My boss from work called this afternoon. She asks me how I'm doing, says that she'd heard there was no change and that she was so sorry about that. Then she tells me that she wanted me to know that I have until Dec 2010 to have my skills assessed and approved or bring them up to the new standardized levels.
Her : I really don't know what to do in your case.
Me: Well, if I hadn't been hurt on the job, ensuring that my skills were up to standard wouldn't be an issue.
Her: Yes, they give you lots of time to get it done, and I don't doubt that you would.
Me: Uh...But I *was* hurt on the job. There's no way that I can lift, push, pull, or anything else that would be required on a skills assessment.
Her: Yes, that's true. But everyone needs to have this done.
Me: I was hurt on the job. I don't have use of my dominant hand and arm. I couldn't even write a test, let alone do a full skills assessment.
Her: Yes, I know. I just don't know what to do, so I'll send out the package to you, notifying you of the need to get your skills assessed and re-certified.
Me: I think I'll call my union, see what they say.
Her (panicky sounding): Why would you call them?
Me: Well, since I *can't* do any sort of assessment to re-certify my skills, since I WAS HURT ON THE JOB, I don't know who else to ask about this.
Her: I don't know either...Maybe I should ask HR about what to do in your case.
The conversation was out of the Twilight Zone. One of those, "You know in the dictionary, under redundant, it says, 'See 'redundant'?" moments.
That was a few hours ago. I'm kinda snickering a bit now. I felt like I was in a Who's On First skit! I swear, the stuff in my life...I just couldn't make it up. 
I just wanted to hit on a comment about generalizations. Just as much as there are folks in genuine need of food stamps, welfare, etc and not abusing, and those that do abuse, the same can be said for disability...and let me tell ya, its no picnic to be the one who truly NEEDS Workers Comp to ante up and pay right when you're truly disabled. I doubt its any different in the States than here in Canada from the horror stories I've read on other boards, and yet much of the same attitude prevails..."What do you mean you can't WORK?!" despite the fact I have three doctors saying that I'm unfit for any level of employment...its not my personal opinion of the situation, its their medical assessment. Add to it that chronic pain is an invisible disability, and it makes for loads of fun. Comments like, "You look perfectly ok to me!" make it even more so. 
Yes, there will always be some jerk that is on the 6 pm news for painting a house when he's on disability for a supposed back injury, or others who know how to milk the system for all its worth and then some. Heck, I've witnessed people like that at the treatment centre I was forced to go to for several weeks of useless, albeit excruciatingly painful pt, who bragged about moonlighting at other jobs while using their WCB funds to pay the rent. Its jerks like those that cause the issues for people like me who need the system. Its jerks like those that people think of when they hear that I'm on Workers Comp.
I guess what I'm starting this thread for is an open thought or plea that if you happen to run into someone that is on Workers Comp, don't start listing a whole bunch of jobs for them to try. Its pretty frustrating to hear. I've worked with a vocational specialist. Its not that I don't want to work that keeps me from taking you up on 'my cousin Joe has a company, I know he could use a worker like you, lemme give you his phone number!' its that I genuinely, medically, am unfit for any employment. Please don't get offended when someone doesn't take you up on your offer of help. Its not that they prefer to be on WCB. Trust me. Unless you've run into the probably 6 or 7% of folks that are milking it, they'd rather be working.
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