Quote from: EmilyMI on February 06, 2013, 11:45:04 AM
I would assume that they tried to hire you back because they knew it was illegal for them to fire you like that. But I am happy for you that you declined their 'invitation' to work for them again. You do not want to be part of an organization that blatantly discriminates against Trans individuals.
I know Dr. Brassard in Montreal from his reputation for his SRS work but I was not familar with him doing FFS. For my FFS I pretty much decided that I want to go to Dr. DiMaggio in Argentina. I had a consultation with him a while ago and he suggested that I pretty much get a full FFS (Brow, Chin, Rhinoplasty, etc..) I had consultations with other surgeons as well and they pretty much said the same thing. I know a lot of girls who went with Dr. DiMaggio and everyone that I talked with were very pleased with the results. Plus for a Full FFS procedure it was around the price that will fit my budget. Just going to Argentina by myself is a bit scary but it will need to be done though. How long of a drive was it to Dr. Brassard? I live in Michigan and about 1 1/2 hours from the Border to Canada and I think it is like 6 hour drive to get from Montreal from there?
They didn't want to rehire me over guilt, it was lack of options. I work in that Hartford, CT area insuance company field and in IT, everyone knows everyone. It's an incestuous little job market, and the company I was working for at the time was basically a bottom tier player in the market. I know enough about employment law that yes I could have sued, but didn't want to embarrass myself and have a really good job record and reputation dragged through the mud by an employer just to avoid paying a lawsuit. So i knew that when they "eliminated" my job and walked me out the door. I cried when I got to the car, but I felt there was still hope, my transition was still going. although at that moment I didn't know if my transition had a future or not.. After 1 year had passed they posted my old job on job boards and their website. I can pretty much guarantee that no one applied for the job because they had a reputation for being a sweat shop. So with no one applying and running out of options, I got the call. There was a lot of personnel turn over by the time so a lot of the old cliqu had broken up. I could have taken the old job and gotten an instant pay raise, but how could I ever trust them?
Attracting away talent from neighboring companies that offer better pay and benefits is tough. The higher up one goes, the smaller the market and the harder it is to lure talent away. I was lured to the company in the first place with money and a nice management job. I should have taken the hint on the first day I worked there. My first task I was given was to fire somebody. It was an employee under a PIP (performane improvement plan), a database administrator (DBA). I said no way, I need to do my evaluaton. So I did, and ultimately after 8 weeks I agreed that this person had to go.
At that job I was a distinguished performer getting top reviews, good bonuses, stocks, etc. I did a lot to advance the state of their technology. My own staff would get pissed off when I hired an outsider instead of one of their friends so I knew that worked against me as well. I didn't want a clique and that company was very very cliquey. Some people had been there for a long time and didn't like outsiders. They only tolerated me because of my position. The thing was when I got there, I immediately stopped the sweat shop work. I cut peoples jobs down to normal hours and encouaged people to learn new technologies during work hours so that they could move around in the company. The funny part is, after I left the sweat shop environment came back and lasted that way for a good 3 more years until some higher up managers were themselves finally canned or quit.
You want to know the crazy part? This was a company with a perfect 100 HRC score, which to me shows for worthless that score is. If I were a janitor and transitioned that was one thing, but as a senior manager no way. I'm pretty sure they knew something was up with me in the months leading to my "departure". The changes, hormones, electrolysis, my attitide was changing, etc. I was evolving, maybe they didn't like that. Who knows, the fact of the matter is I beat the bums at their own game.
Dr Brassard is obviously well known for his srs surgery and far less known for facial work. He does do it though. Early in 2001 I had a post-op friend who convinced me to take a ride to Montreal and at least meet the good doctor. You know, he has this way about him, gentle and compassionate, and he was very good at explaning what things I needed to do. He took the time to walk me through the procedures and what he thought I needed. I was so pleased with what he said, I paid my deposit before I left to come back home. From my house it's about a 4 hour drive from the berkshires to Montreal.
When I had my facial surgery, I got to stay at the residence, which at that time was a really nice house on an island. It was very peaceful. Of course I was bandaged and not exactly outside having a blast or something. I did notice that both Drs Brassrard and Menard came to the house to meet with the post SRS patients literally every day. I mean how can one beat that for aftercare? I got to see the SRS aftercare, the results first hand, and I was pretty comfortable with having him for my SRS surgery. So in 2003 I went back once again for SRS.
