FAMILY DOLLAR THEY LET MY HUSBAND DIE, AND NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO KILL ME TOO!!! FORT SMITH Arkansas

I am truly sorry about the loss of your husband. Though it may seem to you his death and your position with Family Dollar are related they are not. Sounds to me that you are angry and looking for somebody to blame, especially since your last discussion was about your employment with FD.

Several factors come into play. One YOU chose to work those hours, to take on the requirements of those positions. Your work performance is what made it possible for you to become a store manager. Looking back, I'm sure all the time spent at work and time spent on work related issues was certainly not worth the time you gave up with your family.

As far as your husband's health. To have a pre-existing condition does NOT mean you cannot have medical coverage with your employer. It means that if you were seen for a condition within a 6 month period prior to the start of medical coverage, they will not cover expenses related to that condition for the first year OR in some cases the first 6 months of your coverage. It does not mean that you have to go without medical coverage altogether.

The understanding of medical insurance can be a maze by itself. Another thing that factors into the mix is why in the world if you did not have medical coverage that you did not go to the local health department. Many communities also have free clients with hours both for day and evening. Most likely with the normal stresses of life those things did not even occur to you.

I had a friend you had what you call a "sports heart". He was 31 years old and the same thing happened to him. His heart exploded while playing basketball with work friends with his 8 year-old son in attendance. He was gone before his body hit the ground. There was nothing anybody could do. He was in top physical shape.

I understand your hurt and anger over the sudden loss of your soul mate. Life can be so unfair. However, you need to let go of blaming FD for killing your husband. He was a grown man and should have gone to the doctor that day. Being they were thinking it was his foot, most likely they still would have missed the real problem being his heart and he still would have passed away as he did. You not being able to leave work and go to the doctor with him is a very common thing. We take off work to take children to the doctor but not our spouse unless its a major illness. Think back to how many times could he afford to leave work to go to the doctor with you. Again, natural to have the anger of losing him, its natural to be angry looking back and realize all the time you gave up being with him and the family to advance with this company - and for what? Look at the stress it put on you, discussions or disagreement you may or may not have had. Hindsight is always 20/20. I wish we all could have 20/20 sight about the future.

The workman comp issues is a completely different matter altogether. I see from your post that you are handling that.

My advice to you would be, that IF you ever find yourself in a position again with an employer where you are a manager, it would be best to learn as much as you can about:
1. Labor laws. What is a salary position and requirements and what is hourly.
2. Learn about insurance coverage, to include pre-existing conditions and COBRA
3. Learn about FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act)
4. Know your company policies well

There are other areas as well, but those are the most critical for a manager to know, not only for the manager but for the employees which you supervise.

Having been a manager for many years, the time spent doing your job does not surprise me, the stress either. What I do find troubling is WHY would you have copies of all your previous employees time cards? Keeping such items on yourself is not unusual but others? Do you not know it is illegal in many cases to keep private and separate employee files? Especially information that may contain social security information, medical or personal information. Not to mention that is company property and not your property to keep. If I were a previous employee I would be extremely upset to find out you had such information at home on me. That is truly stepping over the line.

I see it has been some time since you first posted all of this. I hope your life is improving as much as possible.

On the bulk, much of this by the store would be illegal and could have gotten the location shutdown....as a manager is part of what above happened I would have called the local news and gone public.

As far as hospital refusals... its incorrect.

In the case of illegals its totally legal to refuse to provide medical treatment in a non-critical case... and in many cases those that have are going out of business due to too many illegals geting free medical.

In critcial cases, a small clinic will often refuse to treat (while trying to keep a patient stable) but oftne help get that person to a regular hospital.

If critical, most ambulances will go to main hospitals anyway, but otherwise often go where the patient wants... if they are seemingly non-critical.

(I know my best friend is a doc who worked in CA for a bit where they were shutdown per costs.

While I dont dispute tammys report. If it had been as described.. there were lawsuits and etc that could have been done.

The whole point to placing an employee on salary
is so you do not have to pay them for every hour worked. Some areas may have laws regarding that or if you belong to a union you may get overtime.

I used to work 60+ hours a week for an uncaring employer and never got overtime. I also scrimped and saved, went to school and started my own company.

My former emplorer owes me more than 20K in back pay and vehicle expenses that were never paid. I won in court but it is hard to colloct from someone who now hides his income and lets his relatives hold all his assets.

Move on and up.

I cant believe you all. if you have ever been a single parent you know how hard it is just to quite your job and find another. If i wanted to sit on my butt and get wellfare i probably would be living it up. But i wasnt raised that way and i wont raise my kids that way.

I to was in the service because i felt it was the right thing, but when i became a single parent i had to choose to leave the job i loved. I have been through alot of crappy jobs just to make sure my kids are taken care of. Most of the jobs i would not have given a second thought to quiting because they expected you to clock out on lunch and still work, or work off the clock with the threaat of losing your job if you did not.

I feel for this woman, though i do not agree that her job killed her husband. He had options that he might not have known about, as much as i love the country i know its not perfect and some companies take advantage of that. Since the lawsuits will never take as much money as they make from abusing people. You have to take a deeper look before you start staying she was stupid or to blame for her husbands death. she did what she thought was best if she had to do it over again she more then likely would not do it again.

To Melissa:

Simply put, your ill-informed views on current and past conflicts in which the U.S. Military participed and is participating in only reinforce your lack of knowledge.

It has always been the duty, throughout our evolution, of the strong to protect the weak. While you may wish to hold political views of what is occurring in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel the support our military has and is providing has been to defend those who cannot defend themselves. It takes apathy for a militarily strong nation to turn a blind eye to human rights injustices, ethnic cleansing and the like.

The simple act of becoming a U.S. Marine is enough to merit respect. The U.S. Marine Corps has the most rigourous, disciplined training program in the U.S. Military. It requires honor, HARD WORK (in capital letters), discipline, devotion to duty and country. Few can become a Marine.

In almost EVERY conflict in which our great nation has been involved the U.S. Marines are the first in conflict on the ground. They pave the road for others to follow. Terrorists and other enemies of our nation have greater fear of a U.S. Marine than any other military force in the world.

Witness Somalia. While the U.S. Marines were present during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 to early May 1993 despite several battles Marine casualties were mostly non existent, while casualties for the enemy and captures were almost daily. The U.S. Marines moved almost freely throughout the country allowing distribution of food aid via U.N. agencies.

After the last Marine patrol and the withdrawal of the Marines battles with casualties became almost a daily occurrence, finally ending with the infamous "blackhawk" incident and the withdrawal of U.S. forces shortly thereafter.

My point. Aidid's (Somalian warlord) forces knew WELL that the U.S. Marine Corps was a force not to be taken lightly. Until the Marine's were gone they virtually remained in hiding.

The U.S. Marine Corps deserves the respect of every American citizen. We sleep peacefully at night because they have established their reputation worldwide as a professional fighting force. You, Melissa, should simply be ashamed of yourself.

Finally a quote for you from a movie, which is appropriate:

"You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. "

To Melissa:

Simply put, your ill-informed views on current and past conflicts in which the U.S. Military participed and is participating in only reinforce your lack of knowledge.

It has always been the duty, throughout our evolution, of the strong to protect the weak. While you may wish to hold political views of what is occurring in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel the support our military has and is providing has been to defend those who cannot defend themselves. It takes apathy for a militarily strong nation to turn a blind eye to human rights injustices, ethnic cleansing and the like.

The simple act of becoming a U.S. Marine is enough to merit respect. The U.S. Marine Corps has the most rigourous, disciplined training program in the U.S. Military. It requires honor, HARD WORK (in capital letters), discipline, devotion to duty and country. Few can become a Marine.

In almost EVERY conflict in which our great nation has been involved the U.S. Marines are the first in conflict on the ground. They pave the road for others to follow. Terrorists and other enemies of our nation have greater fear of a U.S. Marine than any other military force in the world.

Witness Somalia. While the U.S. Marines were present during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 to early May 1993 despite several battles Marine casualties were mostly non existent, while casualties for the enemy and captures were almost daily. The U.S. Marines moved almost freely throughout the country allowing distribution of food aid via U.N. agencies.

After the last Marine patrol and the withdrawal of the Marines battles with casualties became almost a daily occurrence, finally ending with the infamous "blackhawk" incident and the withdrawal of U.S. forces shortly thereafter.

My point. Aidid's (Somalian warlord) forces knew WELL that the U.S. Marine Corps was a force not to be taken lightly. Until the Marine's were gone they virtually remained in hiding.

The U.S. Marine Corps deserves the respect of every American citizen. We sleep peacefully at night because they have established their reputation worldwide as a professional fighting force. You, Melissa, should simply be ashamed of yourself.

Finally a quote for you from a movie, which is appropriate:

"You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. "

To Melissa:

Simply put, your ill-informed views on current and past conflicts in which the U.S. Military participed and is participating in only reinforce your lack of knowledge.

It has always been the duty, throughout our evolution, of the strong to protect the weak. While you may wish to hold political views of what is occurring in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel the support our military has and is providing has been to defend those who cannot defend themselves. It takes apathy for a militarily strong nation to turn a blind eye to human rights injustices, ethnic cleansing and the like.

The simple act of becoming a U.S. Marine is enough to merit respect. The U.S. Marine Corps has the most rigourous, disciplined training program in the U.S. Military. It requires honor, HARD WORK (in capital letters), discipline, devotion to duty and country. Few can become a Marine.

In almost EVERY conflict in which our great nation has been involved the U.S. Marines are the first in conflict on the ground. They pave the road for others to follow. Terrorists and other enemies of our nation have greater fear of a U.S. Marine than any other military force in the world.

Witness Somalia. While the U.S. Marines were present during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 to early May 1993 despite several battles Marine casualties were mostly non existent, while casualties for the enemy and captures were almost daily. The U.S. Marines moved almost freely throughout the country allowing distribution of food aid via U.N. agencies.

After the last Marine patrol and the withdrawal of the Marines battles with casualties became almost a daily occurrence, finally ending with the infamous "blackhawk" incident and the withdrawal of U.S. forces shortly thereafter.

My point. Aidid's (Somalian warlord) forces knew WELL that the U.S. Marine Corps was a force not to be taken lightly. Until the Marine's were gone they virtually remained in hiding.

The U.S. Marine Corps deserves the respect of every American citizen. We sleep peacefully at night because they have established their reputation worldwide as a professional fighting force. You, Melissa, should simply be ashamed of yourself.

Finally a quote for you from a movie, which is appropriate:

"You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. "

To Melissa:

Simply put, your ill-informed views on current and past conflicts in which the U.S. Military participed and is participating in only reinforce your lack of knowledge.

It has always been the duty, throughout our evolution, of the strong to protect the weak. While you may wish to hold political views of what is occurring in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel the support our military has and is providing has been to defend those who cannot defend themselves. It takes apathy for a militarily strong nation to turn a blind eye to human rights injustices, ethnic cleansing and the like.

The simple act of becoming a U.S. Marine is enough to merit respect. The U.S. Marine Corps has the most rigourous, disciplined training program in the U.S. Military. It requires honor, HARD WORK (in capital letters), discipline, devotion to duty and country. Few can become a Marine.

In almost EVERY conflict in which our great nation has been involved the U.S. Marines are the first in conflict on the ground. They pave the road for others to follow. Terrorists and other enemies of our nation have greater fear of a U.S. Marine than any other military force in the world.

Witness Somalia. While the U.S. Marines were present during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 to early May 1993 despite several battles Marine casualties were mostly non existent, while casualties for the enemy and captures were almost daily. The U.S. Marines moved almost freely throughout the country allowing distribution of food aid via U.N. agencies.

After the last Marine patrol and the withdrawal of the Marines battles with casualties became almost a daily occurrence, finally ending with the infamous "blackhawk" incident and the withdrawal of U.S. forces shortly thereafter.

My point. Aidid's (Somalian warlord) forces knew WELL that the U.S. Marine Corps was a force not to be taken lightly. Until the Marine's were gone they virtually remained in hiding.

The U.S. Marine Corps deserves the respect of every American citizen. We sleep peacefully at night because they have established their reputation worldwide as a professional fighting force. You, Melissa, should simply be ashamed of yourself.

Finally a quote for you from a movie, which is appropriate:

"You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. "

What EXACTLY do you think FD did to her husband?

This is an essay question, so please back up your answer with examples.

Family Dollar is a messed up company and what they did to that lady and her husband is wrong and I hope that go out of business within the next Five years. She has suffered and they are fully responsible for her pain and the insurance is a big joke and so is the company.

Mr. Levine sit his *&* in his office and do much of nothing will their managers suffer and go through hell just for a penny on the dollar. I too lost my baby at Family Dollar unloading a truck and I will get my revenge in court against those dogs. Family Dollar is a joke and the way that they do things is horrible.

I hate the day that I ever worked for them and I will never recommend anyone to these dirt bags. They allow any and everything their stores. They need to be reported to the news channnels and that is what I am working on now. I will get them for all that they have done. Hang in there everyone, help on the way.

OUT FREAKING STANDING BAMBI AND ROBERT. There is such a HUGE difference between Ex amd Former I'm glad I didn't have to break it down to the slower people in the class. The Marine Corps is TOTALLY different that any other Armed Force the US has and unless you are one or have had CLOSE contact with one you will never, NEVER UNDERSTAND!! Do I know Bambi, Robert? Nope but they know as Marines if you mess with one you mess with us all!!! SEMPER FIDELIS WARRIORS!!!

LATA

OUT FREAKING STANDING BAMBI AND ROBERT. There is such a HUGE difference between Ex amd Former I'm glad I didn't have to break it down to the slower people in the class. The Marine Corps is TOTALLY different that any other Armed Force the US has and unless you are one or have had CLOSE contact with one you will never, NEVER UNDERSTAND!! Do I know Bambi, Robert? Nope but they know as Marines if you mess with one you mess with us all!!! SEMPER FIDELIS WARRIORS!!!

LATA

OUT FREAKING STANDING BAMBI AND ROBERT. There is such a HUGE difference between Ex amd Former I'm glad I didn't have to break it down to the slower people in the class. The Marine Corps is TOTALLY different that any other Armed Force the US has and unless you are one or have had CLOSE contact with one you will never, NEVER UNDERSTAND!! Do I know Bambi, Robert? Nope but they know as Marines if you mess with one you mess with us all!!! SEMPER FIDELIS WARRIORS!!!

LATA

OUT FREAKING STANDING BAMBI AND ROBERT. There is such a HUGE difference between Ex amd Former I'm glad I didn't have to break it down to the slower people in the class. The Marine Corps is TOTALLY different that any other Armed Force the US has and unless you are one or have had CLOSE contact with one you will never, NEVER UNDERSTAND!! Do I know Bambi, Robert? Nope but they know as Marines if you mess with one you mess with us all!!! SEMPER FIDELIS WARRIORS!!!

LATA

My Dear Ted,

Let me help you out here. As a current Active Duty, Iraqi War Vet, Single Mother, College Graduate, and one who sustained an Injury in IRAQ to save someone like you from the Wrath and Horrors of Terrorism and those who wish us HARM in the United States, and Quite Possibly saving your life and those of your loved ones, STAY the F away from TARNISHING the Marine Corps Name and What it is WE STAND For.

First we live by certain standards which we carry very close, near and dear to our hearts, and the standards are commonly known as CORE VALUES. Core Values consist of HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITTMENT.

