What if John Edwards Worked at Wal-Mart?

[Coexist]

This may be old - but I just came across it. It really makes you think.

Pundits opine over whether or not John Edwards should suspend his presidential campaign in the face of his wife’s recurrence of cancer—a personal decision that’s frankly none of our business. But here’s something that is our business, every one of us: What happens when ordinary workers' loved ones become sick with cancer, or for that matter, the flu?

Imagine that John Edwards worked as an associate at Wal-Mart—or any other nonunion retail outfit—stocking shelves 35 hours a week. Most weeks he’s scheduled for 40 hours or more but because he doesn’t work those hours year-round, he’s not full-time and not eligible for health insurance.

John has been on the job more than a year and is covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). That means he can take up to 12 weeks off to care for his seriously ill wife. Problem is, the time is unpaid. With the loss of income from his wife’s job while she undergoes treatment and medical bills piling up, he can’t afford to take much leave. Only 8 percent of workers in the private sector get paid family leave, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics—and John isn't among them.

If John wants to hold Elizabeth's hand during chemo, he’d have to hope the appointment falls on a day off. Because of the unpredictability of his schedule, John often doesn’t know until a day or two ahead of time which days and what hours he’ll be working in the coming week.

the rest...

I have had several friends go through chemo, and were not able to just 86 their jobs to deal with their health. Interesting point, no?

[Fovea]

1. Amerika eats its young

and its old and disabled.

But aint it nice to be ultra rich in Amerika!

[iverglas]

2. What if John Edwards Worked at Wal-Mart *and* lived in Canada?

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/asp/gateway.asp?hr=en/ei/types/compassionate_care.shtml&hs=tyt

Employment Insurance (EI) Compassionate Care Benefits

Compassionate care benefits may be paid up to a maximum of 6 weeks to a person who has to be absent from work to provide care or support to a gravely ill family member at risk of dying within 26 weeks. Unemployed persons on EI can also ask for this type of benefits.

To be eligible for compassionate care benefits you must apply and show that:

* your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by more than 40%; and
* you have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks or since the start of your last claim. This period is called the qualifying period.

... You can share the 6 weeks compassionate care benefits with other members of your family who must also apply and be eligible for these benefits.

Sadly, Wal-Mart could still deny the unpaid leave an employee needs in order to take up the benefits, but I doubt even Wal-Mart would do that.

Btw, "family member" includes a partner in a non-marital union ... including a same-sex partner.

[MisterHowdy]

4. I love living in Canada

after I graduated with a Degree in Geography I worked 3 years at at these lousy min.wage, high-stress jobs. Thousands in debt.
Had to work grave-yards for nearly a year just to make ends-meat(not even)

But then I got laid off and got E.I.

E.I. paid for me to go back to school (living expenses included) to learn digital mapping software and GIS

Now I have a government job doing stuff I went to school for, a good wage, no stress, benefits.

See, its funny about Canada. We have programs here that actually HELP people get out of a hole, Not keep them in it.

[mdmc]

3. they would be divorced

[Booster]

5. America would consider him a loser.