Well, I’m enjoying my “vacation” in DC. While I’m behind with quite a few things and will catch up when I get home (such as the various blogs I read, including the blog aggregator, DeafRead), I’m ahead in other areas, and I’m still not finished! I’ll post my feedback and thoughts on the recent Gallaudet conference featuring bloggers/vloggers elsewhere when I return home to sunny L.A., but for now, I’m here in windy, chilly (but sunny!) D.C., and I’d like to at least say this: It was a fantastic experience, seeing old friends and acquaintances, making new friends, and in some cases, putting names to faces. I was able to finally meet some of my DeafDC.com peers in person.
Since this is a trip where I’m combining business with several other purposes, I thought I’d visit some of my employers, both actual and virtual. Today I’m en route from the hills of Western Maryland to the suburbia that is NoVa– so I figured since I was traveling through WaMarVa (hat tip to the exquisite AlPo), I’d swing by the surburban hamlet of Takoma Park and stroll over to the offices of BayFirst, the corporate sponsor of DeafDC. It’s a very comfy office situated in a low-rise building on the edge of the District, with plenty of natural light. So this column is unique: it’ll probably be the only time I actually blog in DC. *grin*
I work for myself as a freelance writer, among other temp and not-so-temp jobs, in addition to blogging, so this trip, while it’s a business trip, is not so much a vacation or even taking sick leave to enjoy a trip to DC, no matter how cold (see, you can’t say I’m not aware of my surroundings, especially when it feels like the North Pole out there). It’s nice though– it’s sunny, ice-free, and I’m seeing people and getting stuff done. Oh, and did I mention how cold it is?
Being self-employed is great in some ways, not so great in other ways. It’s nice to set your own schedule, to jump from job to job when you feel like it, and to take gigs that interest you. But the down side of course is a lack of benefits and security (health insurance, anyone?). That’s the biggest problem, actually– the state of my personal health care. It’s also a huge problem nationally as well, but that’s a subject for another time.
It does make me wonder though– if I get sick, all I have to do is email whoever I’m working for at the time, and tell them I’m not going to be in today, whether “in” means an actual drive on the Parking Lot or the Santa Monica Freeway or over the hills to the Valley, or “in” meaning around the corner where my computer and uniquely designed file cabinet are (read: piles of paper semi-organized. Remind me to show you my personally crafted indexing system sometime). But for a lot of people, taking leave, whether it’s for a vacation (the Carribean, anyone? Perhaps Hawaii– maybe an ASL dragon can host the next major conference in tropical climes) or because they’re actually ill, and feel socially responsible enough to stay at home and not share the love, isn’t always possible (have I won an award for the longest run-on sentence in DeafDC history yet?).
This morning, I took a peek at the news, and saw that one of my favorite cities passed a law last fall mandating that all workers are entitled to paid sick leave within the city’s borders. Now I know people view San Francisco as either an elitist utopia of sorts, or a very quirky place in the nation, but in some ways I think the laws we pass in Califunny are trendsetting in a way. In an era of go-getting companies squeezing as much as they can out of each and every employee, it’s refreshing to see that there’s still some sense of social responsibility for human concerns. I know here in DC (and yes, it feels funny typing that!), the Feds provide a fairly nice package for its employees. But there are a variety of businesses here and across the nation that aren’t as willing to provide a social contract of sorts for its workers.
Should everyone be entitled to guaranteed sick leave? Is such a law a win-win prospect? Or is there a better way to enact a system that benefits everyone, from the employer down to the newest hire? Is sick leave a basic human right, or a costly aspect of rising business costs? Personally, I think that sick leave is an important part of overall employment guarantees, and most employers have policies in effect. But I recognize that not all employers do this, and some abuse their employees a great deal. Right now I’m taking leave, both in person and from blogging. In the meantime, what do you think?
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I think that’s great what SF did.
Paid sick leave is wonderful. Your employer wants you well so you can do some productive work. Come in sick or whatever, then you won’t be doing optimal performances.
I think all companies should this. However, I think that paid sick leave isn’t enough. Maybe I’m thinking too much or maybe I’ve missed the point. But here’s what I’m thinking…
If you’re really sick for whatever reasons and need medical attention, then, obviously, you need to see a doctor. The problem for temporaries, contracts, adjuncts, freelancers, etc. is that they do not have medical insurance. Typically, only part- & full-timers that have insurance and a host of other benefits.