Honor

Honor guides Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior; to never lie cheat or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity; respect human dignity; and respect others. The quality of maturity, dedication, trust and dependability commit Marines to act responsibly; to be accountable for their actions; to fulfill their obligations; and to hold others accountable for their actions.

Courage

Courage is the mental, moral and physical strength ingrained in Marines. It carries them through the challenges of combat and helps them overcome fear. It is the inner strength that enables a Marine to do what is right; to adhere to a higher standard of personal conduct; and to make tough decisions under stress and pressure.

Commitment

Commitment is the spirit of determination and dedication found in Marines. It leads to the highest order of discipline for individuals and units. It is the ingredient that enables 24-hour a day dedication to Corps and country. It inspires the unrelenting determination to achieve a standard of excellence in every endeavor.
(though there are many references out there, this specific set of core value definitions were retrieved from

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blvalues.htm)

So while you may think that you know the difference between Former and EX Marine - let me break it down to you even simpler - YOU JUST DONT BUDDY....and YES, I do agree, unless you have WALKED A MILE IN OUR BOOTS, NOT SHOES, STEP UP OR GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY...

No one here is bashing anyone for the simple intent or purpose of hurting the feelings of others. But we have learned a few things and one of them is to exercise our constitutional rights and mainly our FREEDOM OF SPEECH, LIKE YOU ARE USING YOURS SO VERY ELOQUENTLY I SEE...While many of us have this privilege, let me remind you many in this world are DYING simply because they dont have that right of speaking their mind or standing up for their rights...so you SEE DEAR TED....when in a country where this kind of privilege, support, and freedom is rendered, WHY NOT USE IT WITH GOOD AND SUBSTANTIVE JUSTIFICATION...oh by maybe,..umm putting it to USE?? for a change?

Well regardless, I do have a feeling I am talking to a wall here, because you just wont get it, and that's not because you may be stupid, arrogant, or a dense son of a gun, but because you have no first hand knowledge and experience of knowing what its like to hold the honor in being ONE OF THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE MARINES....you probably sit down and bash the government and all what we stand up for as a country, all the while smoking up some grass...

Gosh, some people, some of you, I tell you - are something else.

Support the cause, and the issue and the person, which in this case, is Tammy.

DONT MESS WITH THE MARINES...obviously, it is NOT a threat I am making, but you certainly are not saving face by your feeble attempt at bashing the US Marine Corps...

Need I continue to GO ON? I dont think so.....so basically, what I am saying to you KIND SIR..is SHUT THE HELL UP...YOU DONT KNOW THE FIRST THING DISTINGUISHING LEFT FROM RIGHT....

Semper Fi (And that means ALWAYS FAITHFUL) - let's just hope your grandkids someday dont join the MARINES or any service for that matter...they will cetainly be embarrased by you, even if you are not alive to know it.

Take care from a Marine and know that you are safe and sound every night you go to bed because of people like us who die valiantly in an effort to keep you safe, and keep your precious kind alive.

"As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause."

That's great Ted.

I don't have a horse. Very few of us do.

There is a huge difference between an EX Marine, and a FORMER Marine. A Former Marine is STILL a Marine. He/she got out of the Corps, with either a Medical, or Honorable Discharge. An EX Marine is one who we threw out. They have Dishonorable, Bad Conduct, or Gereral Under OTHER than Honorable Conditions Discharges. EX Marines know their place, and they also know we will have nothing to do with them. Once you've been thrown out of our club, we cease all relations with you. Marines will always put down their Military Service on applications that request it. EX Marines know better than to do it. They don't want their shame being brought back up.

And, Navy Seals DO behave like Marines. Their only fault lies in they joined the wrong branch. They are also treated like brothers at any gathering, as are ALL branches.

This still has nothing to do with the FACT that Tammy's husband died from his own unhealthy lifestyle, and unwillingness to treat it. FD does not have hitmen wandering around the country killing employees and their family members. Read her original Title in this thread.

"As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause."

That's great Ted.

I don't have a horse. Very few of us do.

There is a huge difference between an EX Marine, and a FORMER Marine. A Former Marine is STILL a Marine. He/she got out of the Corps, with either a Medical, or Honorable Discharge. An EX Marine is one who we threw out. They have Dishonorable, Bad Conduct, or Gereral Under OTHER than Honorable Conditions Discharges. EX Marines know their place, and they also know we will have nothing to do with them. Once you've been thrown out of our club, we cease all relations with you. Marines will always put down their Military Service on applications that request it. EX Marines know better than to do it. They don't want their shame being brought back up.

And, Navy Seals DO behave like Marines. Their only fault lies in they joined the wrong branch. They are also treated like brothers at any gathering, as are ALL branches.

This still has nothing to do with the FACT that Tammy's husband died from his own unhealthy lifestyle, and unwillingness to treat it. FD does not have hitmen wandering around the country killing employees and their family members. Read her original Title in this thread.

"As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause."

That's great Ted.

I don't have a horse. Very few of us do.

There is a huge difference between an EX Marine, and a FORMER Marine. A Former Marine is STILL a Marine. He/she got out of the Corps, with either a Medical, or Honorable Discharge. An EX Marine is one who we threw out. They have Dishonorable, Bad Conduct, or Gereral Under OTHER than Honorable Conditions Discharges. EX Marines know their place, and they also know we will have nothing to do with them. Once you've been thrown out of our club, we cease all relations with you. Marines will always put down their Military Service on applications that request it. EX Marines know better than to do it. They don't want their shame being brought back up.

And, Navy Seals DO behave like Marines. Their only fault lies in they joined the wrong branch. They are also treated like brothers at any gathering, as are ALL branches.

This still has nothing to do with the FACT that Tammy's husband died from his own unhealthy lifestyle, and unwillingness to treat it. FD does not have hitmen wandering around the country killing employees and their family members. Read her original Title in this thread.

Tammy - I set here and think of what you and everyone posted. For what you posted, I cannot say you are right or wrong, for I do not know you personally and am unable to judge any person without being 100% sure on what is the truth. Therefore, if you are telling the truth, I pray that all works out for you.

As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause.

Tammy, I want to be upbeat for you and everybody else. I cannot and will not speak bad of you, because I do not know your true situation. I am truly sad about your loss, for you and your children. At the same time, I am unable judge others as they judge you with bad mouthing or name calling. The word "STUPID" should not be a word taken so lightly.

To all - hang iin there, you have but one life to live, make it the best and tell your loved ones that you love them every day.

Tammy - I set here and think of what you and everyone posted. For what you posted, I cannot say you are right or wrong, for I do not know you personally and am unable to judge any person without being 100% sure on what is the truth. Therefore, if you are telling the truth, I pray that all works out for you.

As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause.

Tammy, I want to be upbeat for you and everybody else. I cannot and will not speak bad of you, because I do not know your true situation. I am truly sad about your loss, for you and your children. At the same time, I am unable judge others as they judge you with bad mouthing or name calling. The word "STUPID" should not be a word taken so lightly.

To all - hang iin there, you have but one life to live, make it the best and tell your loved ones that you love them every day.

Tammy - I set here and think of what you and everyone posted. For what you posted, I cannot say you are right or wrong, for I do not know you personally and am unable to judge any person without being 100% sure on what is the truth. Therefore, if you are telling the truth, I pray that all works out for you.

As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause.

Tammy, I want to be upbeat for you and everybody else. I cannot and will not speak bad of you, because I do not know your true situation. I am truly sad about your loss, for you and your children. At the same time, I am unable judge others as they judge you with bad mouthing or name calling. The word "STUPID" should not be a word taken so lightly.

To all - hang iin there, you have but one life to live, make it the best and tell your loved ones that you love them every day.

Tammy - I set here and think of what you and everyone posted. For what you posted, I cannot say you are right or wrong, for I do not know you personally and am unable to judge any person without being 100% sure on what is the truth. Therefore, if you are telling the truth, I pray that all works out for you.

As for all the Ex-Marines or should I say, the Former Marines, whichever you choose. I here this all the time, once a Marine - always a Marine. That does not work with me. All of you Marines that think this and talk down another American instead of trying to educate them, I say get off your high horses.

To me, a former Marine and an ex Marine is the same thing when you speak in your terms. A former Marine is someone that retired a Marine or was injured and had to be discharged or a Marine that was injured, discharged and now is working with the Marines as a civilian. When you exit the military because you want to, this is you, not the service you are in. So the final decision is yours and this would not be a military decision.

I never hear a Navy Seal Team member look down or talk down any other person, except in training. In addition, this is for good cause.

Tammy, I want to be upbeat for you and everybody else. I cannot and will not speak bad of you, because I do not know your true situation. I am truly sad about your loss, for you and your children. At the same time, I am unable judge others as they judge you with bad mouthing or name calling. The word "STUPID" should not be a word taken so lightly.

To all - hang iin there, you have but one life to live, make it the best and tell your loved ones that you love them every day.

OP stated:
First I had to argue with them over paying me while i was off for treatment, then they docked my pay. they said i had to work 48 hours to get salary pay, but if i worked over 48 hours i was salary with no overtime. THERE IS NO SUCH LAW!!!!

Uhm, actually, that is what you sign up for when you take a salary position. It means working 30 hours if that's what is needed, or working 85 hours if that's what is needed.

Larry said:
Todd....Charles....is that you????

No, the spelling and sentence structure is too good to be Charles', that's for darn sure.

To Robert: Could you have been any less caring and cold hearted in response to Tammy's story? There are ways to disagree or post your comments without kicking a person when they're already down. She lost her husband and you were insensitive, mean and rude. If it were the case that she had mental problems, she still would not deserve the nasty-gram you left her. Have you never lost someone you loved before? Can you not tell that she's in pain? Regardless of whether FD is responsible or not, she does not deserve to be called stupid or crazy and told to get out of town. She is a human being who has suffered a loss and she has feelings which is something that you apparently are far removed from. Have you no compassion for your fellow man? All you had to do was suggest or disagree in a polite and dignified manner but you had to be nasty to a perfect stranger that is already down and out. Just remember; what goes around, comes around. You owe the lady an apology and a little respect.

Todd....Charles....is that you????

Todd....Charles....is that you????

Todd....Charles....is that you????

Dawn - You Said "a driver that knew how to back up without running over or into something."

Dawn - The way my husband handled this problem when it happened is that he just changed places with the driver and backed the truck in himself!

On the days the truck was late and the employees couldn't wait around, I would go in and help him unload the truck and complete door to floor before going home. Now, before you start yelling about that being against policy, the entire time my husband was Family Dollar employee, so was I, technically. I was only an ocassional employee, but I was on payroll, nonetheless. And as far as policy goes, what about door to floor and why was your freight in the backroom?

I don't guess it's called door to floor anymore, I think you call it door to shelf now or something like that. At any rate, if we're gonna talk policy, your shelf shouldn't ever be bare with freight in the backroom. We have actually waited until 11 p.m. for a truck because the job had to be done. It's called management and it's part of the responsibility. Yeah, sometimes management sucks, but it's part of the job. Management isn't a white-collar job.

All in all, Family Dollar was not a bad company to work for. At the same time, as for a Management position or higher with Family Dollar, you were right, it's not something for someone looking for a simple life or an easy job. It's going to be high stress and it's going to be difficult. There are going to be extreme challenges. But all of the things Family Dollar asks of the Managers are possible, extremely demanding, but they are possible.

Then again, that's how it is with EVERY company, not just Family Dollar. It's called life and that's what management is. People tend to think that Management is a simple, cushion job. But it's not. All companies are going to set the goals and expectations so high that it's going to seem that it is almost impossible to do all of these things and there are going to be all of these things in the way but the true bottom line is that they are possible, but it is so demanding and not everyone is cut out for it. Truth is tough. Dawn, it really sounds to me like you are.

Dawn - You Said "a driver that knew how to back up without running over or into something."

Dawn - The way my husband handled this problem when it happened is that he just changed places with the driver and backed the truck in himself!

On the days the truck was late and the employees couldn't wait around, I would go in and help him unload the truck and complete door to floor before going home. Now, before you start yelling about that being against policy, the entire time my husband was Family Dollar employee, so was I, technically. I was only an ocassional employee, but I was on payroll, nonetheless. And as far as policy goes, what about door to floor and why was your freight in the backroom?

I don't guess it's called door to floor anymore, I think you call it door to shelf now or something like that. At any rate, if we're gonna talk policy, your shelf shouldn't ever be bare with freight in the backroom. We have actually waited until 11 p.m. for a truck because the job had to be done. It's called management and it's part of the responsibility. Yeah, sometimes management sucks, but it's part of the job. Management isn't a white-collar job.

All in all, Family Dollar was not a bad company to work for. At the same time, as for a Management position or higher with Family Dollar, you were right, it's not something for someone looking for a simple life or an easy job. It's going to be high stress and it's going to be difficult. There are going to be extreme challenges. But all of the things Family Dollar asks of the Managers are possible, extremely demanding, but they are possible.

Then again, that's how it is with EVERY company, not just Family Dollar. It's called life and that's what management is. People tend to think that Management is a simple, cushion job. But it's not. All companies are going to set the goals and expectations so high that it's going to seem that it is almost impossible to do all of these things and there are going to be all of these things in the way but the true bottom line is that they are possible, but it is so demanding and not everyone is cut out for it. Truth is tough. Dawn, it really sounds to me like you are.

Dawn - You Said "a driver that knew how to back up without running over or into something."

Dawn - The way my husband handled this problem when it happened is that he just changed places with the driver and backed the truck in himself!

On the days the truck was late and the employees couldn't wait around, I would go in and help him unload the truck and complete door to floor before going home. Now, before you start yelling about that being against policy, the entire time my husband was Family Dollar employee, so was I, technically. I was only an ocassional employee, but I was on payroll, nonetheless. And as far as policy goes, what about door to floor and why was your freight in the backroom?

I don't guess it's called door to floor anymore, I think you call it door to shelf now or something like that. At any rate, if we're gonna talk policy, your shelf shouldn't ever be bare with freight in the backroom. We have actually waited until 11 p.m. for a truck because the job had to be done. It's called management and it's part of the responsibility. Yeah, sometimes management sucks, but it's part of the job. Management isn't a white-collar job.

All in all, Family Dollar was not a bad company to work for. At the same time, as for a Management position or higher with Family Dollar, you were right, it's not something for someone looking for a simple life or an easy job. It's going to be high stress and it's going to be difficult. There are going to be extreme challenges. But all of the things Family Dollar asks of the Managers are possible, extremely demanding, but they are possible.

Then again, that's how it is with EVERY company, not just Family Dollar. It's called life and that's what management is. People tend to think that Management is a simple, cushion job. But it's not. All companies are going to set the goals and expectations so high that it's going to seem that it is almost impossible to do all of these things and there are going to be all of these things in the way but the true bottom line is that they are possible, but it is so demanding and not everyone is cut out for it. Truth is tough. Dawn, it really sounds to me like you are.

Dawn - You Said "a driver that knew how to back up without running over or into something."

Dawn - The way my husband handled this problem when it happened is that he just changed places with the driver and backed the truck in himself!

On the days the truck was late and the employees couldn't wait around, I would go in and help him unload the truck and complete door to floor before going home. Now, before you start yelling about that being against policy, the entire time my husband was Family Dollar employee, so was I, technically. I was only an ocassional employee, but I was on payroll, nonetheless. And as far as policy goes, what about door to floor and why was your freight in the backroom?

