Hi,

I lost my job in 2007 after getting my pacemaker. I was a Locomotive Engineer. My Cardiologist and Medtronics Tech both released me to return to work in Oct 2008. The railroad would not accept the release and would not come out with a clear and concise explanation. It boils down, in so many words, that they do not want the liability. I have found from other railroads, that they pretty much force the employee to go on disability! Disability when you are still able bodied!?

I understand their point on one hand, if there was a accident the party suing would jump all over the condition of the engineer having a pacemaker.

Now that I have vented....

Has anyone had any problems in getting employment with the pacemaker?

If I may ask, what are the jobs that some of the Pacers are doing ?

I am middleaged and need to go back to school for a new career. I know plenty of people have done it, and especially during this economic time we are in. It is a bit daunting though.

Thank you,
CJ

 

 

I worked heavy Commercial Construction for the last 30 years, was told not to work anymore one month ago today 7/31........Already applied at the unemployment office, SSA disabilty, and Cobra......Get this unemployment just sent me a letter saturday, to report to a job seminar next week or I'll lose my benifits (they don't know I'm filing disablility, Disability didn't want to let me file because I filed for unemployment...The SSA said if I was able to claim unemployment ,I must be able to seek work....But I've worked in the same 3 counties for 30 years and know every other Contractor out there, and I have talked to most of them, they are firing, and if they were hiring, I would not get hired for liability reasons.......Am at a loss of what to do to myself...I was told no more stress, lifting , standing to long, sitting to long, no ladders or scaffolds, no roof tops, no hazardous areas, no power tools (especilly hammer drills, saw zalls, & chain saws).and I take too many heart pills to concentrate through a complete task........I'm too old to cross train to the same salary......... I figure it will take atleast a year to evict me.....So the next time your in south florida and a guy at the corner ask for change it might be me..........

 

I sent you a private message.

 

We are not cripples and there is no reason why you should not continue working. I lost my well paid job and I now work for the UKs national minimum wage. Another words peanuts but better than nothing. Its comforting to know I cant be paid less. I refuse point blank to give up and lay down and die for some silly blighters whim. The devil may care , thats my attitude. I intend to keep working until I drop dead just to prove to all the useless worthless managers I have had to put up with that I am made of sterner stuff. Anyway who would want to work for such a rotten employer as that lowdown railroad outfit? This could be a turning point in your life. I try to turn even apparent misfortune to my advantage. You can do the same. Hold your head up high and be yourself. Good luck. Cheers Peter

 

good for you pete. i was retired when i had my p.m. implanted. i often wonder how they would have looked at it had i been still working. it is wrong but they do it anyway. like they are afraid of us. also firemen and police are often affected. good for you pete. jessie

 

Hi,
Don't give up. I have been fighting with my employer for nearly 3 years. I disclosed the fact that I have a pacemaker at the time I was hired and have been treated differently than other employees since that time. My case is headed for the Canadian Human Rights Commission. I won't let anyone tell me I can't do the job I was hired to do!

 

I work in Law Enforcement. I had my Pacer put in in October 09. My job will not let me go back to work ever. Not because of the Pacer but because I have to take Coumadin.

 

You can't file for disability AND unemployment. Filing for unemployment means you are able and fit to work and disability mean you aren't able. That will continue to plague you until you decide which. I can only speak for myself, but I knew I couldn't continue to work. I had tried "pushing through the pain" and it resulted in my EF rate dropping, my leaky valve getting "leakier" and all my symptoms were converging into a catastrophy waiting to happen. I was afraid I was going to pass out while driving and finally while waiting on an elevator. My employee certainly looked at me differently when after months and months of hiding my condition, I talked honestly. Some of the problem is the meds we take (such as the Coumadin) make us prone to bleed if we get cut. I had a paper cut that bled for about an hour. We have meds that cause dizziness and "brown outs" which I successfully (I thought) hid. Finally, I got winded if someone asked me a question and my voice was shaky. Let's face it..when this happens, it is certainly affecting our job. We have contact on a regular basis wth public and we had a gentleman pass out (turned out he had a PM) and it panicked everyone at my workplace. I'm sure they were all saying my name. I live in a "right to work State" so they can fire you, lay you off, and basically say, because of economics, we are doing away with your job. Your duties will be split up andwe won't be hiring anyone to replace you" Shock and surprise...that's legal and it's done every day. I work for a govt agency in the US and I knew what I was up against and took the diabilty because it beat the oher options. It's given me a chance to try to do some healing without the stress and while I've had a hard time wrapping my head around this, I'm beginning to see that it probably saved my life.
CC