Paid sick leave is great, whether you have just the sniffles or whether you need to be operated repeatedly for the next 20 years. Howver, for those with no insurance and really need medical treatment, then doesn’t that defeat this whole sick leave thing?
Idealistically speaking, I think it would be great if employers take an extra step and provide medical insurance to all employees. Or would just throw Earth outta orbit? Whadda think?
Hi, Larry– oh, I agree. A big problem for those of us who are not full-time, full (or even partial)-benefit employees is the lack of medical insurance. It’s a major problem in this country, and I’d like to see some real reform in this area. Idealistically, I’d agree with you that providing medical insurance to all employees is what every business should be doing. Realistically, this won’t happen on its own. It’s why I’m wondering if government intervention is going to be required at some point.
The answer?
government managed single payer health insurance
memorize those words. That’s where the future is. Our federal employees have that same health insurance, and it has supported them well over the years. No reason we can’t expand it to all citizens. It would take away the insurance burden from companies. People would be more free to change jobs if needed, because they are not stuck with a health insurance. Persons with a pre existing condition would not have insurance turn them down or have to pay exorbiant amounts of monthly payments.
There are side benefits as well - the government can then get involved with negotiating prices for drugs, thereby bringing prices down to a manageable level. Small businesses can hire more employees because they are not broke from paying for health insurance. companies would not have to compensate as much for paid leave (since they don’t have to provide insurance during that time). Parents could afford to take time off and stay home and care for their infants and young children. Doctors would not have to do so much paperwork and could focus more on helping patients.
It works. There is the inconvenience of having to schedule yearly appointments months in advance, and having to negotiate for more expensive tests and procedures. But every person, every child will be covered. They will receive the latest immunization shots. They will have yearly checkups to maintain their health in good standing. All this preventive health care will bring costs down overall because “reactive” health care will not be as common as it is today. (By reactive, I mean, someone without insurance, waiting until they are REALLY sick and going in, and ending up with a whooping 10,000 bill with no way to pay for it).
Taxes a problem? Well, with the 200 billion we’ve spent on the Iraq war so far, imagine what we could do for the health care of every child and adult in America.
If only our priorities would change from waging war and geopolitical conquest of resources to managing our basic needs and supporting an expanding middle class.
Boy, what a waste the last few years have been. *sigh*
What I’d love to see is every American receive the same benefits our Congressfolks do. That’s a job I’d love to have: all the benefits that go with being in Congress in exchange for a 2 1/2 day workweek, which is what Congress had up until after the recent elections. Now they’re saying that they’ll finally act a little like normal folks and work five days a week. We’ll see what happens…
With this world full of disease, we need more sick days! Never know what we will catch next! So I am all for it!
This blog, along with some of the comments made, really hit home for me. Truthfully, it stirred up a lot of difficult emotions.
I’m a Deaf Professional currently “between jobs” as I prefer to put it. Right now I’m struggling to get by on short-term contracts, odd jobs here and there, funds saved for a rainy day, and handouts from the family trust fund. It’s not much fun…frankly it sucks. I’m out there looking for a new job, but it hasn’t been easy. The market is limited, and the competition is fierce.
I had a pretty good job, making a pretty good salary, with pretty good benefits…including paid leave and health insurance. For a single gal living on her own, those benefits are nearly as important as that paycheck. Then the organization underwent some changes, and I found myself out of a job.
The timing was perfect. I’m a two-time cancer survivor and only a week or so earlier I had been informed by my doctor that after being cancer-free for several years, the sarcoma was back. Now I had to make some tough decisions not only about treatment, but about how I - as a single woman - was going to support myself in the midst of it all. Sick leave was going to be essential, and health insurance never looked so good.
And in one swift moment, they were both gone and I was left to sit in my living room in numb shock, wondering what the hell I’m going to do now.
I’m lucky…the National Cancer Institute stepped in and through one of their special programs, has agreed to pay the majority of my cancer treatment. But I still have to drive around 160 miles one-way to the nearest NCI approved hospital for treatment (even though there’s a hospital with a good oncology dept. just a mile down the street from my house). Sometimes I have to make that trip solo, because I can’t find anyone able to time off to come with me. And while I’m grateful to NCI, they still only pick up 80% of the tab, and cancer treatment is NOT cheap. Chemotherapy drugs can cost anywhere from $2000 to $8000 a pop - you do the math.