I don't guess it's called door to floor anymore, I think you call it door to shelf now or something like that. At any rate, if we're gonna talk policy, your shelf shouldn't ever be bare with freight in the backroom. We have actually waited until 11 p.m. for a truck because the job had to be done. It's called management and it's part of the responsibility. Yeah, sometimes management sucks, but it's part of the job. Management isn't a white-collar job.

All in all, Family Dollar was not a bad company to work for. At the same time, as for a Management position or higher with Family Dollar, you were right, it's not something for someone looking for a simple life or an easy job. It's going to be high stress and it's going to be difficult. There are going to be extreme challenges. But all of the things Family Dollar asks of the Managers are possible, extremely demanding, but they are possible.

Then again, that's how it is with EVERY company, not just Family Dollar. It's called life and that's what management is. People tend to think that Management is a simple, cushion job. But it's not. All companies are going to set the goals and expectations so high that it's going to seem that it is almost impossible to do all of these things and there are going to be all of these things in the way but the true bottom line is that they are possible, but it is so demanding and not everyone is cut out for it. Truth is tough. Dawn, it really sounds to me like you are.

Dawn - Pay Out Key can only work if you take enough cash that day to pay ALL of your employees their full paychecks. His store took mostly checks and rarely had enough cash to pay out cash to ALL of his employees, thus the need to pay out of petty cash. Kevin had to approve it every time, but generally speaking, the bulk of the checks were paid out of petty cash regardless of policy. Policies don't mean much when the Labor Board could get called in and the company can get fined thousands of dollars per day.

Maybe policies changed between the time my husband had his company vehicle and now because back in 1998 when he had his company vehicle, he was allowed to use the company vehicle for his personal use. He was only home for 2 - 3 days between trips. There was a vehicle fee deducted from his check (I don't remember how much) and after a certain period of time or miles (don't remember which), he would have also had the option to purchase the vehicle from Family Dollar if he had wanted to. He did have to document mileage when he left for a trip out and when he returned but we did not have to pay for the gas that we used and we were allowed to use it for personal use.

Documenting the mileage was because the company also paid him 33 cents per mile he drove on his trips and they also got a tax break on the mileage, not only for his pay, but also for the use of the vehicle. I was not allowed to drive it because I was not covered on the insurance. But he was allowed to drive it even when we were at home.

On the company credit card, he was allowed to use it for meals any time he was out of town THREE times a day, not only twice. You may be thinking about when they send you out for like a seminar or something like that and when you simply fill out an expense report. But as a Store Development Supervisor (at least in 1998), they were entitled to eat 3 times a day and the company paid for that expense. He could have actually taken all of the employees out to eat every day if that is what he wanted to do, but he didn't.

On most of the trips out when I did go with him (I only went on two), I actually went as an employee, not just as a family member and maybe that was the difference. I don't know. And I was a traveling employee at that. His first trip out, he went to Charlotte, NC and he didn't even have his company credit card yet, so Russ Tanger (I think that's who it was) met him there and they used his credit card. Now, I'm sure that he knows and follows all the policies and they ate three times a day on the company credit card. Maybe the policies have now changed, but in 1998, that's the way they were.

The frequent flyer miles; when they had to go over 500 miles, they had a choice of driving the company vehicle or flying (on the company credit card). If they chose to fly, any frequent flyer miles that they accrued, they could use for themselves. The thing about that though was that obviously, they would try not to send a store development supervisor that far away. In fact, the only time my husband went that far away was when he went to North Carolina, so he never accrued any frequent flyer miles!

Hey Melissa--where are you? Off in a corner somewhere so no one can see your red face after citing Massey as a 'truth teller?' Or didn't you bother reading about his slash and burn tactics in an attempt to tell us what he claimed really happened? Or maybe you just ran out of meds and now wear that white jacket without the sleeves.

Anyway, back to this post. I guess enough responders found more holes than in Swiss cheese in Tammy's 'poor me' story that she doesn't have any more stories to tell us for fear they'll be shot down, too. I wonder about one thing: It took her EIGHT months to realize she didn't have a day off? Holy crap! I'd realize that within two weeks.

Dawn that was so nicely put. Sounds to me like your a little jealous. I didn't just walk in to a CTM position, I EARNED it. Yes I have had late truck days, did many of them on my own. Worked the store alone, chased shoplifters and even went to court over it. I have had my store trashed and I have had many rude customers. many we have helped to their car.The difference between me and you is RESPECT! I have the upmost respect for my crew and because of that they are loyal and dam* good at what they do. They have respect for me because I respect them. I make sure they know I appreciate them even if the corporate office doesn't even know who they are. Maybe it is only with buying them lunch or a soda they know I care about them. As far as brown nosing...to who am I doing that too? My boss or his boss??..I don't think so. I still take the same heat any of you do but if your GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO THEN YOU CAN MAKE THINGS WORK. I have long hours, little payroll and mishaps just as all of the other managers do, difference is RESPECT. Show your people you respect them and you get the same in return!! So yes I run a smooth store the way the company says and no I don't brown nose as you call it, It is called LEARNING to work with what you have and stop complaining about what you don't have.
Make changes if you feel you need to but don't blame others for what YOU can not handle.
I am sorry for anyone who loses a loved one but put the blame where it belongs.
So Dawn, don't judge others or run off at the mouth until you have all the facts. Bottom line is, if you can't run with the big dogs then stay put with the puppies and keep your sarcasum to yourself.

Bridget-Fayetteville, Arkansas reported that her husband paid his employees out of of "petty cash".......against policy. Thats why we have the pay out key on the register.

Bridget..........personal use with company vehicles......against policy. any and all personal use is to be documented and employee must pay for gas.

Bridget.....company credit card used for meal......against policy. employees of that status are only permitted two meals per working day, and thats for the employee, not the whole family.

Bridget.........frequent flyer miles????????????

BOTTEM LINE
The company as a whole is like every retailer. They will get by with as much as they can till someone changes it. Just like the so called "CTM" who stated that if the programs were followed by the letter then the store would run smoothly. Well the store she must be running must not have everyday problems, with perfect never changing mind customers, and perfect employees who never have to be reprimanded, no shoplifters that have to be processed, no unexpected spills, dumpsters picked up per schedule, the bum who utilizes the plastic stack out as his urinal must have taken the day off, the cross dresser who likes to play in the panties and bras must have shopped another store, the elderly woman who needs help to and from her car must have been at Walmart, and last but not least her truck must have come on time, and perfectly packed with no damages and a driver that knew how to back up without running over or into something. To the CTM........stop while you are ahead..........nobody likes a brown noser.

Tammy has valid claims, and the bottom line is that the benefits department which is also the human resource department has failed in many areas when it comes to benefits. I'm paying for short term, and long term disability, yet if I had to use it.......I wouldn't get it, cause they have not gotten my information straight as to this date........even though every week I'm told......they are handling it. Meanwhile.....I'm paying for this benefit.........but if something happens.......I might be up a creek without a life jacket where Family Dollar is concerned.

As for what others have put in.......regarding its a job...get another....you had a choice.......blah blah blah......ect......

Its called a steady job for that very reason. You know you are going to get a pay check if you work......even if its late and Bridget's husbands pays you out of petty cash. But most importantly, its a job that you or I have invested in. A company that we honestly thought was worth something. Not that the company "owes" us so to speak, so much as its a company (so we thought) we could be proud to work for.

If your truck is late, you are expected to change your schedule to the following day.....it doesn't seem to matter to anyone in the company that maybe just maybe your employees had other plans. Try having your truck late every week for months, and see if you can stay on top of things. Well, maybe if my name is Bridget or I'm a CTM then I will have it all done with no problems and still be able to follow the programs that we have to do day to day.

Personally I feel that the company should really talk with their store level employees and get a real hold on whats happening at store level. I think the company has lost sight of whats going on at the Bottom level, and do not realize that they are really misconfiguring people with the outrageous expectations that they force upon its employees.

Why do I stay with this job?...........Well, maybe I'm blind, maybe stupid..........nah........I am a believer that this company will turn back into what it once was. I know there are 7 days a week. I know I'm entitled to one of the days off to rest, pay bills, have sex, shop at Walmart, possibly even seek another job. The other six days are filled with things that should have been done yesterday....which was the day I took off. I stay at this job, for many reasons. One I think is most important, regardless of the ill-treatment this company does to its employees, I'm here for the gratification that I get from the customers that have no problem standing in a long line waiting for me the manager to ring up their purchases because I do not have the payroll to cover my store for the allotted hours that we are open. When they are looking for that pack of sugar that is no longer on the shelf, due to the lack of payroll to put out the backstock of food that is sitting in the stock room no bigger then my home bathroom, they don't mind when I tell them, "give me a moment to clear this line and I will run back and get it for you." The fact that my children can be proud that I'm out working for a living and doing the best I can to provide for them, so that they can see that weekend movie without me. The fact that the one card in my purse is not a food stamp card. The fact that the lamp next to me is on. The fact that even though I'm a single Mom, and the Father of my children who is inflicted with an illness and unable to pay child support..........and I'm not raking him over the coals due to him not paying. The fact that I'm not standing at the local social worker office asking for a handout. The fact that most other retailers are not going to pay me what I get paid now. The fact that I started here and have built up my store to a very good position.

Nobody likes to start over. To seek another job would be doing that. Family Dollar is a lot of things. Family Dollar used to be a very good employer, and hopefully if Howard would get it together it can again be a good employer. I do however, having said all of this, DO NOT RECOMMEND this job to anyone who wants a simple life.

Tammy I'm sorry for your loss. My prayers go out to you and your family as the road you are traveling on is harsh and lonely at times. You have to move on and learn from the past and implement what you have learned. Be strong in your convictions, wise in your decisions, and as always smile with each turn.

Melissa you are a trooper, and I love your responses most. Your're a person with a great heart, and you should be speaking to Howard Levine.

Eric, breathe just breathe. Live one day as a woman, and then speak.

All others, great input.

Best to all.

Dawn from somewhere on the otherside of this monitor.

I started out this evening researching something not even related to this topic. I stumbled upon it, was intrigued by the first few comments, and read on. I made it about half way through the rebuttals (ha!) and this is my conclusion.

What does being in the military have to do with any of this? Honestly, I'm thankful for the people who defend our country, but not to them personally. I'm thankful to our forefathers for setting the ball a-rolling. As for the individual soldiers, whatever. I'm sure they're not going to bed at night thanking me for being part of a multi-million dollar marketing company that helps propel this country and create tax dollars so the government can send you off to war to fight their economic battles. I care about the marines just about as much as they think and care about me.

I can't even believe I'm writing this, but before I go to far, let me NOT throw a pity party for myself as most have done so far. The very fact that so many people have carried this posting in the negative direction it has gone for so long, disgusts me. And your proud of your service to your country? Your proud of your accomplishments with Family Dollar? Who cares! This is not about your pride. It's about a woman who lost her husband. You may not agree with her claim of why she lost him, but that doesn't mean we should make her feel like a psycho liar. Hopefully, if she has any common sense, she stopped reading these posts, as they have nothing to do with her.

On to the real topic.

Tammy, if you do happen to read this, I want to express my extreme regret for the loss of your Husband (caps for the people I do respect!) Regardless of how long ago it was, I'm sure it's still hard to bare that burdon, esp. if you feel as though it was beyond your control. I've just been married, and have a child on the way. I couldn't even imagine the loss of either one. I don't know how long it would take me to get over it, if ever. Everyone deals with things in different ways, but I do hope you find closure. And lawsuits are NOT the american dream. But, in your defense, the pursuit of justice IS, which apparently some people serving this country have forgotten.

I've lived a tough life as well. I've been down and out, in much worse situations, but that doesn't matter. To each and everyone one of us, out trials in life are equally as hard in our OWN eyes. I've managed to overcome the hardships of my childhood. This is mostly due to the helping hand of friends and family, but also due in part to my committment to do something great. Tammy, I hope through all of this, you are able to accomplish something great....if not for yourself, for the memory of your late Husband. Your story touched me, but most of the rebuttals did not. Picturing myself in your situation, I can only try to understand. It causes me sorrow just to think of the pain you've gone through. Sometimes, when things look terrible in our lives, our minds can distort the truth. I'm not saying that this is what has happened to you, and my prayers go out in hopes that you will not lose focus in your journey for the pursuit of justice.

Tammy, a few people had encouraging words for you, and sometimes in life, there are few people that actually have their heads screwed on right to give this support when fellow American's need it. Mr. Marine has gone on to give us his pride story about who he works for, when sometimes the goverment screws us more than anyone. Sadly enough, these are the people who cannot escape their jobs. I do believe a job can brainwash you. Sometimes, the American Dream gets polluted with American Politics. As for the things you have indured with Family Dollar, I can only say I'm sorry. I've been in similar situations, and so I CAN understand the situation. As I previously stated, I've had friends and family to help me out of my 'ruts'. You may not have had the same opportunity, and we can only deal with the cards we are dealt. Some times we play draw, sometimes we play stud. We can only make the best of everyday.

Unfortunatly Tammy, after all the non-sense postings on this site, Family Dollar will probably never make a rebuttal, as they see that foolish American's will say stupid things to distract the public's eye from the real issue...YOU! But I understand the need to be heard, and I HEAR YOU! Whether or not the claims you make are false or true is irrelavant. Innocent until proven guilty, and our justice system, as corrupt as it may be at times, will decide who is as fault. In the mean time, I offer my support to you in any way possible. I dont' know if Rip-off Report will provide us with a more exclusive way to communicate, but if they do, I AM HERE. It doesn't take a gun, a degree, or mental cognitivity to be an American....just a heart, a sense of pride, and love for the human race. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. May God bless you, and may the love of everyone who supports you carry you on your way.

My offer still stands, whatever it is that I can do for you. If you would like to contact me, submit your request to this website's webmaster. I don't know if they will permit it, but if so, provide your email address, or have them provide mine. I stress to you that I am serious about my support. I'm a busy man, with a family and many responsibilities, but I CAN find time to help someone in need. I married my wife because I know she represents the same beliefs that I uphold. Rest assured, you have the support of myself, and my family. Take care Tammy, and please know that people are behind you and do care. I again express my sympathy for your loss, but would like to say that I offer my help not out of sympathy, but out of human compasion.

I look foward to hearing from you, and my prayers will be with you, and your family.

Stay strong!

Hey people, this is not a message board or a chat room. I can't believe the amount of irrelevant consumer suggestions and comments on here. This is not a board to discuss pesonal problems with someone or figure out what the person that originally posted was thinking. This is supposed to be a place for people to make a legitimate complaint about an issue with a business or individual.

Then other parties INVOLVED or that have CONSTRUCTIVE suggestions or comments that are to the point, and will hopefully resolve something, can post here. All of this talk is worthless unless people that REALLY DO KNOW THE INSIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPLAINT are making suggestions and comments.

I started looking at the Rip-Off Report site a few months ago and I have decided that there is so much other useless drivel on here that I won't be coming back. The incredible amount of it just makes looking for what you need impossible. Goodbye. I won't be back.

So as I read this persons "story," I realized something...

1) Kyle love your math, great for you to point that out.

2) Do you think insurance just stops the minute you get fired? lol

3) Did you want me to throw you a pitty party, or should we all bask in your stupidity?

4) In the future when considering making things up work out the details first.

5) Did you need the number to a psych doctor/facility?

6) Last, I have never heard of the store, but this little "victim" sure in the hell wouldn't stop me from going there.

