Posted on 12/06/2017 10:45:47 PM PST by nickcarraway
One of the first police officers to respond to the Pulse nightclub massacre is losing his job with only months to go before he’s entitled to full pension benefits. He called on Florida lawmakers to do more to support first responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Eatonville Town Council agreed unanimously Tuesday night to pay Cpl. Omar Delgado some $1,200 in accrued sick time when his job ends at year’s end, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Delgado was lauded as a hero for saving nightclub shooting victim Angel Colon during the June 2016 shooting, which killed 49 people. He returned to patrol duty after that, but eventually took a desk job. On Monday, he was told that job is ending. Town officials won’t say why, but Delgado said a doctor’s finding that PTSD makes him unfit to return to full duty is a factor.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
That’s a shame. The only way to justify firing someone only months away from obtaining full benefits would be if they had become too dangerous or too much a negative force to keep on staff in any way. I suspect it was not that.
For every hero, there is someone in the shadows, who sympathizes with the villain.
I’m conflicted on this one. On one hand why should any place of employment be forced to retain someone if they are unable to perform the job’s functions? If they are eliminating the desk job role it is as it is.
OTOH he suffers from PTSD which is a recognized disorder which I would think entitles him to some level of possible disability, long term disability pay, etc.
Conflicted for sure
Speaking as someone who barely survived a critical date for my modest pension and retiree medical options back in 2012, this pains me.
My father got laid off shortly before he qualified for a pension. The stress of finding a new job and keeping the family together led to 3 heart attacks and 2 strokes. The stress literally killed him.
I lost my job after 17 years and what kept me going without having the stress get to me was seeing what it did to my father.
My pension is quite modest, but if I had been laid off prior to the middle of 2012, it would have been reduced by 60%, and I would have lost the option of retiree medical insurance. The stress all those years was overwhelming at times. Add in the passing of my mom in early 2012, and it's a miracle I didn't suffer through the same fate as your father.
Wow, you got warning? I got, “can you come to my office?” “We’re reorganizing and you’re part of it. Thanks for a great 18 years. Your health care ends at 5 today. Sign this here 12 month non-compete agreement and we’ll send you a severance check.”
“Oh and do you have any company owned equipment at home?”
“Yea, I have a ladder and an air compressor. I was supposed to be off today to re-roof my garage but since it was raining, I came in to get fired instead. Can I keep it another few days”?
I ended up finding another job in the same field, 600 miles away. Lawyers from both companies hashed out the non-compete for three months then the original company kicked me loose.
In reality, except for the pain of moving away from family, it was a pretty good deal. Financially it was a good year. I got five months severance and we spent about nothing during that time. We lost a ton on the house. The new job included a relocation package so the move was painless. I’d like to get back to the Midwest. If we do, we might just get rid of 80% of our stuff and start over.
Wow! Does that sound familiar. Praying for all those going thru that grinder now.
What’s a “non-compete agreement?”
Delgado also said the police department terminated him just
six months shy of reaching his 10th year on the job, which
would have vested him in the pension system and allowed him
to collect 64% of his $38,500 salary for life.
Delgado will now only receive 42% of his salary starting when
he turns 55. Delgado, a married father of three, is currently 45.
That meant that I couldn’t go to work for another company in the same field. Since I had almost 20 years of deep technical knowledge and experience in my field, along with a pretty good reputation as an expert, going to work somewhere else would be mighty difficult.
The company I now work for makes similar products but for the most part sells to a different customer base. I had to relearn a lot of stuff but still draw on my past knowledge.
We were in Detroit area, which was in full blown economic depression. One night, we were having a Cub scout meeting at my house. One of the dad’s said he’d gotten laid off and I said “Cool, now we’re all unemployed.”
eight years later, he’s still bouncing around looking for a permanent job. He gets jobs then let go. I think that’s common still in Detroit area. Most friends have found stuff, but not all at the level they were.
It was difficult to move but not a hard decision. God is good. He kept our family strong during the 8 months I was living in the new state before our house sold. Kids are all grown. 2 1/2 are out. One is back in Michigan, one in Virginia. One at college and one still home. The college one found a great college that allows him to live a dream that would have been tough in MI. He will be an Aeronautical Engineer in May. We found a local school that has been absolutely perfect for him. He’s already got a job in his field and I hope he’ll get a permanent post there.
My landing wasn’t nearly as hard but it still hit like a ton of bricks. I have a very optimistic outlook for the future and it was no mistake to resist despair, work hard and place my faith and trust in God.
Praise God for his kindness!
Leave the past to God’s Mercy
Leave the future to God’s Providence
Accept the Present as a precious gift from God
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
In my City, it is a well known scam that whenever a policeman is involved in a shooting, he will claim PTSD and take early retirement (with as much pay as possible). They say that they cannot even hold or look at a gun again, so they must leave the Department. Some of the people who have done it were in their 30’s.
A few years ago, the local newspaper decided to look at what happened to those who took early retirement because of PTSD. A few were working as police officers in neighboring states (and obviously carrying guns). Some were in private security (some with guns). Most of the others had hunting permits and/or concealed carry permits.
The City forced those who had employment involving guns to choose between their new job or their early retirement. It was a scam to get a steady income and get another full time job.
That’s not illegal? Your previous employer telling you that you cannot work in the same field?
Nope. It was in exchange for severance. Being a multinational company, their pockets were slightly deeper than mine.
Some were able to tell them to drop dead and competed. I couldn’t pull it off.
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