More help from the government.

[Otherguy Overby]

from: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-insure21.html

Cancer survivor sues over firing

May 21, 2006

BY STEVE WARMBIR Staff Reporter



Ronald Michalowicz, a fire inspector for the village of Bedford Park, was given a 27 percent chance to live as he battled a rare form of tongue cancer.

The community rallied around him, raising about $25,000 to help.

He fought the cancer into remission.

But the village where he had worked for 28 years fired him for taking the contributions, in alleged violation of the Illinois Gift Ban Act and village code prohibiting employees from soliciting gifts that could affect their decision-making.

On Friday, Michalowicz sued Bedford Park, its mayor and village board in federal court for allegedly violating his rights. "The emotional stress I'm going through is unbelievable," Michalowicz said.

'His crime . . . he recovered'

His attorney, Michael Ettinger, said he doesn't understand why the village fired his client.

"His crime seems to be that he recovered from cancer," said Ettinger, who is representing Michalowicz with attorney Richard S. Zachary.

Michalowicz was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and continued working until March 2004 while undergoing chemotherapy. He left work when brutal radiation treatments began. He lost 107 pounds.

In January 2004, two colleagues at the village decided to solicit donations to help Michalowicz pay his mounting bills.

A building inspector, Steve Edwards, cleared a form letter with the mayor at the time, Ronald Robison, to ask for contributions.

"It just seemed like the right thing to do," said Robison, who is no longer mayor. Michalowicz looked so bad the mayor figured he was never coming back to work.

In January 2005, Michalowicz did return. In July, he got a letter from his fire chief stating he was being investigated for having "accepted gifts of cash and/or property from businesses or individuals associated with businesses that are subject to fire inspection," among other alleged misdeeds.

Wants fire inspector job back

A village attorney did not return a message requesting comment.

Michalowicz argues he has no conflict. After he returned to work, he notes, he wrote up four businesses that contributed to his fund.

Michalowicz wants damages from the village and his job back -- a job he loved.

At 54, he had a year left with the village before he could retire.

OO here. You'll please note the possible real reason for this is in the very last line. Got rope?

 

[Standing Wolf]

That's the kind of "logic" would would have expected from East Germany or communist China.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Woof! I am amazed that these people continue to draw breath. To me, the restraint people show in response to governmental abuse is beyond me.

I'm quite sure Claire's oft mentioned "awkward" stage is nearly over. Sheesh, here we are approaching our golden years and there's not gonna be any gold...

 

[Nehemiah Scudder]

Quick question...

If this were any other employer besides the Govt. would this be just as outrageous?



P.S. For the record, I don't think they should've fired him.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Nehemiah Scudder:

If this were any other employer besides the Govt. would this be just as outrageous?

Much of modern political rhetoric is based on false dilemma such as what you ask.

Standing wolf is the english major. You should have asked him.

 

[Lindenberger]

Otherguy Overby

Quote:

Got rope?

______________

Who needs rope?

 

[Standing Wolf]

Quote:
Nehemiah Scudder:

If this were any other employer besides the Govt. would this be just as outrageous?

Much of modern political rhetoric is based on false dilemma such as what you ask.

Standing wolf is the english major. You should have asked him.

I see the question as both legitimate and absurd.

It seems legitimate because a.) other employers could have—and probably have—behaved as badly, and b.) I suppose it's worth asking whether outrage changes depending on who's doing the outrageous thing.

It seems absurd to me because in and of itself, the government's behavior is completely outrageous: a classic example of petty legalistic wrangling whose only purpose is to cheat someone who's already contending with a life versus death disease.

Does it matter whether a communist or socialist régime confiscates your firearms? Does it matter whether an armed robber uses a .38 special or a 9-millimeter pistol?

 

[Nehemiah Scudder]

I thought I'd ask because I've seen a few posts with fans of at-will employment around here.

I totally agree that it was a scumbag move to pull on the guy, but I've actually heard worse stories of firings. I mean technically, there's a real excuse for firing him there.

There's all kinds of stories out there where people get sick and/or injured, and suddenly they're out of work for one excuse or another, because the company doesn't want to pay for it.

 

[Hyunchback]

Sounds like the sort of case that will eventually be decided in the guy's favor. Probably after he is dead. Whether he is alive or dead, though, the only person to really get anything from this is going to be the lawyer.

 

[cracked butt]

I thought I'd ask because I've seen a few posts with fans of at-will employment around here.

I totally agree that it was a scumbag move to pull on the guy, but I've actually heard worse stories of firings. I mean technically, there's a real excuse for firing him there.

There's all kinds of stories out there where people get sick and/or injured, and suddenly they're out of work for one excuse or another, because the company doesn't want to pay for it.

I saw the same situation 2 months ago. A coworker of mine was burned very badly and was off for 4 months in recovery. His position was 'eliminated' along with 1/4 of the other positions in the company including mine. I won't comment on the political or legal ramnifications on the company retaining some of the people and letting go of others as I signed a release form not to make disparaging remarks about the company.

I have a feeling that the city had an 'oh crap' moment when they found out that they would be needing to pay the pension of a guy they had already eliminated from the budget. Its dirty and its not fair, but as my mother always told me "life's not fair."

 

[cracked butt]

the government's behavior is completely outrageous: a classic example of petty legalistic wrangling whose only purpose is to cheat someone who's already contending with a life versus death disease.

I googled 'Bedford Park.' Its in Cook County. If there is any place in America where the government is adept at cheating its own citizens, its Cook County Illinois. Its just ironic that a little guy gets hit over the head with an anti-corruption law in that area.