Thanks for the laugh, cause all I am smelling is BS!

Ok 90-140 hours a week....

I believe that.

assuming you actually ever worked 140 hours a week lets do the math here.

24 hours in a day.
7 days a week
=168 hours a week...

168 minus 140 leaves you 28 hours a week you are not at work.

28 hours divided by 7 days a week gives you 4 hours per day your not at your job...

4 hours.
assuming you live close to your work, it only takes 15 minutes to get there and home. so you have 3 hours and 30 minutes left. lets say it takes you 25 minutes at best to get ready for work, 3 hours and 5 minutes left...

so, you are saying that every single day for 8 months in a row, you worked 20 hour days with around 3 hours of sleep..... are you on crack? you must be to have that kind of energy.

another question- when did you have time to put gas in your vehicle to get to work? to eat? to have sex with your husband? or do anything like the necessities of life? washing your work clothes? take a shower? brush your teeth?

sorry but the math doesnt add up here.

sounds like an exaggeration.

I simply want to say that as an american you have pissed me off.

-First, your comment earlier in your posts about the marines not getting respect simply because they are marines in completely dumb.

-I am not a marine, or a military man, but I believe that they should be held in the highest regard, as they are the ones who keep you safe at night.
-If anything, you should have more respect for someone who voluntarily goes to war to protect your rights. I don't see you jumping up and volunteering...


=Now, that said.

Assuming that you disagreed with eric, or bobs post, lets try to handle this like a mature adult and talk about it, not resort to bickering like you are a 3 year old fighting over a lolipop.

Even though you may have disagreed with their responses, I dont see why you brought anything to do with their service to this country into play.

If you are going to put down the marines, are any other branch of military, and not show them any kind of thanks or appreciation, (this goes for anyone), then I think that you DO NOT DESERVE TO BE AN AMERICAN. thats whats wrong with this country.- unappreciative people and people who cannot take responsibility for their own actions.

A.K.A. idiots.

-to the former marines who posted here.

-Thanks.
-I know you probably don't hear it enough.

You never specified... were you wearing the backbelt that was furnished by Family Dollar and a company REQUIREMENT when you were injured? Not wearing your backbelt was the #1 way to get written up and/or suspended with Family Dollar.

About these two managers that were on the top rack in the warehouse, WHY were they on the top rack? Company requirements specify that they would be required to have a safety lanyard to touch the top racks or to retrieve the freight from a ladder. You were never permitted to be ON the shelf.

Also, I re-read your origional post and I am really confused about a few things. Did you actually have the insurance on your husband? I mean, you start out saying that you got the insurance in 1998... that he had the pre-existing condition of heel spurs, and had a one year waiting period (typical of most insurances). So, sometime in 1999 the waiting period would have been up, yet you mention him being refused medical treatment in 2000 for lack of insurance. You also say that all that time the heart problem wasn't treated because of the waiting period for the heel spurs. The one year waiting period would ONLY apply to the condition that was pre-existing, not to all conditions. In addition to this, you would have had an insurance card to show the hospital or docotor's office... they would take down the information and bill insurance... which they would not have paid if it was due to the pre-existing condition, and the hospital / doctor's office would have billed you and you could have made payments. If you didn't make your payments, how was that Family Dollar's fault?

Also, my husband says he does know some managers that had to work far more hours than he did simply because they did not practice the Door to Floor policies or simply did not practice good time management. But 140 hours... if you had to work that many hours in a week, your managerial skills were non-existent and THAT was the problem, not the company. That would also have an impact on your pay! I know that when we were still in Jenks, Oklahoma, there was a FEMALE manager in one of the Tulsa stores that made more than my husband did! She was an excellent manager and had been with the company six months longer than my husband had been. Your raises were based on your success as a manager. If you were failing as a manager, you don't get your raises. How many times did Russ (regional vp) come to your store and tell you how awesome everything looked and that your sales and customer feedback was outstanding? When my husband was at the Jenks store, that happened 4 times and once at his Rogers store. While we were in Jenks, he went to Carol's store 3 times with a similar report. If Russ never came to your store, then you were mediocre at best. If he came to your store and was mean and grumpy, you were a bad manager. I think you are a drama queen who is searching for sympathy but don't even have enough intelligence to make your story even sound half way credible to the naked eye and flat out ridiculous to someone who had worked for Family Dollar and especially someone who worked for the same DM!!!! I wonder how you ever passed the stanton test!!!!!!

My husband and I both worked for Family Dollar from 1998 - 2001. The District Manager's name in your area (and ours) at the time was Kevin Houghland, then Jim took over... just to prove that I am legit.

Wow, where to start! Kevin was the first person to absolutely INSIST on the doctor's orders being followed after an injury! In fact, Bob from the Family Dollar Store on Peoria Street in Tulsa was suspended for failing to follow the doctor's orders after a back injury. That fact alone tells me one of two things... either you are flat out lying (which I believe to be true) or you never told Kevin the situation.

Who were these two local managers that fell from the top rack in the warehouse? Why were they in North Carolina to begin with, since that is where the warehouse is?

Exactly which stores did you set up and when? We got two new stores in Rogers while we were working for the company. My husband opened one of them and helped with the opening of the other one.

Oh... and no, your store was not the worst for shoplifting, nor has it ever had the top sales! That would have been the Tulsa store on Peoria although the Tulsa store on Lewis and the Kansas City store came in pretty close with that one. Highest sales company wide would be the North Carolina store and in 1999 and 2000, district wide woulod have been the store in Jenks, Oklahoma, which my husband opened and managed for the first two years. We have the plaques to prove it.

Being in the store all night for the floor guys might have worked for an excuse to your husband, but the floors only took an hour or two to do, which was only done once a month.

140 hours a week? Come on! Figure up the store hours!!!! You have about 30 minutes of paperwork to do after the store closes, maybe an hour if it was a hectic day. If it took you longer than that you had no business being a manager. Oh...and by the way, Family Dollar pays their managers salary, so why would you lie about your hours for payroll?

No days off in 8 months? The stores close for almost EVERY holiday!!!!! Granted, as a store manager you only get one full day and one half day off each week... assuming you can keep employees and have a trained assistant manager. Of course, even if you couldn't keep employees and didn't have a trained assistant manager, Kevin would send you a floating manager to cover at least one day off a week.

I have worked for Family Dollar as a stocker, cashier, and in store set-up and store break down. My husband started as Assistant Manager, promoted to Manager, to Floating Manager, to Store Development Supervisor, and then stepped down to Store Manager when I became pregnant. None of these things you say have even the slightest ring of truth to it.

Oh... I do have to admit, inventory time was rough! I always helped my husband with inventory and I remember being in the store with him doing inventory until almost 2 a.m. Other than that, he was always home by 9 p.m.

My complaints with the company was...

1. the checks were mailed and were often late to Northwest Arkansas, leaving my husband to call corporate to determine the amount of each employees check and to pay them out of petty cash.

2. when he was a store development supervisor, he was away from home 13 days, home 3, away 13, etc.

3. the insurance was outrageous! we never even got it.

The main benefit was that the pay for a manager was awesome...at least for my husband. He started out pretty low at $325 a week (in 1998)but ended at $650 a week. He usually worked 50 - 55 hours a week.

When he was a store development supervisor, he also got a company truck, which we were allowed to use for personal use as well, he got a company credit card which we were allowed to use for our meals, even on his days off, and he was able to use the frequent flyer miles (trips over 500 miles, he flew instead of driving) for our vacations.

By the way... slander is serious. Do you really want to discuss who has a lawsuit here?

I have read with interest, the above comments, and you guys (and gals) have resorted to attacking each other!!! This lady is upset and needs our CONSTRUCTIVE input instead of trying to beat each other.......I THANK ALL THE ARMED FORCES FOR THEIR HELP IN PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY!!! But this is not the main topic here. I express my deepest condolances to this lady, and will keep her in my prayers.....NOW! I live in N.C. and have a family dollar in my town (quite small town) and know all the clerks there. They DO work for free some of the time and I think this is wrong, but as long as people will do this, Family Dollar will keep doing this too. Also I too have no insurance and my husband is on disability using medicare as his insurance. I have not worked to get enough credits to qualify for Social Security and he makes too much for me to get SSI. We live in an apartment complex that helps us with the rent so our income is monitored yearly.. I try to do odd jobs under the table to make ends meet and we get by. We don't have everything we WANT, but we DO have everything we NEED!!! That is the difference. We see a clinic for our medical problems (hubby has diabetes and has had 5 heart bypasses 3 yrs ago and has severe high blood pressure.I have ankolosing spondylitis and have just been diagnosed with crohns disease...) Our Dr finds the pharmacutical companies that help people with limited income and no insurance and prescribes us meds that they can get for us through these places, so this lady needs to follow up on these things.There is help out there but you have to hunt em down...Family Dollar will continue to do people this way untill their employees speak up and stop it.............

I did 22 years myself (active and reserve) and fully appreciate what you've done.

Next, I agree with your thoughts about finding a job, but only with some MAJOR restrictions. When someone says "I can't find a job", what they REALLY mean is that "I can't find a job that I want to do, at a salary I want to earn, in a location I want to live, etc." As a veteran, I'm betting that you went places you didn't want to go, and d**n sure did jobs you didn't want to do, and you weren't paid much to do them. But it comes with the territory, right? Likewise, maybe working second shift in a factory is not the job of a lifetime (in fact it should NOT be!) but if it pays the bills, it may be a necessity for the present time.

Back to the topic at hand, clearly anyone working one job with NO overtime for 80 to 120 hours a week can do better almost ANYWHERE. Their *effective* hourly pay is probably no more than $4.00 or so. Shouldn't be too hard to beat that, agreed?

Increase your skills, move to where the jobs are, do whatever you can do. But move up the food chain every chance you get !! Good luck and very best wishes....

James.. maybe you know enough people that you can just hop and skip around to another job when you dont like the one you are at, but for the majority of americans life just dont work that way. Some people go years with out a job and its not from a lack of effort either.. They are out there looking and people are just hiring other people for whatever reasons.. I am currently living with my brother. Been out of the army for a year come August.. so its not quite a year yet.. but I have been looking for a job ever since.. You'd think honorable service would look good on a resume and application..well it does, but it dont guarantee a job...I think I may have a job coming up real soon with this one place but just like the others I aint holding my breath.. Just remeber james.. It aint so easy to get anotehr job whenever you want to.. but it would be great if it truely did work that way.

"Well its not that easy first even if you could afford to quit"

Excuse me, but how could she afford NOT to quit if what you say is true? You claim that she worked 80 to 120 hours a week. You do the math - that's two to three full time jobs. Are you seriously claiming that this place pays so well that she would not have more money working elsewhere? In fact, she could have taken TWO separate full time jobs and made MORE money. And worked less hours. Sorry, the math simply doesn't work here.

"when would you have the time to find a job?"

Well, was she unemployed when she found THIS job? Or did she make phone calls, etc., while at her former job? Either way, it appears you guys have some serious time management problems. And if she were to be asked to come in for an interview, just go! What si the worst thing that could happen? She would lose a job she hates?

Sorry, I just don't buy this whole "victim" scenario. Yes, I agree, economics may dictate that she must have A job, but nothing required her to have THIS job. She made that choice herself and then refused to fix the problem by going elsewhere. These people are responsible for their own situations, period.

This is for the woman who lost her husband and blames Family Dollar. I'm truly sorry for your lost and hope you now have a less stressful life and have found some kind of peace.

AND this is for all those non-believers: You are right legally Family Dollar is not to blame for this mans death. HOWEVER my wife worked for Family Dollar as a Store Manager and I know that what this lady says is true. When my wife first started working for this company she was a single parent. She needed her job more than anything, and put up with abuse just like many others on here. People say JUST QUIT and find another job. Well its not that easy first even if you could afford to quit when would you have the time to find a job? My wife worked 80-120 hrs a week. When all the managers were sent letters to join the labor law suit against Family Dollar she didn't. That list of names was given to the company, and even though it said Family Dollar could not fire any employee for joining she didn't believe it. There are ways to get rid of employees. Not only did my wife leave the company after almost having a nervous breakdown
she found that she was given bad references to jobs she applied for. Oh here we go again THATS AGAINST THE LAW. Yeah Yeah a lost fight against a Billion Dollar company. Like you've already read the labor law suit is still going on after four years. If Family Dollar is not in the wrong for overworking their Managers then why did they change their check stubs that use to say $xxx.xx for 96 hrs of work. (they pay bi-weekly) Now the pay stubs have no amount of hrs on it just the pay dollar amount. Most of the managers for Family Dollar are women and 95% of them can not afford to lose their jobs. They do work 80+ hrs most week. And I hope the manager who responded to this and said she works 52 hrs a week and her store is anytime 5 is reading this. You must have a brand new store because only a brand new store has enough payroll ,people and is clean enough to be anytime 5 anytime. My wife has had three stores with Family Dollar and all of them were a mess until she got them. It took 80-90 to clean them and maintain them. There is no way possible that you had all your freight up(backroom completely purged), schematics 100%, price changes 100%, cycle counts 100% exceptions and outs if you are a retex store,eas audits completed all new hire paperwork(including 4 first) on all employees, clothes 100% CSCS and to top it off your NEW DEDICATED RECOVERY PROGRAM completed everyday As you can see I know what I'm talking about.If you had all this done only working 52 hrs you had plenty of people and payroll. And for the comment one lady made I didn't know Family Dollar was a 24/7 its not but Managers have to not only keep their store together they get pulled to go to other stores to help when they are behind, or when inventory comes up. My wife has work all day and all night in a store only thing different with her was the DM was there some of the time too. Thank God she no longer works for this company. But for you people who don't want to believe all this please rush to your nearest Family Dollar and apply lol. I'll be praying for you.

Okay, the horse is dead - I guess beating it isn't going to do anybody any good.

We all agree Melissa is off her meds and needs to be pittied rather than scorned.

Thank you Patrick - well said and Hi Time someone said it!

First allow me to begin with Patrick. I'm sure you've been following these posts or at least went back and read them after you became involved, so I think you can see how this conversation has evolved into one about politics. I didn't make it into one. Originally, my concern was only the lack of empathy for the original poster. That said, I wish to make no conflict for Ed (who I'm guessing is one of the website owners/creators etc) so for that reason alone this will be my last post.

Now I will quickly speak to the New York City man James and he will be the last person I address here. I protested before 911, and I protested after it. I don't do it for recognition. IF you have ever seen a protest at DC or NYC or even smaller cities and towns you would know that there are way too many people for any one individual to go seeking recognition. I go for one reason. I go so that the people making the decisions know that I'm a voter and I oppose the current action they are taking at any given moment. I oppose(d) the WEF so I protest(ed) it. I opposed America's position in the Palestine/Israeli conflict so I protested it. The more people that go, the more chances there are of fundamental change.

As for your assumption that as a New Yorker you have a special privelage of suffering because of 911 that noone else has, you're mistaken and in need of some serious enlightenment. There were many people who died that day who weren't even citizens of NYC, so are their families not able to grieve because they're not a NYC resident??? Sorry it doesn't work.