I’m currently in remission and I’m doing fairly okay. But I’m a realist…I know the day is going to come when the doctors tell me the cancer’s metastasized to another part of my body, that it’s bad, and it’s time to bring in the big guns.
So I lie in bed awake at night…wondering how much time I have…whether I’ll be able to find a good job that will provide me with that sick leave and health insurance I need, and stay well long enough to at least have made a pretty good impression on my employer before I have to come and say “sorry folks, but I need time off…”
I lie in bed wondering how much longer I can keep the creditors at bay while I watch the bills pile up, the bank account shrink, and the fear of going homeless become more and more of a possibility.
I lie in bed wondering which is the lesser of the two evils - watching our government send young men overseas to die on foreign soil…or watching our government allow hard-working, tax-paying citizens of this country to die in the streets because they don’t have adequate health care and sick leave policies, and can’t manage their finances when they’re too sick to earn the paycheck.
Yes…we need better Sick Leave policies. Yes, we need better government-subsidized Health Care policies.
Yes…I need to get a decent night’s sleep.
*hug* stituations like this is why I am such a strenous advocate of public health care for EVERY adult and child. NOBODY should have to make financial or any kind of compromises for their health because some corporation or hospital decides that it’s not worth spending money on.
We should put more of a value on human life and our physical well-being than this!~
I’m so sorry this is happening to you! I wish I knew what else to say.
Oh, man. I doubt you’re around the corner from me, but if you are, let me know– I’d be happy to keep you company on these trips. Best wishes as you fight (yet again!) your cancer.
As for the rest of it, I hear you– I’ve been there: the short-term work, the odd jobs, living off of savings, and receiving handouts from the family. That was my reality until fairly recently, and I too am college-educated… So you’re not alone.
I also agree- I’d rather see our government’s priorities change from spending billions on occupying another country, bombing and killing people, and rebuilding other nations’ infrastructures, and instead coming home to spend billions on our own infrastructure, our own people, and a different set of goals.
In the meantime, I wish you tons of luck. Do check back with me and let me know how you’re doing. Tons of positive thoughts being sent your way…
I find it interesting that when a blog like this, which focuses on a growing national issue that we should all be focused on gets posted here, most of the readership ignores it.
Apparently we would all rather talk about CIs and Deaf Education and hybrids and hummers and the like.
Not that I don’t understand - these are issues that are closer to home for most of us, and with which we more easily identify. We can say our piece, and then hop in our SUVs, drive away, and be done with it.
But these issues are not going to go away, people… and we have to start focusing on them. We have to stop isolating ourselves to things that only matter to us, and start recognizing that if we want to get people to pay attention to our concerns, we need to start paying attention to some of theirs.
Because the harsh reality is…some of those issues are going to hit the Deaf Community sooner or later… if they haven’t already. We’ve seen a perfect example of that above. Here’s a Deaf person - one of our own - struggling with trying to stay afloat while struggling with a life-threatening disease and the financial hardships it entails.
With all due respect, I’d like to think that’s a helluva lot more important than how many miles per gallon one of those damn hummers gets.
I can’t help but notice that David Evans - the author of this blog - was also the author of another well written blog here that discussed the upcoming presidential campaign and how we need to think about getting involved. How many of you got involved in that discussion? Yes, it generated a number of comments, but they all seemed to basically be the same people responding to one another.
Shane Feldman made a good comment on that blog about just what the Deaf Community’s priorities are, and how perhaps we need to start thinking about getting those priorities in order and getting our act together.
The fact is, we are going to start seeing and reading a lot more about national politics in the upcoming months, and we need to start thinking about how those politics are going to affect us as a community. We need to think outside the box, and look at the bigger picture.
How many of those presidential hopefuls are going to give a **** about Cochlear Implants or the closing of a Deaf School? Precious few of them, I suspect. But how many of them are going to be discussing issues of Health Care and Education and Employment, and the High Cost of Living? You can bet your sweet ass all of them will be, and we better sit up and pay attention when they do…because those issues affect US just as much as they do our neighbors.
