Rick Daniel, 49, is an application engineer with Rohde & Schwarz, Inc., which develops and manufactures electronic instrumentation. In December 2005, he was working at the company’s Dallas branch office. He was at home on the weekend when an aneurysm —hidden in his brain — ruptured.
Daniel was airlifted to Baylor Medical Center and spent two weeks in the ICU after the massive hemorrhage.
Meanwhile, his workplace was responding.
“My company allows people to donate vacation time,” he says. “It was great for my family; my wife didn’t have to worry about paychecks.” He and his family received “a lot of concern, nothing but support,” from the proactive human resources director, who solicited leave donations from his willing coworkers.
Daniel felt no corporate pressure to return to work, but he acknowledges that his situation is atypical: “Your mileage may vary for sure.” For many people, a serious health condition can cause untold disruption at work, and be job threatening, if not life threatening.
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