Finally and lastly, I'm not a martyr nor am I claiming to be like Rosa Parks. I'm not sure where you pulled that out of. And I would never EVER compare myself to most of the people on this board. I'm better. When I look at the virtues of America (and there are some) I don't see sitcoms and reality tv. I'm motivated enough to research what I'm told instead of the lazy louts who just readily agree with the majority. That makes me superior and I would not lower myself or my work and compare myself with them. As for your stereotypical quip, mispelling 'forget about it; how orignal and witty. With jokes like that you should write into the WB or UPN and they may make you a headwriter for a smashing new show. There aren't enough of them already on the air, and with Blue Collar Comedy doing so well, I can't imagine why the great American minds wouldn't take to your style of comedy. Who needs intelligent humor when we can use bad accents to represent an entire group of people and get roars of laughter from people who aren't really paying attention?

Okay, now I'm done. I've said what I needed to say and wish the best to the original poster. I'm sorry about your husband and hope you have found peace.

Sincerely,
Melissa

Melissa,

I defended your viewpoint on the fact that members of the military should not automatically get our respect.

But you have turned this thread into something completely off topic, and I hate that. I too read the reports daily as they are a great source of information, and sometimes amusement.

If you want to discuss politics and war, then please do it somewhere else. ED has enough trouble spending time and resources fighting off lawsuits. He doesn't need you wasting bandwidth with political debate.

Please take your political commentary elsewhere.

Bob,

I agree wholeheartedly. Appreciated and honored. But not automatically respected. I think that is the point Melissa was trying to make.

As far as this report goes, I don't know what to say. It seems to me that even without medical coverage, symptoms should have been checked by a qualified physician. You can go to almost any doctor's office and pay the $75 office visit fee out of pocket. If nothing else, they could have said we suspect a problem, and you should take steps to get the conditioned checked out further.

Our resident hypocrite states:

"I have protested on the streets of NYC with widows and children of people who died on 911,"

So what? Get a clue Melissa, just because you sat in the back of the bus ONCE, that doesn't make you Rosa Parks! I just walked past Mt Sinai hospital today. That hardly makes me a cardioligist!

How dare you try to ingratiate yourself and compare yourself to us? You are NOT a New Yorker, you did NOT personally suffer on 09/11, and your life has NOT been disrupted to any degree compared to us. The difference is, WE have enough dignity and class not to use it as an excuse for anything. We'll leave that to the politicians and remora like you.

You have tried to make this political, but this isn't about politics, this is about reality. You're merely some wannabe who shows up "on the streets of NYC" seeking some kind of recognition and personal validation as a martyr. Sorry, it ain't coming from us. Fuggedahboutit - get a life and stay the hell home!

Not just appreciated Patric, but honored.

We honor them on Memorial Day, we honor them on Veterans Day, and Honor is something they deserve automatically and until such time as they prove otherwise.

No class of person in this country is so honored, not even President's. Yes we have President's Day but not officially (according to the Office of Personnel Management for the United States it is still Washington's Birthday). We have Black History Month and we have Native American History Month, but no federal holidays for either class.

I dare say there are more veterans who believe that service members should automatically be honored until such time as they prove otherwise than those who don't. In fact I can think of several hundred who believe in automatic honor.

Not just appreciated Patric - but HONORED.

Not just appreciated Patric, but honored.

We honor them on Memorial Day, we honor them on Veterans Day, and Honor is something they deserve automatically and until such time as they prove otherwise.

No class of person in this country is so honored, not even President's. Yes we have President's Day but not officially (according to the Office of Personnel Management for the United States it is still Washington's Birthday). We have Black History Month and we have Native American History Month, but no federal holidays for either class.

I dare say there are more veterans who believe that service members should automatically be honored until such time as they prove otherwise than those who don't. In fact I can think of several hundred who believe in automatic honor.

Not just appreciated Patric - but HONORED.

Not just appreciated Patric, but honored.

We honor them on Memorial Day, we honor them on Veterans Day, and Honor is something they deserve automatically and until such time as they prove otherwise.

No class of person in this country is so honored, not even President's. Yes we have President's Day but not officially (according to the Office of Personnel Management for the United States it is still Washington's Birthday). We have Black History Month and we have Native American History Month, but no federal holidays for either class.

I dare say there are more veterans who believe that service members should automatically be honored until such time as they prove otherwise than those who don't. In fact I can think of several hundred who believe in automatic honor.

Not just appreciated Patric - but HONORED.

Eric, Eric, Eric

Hopefully, you'll stop posting and take a class on grammar! I mean a few mistakes because of typing errors is understandable, but your post was a horrible example of American public schooling.

I see the military did their job in brainwashing you. You probably think that someday those WMDs are going to appear (who knows maybe one of your buddies will plant some to make the good old USA earn other nations respect.)

Do you really think that it cares or matters much who runs the show right now? Kerry may have been slightly better than Bush, and could have possibly cleaned up some of the mess that the president made, but the present situation would still exist. America, all in all, is just an empire and most people know what has happened to every empire before it.

You're not empathetic, just pathetic. You're a product, not a person. I love how you assume I watch much television; typical American. If anything you've proven my point. When discussing the high points of America and one brings up TV (especially with the mindless nonsense that's on today) I think it is easy to see what peril we are in.

I'm not surprised you aren't interested in reading. When there are all those different guns to discuss who has the time to read Pacifism as Pathology or Media Control? Why research when we can simply believe what we are told?

As for your assumption that you or any of the previous posts have upset me, you're right. I just don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight because this website is the source of all enjoyment in my life and now that some very foolish rednecks have come aboard to make laughable debates without any source of information; well it just tears me up inside.

Finally, Mr. Military Man, go back and read more carefully. In my last post, I even explained how the three examples were not three people. I'm not going to do your homework for you, but I'll offer the setting. Massey was disgusted with his party and did not agree with their tactics. He was not the example, which I'm not at all surprised you didn't know. That's all you get. You do the rest.

By the way, I'm not a liberal. I'm a communist, a Marxist, if you will. I'm sure that the party is something you just despise yet know very little about. Then again, you probably think you live in a democracy. Look that word up when you have a free moment.

Oh, and don't presume to know anything about the liberation of women. There were countries that were and are ions ahead of America in the liberation of women. Not to mention, the tribes who had matriarchal societies before exterminated (and in few cases almost exterminated) by early settlers. IF you believe that America is really interested in the liberation of women, go and research the phrase "rule of thumb." Read YOUR Bible. You know, the book that Bush always (mis)quotes but generally replaces the tone of Jesus with his own.

Finally, to answer one of your least absurd (as ridiculous as it is) questions: 'Why don't I move? There are many reasons and none of them include that America is the greatest country in the world. My family lives here. My friends live here. I believe that things can get better with fundamental changes to the government that someone has to propose. But mostly, I just don't want to be persecuted by America or be at the next place that is found to be profitable and therefore the next target of the USA.

Now and quickly because it doesn't really merit too much of my time allow me to address Jennifer. IF you really believe that your son was sent to Iraq to HELP the people and to better their way of life, I feel sorry for you; more than that I feel badly for your son, because he's the one who'll probably have to pay for the ideals you instilled in him. It's sad. I don't blame your son or any soldier for the war. Hell, if he's doing it for the reasons you seem to believe, then I'd even say that his actions were and may still be noble, misguided and confused but noble.

I have protested on the streets of NYC with widows and children of people who died on 911, and I'm really tired of people using that tragedy for their own means. Toby Keith, President Bush, (well we'll just put the entire Bush clan here, shall we) and every redneck who has never bothered to study the politics behind present or past wars, yet insist on having an opinion. People were wrongly killed and that's horrible, but what's worse is for you to use that tragedy to try and gain footing in your debate which is empty. The soldiers (omitting the several thousand in Afghanistan) are fighting a war that has nothing to do with 911, and everything to do with resources and money. So don't bring up matters that you choose to know nothing about! As for the soldiers, their station is not their fault. I never said it was. They are victims however, as I said before being a victim or a soldier is not enough to deserve respect. Inclinations, motivations and intentions are far more important than labels or path choices. For your view of respect I suggest some Plato and Nietzsche, and for your lack of political knowledge I suggest Chomsky and Blume, preferably U.S. Intervention after WWII. Perhaps, then instead of fighting on your son's behalf, you'll be fighting for him to come home safely.

I've resisted temptation long enough. I feel I must now add my 2 cents to this conversation.

First off let me say that I served 6 years in the Air Force, and am an honorably discharged veteran of Desert Storm.

Although I do not agree with all of Melissa's comments, there is one thing I do agree on, and that is the fact that being a current member, or veteran, of the Armed Services does not automatically mean that person should be respected by the general population. Appreciation for their service? Yes. Respect. Not automatically. Respect is something that is earned.

I was in the service during a time when criminals were given a choice of serving jail time, or 2 years in the Army. I knew several individuals that were scum of the earth, but were out serving our country because it was better than rotting in a cell somewhere. Do they deserve my respect just because they served? I think not.

Don't get me wrong. I know there are/were millions of those who deserve respect for their individual actions in the line of duty. I'm just saying that respect should not be automatically given based solely on the fact that one has served in the military. However, I show my appreciation for everyone that has served, or is serving, no matter what their reason for signing up.

Do you respect all police officers simply because they are police officers? Even the "dirty" cops? Firefighters, paramedics, doctors just because of their profession? You can't say an entire group of individuals deserves respect simply because they belong to a certain group. Again, respect is earned on an individual basis.

Thank you for letting me say my peace. And finally, I'd like to say "Thank You" to ALL current members/veterans of all branches of the military for protecting my freedom to express my opinions on this forum. Your service is greatly appreciated.

I've resisted temptation long enough. I feel I must now add my 2 cents to this conversation.

First off let me say that I served 6 years in the Air Force, and am an honorably discharged veteran of Desert Storm.

Although I do not agree with all of Melissa's comments, there is one thing I do agree on, and that is the fact that being a current member, or veteran, of the Armed Services does not automatically mean that person should be respected by the general population. Appreciation for their service? Yes. Respect. Not automatically. Respect is something that is earned.

I was in the service during a time when criminals were given a choice of serving jail time, or 2 years in the Army. I knew several individuals that were scum of the earth, but were out serving our country because it was better than rotting in a cell somewhere. Do they deserve my respect just because they served? I think not.

Don't get me wrong. I know there are/were millions of those who deserve respect for their individual actions in the line of duty. I'm just saying that respect should not be automatically given based solely on the fact that one has served in the military. However, I show my appreciation for everyone that has served, or is serving, no matter what their reason for signing up.

Do you respect all police officers simply because they are police officers? Even the "dirty" cops? Firefighters, paramedics, doctors just because of their profession? You can't say an entire group of individuals deserves respect simply because they belong to a certain group. Again, respect is earned on an individual basis.

Thank you for letting me say my peace. And finally, I'd like to say "Thank You" to ALL current members/veterans of all branches of the military for protecting my freedom to express my opinions on this forum. Your service is greatly appreciated.

I've resisted temptation long enough. I feel I must now add my 2 cents to this conversation.

First off let me say that I served 6 years in the Air Force, and am an honorably discharged veteran of Desert Storm.

Although I do not agree with all of Melissa's comments, there is one thing I do agree on, and that is the fact that being a current member, or veteran, of the Armed Services does not automatically mean that person should be respected by the general population. Appreciation for their service? Yes. Respect. Not automatically. Respect is something that is earned.

I was in the service during a time when criminals were given a choice of serving jail time, or 2 years in the Army. I knew several individuals that were scum of the earth, but were out serving our country because it was better than rotting in a cell somewhere. Do they deserve my respect just because they served? I think not.

Don't get me wrong. I know there are/were millions of those who deserve respect for their individual actions in the line of duty. I'm just saying that respect should not be automatically given based solely on the fact that one has served in the military. However, I show my appreciation for everyone that has served, or is serving, no matter what their reason for signing up.

Do you respect all police officers simply because they are police officers? Even the "dirty" cops? Firefighters, paramedics, doctors just because of their profession? You can't say an entire group of individuals deserves respect simply because they belong to a certain group. Again, respect is earned on an individual basis.

Thank you for letting me say my peace. And finally, I'd like to say "Thank You" to ALL current members/veterans of all branches of the military for protecting my freedom to express my opinions on this forum. Your service is greatly appreciated.

I have been reading all of these posts that have been listed and I'm not quite sure where to begin. I take that back. I do know where to begin. I'm a pretty even keeled woman. Takes quite a bit to get me riled. But enough is enough I am an Army veteran and d**n proud of that fact!!!! Melissa, how dare you sit safely behind your computer screen and belittle the fine men and women who have served or are serving this country of ours.

My son is currently stationed over in Iraq with a fine unit of high caliber men and women who have made the sacrafice of leaving their homes, family, friends and fellow citizens to provide a better life for the Iraqi people who have never known what it's like to have the freedom of speech that you have. This war may not be "benefitting" our country as you say, but we are helping human beings that deserve to be treated as such. It was stated before that we are at war with terrorism, which is a world wide issue. These terrorist just decided to mess with the wrong country at the wrong time.

I would like to see you walk up to the widow of a NYC firefighter or a child who's mother was killed in the flight that crashed into the Pentagon and tell them to their faces that our military shouldn't be doing what they are doing. Then walk up to a parent who has lost their child due to fighting over in Iraq, or the sister of soldier killed on the USS Cole that their relative does not deserve respect.

HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!

Signed a VERY proud Mother of a United States Soldier!!

Mellisa,

Your last post made about as much sense as putting whipped cream on a cow pie and calling it a pastry.

Bottom line, military service honorably being served or having been served does infact by law - denote special respect and honor.

I am well a well read older man who had a library of several thousand books until I gave them to our own little library. I am also a Libral Arts major and a 10 year veteran.

Back in the sixties there used to be a bumber sticker that read - "America, Love it or Leave it" and perhaps that is my recommendation to you.

I love my country and everything about it good and bad. You mentioned that unless we were in WWII we haven't fought in a war.

Technically you may be right they were conflicts, however, Webster defines war as, among others, "a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism". Also please remember that we did formally declar war on terrorism and if that mean we go to Iraq, then we go to Iraq.

The military was there in Korea (after North Korea invaded South Korea). The military was there for the Cuban blockade (you may be too young to remember any of these). The military has been there to save surfers off the beach of california and stranded ships off the eastern seabord.

The military has been there when forign country's called for our help. The military has built bridges and dams in 3rd world countries for free. The military has helped in humanitarian aid in more ways than I can pretend to remember.

Military men and woman do and always will immediately have our respect and honor until such time as they demonstrate that they do not deserve it.

Well Melissa you EXPLAIN A LOT in your last post. How do you claim not 3 people when you called them BY NAME TO REFERENCE THEM and the things they did? Melissa when in any of my post did I say I served in a war?? I served in 2 combat zones, Somalia and Bosnia. So what you're telling me is that IF NO ONE AT ALL JOINED the military after WWII that we wouldn't be speaking Russian, German or Japanese at this very moment?

Other countries are AFRAID to attack us and take us over because of people like me that continue to serve our country in a PEACE TIME environment. SO no I did not go to war, but I did go to a combat zone and get shot at, your d**n right I did.

Stop referencing book no one wants to read your retertric or bullcrap! We hit the nail on the head when we called you a liberal and now you're all mad, I fully understand EVERYONE of your post about the military now! How did American arrogance force you to make the statements about our military? It didn't we only sought to SNAP YOU OUT OF IT then you got all stupid on us.

Man am I glad President Bush got 4 more years so he can make people like you MISERABLE for 4 MORE YEARS!! LOL. I think it's great!

