Question:
I am now applying for FMLA. My surgery date is Halloween. What I need to know
is this. My company, on their physician certification form, there is a question that says "patient diagnosis". I have gone to great lengths to keep what I am doing from my company. I have only told them that I am having surgery to correct a problem that I have been having for a long time. I DO NOT want ANYONE, even the HR director (since everyone is very clicky at work and the HR director is like Best friends with my boss. Even if she is not allowed to tell her, she probably would) to know what kind of surgery I am having. So what can be put under diagnosis, other than morbid obesity, that may require surgery? I would appreciate any suggestions. I am going to talk it over with my doctor, but I was hoping others here could help me out with this one. Thanks — enjo4 (posted on October 4, 2000)
October 4, 2000
tell them you have ulcers of the stomach and that it have to be removed. My
father had a stomach ulcer and a portion of his stomach had to be removed.
It was almost as if he had weight loss surgery but he never had a weight
problem. I hope this helps.
— Sharon T.
October 4, 2000
How about abdominal surgery?? or hernia repair. You are not required to
tell them of your nature. A round about answer will do. Good Luck
— Alison B.
October 4, 2000
I would put abdominal surgery. And remember, you are under no obligation
to tell anyone where you work the nature of your surgery, including anyone
in HR. You can even arrange to send the insurance paper in yourself to the
actual insurance company. That way, no one will see what you've put as the
diagnosis. As long as the insurance copany is happy, that's all that
matters. HR does not.
— Paula G.
October 4, 2000
I would simply say you are having gastric surgery and if HR asks any more
tell them you have ulcers, like someone else suggested.
— imano1momy
October 4, 2000
OK ...
First I would find out if this section needs to be completed in order to be
approved.
Second, if it must be completed, I would ask your doctor to come up with a
very long latin diagnosis.
Personally ... I would make the diagnosis something so when they figured
it out finally, it translated into something akin to Nymphomania.
But, thats just because it would amuse me.
What about listing one of the comorbidities?
Good Luck!!
M
— Mary Anne M.
October 4, 2000
Put down your comorbidities.
— SnowWhiteDove459
October 4, 2000
I had to answer this same question and felt the same way you do regarding
my privacy. I simply put gastric surgery and it was never questioned. It
doesn't appear to be a question that will determine whether or not they
approve your leave. Simply the fact that you're having surgery of any kind
should qualify you.
— blank first name B.
October 5, 2000
How about just simply "Bariatric Surgery to resolve *insert
co-morbidity her*". Such as "Bariatric Surgery to resolve
life-threatening hypertension or diabetes or lower back pain"...etc.
This puts the emphasis on the co-morbidity which has much less of a stigma
to it. Also, the average joe doesn't really understand what Bariatric
means. I know I didn't!! Good Luck!
— Laura B.
October 17, 2000
Well, you could fib and say you have an ulcer or just say stomach surgery
due to a possiable ulcer. If you have GERD it could be true.
— char T.
July 10, 2002
If you're talking about FMLA certification, the DOCTOR, not the employee,
is to complete the information regarding prognosis. FMLA is an employment
law that provides unpaid time off for a serious illness of the employee or
a family member. But the company representative that makes the
determination (it could be HR, or the Benefits department, or the insurance
company, depending on how your company is set up) must have the prognosis
to ascertain that a serious health condition exists. Without that
information, the request for Leave can, and likely will, be turned down.
Now, the company representative that reviews/approves requests for FMLA is
obliged to keep the prognosis confidential. What should be conveyed to your
manager is that the Leave was approved, the anticipated amount of time off,
and the expected return date.
Even if the paperwork is to be completed by the employee, I strongly
encourage you to be truthful. Other posters have have advocated to provide
untruthful information, such as saying the time off is for hernia surgery,
or to provide a comical/sarcastic answer. I caution you not to do this! You
can absolutely lose your job for providing fraudulent information (even if
you don't see it that way). From an employer's perspective, if the employee
provided untruthful information in order to seek job-protected time off
(usually paid time off), the employer will likely view it as fraud, plain
and simple. Then you would be out of a job and your insurance coverage
could be compromised. It's not worth it. So, whether it's you or the doctor
providing the information, it can be conveyed to the employer in a truthful
way (such as writing "abdominal surgery" for the prognosis). Such
a response will not compromise your need for privacy.
— Sue M.
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