"These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as
fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious
than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials,
it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus
Christ is revealed to the whole world."
- 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)
It took two long years…Awaiting for EEOC’s help and decision
for my charge against my employer for what I believed they had done:
discrimination against my disability. Not only was I demoted to a Per Diem
position from a regular employee status, I was also accused of not disclosing
about my disability when I was hired.
It was difficult to trace back more than 10 years. I made
copies of my own health file. To which I discovered that I did write in my own
handwriting, advising the examining Nurse Practicioner during my pre-employment
physical about my neck injury I sustained from working in the busy Orthopedic
floor from a well-known hospital down south. I saw the range of motions she had
me perform.
“What is your evidence?” I asked the Sergeant who repeated
the accusation during my second meeting with not only her but with three more
who held high positions in our work.
“Sure…Wait a minute,” she arrogantly responded. She closed
the door behind her and after 5 minutes, returned to her vacated seat and
handed me a white piece of paper.
It was a copy from my medical file. It read:
“Medically cleared to work as a Correctional Nurse…”
I couldn't help but smirk. But I tried so hard to shut my mouth. I couldn’t
believe that such a prominent figure who took an oath to her service just lied.
All of us raised our hands to take that oath: “to serve and be willing to stand for what is right, being
a part of law enforcement.”
“But you accepted the Per Diem position,” the EEOC lady
stated, interrupting the flow of thoughts that ran like a flood. Memories of my
own suffering from those people’s hands during the course of 2 years as I
waited.
“I never signed anything but I did accept the Per Diem,” I
answered.
“But I did that because they had told me that if I didn’t, I
would not be a part of the county anymore…”
Meaning…I would have been terminated.
She didn’t say anything. I asked further questions. To which
she never answered except to let out a promise to call me back. That call never
came. Instead, I received a letter from them…Closing or dismissing my case…Just
like that…
I was devastated. The help that many people, not just me,
looked up to, could never be helpful in the end. I imagined the others who had
gone before me with limited resources and who were given no choice but to give
up.
That was how I felt. To give up. To surrender…
But as a Christian, I wouldn’t…There was Someone I look up
to Who never fails me. His obedience to God should be my model. He endured. He
suffered much. And He prevailed.
I never got any answers regarding my inquiry for the notice
that they needed to give me…The right to sue. It is not about winning money. It
is about myself standing up for the abuse of power committed and still is being
committed from my workplace. No one I knew had ever stood up. It was just fight
of words. I never saw actions. I don’t want my experience to happen to anyone
else in that place. If this is what God wants for me to do at this time, I will
never give up until I do get that truth whether my employer discriminated me or
not. I have no fear because I know this is the right thing for me to do. And
that’s how it is when it comes to suffering. It can be costly. Most of the
time. But it is worthy in the end.
Especially when we suffer for Christ. Knowing He suffered for us in the
first place. We have different trials that we are in. But such life’s storms
can help refine our faith even more. To God be the glory.
(Please pray for me and my husband as we travel this
Wednesday and try to get clarification from EEOC. Please pray that the Lord
will give me His wisdom and discernment. May the right lawyer hear my case and defend me though I trust in our Greatest Advocate...Thank you to all of you who are always
quick to release their breaths of prayers. A song to our Lord’s abode. God
bless and protect us all).
