]

I couldn't find that article, but I remember it being on TV. Here's one almost the same as PDawg's, though:


LARA SOLT/DMN
Senior Cpl. Robert Becker, 46, who has fought
stomach cancer for six years, is on unpaid family
medical leave.

http://www.dallasarena.com/s051212.htm

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/news....18728865.html

[ex401mp]

Our agency sucks like that. We get terminated after about 12 weeks of medical leave. If you dont report fit for duty, you are gone. I think it is BS because of the nature of the job, any one of us could get hurt on the job and that could be the end of your career. They have already fired a couple of people because of this, both were line of duty injuries. (Although one person was one of those people that banged out sick all the time before the injury.)

[Xiphos]

If it's on the job Workers Comp should cover it. If it's off duty injuries and you can't come to work you are at risk for losing your job. Most department's are pretty cool about "light duty" for injured officers doing desk work in the building until they are fit for duty.

[10-42Adam]

Now that's messed up. Hopefully something will be done now that it's in the spotlight...

[armsmaster270]

Glad all worked out for that Dallas Officer. But wouldn't getting shot be considered Line of Duty? If the Officer was unfit for duty because of his injuries, shouldn't he be qualified for a 3/4 tax free pension? We have that here in the city, I may be naive but isn't that policy a national thing. I do know sick policies are different for each department but I assumed LOD injuries were treated similarly.

When I retired due to on duty Disability it was 50% tax free for life plus medical. That was with 18 years with the Dept.

[mack]

I have a good friend who was in a high speed chase and his vehicle flipped 4 times. He was thought to be dead on the scene, but when they got him out he was alive. They airlifted him to the closest trauma center and he is now a parapeligic. He was denied Worker's Comp and fired. I don't know the specifics but he only gets Social Security Disability now and has, after over 2 years, gone out and gotten a job. His department has done absolutely nothing for him. Pictures of the vehicle are unbelievable and makes you wonder how he lived through it.

[Buttercup]

That's a disgrace.

[Xiphos]

I have a good friend who was in a high speed chase and his vehicle flipped 4 times. He was thought to be dead on the scene, but when they got him out he was alive. They airlifted him to the closest trauma center and he is now a parapeligic. He was denied Worker's Comp and fired. I don't know the specifics but he only gets Social Security Disability now and has, after over 2 years, gone out and gotten a job. His department has done absolutely nothing for him. Pictures of the vehicle are unbelievable and makes you wonder how he lived through it.

I find that shocking. He was doing his job and was injured. I hope he consulted a good lawyer before accepting that horrible decision by the workers comp board. The boards are notorious for declining claims so you gotta fight them in court.

[2 Blue 4 U]

When I retired due to on duty Disability it was 50% tax free for life plus medical. That was with 18 years with the Dept.

That really stinks, wouldn't that be the case for any civilian who got injured on their job, a half pay taxfree pension or workmans comp? You would think the 3/4 tax free LOD disability pension is not a nationwide thing, maybe it is just a NY thing, we also have a Heart Bill here. It is a shame that more departments do not that care of their officers, especially when it comes to LOD or sick leave. It is also a shame they get a way with it.

I find that shocking. He was doing his job and was injured. I hope he consulted a good lawyer before accepting that horrible decision by the workers comp board. The boards are notorious for declining claims so you gotta fight them in court.

I don't find it so shocking, only because I have seen how some bosses put the Officers at fault when they are in an vehicular accident while working. In the NYPD there is an accident review board, they go thru all RMP accidents, marked and unmarked, make determinations on who is to blame and what recommendations they find for the driver. It has been said LOD Pensions can be denied on their basis. The review board consists of several ranks of bosses and cops.

Another reason is liablity, the job covers it arses when it comes to blame, if it behooves them I am sure they will find the Officer wrong, ie, if it was a chase they will said the patrol supervisor called it off on the air several times.

Cases likes like that the union has to intercept, or a lawyer.