Protecting Medical Information Rights

Can you tell me if this is a good legal letter to send to HR in nys

Dear HR Team, I am writing to formally address several issues related to my paid family leave request, subsequent suspensions, and their impact on my mental health and financial stability. On December *, *, I requested paid family leave after being quarantined at home with my children following a positive COVID-* test. Despite trying to work from home, the pain I experienced made it impossible to continue, especially since my role requires active engagement through the OTP system. In April *, I was suspended. At the time, my work schedule showed that my leave had been certified, leading me to believe it was approved. I was unaware it had been denied until my suspension was communicated to me. Upon returning from my one week suspension, I reached out to HR for clarification, as neither my union representative nor others at Verizon were able to guide me on the proper channels for my leave application. It took over a week for HR to respond, which indicates that even HR was unclear on the process. How was I supposed to know what to do in that situation? In December, I submitted everything to Sedgwick, as I had done for all previous leave requests. I later learned that Sedgwick was not responsible for paying me. Instead, Verizon, as a large employer, was obligated to protect my job without retaliation and provide up to 14 days of sick leave. Before receiving a response from HR about my COVID leave questions, I was suspended again this time for taking approved FMLA leave. Although this suspension was eventually overturned when Verizon realized the error, it had already further exacerbated my mental distress, caused financial strain, and led to significant hardships, including the loss of my apartment. No one apologized; it was treated as if it didn't matter. During this period, I was unable to respond to the first suspension due to the severe decline in my mental health caused by financial stress and hardship resulting from workplace discrimination. I knew I needed to prioritize my mental health to save my life. In response to the overwhelming stress and my deteriorating health, I contacted the accommodations team to request time off for mental health treatment, which had worsened due to the ongoing discrimination I faced while trying to access necessary and federally protected leave. After consulting with the Employee Assistance Program and my psychiatrist, I was advised to seek hospital care. Despite being told by Rose from the WPA accommodations team to use my remaining disability time instead of pursuing accommodations, because "accommodations aren’t approved if disability time is available" I complied and took the necessary time off for treatment. Upon my return, I attempted to ease back into work with half-day accommodations, but was suspended again for taking time off that had not been officially approved. I believe this situation stems from the mishandling of my previous leave requests, which were legitimate, and I should not have been punished for it. Which had caused me significant emotional and financial distress. During this time, I also lost my grandfather, who was like a father to me, on the same day I was discharged from the hospital. I couldn’t even be there for him in his final days because I was dealing with the fallout from discrimination at work. In the midst of picking up the pieces, I lost the one person who understood me, and less than two months after his passing, I was suspended again for trying to restore my mental health, which had been damaged due to discrimination. I did not share this detailed information with the union because of the personal nature of my health issues and my desire to maintain privacy. I work closely with my colleagues and am concerned about being judged based on the nature of my disabilities. Please keep this information confidential and do not share it with my supervisor or the union. I am seeking your assistance with the following: *. Removal of the COVID-related suspension from my record, as I was unable to work due to my illness and was unaware of the denial of my leave or the correct people to report it to. I can provide the paperwork I submitted to Sedgwick, including the mandatory order of isolation and the dates. *. A reevaluation of my current suspension, which I believe should be classified as a step * instead of a step * (or not classified at all), given the circumstances surrounding my workplace injury and subsequent leave. I have included copies of the correspondence I sent to the WPA accommodations team in May, detailing my experiences following my suspension and my request for leave to seek hospitalization. I appreciate your attention to this matter and hope for a resolution that acknowledges the challenges I have faced during this time. Thank you for your understanding.

Yes help

Rewrite the letter show me how it could be better

My letter is too long? This revised letter doesn’t really touch upon the discrimination I faced, or financial hardships as well as doesn’t highlight how the discrimination caused me to lose time with a loved one nor does it mention not wanting the union or other colleges to not see my health records

What should the subject of the letter be?

If I have a union do you think it’s okay to reach out to HR on my own

I don’t want to involve the union as it’s personal health information

If you take approved FMLA leave and a job suspends you for it then months later realize it was illegal and give you back pay can you still sue for damages?

Yes

Do I need to file and EEOC complaint and get a right to sue letter first?

How long do I have to file the complaint in NYS?

Yes