Wanna bring it home? Okay…how about trying this on for size - how many parents and persons with hearing loss are going for cochlear implants because their insurance will pay for it, but won’t pick up the cost for a three thousand dollar digital hearing aid? Heck, the only reason I’m wearing digitals today is because Vocational Rehabilitation paid for 80% of the cost.
What’s wrong with this picture? And how can we go about changing it?
What about Captioning? What about Education? What about Federal Funding for Gallaudet? What about maintaining those rights we have fought so hard for under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
What about “Really Hits Home” who lies in bed awake at night wondering why the government spends millions of dollars to send soldiers overseas while s/he struggles just to come up with the couple hundred dollars to spend on needed drugs and other essentials?
Is it that we don’t care? Or we just don’t think these issues affect us?
Something to think about.
I’m not religious, but Virginia…
AMEN. You’ve nailed it on the head.
Thanks, Virginia! I have no problem with discussing deaf-themed or related issues (and I have blogged my fair share of posts on such topics before). But my tendency is to look at regional/national issues, and try to see the bigger picture. It’s great that we can mobilize people to protest at Gallaudet, and “win”; it’s great that we can generate letters on behalf of closed-captioning, or write letters to the editors about poorly-written articles about deafness/deaf people. But as you said, there are issues that cross all boundaries, and I agree- health care is one of them.
This is why I’d like to see the deaf community at large use its largely untouched political muscle and organize to become a voice heard on some of these larger issues that resonate nationally; once we garner enough attention and credibility for our views on these larger topics, we can then go back to these same political stars and direct their attention to the more parochial issues that we have.
I could be wrong about this– someone else with more political savvy may have a different opinion. But that’s how I see it…
Thank you, Vikki.
I was watching Barack Obama announce his presidency this morning - which was all the more exciting because it took place right down the street from me…I live in Springfield, Illinois. But I didn’t brave our chilly weather and the big crowds; decided to just stay home and watch it captioned on television, although I did see some Deaf folks in the audience flashing “ILY” signs, and there was an interpreter present. (I do have to wonder, tho - were those interpreting services actually arranged for and paid by the Obama campaign, or supplied by the Illinois Commission for the Deaf and thus paid for with taxpayer money???)
I thought Barack Obama gave a good speech. Interestingly, he touched on a number of the very issues I spoke about above - the rising cost of Health Care, the struggles of the Middle Class to deal with the high cost of living while seeking good paying jobs, the war in Iraq, the need for better education for our children. These are issues I think all of us can identify with - Black or White, Male or Female, Deaf or Hearing.
He made one statement that I found quite powerful and which has stuck with me even after all the crowds have dispersed - in talking about his experience as a congressman in the Illinois State Senate, he commented on how it was that legislative body he learned
“…how we can disagree without being disagreeable.”
There is something about this statement that appeals to me, and makes me think of our community. Much like the American public who swarmed to Springfield for this historical announcement, we in the Deaf Community are a diverse population, made up of people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives and beliefs. We are not always going to like one another, and we are not always going to agree with one another.
But as Senator Obama says…I think we can and must discover how to get along with each other, and learn from one another.
I’m going to be keeping an eye on this presidential hopeful - I like his message.
I’m not supporting anyone so far, and I want to know more about Obama– he hasn’t really stuck his neck out so far during his tenure in the Senate. Still, I’ve read enough articles lately about his being a consensus-builder, which is what this country needs right now. So I too will be keeping an eye on him.
Any way for you to follow up on who funded the interpreter, and what those who were in attendance thought? If it comes down to those deaf that were there having an “Obama moment” the way you had your “Wellstone moment” years back, it could be this guy’s genuine.
Hi David ~
It’s my understanding from talking with a Deaf friend that there were a couple of Deafies from the area (the Illinois School for the Deaf is around 30 minutes away from Springfield) that wanted to go, and contacted the Obama campaign, which supplied them with two interpreters. How they arranged for those services I am not certain, but it would appear that Obama’s team did in fact take responsibility for assuring that such services were provided. So that’s a good thing!
My friend wasn’t in town for the speech - she was visiting with pals down in Charleston, SC (and should have stayed there…we got hit with a winter storm last night and have around seven inches of snow on the ground this morning - UGH!) so she doesn’t know at this point what the impression of Obama is amongst those who did attend. I have talked to a few hearing people I know who attended and were impressed with him, but I think it remains to be seen.