Melissa you just jealous you can't hang out with G.I. Joe and his friends because if you could you would have a better respect and admiration for out military personnel, PAST and PRESENT! I have empathy for people on a daily basis, just not for people who try to start s**t storms 4 years later or people who aren't smart enough to shut the hell up while they are ahead! Again Melissa your sadly mistaken, how is letting your loved one die because you failed to take them for medical NOT YOUR FAULT?

See Melissa no one asked you to support our country blindly, but don't come down on the people who see the good in what were doing. If you don't like it here so d**n much moved to IRAQ and let Sadam back in power and let's see how much INTERNET time you get, let see how much TV time you get.

I want to see you walk around town without a vail on if Sadam was back in power. Like someone told me the other day American Woman are the strongest in the world, because of the FREEDOMS they are allotted thanks to our Past and Present Military Force! Melissa hopefully you will now shut your mouth and stop proving all the points all of us here have been making about you! All you do is prove it post after post after post. Stop being so simple minded SNAP OUT OF IT get with the rest of the world and REALIZE what you have before it's all gone! LATA

If only Phil Ochs was still around to reiterate his point that will be lost on all of you. Anyways, Bob , I used three examples not three people. Look up Massey's experience and you'll understand. There are countless examples of wingnuts who join the military. Does that mean that everyone who joins the military is a basketcase or a war monger? No. Some are fine human beings. My point, as I've said way too many times before, is that the military alone does not earn anyone respect. Spend less time buying "these colors don't run" bumper stickers and watching Blue Collar TV and a little more time reading books like Exterminate the Brutes, or the Metaphysics of Morals, and perhaps you'd all be better off and have a better comprehension of the significance of inclinations and motivations while determining the value of respect.

Respect is not something that is simply given and then if one does something horrible it is taken away. NO. Respect is something that is EARNED and it's based on much more than the willingness to give your own life and take anothers.

As for Eric, which war (please tell me) did YOU fight in that helped provide me with the freedom of speech. I'd like to know that and unless you're over the age of 50 and have a pretty good recollection of WWII, then keep your mouth shut and stop listening to military propoganda ads. While you're at it read the Patriot Act and let me know how much of my freedom of speech (and privacy for that matter) is actually allotted. I'd be surprised if you knew right now.

When this entire report began it wasn't about politics, but typical American selfishness and arrogance forced the issue. The lack of empathy for anyone who isn't directly involved in your life, or hasn't shared the same experience is disgusting. Annie feels bad for herself because of her husband's career, and Eric is too proud that he can kill and that he gets to hang out with G.I. Joes to feel anything other than ridiculous loyalty (to what he hasn't a clue). The victim of this report wasn't a marine who had his arms or legs blown off (if it had been I would've felt sorry for him too and would have suggested he fight the jerks who sent him to an unjust war) but this was about a woman who may have lost her husband because of circumstances beyond her control, but we didn't care about her. I suppose if her husband was murdered in combat it would have bothered her less.

To answer Annie, I am an American citizen but more than that I'm a person. I don't blindly support my country like one supports their home team in baseball. I think invasions, occupations, and unjust wars take a little more thought than "go team go." That doesn't mean that I think in any way shape or form that the men and women in the military are responsible for the politics behind the nonsense. I don't. I don't blame them, and that wasn't my point. Being a police officer, or a fireman, or a marine or a teacher etc. etc. are all respectable professions but that doesn't mean that the person is worthy of respect. I don't know how to be more clear than that.

Bob, Melissa appears to be a bleedingheart LIBERAL, not Libertarian. There is an enormous difference. Libertarians think the Constitution should be followed strictly, liberals think everyone should just join in for a group hug after spending "the other guy's" money on the problem. As for her examples, who is Wayne Ford? Oswald was thrown out, and Sgt. Massey gave an interview to Il Manifesto. That is a Communist rag in Italy. Who knows if they even tried to translate anything he said correctly. Do any of us believe an anti-American, anti-capitalist newsrag is going to tell the truth about anything they don't agree with? That birdcage liner has been spewing the "Americans target civilians(people do actually get killed in war) and newspaper people" bilge since the war RE-started. That's right Melissa. REstarted. Hussein got a cease-fire to end the Gulf War, he did not surrender. He failed to live up to his obligations of that cease-fire and we went back in. The WMD stuff was one line out of a dozen pages in a resolution. We did find them, by the way. I'd call a dozen vials of Sarin(nerve agent) a WMD. If you don't, take a sniff. Militaries also have no need for brand new chemical carrying artillery shells if they have nothing to put in them. You also don't need well maintained trailers built for the purpose of mixing and dispensing said WMD if you have none to mix/dispense. Please pick your targets more carefully Melissa. Three out of millions. And, as Bob has pointed out, using your logic, you will obviously do everything you can to get John Kerry(admitted war criminal, womanizer, liar) and Ted Kennedy(murderer, drunk, womanizer) out of office. Since these two Senators represent everything you despise(or do you?), you should take to the streets demanding they resign and go away. Kerry even bragged about shooting a kid in the back and burning down villages. He gave himself a medal for that. What a guy. His cohort in the Senate likes leaving pregnant girlfriends to drown when it's politically inconvenient to have one alive. None of this has anything to do though, with what Tammy originally posted. She stated quite clearly that FD killed her husband and are trying to kill her too. Since that is UNTRUE in all aspects, we can say it is a lie. If she really thinks what she said was true, we can then say she's a nut and needs professional help.

Melissa,
I can't believe you as an American citizen would say such harsh words about the military. These people are protecting your rights to live in this fine country. They have voluntarily given there lives up for you. Do you understand that? They are out there fighting a war to protect you. They are putting there families, wives, parents, and most importantly their life on hold. Does that not mean anything to you? Do you know what it is like to go to a foreign country and check in to a hotel for a 30 minute bath? Yes a bath, they will pay 80 bucks just to relax in the bath tub for 30 minutes sounds ridiculous doesn't it? But then again you probably haven't had the pleasure of sleeping on a rock for 45 days have you?

My husband is floating around the ocean some where to provide you with freedom, rights and a safe place to live. Not only is his life affected, but mine is as well, and what about our 5 year old do you think her life is affected? Sure it is everyday she tells me she is angry that daddy left us and I can't tell her that he IS coming home because well we don't know that.
I am just one example of a military family and we only have one child. There are families with 3, 4 even 5 kids. This is not a plea for sympathy, I don't need that it's the life of a military family it comes with the territory there are thousands of families world wide who are experiencing the same thing that we are going through. Just to protect your rights. And you don't think they deserve your respect. Come on what the hell is the matter with you?

You disgust me. You have turned Tammy's plea for help in to a pissing contest about who knows more and who has the better come back well you know darling you just lost my respect. Of all the low and despicable things I have heard in my life that has to be one of the most outrageous. You can protest the war, you can protest our fine president, hell you can even protest the fact we have a military. But to say they don't deserve your respect for giving up everything they have including there rights to freedom of speech and freedom of protest, to protect YOU. You have no right to judge these soldiers. I have never hard any one say that a soldier doesn't deserve their respect. You have no idea how much that angers me.

And by the way my husband has been in for 10 years and he plans to be in for 10 more. He has yet to meet the captain for reasons of discipline. He is serving this country d**n well, and I am sure that Bob and Eric both served our country well as all military members do.

All military members deserve at least a thank you. And when you are expressing thanks you are expressing respect. Just because there were a few bad apples doesn't mean they don't deserve your respect for the things they DID do right. Don't blame the soldiers for this war, blame any one else you d**n well please but DON'T blame the soldiers.

They didn't choose to go to war they just chose to protect our country and if they are told to protect by going to war then they go. See when they sign that dotted line they give up all there rights. All of them gave up all of there rights to protect you. And you say that doesn't deserve your respect. Then move to Canada.

Melissa your comparing apples to oranges. You bring up people that have done heinous acts and killed for their own reasons. When did any of us here do that? You know its one thing to serve honorably and then go on with a productive life afterwards and it's a TOTALLY different thing to serve with bad conduct or get out and commit crimes.

No one said any of those guys deserved respect for the things they did BUT NONE OF US IN THIS CONVERSATION HAS DONE ANY OF THE THINGS THOSE GUYS DID. See you're trying to turn things around and make it seem all better for you but you're doing it all wrong. Again I didn't join to take the lives of others; I joined because I felt it was my duty as an American to serve our great country and to keep it free!

Did you serve? I doubt it. Melissa, girl, I remember EXACTLY what I typed. See you're trying again to turn things around to make you sound right and all you do is further prove me point about you and Annie. AGAIN MELISSA IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER WAS GETTING SICK WOULDN'T YOU TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOS REGUARDLESS WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL STATE IT LEFT YOU IN. Broke and with my wife is ALOT d**n better than money and losing my wife.

Ms. Liberal you have failed to prove ANY of your points and impress any of us here also. Funny thing is when I joined the Marine Corps I became an MP so you were almost right! I wasn't so much a bully in high school but I did become a Military Policeman. Honey it's thanks to people like me joining the military you can bump your gums on this site and talk bad about me and the military! LATA

Melissa your comparing apples to oranges. You bring up people that have done heinous acts and killed for their own reasons. When did any of us here do that? You know its one thing to serve honorably and then go on with a productive life afterwards and it's a TOTALLY different thing to serve with bad conduct or get out and commit crimes.

No one said any of those guys deserved respect for the things they did BUT NONE OF US IN THIS CONVERSATION HAS DONE ANY OF THE THINGS THOSE GUYS DID. See you're trying to turn things around and make it seem all better for you but you're doing it all wrong. Again I didn't join to take the lives of others; I joined because I felt it was my duty as an American to serve our great country and to keep it free!

Did you serve? I doubt it. Melissa, girl, I remember EXACTLY what I typed. See you're trying again to turn things around to make you sound right and all you do is further prove me point about you and Annie. AGAIN MELISSA IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER WAS GETTING SICK WOULDN'T YOU TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOS REGUARDLESS WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL STATE IT LEFT YOU IN. Broke and with my wife is ALOT d**n better than money and losing my wife.

Ms. Liberal you have failed to prove ANY of your points and impress any of us here also. Funny thing is when I joined the Marine Corps I became an MP so you were almost right! I wasn't so much a bully in high school but I did become a Military Policeman. Honey it's thanks to people like me joining the military you can bump your gums on this site and talk bad about me and the military! LATA

Melissa your comparing apples to oranges. You bring up people that have done heinous acts and killed for their own reasons. When did any of us here do that? You know its one thing to serve honorably and then go on with a productive life afterwards and it's a TOTALLY different thing to serve with bad conduct or get out and commit crimes.

No one said any of those guys deserved respect for the things they did BUT NONE OF US IN THIS CONVERSATION HAS DONE ANY OF THE THINGS THOSE GUYS DID. See you're trying to turn things around and make it seem all better for you but you're doing it all wrong. Again I didn't join to take the lives of others; I joined because I felt it was my duty as an American to serve our great country and to keep it free!

Did you serve? I doubt it. Melissa, girl, I remember EXACTLY what I typed. See you're trying again to turn things around to make you sound right and all you do is further prove me point about you and Annie. AGAIN MELISSA IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER WAS GETTING SICK WOULDN'T YOU TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOS REGUARDLESS WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL STATE IT LEFT YOU IN. Broke and with my wife is ALOT d**n better than money and losing my wife.

Ms. Liberal you have failed to prove ANY of your points and impress any of us here also. Funny thing is when I joined the Marine Corps I became an MP so you were almost right! I wasn't so much a bully in high school but I did become a Military Policeman. Honey it's thanks to people like me joining the military you can bump your gums on this site and talk bad about me and the military! LATA

Melissa your comparing apples to oranges. You bring up people that have done heinous acts and killed for their own reasons. When did any of us here do that? You know its one thing to serve honorably and then go on with a productive life afterwards and it's a TOTALLY different thing to serve with bad conduct or get out and commit crimes.

No one said any of those guys deserved respect for the things they did BUT NONE OF US IN THIS CONVERSATION HAS DONE ANY OF THE THINGS THOSE GUYS DID. See you're trying to turn things around and make it seem all better for you but you're doing it all wrong. Again I didn't join to take the lives of others; I joined because I felt it was my duty as an American to serve our great country and to keep it free!

Did you serve? I doubt it. Melissa, girl, I remember EXACTLY what I typed. See you're trying again to turn things around to make you sound right and all you do is further prove me point about you and Annie. AGAIN MELISSA IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER WAS GETTING SICK WOULDN'T YOU TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOS REGUARDLESS WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL STATE IT LEFT YOU IN. Broke and with my wife is ALOT d**n better than money and losing my wife.

Ms. Liberal you have failed to prove ANY of your points and impress any of us here also. Funny thing is when I joined the Marine Corps I became an MP so you were almost right! I wasn't so much a bully in high school but I did become a Military Policeman. Honey it's thanks to people like me joining the military you can bump your gums on this site and talk bad about me and the military! LATA

Mellisa,

All and I repeat, ALL military and former military immediately earn our respect and support until such time as they prove otherwise.

You listed three people and there are more who have proven they are not worthy of that respect and yet you fail to mention the millions who have gone on to do great things for our country.

Bob Dole
John McCain
John F. Kennedy

Haven't these men earned our respct for what they did in combat? Bob Dole has a useless hand, John McCain was a POW and JFK was in command of a PT Boat.

Man for man, there have been more Marines decorated with the Medal of Honor than any other branch. Remember, the Marines are limited to 197,000 during peace time. There have been 3408 Medal of Honor recipients and of those 297 have been Marines - do they not earn our respect?

By your logic, people in general should not get our respect because there are people in prison. President's of the United States should not get our respect because one resigned. Doctors should not get our respect because they've made mistakes. Pastors should not get our respect because of what the Catholic Priests have done.

By your logic, women should not get our respect because they've killed their children in Texas. By your logic, there is no class or group of people who should get our respect because somewhere, some time, some one did some thing wrong!!

Your logic is flawed!!!!!!

Anybody and I mean ANYBODY who is even willing to sacrifice their life for someone they don't even know - well that is part of the definition of Christian. But then Christian's don't get our respect because of the crusades - Right?

Put your head back in the sand and appologize for making such a stupid remark as "SNAP OUT OF IT" (for all you know, Eric may have lost both his legs and both his arms in combat and is suffering from Traumatic Stress Syndrom - you just don't ever know). While I will assume that this is not Eric's case, that he was willing to lay down his life for someone - for you - by its own self should earn him respect until and if he should ever prove otherwise.

During the American Revolution we used to call people like you Traitors.

Does Wayne Ford deserve our respect? How about Lee Harvey Oswald? How about Massey's 7th Marine's Weapons company? The list goes on and on. Do these ex-marines deserve our respect?
Joining the military does not automatically earn respect. People can be sociopathic jerks who care very little about their life and only join to take the lives of others (like in the case of Massey's experience). That doesn't make me feel warm inside. The point is that just because one joins the marines doesn't mean they're a good person or worthy of respect. IT doesn't mean much. One can't rationally judge anyone without knowing the instincts and motivations of their actions, which more often than not the person experiencing the inclinations aren't even aware of their root.

And Eric, boy, you couldn't even remember what you had typed up. In so many words, you called Tammy a liar and then denied that you did. You blamed the woman for her husband's death which is awful and then tried to justify it away. Sorry, Mr. Marine you don't impress me and I think you're an insecure lout who only finds security when discussing his military status. You're like the bully in highschool that becomes a cop. It's just sad and pathetic. You're the sort of person I wish wouldn't join the military.

