I worked at Rent A Center for 2.5 years. I was awarded multiple awards in my region for 2009. We as managers are required to work a 50 hour minimum weekly, and we only have 2 days of sick time a year. During holidays even though we get the holiday off, we have to work an additional half day that week? So I guess that is cool, and I have done that and more hours on many occassions.

I had a lump in my breast last year, and my doctor scheduled me three different mammogram appointments. The appointments were not on my normal days off but I never take a lunch soI figured I could run to the hospital and get it done. The first time I tried to go my boss was a jerk. He said, "How long is that going to take and Can't you schedule that on you day off? I did not go, and I scheduled it on my day off this time. It push my appointment way back, so I was taking a risk. The odds were in my favor though andpushing it backkept my boss off my back. I have come back to work after getting my teeth worked on or a tooth pulledwhen Iwas told by the dentist not to go in that day.RAC isjust so unforgiving when it comes to missing work. This time when I scheduled on my day offmy co worker called in and we were short staffed, so my boss made me go into work. The third time I was called into work because of an aquisition. I gave up until May when the lump started hurting non stop. Instead of going to a reg Dr who would schedule me a mammogram I went to a surgeon one day when we were not terribly busy with out my boss's knowledge. I swear if he would have known before hand he probably would have said no. They do not care at all what you have going on in your life there at Rent A Center.

When I called and told him I had breast cancer he seemed concerned, so I thought maybeI was not fair to him. Unfortunately his kind demeanor did not last. My boss was really trying to get involved with my request for FMLA even though it does not state anywhere that I need his help. My surgeon wanted me togo through a lot of testing the following week. She was concerned that I was so worried about my job instead of my cancer. She filled out my medical certificate for 051510 and I took of work after I faxed my med cert to the leave desk.I told my supervisor I am taking leave the following week and he said why so early??? I said well I have nothing but tests next week back and forth from the city. We live in kind of a rural area, but I wanted to go to a womans clinic in stead of doing this at our little hospital. The one thing that concerned me was my supervisor callme right back and told me to leave a copy of my med cert for him. He also had me fax one to his office?At the time I did not realizeI did not have to leave him anything.

He kept asking me whenI would be back andI had no answer. The med cert said if everything goes well 4 to 6 months would be the duration. It had a place that asked what recovery time was for the initial surgery with out reconstruction that said 4-6 weeks. That is very important to remember. The next day I came into work one more time and this girl from another store was there. She was going to be filling in for me while I was gone. I got to speaking with her and out of the blue she says, "Well (my boss's name) said you (meaning me) may have some animosity toward me for being here." That comment threw me back a minute...Why would he say that? I asked her and she told me that my boss said, "You just needed to prepareand she looks terrible." He obviously told her abvout my condition, Thenhe has a conversation with me, and asked me ifI understand that I can not return to work unless I am 100%. He wanted to verify I knew I had to be 100% and that I knew that. PLease understand that I had no idea what I was about to go through at all. I thought oh can't be that bad getting some new breasts, butI was very wrong. I told him I heal quickly so I should be back in about 3 weeks. What I did not know is that I would have four Doctors in all and the 1st surgery was one of four surgeries I needed.my boss told me it may be hard for me in the event they have to fill my position. I said well better not to worry about that now.I was very aware of a 12 week rule that applied to my situation.I found out that day that my boss told a lot of people about my cancer. I had a lot of people calliong me and telling me they found out from him. That was ackward for me, but I just let it go.

I had a bilatetral mastectomy with reconstruction.Just 3wks after my surgery I still had drainage tubes, and I got a call from my boss asking me whats going on. I told him I was just tired of driving ect. He tells me I am not on FMLA? He tells me they are having to put someone in my position soon if i do not return? I said, "I do not think you can do that and he said I sure can. I kept calm knowing I was protected. Right after I called the leave desk to verify my status. I told them I had not gotten any thing, and my boss it saying I am not covered. They said they would take care of it.I asked them not to mention I am involved, because I do not want him to feel ackward. The next day I spoke to my boss again he said he has a paper he needs me to get my Dr to fill out. I said well email it to me, and he would not. I felt ackward about the entire thing. I told him "Good news I spoke to the leaver desk and they said I am covered for 12 weeks" He stated, "The LOA ladies are just a bunch of paper pushers they do not deal with the ops of our stores? I got scared with reason because ever since I have not been left alone. 7 sheer months of BS from this company even after I went back to work my boss treated me like I had brain cancer not breast cancer. He got into a arguement with the leave desk andI was told about it by the manager of HR? So here I was stuck with my boss not wanting me back and HR failing to handle his arrogant behavier. My staff said he came down to the store the day he got in an arguement with HR and had a meeting all about how the store is better off with out me???I took the HR department a full month to call me and another week to go investigate. Then the HR rep only spoke to my boss not the other members on the staff who have witnessed everything. I was afraid to go back to work I just knew he was going to try to fire me. The HRD that I spoke to promised nothing would happen. He said the first shady thing that happens he will take care of it.Then he told me that he told my boss not to call me anymore at home whileI am on leave, howeverMy boss called the very next morning anyway and the HRD said, "Oh cut him a break..." Now I am on a mystery leave that my boss put me on 8 weeks after I got back to work. Yes he just told me not to come in one day for no reason really. After he made me stay home from work a few times. After a bunch of stuff. Then he hired some one in my position. I requested a reasonable accomodation right whenI returned from FMLA, no one was responding to my request. My boss told me they were checking with legal or having a board meeting about it. I was having a hard time working 50 hours I had three surgeries in four months and I turned chemo down for the time being.My Mom is deceased and i had no one close, so I got depressed. I was still improving the numbers at the store from when I was gone.I can not tell you allll of the things that have happened, but I will tell you I have been fighting for my job. The company refused my accomodation request and they refused to put that is writing. Just so many things like making me stand in the manager meeting infront of at least a hundred people as the girl that has breast cancer. I really need some help, because I have been off work for almost three months.I do not deserve to be treated like a discipline problem when I am and always have been a super employee.

I hope that is enough I just can not write anymore. I am so sick and tired of playing nice with the company when they have not done one single thing for me to meet me in the middle. That was my career but now that I know my complaint went all the way up the chain of command and they filled my position. I have to take this to an expert. If I am wrong let me know. I am hoping for a miracle at this point, because it is clear to me that this company does not think they have to follow the law. They are so big they can pick on me and that is true. I am a single Mom with no money to defend myself. They are banking on that. I just want to get fair and that is all I have every asked for from the company. My boss mocks me and he has called me at home so many times to be a jerk since I started working there that I do not even answer my phone for anyone.

I have much more so PLEASE if you are wanting to help I would really appreciate it.