The concern I have seen expressed by a few Deaf people I have talked to is Obama’s Muslim background. Even tho I have taken pains to try and clarify that he is himself a Christian (and in fact it was a job with the church that first brought him to Illinois in the first place, and led to his attending law school), there was one person who insisted he is actually Muslim and others who still get nervous about his association with such.
I find this kind of interesting that there does appear to be a certain “anti-Muslim” thing going on where Obama is concerned. Yes, his father was Muslim and so was his stepfather. Yes, he did spend time in Indonesia, which is a predominately Muslim country. But does that make him guilty by association? Apparently in some people’s minds it does.
Maybe I’m being hopelessly naive here, but I would like to think that having that background could actually be a bonus - it gives Obama a certain insight and understanding of this religious culture that could actually enhance foreign relations with those countries that practice such a faith.
Again, I think it remains to be seen…and I suspect the whole world will be keeping an eye on this guy.
Bush and the Republicans were not protecting us on 9-11, and we aren’t a lot safer now. We may be more afraid due to george bush, but are we safer? Being fearful does not necessarily make one safer. Fear can cause people to hide and cower. What do you think? How does that work in a democracy again? How does being more threatening make us more likeable?Isn’t the country with
the most weapons the biggest threat to the rest of the world? When one country is the biggest threat to the rest of the world, isn’t that likely to be the most hated country?
Our country is in debt until forever, we don’t have jobs, and we live in fear. We have invaded a country and been responsible for thousands of deaths.
The more people that the government puts in jails, the safer we are told to think we are. The real terrorists are wherever they are, but they aren’t living in a country with bars on the windows. We are.
I have to wonder if guaranteed sick leave policies are not as good as they once were due to the number of people who abused them? You know, a few “bad apples”… So in turn, many employers have ended up abusing their employees in not offering a reasonable amount of paid sick leave. I have seen my share of friends over the years “call in sick” because it was a nice day and they decided to take a trip to the beach (wear a lot of sunblock though so they don’t return to work the next day with a sunburn)…or the weather was yucky and they just didn’t feel like going out in it, and the most popular - had too much to drink the night before and was hungover!
Health care insurance, or lack thereof, IS a national issue and DOES affect us all…and I totally agree with those who commented about our government taking more interest in spending millions of dollars waging war on other countries than taking care its own citizens. It is highly frustrating. As American citizens, people like David who are self-employeed, and “Really Hits Home” who is “between jobs” (and battling a serious disease to boot!) should not have the constant burden of worrying about their health care due to lack of insurance. There has to be a better way! We should all be on equal ground as far as health insurance goes.
But is our government ever going to figure this out? I live in Massachusetts where we have a new health care reform law taking effect. Because we need health care reform right? As our state legislation agrees. By July this year - all residents are to have health insurance coverage - (which they will have to purchase whether they can afford it or not, as I understand it.) And if you don’t have a health insurance plan through your employer, and you don’t pay for your own health insurance coverage out of pocket starting this summer - the government will sock you with penalties at tax time and eventually make you pay what you would have paid for the health insurance plan you couldn’t afford to pay for in the first place. How exactly is this supposed to help our self-employed and unemployed residents? I’m still scratching my head in confusion.
Crystal, some good thoughts… I too am unsure if the guaranteed sick leave would work as intended, or if it would be abused. Then again, there’s always going to be a small number of people that are rotten apples, and will find ways to “fix” the system in their favor no matter what. I think the key will have to be figuring out what’s best for the population as a whole, and then trying to figure out solutions to eliminate or at least reduce the potential for abuse.
I’m not all that familiar with the Massachusetts plan, but it does sound similar to what Schwarzenegger is proposing here in California, and I have some problems with that, because it will impact those who can least afford it. I’m happy he’s proposing a solution, because it means at least we’re TALKING about it, but I don’t think it’s the answer we’re all looking for. Time to go back to the drawing board, I think…
Im also in massachusetts & the new plan really does “stick it” to those who cant afford health care. its pretty unfair. i feel everyone should have health insurance, but i dont think working people who cant afford to health care should be penalized this way.
additionally as for abusing sick leave, im in labor studies so we research this stuff alot and employer claims of abuse of sick leave are pretty overexaggerated. additionally where there is paid sick leave, there’s a limited amount of days so if you do choose to “call in sick” when youre not sick, you may very well “pay” for it when the flu comes around.