See Annie your another bleeding heart liberal I see. Annie answer me this then, read Tammy's first post in this thread and tell me it's accurate! Tell me it had a factual basis. I want you to prove how big an IDIOT you are go ahead tell me where family dollar sent out a lynch mob to kill her husband and now that he's gone she's next. TELL ME, you can't now can you! Oh really Tammy didn't mention any heart disease symptoms huh then what's this "We worked in the yard all day but Dusty was really sick!!!" d**n my feet hurt sometimes but I don't look really sick! SO explain that brainwave! Again if you read CAREFULLY all of my post I CLEALY stated their are programs out there for LOW/NO income families. I pay for it ever paycheck and so does everyone who works!

I didn't really ask if you cared but anyways. We have free medical your right, but how many other jobs in the world can you SERIOUSLY say I QUIT and not end up going to jail? In the Military we did have free housing, But it took you 1 1/2 years to get it and do the math after boot camp, MCT, MOS School and reporting to your first duty station then having to wait 1 1/2 years you only get to live in housing maybe a year or less. So what do you do for the first 1 1/2 while you wait? OH YEA THAT'S RIGHT I HAD TO GET MY OWN APARTEMENT. Why do we get the freebies, I don't know maybe it's BECAUSE WE FIGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY! Maybe because at anytime you can be ripped away form your family for an extended amount of time. I don't know maybe leaving my wife and children for 6 months at a time isn't my cup of tea. I don't know about the Army, Navy or any other service but IT'S MANDATORY ON EVERY 4 YEAR ENLISTMENT IN THE MARINE CORPS ATLEAST 12 MOTHNS OR GREATER MUST BE SPENT OVER SEAS. Free medical and housing is an incentive to joining. Kind of like if you were going to get a job and 1 place offered you something and another placed offered you the same thing but a $3,000 bonus when you came aboard.

I don't know too many people who WOULDN'T take the later of the 2. See Annie you do have it all wrong you said "see the vicious cycle... just because you are a marine doesn't mean you have the right to criticize other for the life they live when you have it all handed to you on a platter." Me being a Marine gives me, you and EVERY OTHER AMERICAN the right to say what we want, when we want and how we want.

Hey CLOWN when in ANY of my post did I say I saw heads shot off? Or anything of the such? You tell someone else to read when it's PAINFULLY OBVIOUS YOU NEED TO READ YOURSELF!!

I didn't say that Bob did so I'll give you the exact same advice I gave Melissa SHORE UP YOUR INFO before you come at me! Your husband is in the Military, some how I find that hard top believe, I'm not saying it's not true just hard to believe.

But anyways no Annie the things I did weren't classified, HELL they made a movie about Somalia, where my unit was for about 3 months. So how classified is that? No need to judge you Annie, you clearly proved my point without me ever having to judge or say anything about you!! LOL. LATA

A. I support, supported, and will continue to support Tammy.

B. My post was directed (at least initially) only at Melissa and her words to Eric to "snap out of it".

C. My only judgement were the towards the irresponsible use of the "snap out of it" and the inference that Marines prey on the weak statement.

D. It was our defense of Tammy that causes us to "judge" Melissa.

I've been following this report for awhile and would like to say to the orginial poster, I am very sorry for the loss of your husband.

In regards to Melissa's post, you stated that someone in the armed forces dosen't command respect from you. What more do you need to give respect to someone; is defending your country and its freedoms not enough? All the men and women in the armed services DESERVE our respect for defending our freedoms and who are you to think otherwise? I don't care about their reasons for joining, the fact is, they had more courage to do something that most of us are too afraid to do, including you. Being the sister of a former marine, it really makes me sick to think that there are people like you out there. Go back under your rock!

YOU CLEARLY STATED "One other thing, I'm not coming after you." I didn't single you out, just your statements"

Do me a favor and look over your last 3-4 replies on this thread and tell me where MY NAME ISN'T LISTED. You did single me out by calling me by name to make your hanius remarks. No my analogy was fine, I never said he did anything CRIMINAL as you implied and nor have I. I'm sure the company you work for EVERYONE knows the owner so he doesn't have to flaunt it. But as a Marine I have earned the right to flaunt and I'm proud of the fact that I was once part of the best fighting force this world has to offer. It's hard to be humble when you prove time and time again that your the best, you know what I mean.

That's why Marines have a swagger about them that's why we care ourselves differently; because the entire world knows when you need something done and done right you call the MARINES! Again I'm really a nice guy and not a jerk, you think I'm a jerk because I don't see things the way you do. Hey opnions are like assholes everyone has one and they all STINK! No I can't see the problem with what I said because it's the truth, if this lady would have taken her husband to the hospital rather than MAKING excuses then he would probably be still alive. Are you to blind to see that fact?

Melissa if your mom/dad/loved one complained of their chest hurting would you take them to the hospital or go to work? COMMON SENSE SHOULD PREVAIL HERE!!! Again no job is that important to endanger my family PERIOD! As to your lack of respect for me who cares, again who needs friends when you can hang out with Marines? I was put on this planet to make sure you were my friend and you respect me.

I know some people hate me but lifes to short for hate. "SNAP OUT OF IT" Melissa because there will ALWAYS be someone you don't get along with and it's ALOT easier to let go than to carry around hatred all your life. LATA

your bikering has nothing to do with the matter at hand. you guys are just taking your own aggresion out on this poor woman who is asking for help.

First of all: Melissa, i agee with you, you are just being sympathetic to Tammy( yes she has a name) and i agree that she felt she had no other option but to work long hours to suport her family and do what she feels is right.

Second of all: Eric you are all mighty in asuming that she is not being truthful adn taht she needs to let "sleeping dogs lie" i belive that is how you put it but then you say some thing stupid and make your self look like afool. your exact words were:
!! I agree totally with Bob until you've walked a mile in my shoes don't judge me. why dont you take your own words and read them over and over until you your self understand the statement you made. beacause if you read what you haev writen so far you have not done that. You have done nothing but judge Tammy for only the mistakes she has made adn not the sacrafices she took for her family.

Third of all: NO WHERE IN THE FIRSDT STORY DID TAMMY MENTION THAT HER HUSBAND WAS HAVING ANY OTHER SYMPTOMS FOR THE HEART DISEASE.thus meaning why would he go to the hospital just becasue his feet hurt if he knew it would put them in to financial heartship. i wouldnt. how in the hell was he or she supposed to know that his heart was the problem?

Finally: tammy did everything in her power to stabalize a family. by the time she realized how hard it was the insurance was almost there. if she would have quit her job at that point she would have had to wait longer for insurance. i can see her point of view "just stick it out, it will all come together in the end" type of attitude. but in this case it didnt. and i am extremely sorry for that. Tammy is a strong person from what i can tell, a go getter that doesnt tske no for an answer and i think that is the attitude every american should have.

I dont care if you are , were, will be a marine, that means nothing to me. People who serve in the millitary are people too the only difference is they dont have the same rights. but who are we to judge tammy? we (millitary and dependants)have free medical provided by the millitary. we(millitary and dependants) have free housing provided by the millitary. and WE(as americans) have free speach irronically provided by the millitary too. see the viciouse cycle... just becasue you are a marine doesnt mean you have the right to critisize other for the life they live when you have it all ahnded to you on a platter.

and the fact that you haev seen heads blown off and you have held intestines in to keep from jumping all over, yes that may be true but is idiotic to mention in a place like this. that is supposed to be clasified material adn it never happened remember? but my husband is also in the military and he saw worse s**t than that living on the streets of NY.

So the next time you judge some one listen to your self and what you stand for and please atleast go by those principals....!! I agree totally with Bob until you've walked a mile in my shoes don't judge me.

If you can't see the problem with what you said, then there really isn't much left for me to say. You told a widow that she was responsible for her husband's death when she didn't kill him. That's awful.

One other thing, I'm not coming after you. You've said far more negative things about me than I have about you. My intentions have been to express disgust for all of those who jumped on the bandwagon of attacking a woman who lost her husband. You were one of them. I didn't single you out, just your statements.

Your analogy is awful by the way. Of course, I would not attack my boss for the sake of being my boss. Nor am I attacking marines for being marines. I am holding EVERYONE irregardless of their status accountable for their actions. Using your faulty analogy allow me to clarify. IF my boss was stealing money from the company I would not cover up his actions or make excuses because of his role. Nor will I make excuses for people who are in the armed forces and are complete jerks. It gives no one a free pass and it doesn't command respect from me. Everyone has to earn my respect, and being in the armed forces isn't enough to do it!!!

MELISSA SAID "One poster, I think it was the ex-marine (FORMER..I must get that straight) Eric, who said she had been responsible for her husband's death because of the hours she worked. That's awful."

NO WHAT I CLEARLY STATED WAS "Tammy you have a WARPED sense of reality thinking that a company killed your husband, they didn't, you did for failing to get the medical attention he needed." IF YOU NEED I CAN WRITE IT IN CRAYON FOR THE SLOWER PEOPLE READING THIS POST LIKE YOU MELISSA! I NEVER ONCE SAID HER WORKING KILLED HER HUSBAND I SAID HER LACK OF HER TAKING HIM FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION KILLED HIM!!

Again Melissa all you seem to do is try to come after me, well come on. NO ONE said anyone deserved more respect because they joined the military, but when you see what most military people have and have done what most of us have you EXPECT respect from those that profit from your work! Do you go after the owner of the company you work for daily because he's your boss? I DOUBT IT but he paved the way for you to get your job right? You know why I joined the Corps, I LOVED THE DRESS BLUES and the honor that came with the title US MARINE. I wasn't bloodthirsty not did I do it for the education. Hell I declined the Montgomery GI Bill when I joined. I didn't want to pay the 150.00 a month for the first year I was in so I said if I want to go to school when I get out then I will pay for it myself. Do me and everyone else here a FAVOR.....SNAP OUT OF IT. Read Robert's first paragraph over and over again until it sinks into your brain. Like I've stated through my entire post on this thread YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YA. Maybe one day, but I'm sure you will say something else and respond to this post again and say something even more stupid than your last and try to attack me but thanks to me and all the others who have served this country you have that right! I don't expect respect; if you're too blind to see that ALL SERVICE MEMBERS command respect then you are truly worse off than I thought! LATA

People join the armed forces for many different reasons. Some get tricked into doing it, some do it to receive an education afterwards, some do it because they're bloodthirsty, some do it because they view it as patriotic, some just have a hero complexetc. etc. Without REALLY knowing (which Kant readers will know one can never do) the reasons or motives or inclinations that one joins they do not deserve a higher level of respect. The people at Abu Ghraib (yeah there was naked leap frog, prisoners taunted with angry dogs, and of course the dead guy on ice that was healthy going in being posed with a smiling soldier. Am I saying that all people in the armed forces are jerks? No. Some are fine human beings, but joining the armed forces doesn't suddenly make one a fine human being.

As for the original poster, what the ridiculously thick people here fail to realize is that by saying nothing or being sympathetic we may do nothing or we may help in a small way, but by being cruel or calling her a liar, we could damage the woman if she did truley lose her husband. One poster, I think it was the ex-marine (FORMER..I must get that straight) Eric, who said she had been responsible for her husband's death because of the hours she worked. That's awful. That person is awful for saying it, irregardless of his background in the armed forces. I feel nothing but contempt for people like that, because it's cruel for the sake of being cruel, and just because one "served" their country doesn't give them a freepass to be a reptile for the rest of their life.

Those mean Marines are scaring you silly, huh? I can understand how you feel, what with your fine Commonwealth being represented by an admitted war criminal and liar(Kerry), and an acknowledged drunkard and murderer(Kennedy), I can see how easily you get confused by reality. Here's a question for you...which do you find more abhorrent?...naked leapfrog, or hacking off someones head with a knife? You answer that one truthfully and you'll stop being so upset by the shenanigans at Abu Ghraib.

If naked leapfrog is really what turns your stomach, you deserve your Senators. Now, which scares you more, the Marines, or terrorists? Marines follow the rules for the most part, terrorists don't ever. For the record, Onslow County has been listed as the safest county in the US with a military base in it. Sounds to me like the Marines know how to get along quite well.

That is why I will never give up my home there. And yes Sweet Melissa, I also believe that past and present HONORABLE members of the Armed Forces deserve special treatment. I even include the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

They all do a fine job supporting the real military machine. You are allowed to spew your venom in these threads and anywhere else you want because of people like me, Eric, and Bob. In fact, this whole site is available because of us. None of this has anything to do with the original post though. She made the ridiculous claim that FD was sending out death squads looking for her after they found her husband and zapped him.

None of that was at all true. She is mad that her hubby died, but that has nothing to do with FD, health insurance, hospitals, doctors, or anything else, but his own negligence in going to the ER for emergency treatment. Everyone giving her a group hug will not bring him back, nor will it change the facts.

The facts are simple, and I've said it before. His lack of a healthy lifestyle was #1 on the list. #2 is when he should have gotten medical treatment, he would not go. #3 is she complains about lack of insurance, which the hospital does not need for emergency care. Nobody has to qualify for a payment plan with the hospital. Do any of you out there think the hospital is going to hold you there untill you can pay? No.

They will discharge you and send you the bill. If you cannot pay it, call them and set up a payment plan. DUH! Semper Fi boys.

Bob ! You know there's no such thng as a "former Marine" - only ex-Marines - as in the ones who were dishonorable.

"Once a Marine, always a Marine" !

From your past posts, I have a feeling we do the same kind of work, and it doesn't take too many of those to make you ultra-compassionate. I understood your posts completely, for that reason.

I don't think Melissa is living in the same United States of America that I am.

Marines have helped save this country on more occasions that I can recall.

As for my brothers and sisters in the other services - yes they all do deserve special treatment for what they do and for the sacrifices they've made. I dare say you would be first in line to get some protection from the National Guard if some terrorist was in your neighborhood.

Oh "It's their job" you say. It's their job to give up their own precious life and they are willing to do that for you and me and Aunt Martha. They are sons and daughters, they are fathers and mothers, they are uncles and aunts and sometimes they are grandpas and grandmas. And they are willing to stand there, taking a bullet so that you can live.

Even if you don't agree with what is happening in Iraq, what they learn there is so invaluable that it can not be replaced. Perhaps it's not the right decision - we can debate that when it's all over. Regardless and in the meantime - those of us who carry the scars of previous conflicts will support them to the Nth degree.

So if the terrorist, whomever they may be, comes to your neighborhood, be glad that there is a National Guard and be glad there are former and honorable service people who are still willing and able to take up arms and "...defend all enemies, foriegn and domestic."

I'd kind of like to see Ed maybe start a whole new report on Ripoff Americans who trash our valuable and honorable service men and women. Perhaps I will.

YOU: I want you to prove EXACTLEY how stupid you are.

I will as soon as you learn how to spell exactly!

So, you never claimed the woman was a liar. Let's review.

YOU: I think your just pissed off your ole man left you because you failed to work or lost your job at the Family Dollar and now you want to try and get back at them, but then again that's just my 2 cents.

SEE, little Eric, you did assume she was a liar. Now, that we've gotten that out of the way. As far as Bob goes. Hi Bob. I was careful not to make generalizations and did use the term "often," however I do not believe that marines or anyone who chooses to join the armed forces deserves special treamtent. For example, I think those who participated in Abu Ghraib deserve the same penalties for their crimes as they would if not in the armed forces. Furthermore, I don't want you to die for me or fight any fight for me, but I thank you for the gesture.

