A former nurse at Independence (Iowa) Mental Health Institute claims she was fired for taking too long to recover from a workplace injury, reports KGAN CBS 2.
Tina Suckow, a licensed practical nurse, says she suffered injuries to her head, knee and shoulder when trying to calm an aggravated patient at the state-run facility in October 2018.
Ms. Suckow spent five months visiting physicians and undergoing tests. After learning she'd need surgery on both her knee and shoulder, Ms. Suckow said she asked her supervisors for additional time off in early March.
"I tried to get the doctors to do both surgeries at the same time. Because in my mind if I hurry up and heal, I can go back to work," Ms. Suckow told KGAN CBS 2.
Instead of receiving more time off, Ms. Suckow was fired March 15. She worked at the Independence Mental Health Institute for about four years.
Employers can legally terminate employees after they use up all of their vacation days and designated time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act, according to Sara Riley, a lawyer with the Tom Riley Law Firm in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to the Iowa Department of Human Services, which operates Independence Mental Health Institute, for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.