Federal Job Discrimination

[Lil122651]

I am currently a dentist who works for the federal government.  Since 1979, with the exception of a period of approximately 17 months, I have worked for the federal government either as an active duty military or civilian dentist, thus nearly 30 years total.  I am in my 26th year as a dentist in this agency and my career has been almost exclusively clinical dentistry involving patient treatment.  In 2002, following one of many "needlestick" incidents, I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C.  I was successfully treated by my primary care provider.  
At this point, I find the fatigue of the cirrhosis involved as well as the type 2 diabetes to pose a problem with fatigue in terms of doing the involved dentistry my supervisor considers important.  He is aware of my situation with Hepatitis C but is pursuing a formal process to have me fired.  
I will need an attorney to approach this situation.  Retirement under FERS yields me very little compensation for  the illness, discrimination, and mental anguish I have suffered for the past 8-12 years.  Does anybody know of any cases of this type in the recent past and how it was handled?  Can anyone suggest an aggressive attorney who might help me with the federal government's own discimination efforts against me?  Thank you![  

[ibamech]

Lil, Before you can get any protection you have to register your complaint with the Department of health and human services, then you have to file a complaint with department of civil rights, then you file with D.O.L.equal employment opportunities,then you file with the D.O.L.under the heading of americans with disabilities act.At that point you can get a U.S. attorney that specializes in labor law that will take your case.But if you still have hcv then you have a blood born pathogen and you are sticking you hands in peoples mouths.Best chance of keeping a job is to transfer out of dentistry. Remember though you work for the government and they make their own rules.If they don't want to abide by a law, they are not going to do it, and there is nothing you can do about it.

[Trinity4]

If you don't mind me asking I'm curious as to what part of the country you live in.

Trinity  

[HectorSF]

Hi!

I don't mean to sidetrack you from your discrimination issue but I didn't have a few questions about your current health issue, cirrhosis due to HCV.

"In 2002, following one of many "needlestick" incidents, I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C.  I was successfully treated by my primary care provider.  
At this point, I find the fatigue of the cirrhosis..."

I think you mean you were UNsuccessfully treated for Hep C, correct?

Your liver disease has progressed to cirrhosis from what I understand.
If you don't mind...How are you managing your cirrhosis? Are you taking Lactulose and Rifaximin for hepatic encephalopathy? Assuming you also suffer from portal hypertension. Subtle signs of hepatic encephalopathy are observed in nearly 70% of patients with cirrhosis. If you are having trouble with the ability to concentrate, shortened attention span, changes in memory, intellectual function, hypersomnia, slowing of ability to perform mental tasks, insomnia, or inversion of sleep pattern, and coordination. This can also affect your energy level and ability to work.

I hope someone else here can help you with the work issue you are facing.
Best of luck with your discrimination case.

Hectorsf

[Trinity4]

It's unusual for someone who has successfully treated and has achieved a sustained virological response to progress to cirrhosis.  Were you cirrhotic prior to successful treatment?

Clincial research and studies have shown the progression of fibrosis ceases and in many cases reverses a stage or two over a period of time once a sustained virological response is achieved so I am confused as to why you are experiencing disabling symptoms from cirrhosis specifically.  Of course, having diabetes can pose it's own set of problems with the liver and some who have been cured with the current standard of care experience chronic fatigued which they attribute to interferon exposure.

Have you had a recent biopsy which shows cirrhosis?  If not, are other blood values such as bilirubin, INR and platetes also indicating cirrhois?


Trinity

[Rockerforlife]

They will proberly harrass you to make you quit too,it happened to me,they drove me bonkers

[Rockerforlife]

If they fire you sue their as-ses off.You will get tons of cash