A Los Angeles, California, Wal-Mart employee suffered severe workplace injuries as a result of heavy lifting required as part of her job. The employee, a manager in the store's health and beauty department who has worked at Wal-Mart since 2009, complained to her supervisors several times about pain in her arm and her struggle to complete some of her job duties, which required manual labor.
However, when she complained, her managers informed her that there were several other people who wanted her job, leaving the employee no other option but to continue working. An emergency room doctor's note was not even enough to persuade her managers to lighten the physical labor aspect of her position.
Eventually, the pain became so unbearable that the employee could only work with one arm. The straw that broke the camel's back occurred one day when the employee was moving several boxes weighing up to 80 pounds each off delivery pallets and onto storage shelves. The next morning, the left side of her body was in bad shape.
Wal-Mart's doctor told the employee that she had injured her left arm and should not lift more than 10 pounds. She was sent home and received worker's compensation as a "temporarily disabled" employee; however, a recent change updated her to "permanently disabled," which, oddly enough, means she has to return to work.
She is still suffering from sharp pain and muscle spasms in her neck, back, and down her left side. In addition, she has developed insomnia because of the pain. Fortunately, an attorney has been able to help this injured employee extend her leave and get Wal-Mart to pay for a major surgery. Further procedures are needed, however, and the employee is receiving letters demanding her return to work despite the medical leave.
Source: The Huffington Post, "LA Walmart Employee, Girshriela Green, Tells Her Story Of Poverty And Injury," Kathleen Miles, March 23, 2012
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