Tom Gardner wrote:

One of my mechanics is claiming carpal tunnel. I always thought repetitive
motion was to blame. He does general repair and maintenance and set-ups,
usually with nothing more than a set of Allan wrenches and a 8" crescent.
I'm a little leery after he declared bankruptcy a few years ago after
applying for and maxing-out numerous credit cards to get all the building
materials and rehabbing three houses, go on dive and ski trips and buy his
then girlfriend a $10k diamond ring. In fact, he wanted to be paid under
the table for the process...I refused. He's lawyered up and refuses our
medical protocol. It's rumored that he has another job lined up. I just
smell a scam. I know, management is always trying to screw the worker but I
value, reward and love my people...he's always been just a "Them" but he's
been treated with kid gloves because he IS bright and resourceful but always
needed constant motivation. I've always tried to maximize someone's
strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Does anybody have any experience with carpal tunnel syndrome? Is it common
to be caused by a mechanic's work? Gee, do you think rehabbing three houses
could have been more strain than his job? Or, his Wet-bike?


GET A LAWYER. And yes, I know that you probably already have, but it
needed to be said. If you already have one, make sure that he/she is
good AT THIS KIND OF THING.

My dad went through the ringer with an employee who hurt her back. He
was able, in the end, to show that (a) the way she claimed to have hurt
herself was by violating company policy and (b) while she couldn't sort
mail without reporting pain she _could_ bar-hop quite effectively. The
upshot was that after about 9 months of PITA work by my dad, my mom and
their lawyer they didn't have to pay anything.

I don't know how it is where you are now, but in Oregon then worker's
comp paid for the actual treatment; my dad's company was only
responsible for giving her work at the same pay level that was within
her capabilites as specified by her doctor. I suspect that it is the
same thing for you. If he's really trying to scam you he'll have
trouble doing _anything_ you assign him, so getting the pictures of him
rehabbing the 4th house is a good thing. Carpal tunnel is a good thing
to pick if you're going to scam someone because it's hard to prove the
absense of pain _and_ it comes and it goes.

Keep in mind that you have to treat this whole thing very carefully,
because once he's made a claim you cannot discriminate against him, and
it's easy to percieve discrimination where none is intended.

Now, if someone could please tell me again why I hesitate to hire anybody...

-------------------------------------------
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com