Let's go back to Eric and his interest in my mother's condition. She's 4'11, and worked at Toys R Us. Her manager insisted she lift a ladder though she repeatedly told her she couldn't. She lifted the ladder and dislocated three discs in her back. She was rushed to the emergency room and has seen countless doctors since. Some she was forced to go see by Toys R US, and even they said that she was seriously injured and that Toys R Us was responsible. If you ARE in the field of law you probably know that doesn't happen often.

This was over two years ago and they are nearing settlement now. She is still on workman's comp. but she received a letter over a year ago stating that she was no longer needed and that her position was filled. It was an easy, legal way around paying for health insurance, but they are still paying workman's comp. I don't know the specifics, but all that concerns me is that she is without insurance and can't afford to have it.

Finally, I've made it clear, but I'm guessing you aren't a careful reader since you obviously didn't even recall what YOU wrote, that I did not know if the original poster was honest or not, and that I didn't care. If she is telling the truth she deserves our empathy, and if she isn't she needs our empathy. SEE, it doesn't really matter.

Unlike other services Marines carry our selves different and if you mess with one Marine well you might as well have messed with them all!! I agree totally with Bob until you've walked a mile in my shoes don't judge me. I'm really a SUPER NICE guy; I just don't like ignorance and people that want something for nothing at all. I worked for what I got why can't everyone else? I'm just tired of people complaining about things they don't have but they don't want to do anything about it. In this country it's easier to sit around and wait for someone to give you something then to go out and get it yourself. But who am I, just a guy who talks too much about my military career huh.......LOL. Bob I would like to chat with you fine sir my e-mail address is usmcmp92_98@hotmail.com please drop me a line I may have some Marine Corps oriented things you want to check out being it's our 230th Birthday this year! LATA

Well let me mention it again Melissa, I was a US Marine for 6 years. Stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina for all of them. Why do I mention my Military Career, well being a decorated Vet I EARNED THE d**n RIGHT TO BRAG. No the Military didn't send me to college, I WAS SMART ENOUGH to get out of the Corps get a GOOD JOB and send myself through college, NO SUPPORT NEEDED. My lack of decency is for people like you that run around running off at the mouth when people like me work hard to get where we are. What do you want a pity party now? Trying supporting 3 kids and a wife on 13,000 a year.......Don't go too far! Did I ever cry oh no I can't make it NO. Did my wife ever complain when I left her for 6 months at a time to go off and fight for this country, that she didn't know how the bills would get paid sure she complained but to me only. See Melissa YOU DON'T GET IT, and its PAINFULL OBVIOUS YOU NEVER WILL or your just TO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND. You want to attack me go for it, but don't cry when your feelings get hurt. Get your facts shored up there lady before you come at me.

"Nonetheless, the original poster did not attack anyone, yet you felt the need to assume she was a liar and to treat her as one without any tangible evidence that she was."

Where in ANY of my post did I call her a liar?

So your mom was injured is she disabled? If so does she draw Social Security? If not why?

Also if your mom was injured on the job and they are paying a workman's comp claim then you do need to see one of my colleagues in Mass and find out why. Because if they are paying a workman's comp claim she is still TECHNICIALLY on their payroll and needs to have the benefits that are included in that, LIKE INSURANCE.

Also Melissa, I'm not an Ex-Marine, I'm a former Marine. The only EX-MARINES are those that get kicked out.

NO need to re-learn how to function in society, I've been out for 8 years and Law school helped me adjust JUST FINE! I just have no patience for people who think they know something when it's PAINFULLY OBVIOUS THEY DON'T!

One last thing so your saying her ORIGINAL claim her has a factual basis? I want you to prove EXACTLEY how stupid you are.

Melissa,

Your assumptions about ALL Marines is totally wrong. My 10 years in the Marines was the most enjoyable time of my life and I helped save a lot of lives - not take them.

Being a Marine or former Marine IS a thing to be proud of - not all can do it and especially not all can hang with the Marines once they are in.

Sure there is something of a culture shock when a Marine gets out, but hey, it's the price we pay for our service to our Country. What did you do for your country? Anything? Peace Corps?

There are Marines out there without arms, legs, eyesight, or who can't function properly because of the trauma they went through and you say "SNAP OUT OF IT"? When you've walked a mile in a Marine's shoes, then you'll have the qualifications to tell them to "SNAP OUT OF IT". Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. In all the posts I've ever made here, this is the first time I've ever felt the need to make a post like this one.

SNAP OUT OF IT! Ha! When you've seen your buddy's head blown to bits, when you've held another buddy's intestines to keep them from flopping on the ground, when you've held your buddy's hand as he lay dying and telling you to please write his Mom, when you've experienced the horror of war - then you may have some qualification to decided whether or not to make a stupid statement like "SNAP OUT OF IT".

Siempter Fi, I am willing to die for my country for if's it not worth dying for it's not worth living for and though your statment was unfounded, I would die for you too Melissa.

How many times did you want to mention your military status??? I don't think you did it enough. I don't think anyone got the point yet. I see that the military didn't pay for college, or you would have been able to understand my point. I wasn't putting you down for posting on this site. I think this site is important when used correctly. I put you down because you lack decency.

Maybe that was something you learned as a marine. Nonetheless, the original poster did not attack anyone, yet you felt the need to assume she was a liar and to treat her as one without any tangible evidence that she was.

So, very likely you hurt a woman who lost her husband, and so what if it was four years ago!! It takes time to mourn!!! I lost my grandmother two years ago, and I still break out in tears when I think about it.

As for my mother, she can't work. She was injured at her last job and that is why she lost her insurance. She receives money from the state for my younger brother who was adopted years ago and has critical problems, and she still gets worker's compensation until a settlement is reached. However, her health insurance is GONE and Mass Health won't pay for her.

So, Ex Marine (did you think that automatically earned you respect???) why don't you take some time and re-learn how to function as a normal, healthy individual instead of attacking people who are mourning!!! I know that often as a marine your job is to attack and destroy the weak, but snap out of it.

I just want to say that my husband became disabled back in 1999. I had to go 2 years being the only income in my home until he started drawing a disability check. I had to buy all his medicine and pay all his doctor bills. At the time, I was making $7.00 an hour in a convenience store.

I applied for Medicaid for my husband and was told I made too much money. How does the government figure that $7.00 an hour adds up to too much money when you're paying 2 vehicle payments, insurance, rent, medical bills, and fuel to get back and forth to work.

I think it's a d**n shame if you are too lazy to get a job, the government will put you on welfare.

My husband and I have paid taxes all of our lives to support others who have a zillion kids they are not able to take care of, but when we needed help, we couldn't get it.

My husband has one child, I have none. We were told that if his daughter lived with us, they could help, but since it was the two of us, they couldn't.

I would like for everyone to quit acting like if you ask for help, you can get it. That's a big joke!

This lady may have tried every avenue she could find to try to get help for her husband, that doesn't mean there was any available.

I know there were several times I had $10.00 to spend in groceries for a week, but there were the luxurious weeks when we had $30.00. You can really tell who has had to struggle in life and who thinks everything comes so easy.

I am in college again, so hopefully we'll never have rough times like that again. I pray you all won't, either.

Thanks Eric for agreeing. I know that there are more individuals out there whom would back up what we are saying. And of course, there will be others out there that would agree with her. This is a free country and we are all entitled to our own opinions!

Anyway, just another side note in regards to the rediculous claim of hospitals refusing treatment: EVERY hospital has to either treat an individual at their facility or if it is not possible, HAS to provide transportation to another facility (after the person has been deemed stable enough for transport) THAT WILL PROVIDE TREATMENT. They cannot just turn a person away!

That is a ludicrous claim... This is standard procedure and THE LAW for all hospitals, not just for a few here and there that are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. If I were her, I would be sueing the hospital that supposedly refused her husband treatment and not Family Dollar!

BRENDA GETS IT!!! Brenda gets mine and most peoples point. AGAIN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE HAND DELT MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE TO GET YOU A NEW HAND. Would you sit at a black jack table ALL night and play black jack if you KNEW the dealer would get 21 every time?

NO I don't know ANYONE who would sit down for 1 hand much less all night. So you get off your lazy butt and find something different and make something of your self.

The US Government provides SO MUCH for people and its right in front of your face you just have to go and get it; the government won't BRING ANYTHING TO YOU.

Brenda I applaud you and every one of your points and I was very impressed with your entire response. Thanks again LATA

First off I do feel very sorry that this woman lost her husband. Death is never an easy thing to deal with and we all tend to deal with it differently, Some better than others........
This particular woman has decided to take it out on Corporate America AKA Family Dollar. I guess we all need someone or something to blame other than ourselves when it comes to our lack of better judgement and common sense.
I have been in the healthcare field all my life and have NEVER heard of a hospital refusing treatment to anyone regardless of insurance status, inablity to pay, race or whatever. This is stated at every hospital on the wall, just look for it...It is illegal for them to refuse treatment...Chest pains, shortness of breath etc...are not treated lightly when they come through the ER, even if it turns out to be heartburn, GERD, gas or esphogeal problems they are all treated as a possible serious problem until it is proven otherwise.

I find it extremely hard to believe that her husband had an enlarged heart all that time and the only thing they would investigate were heel spurs? Please..... I had a family member that was treated for the same problem her husband died from and believe me, he presented some serious symptoms having a heart the size of a football, none of them having to do with pain from spurs.

Her husband had to have had some major symptoms that could not have been ignored, unless he was a really good actor and kept them from her. It sounds to me like this lady had a stubborn husband that was like so many others, had to be practically dead before they would ever set foot in a hospital or Dr's office. I have had some serious health issues over my life time and not always had insurance.

You know what, I got treatment regardless, had some major medical bills, got over it and am still kicking today. I would rather be in debt up to my eyeballs than to be buried 6 feet under. Anywho, I consider myself to be a pretty sensible and compassionate individual, but had she been me? I would have told Family Dollar where to stick it that day my husband came to work and said he would not go to the Doctors alone (grow up please), grabbed my stubborn codger of a husband by the scruff of the neck and drove his butt to another hospital.

First off I do feel very sorry that this woman lost her husband. Death is never an easy thing to deal with and we all tend to deal with it differently, Some better than others........
This particular woman has decided to take it out on Corporate America AKA Family Dollar. I guess we all need someone or something to blame other than ourselves when it comes to our lack of better judgement and common sense.
I have been in the healthcare field all my life and have NEVER heard of a hospital refusing treatment to anyone regardless of insurance status, inablity to pay, race or whatever. This is stated at every hospital on the wall, just look for it...It is illegal for them to refuse treatment...Chest pains, shortness of breath etc...are not treated lightly when they come through the ER, even if it turns out to be heartburn, GERD, gas or esphogeal problems they are all treated as a possible serious problem until it is proven otherwise.

I find it extremely hard to believe that her husband had an enlarged heart all that time and the only thing they would investigate were heel spurs? Please..... I had a family member that was treated for the same problem her husband died from and believe me, he presented some serious symptoms having a heart the size of a football, none of them having to do with pain from spurs.

Her husband had to have had some major symptoms that could not have been ignored, unless he was a really good actor and kept them from her. It sounds to me like this lady had a stubborn husband that was like so many others, had to be practically dead before they would ever set foot in a hospital or Dr's office. I have had some serious health issues over my life time and not always had insurance.

You know what, I got treatment regardless, had some major medical bills, got over it and am still kicking today. I would rather be in debt up to my eyeballs than to be buried 6 feet under. Anywho, I consider myself to be a pretty sensible and compassionate individual, but had she been me? I would have told Family Dollar where to stick it that day my husband came to work and said he would not go to the Doctors alone (grow up please), grabbed my stubborn codger of a husband by the scruff of the neck and drove his butt to another hospital.

First off I do feel very sorry that this woman lost her husband. Death is never an easy thing to deal with and we all tend to deal with it differently, Some better than others........
This particular woman has decided to take it out on Corporate America AKA Family Dollar. I guess we all need someone or something to blame other than ourselves when it comes to our lack of better judgement and common sense.
I have been in the healthcare field all my life and have NEVER heard of a hospital refusing treatment to anyone regardless of insurance status, inablity to pay, race or whatever. This is stated at every hospital on the wall, just look for it...It is illegal for them to refuse treatment...Chest pains, shortness of breath etc...are not treated lightly when they come through the ER, even if it turns out to be heartburn, GERD, gas or esphogeal problems they are all treated as a possible serious problem until it is proven otherwise.

I find it extremely hard to believe that her husband had an enlarged heart all that time and the only thing they would investigate were heel spurs? Please..... I had a family member that was treated for the same problem her husband died from and believe me, he presented some serious symptoms having a heart the size of a football, none of them having to do with pain from spurs.

Her husband had to have had some major symptoms that could not have been ignored, unless he was a really good actor and kept them from her. It sounds to me like this lady had a stubborn husband that was like so many others, had to be practically dead before they would ever set foot in a hospital or Dr's office. I have had some serious health issues over my life time and not always had insurance.

You know what, I got treatment regardless, had some major medical bills, got over it and am still kicking today. I would rather be in debt up to my eyeballs than to be buried 6 feet under. Anywho, I consider myself to be a pretty sensible and compassionate individual, but had she been me? I would have told Family Dollar where to stick it that day my husband came to work and said he would not go to the Doctors alone (grow up please), grabbed my stubborn codger of a husband by the scruff of the neck and drove his butt to another hospital.

First off I do feel very sorry that this woman lost her husband. Death is never an easy thing to deal with and we all tend to deal with it differently, Some better than others........
This particular woman has decided to take it out on Corporate America AKA Family Dollar. I guess we all need someone or something to blame other than ourselves when it comes to our lack of better judgement and common sense.
I have been in the healthcare field all my life and have NEVER heard of a hospital refusing treatment to anyone regardless of insurance status, inablity to pay, race or whatever. This is stated at every hospital on the wall, just look for it...It is illegal for them to refuse treatment...Chest pains, shortness of breath etc...are not treated lightly when they come through the ER, even if it turns out to be heartburn, GERD, gas or esphogeal problems they are all treated as a possible serious problem until it is proven otherwise.

I find it extremely hard to believe that her husband had an enlarged heart all that time and the only thing they would investigate were heel spurs? Please..... I had a family member that was treated for the same problem her husband died from and believe me, he presented some serious symptoms having a heart the size of a football, none of them having to do with pain from spurs.

Her husband had to have had some major symptoms that could not have been ignored, unless he was a really good actor and kept them from her. It sounds to me like this lady had a stubborn husband that was like so many others, had to be practically dead before they would ever set foot in a hospital or Dr's office. I have had some serious health issues over my life time and not always had insurance.

You know what, I got treatment regardless, had some major medical bills, got over it and am still kicking today. I would rather be in debt up to my eyeballs than to be buried 6 feet under. Anywho, I consider myself to be a pretty sensible and compassionate individual, but had she been me? I would have told Family Dollar where to stick it that day my husband came to work and said he would not go to the Doctors alone (grow up please), grabbed my stubborn codger of a husband by the scruff of the neck and drove his butt to another hospital.

Bob I agree with some of your points. We have ALL worked some crazy hours before for the good of the "TEAM" or Corporation, but she clearly stated she was working 90-140 hours a week. That's up to 20 hours a day 7 days a week; I didn't even know Family Dollar was 24/7. Even at 90 hours that's almost 13 hours a day 7 days and yea I've done it. Did I like it NO WAY but I did what was asked of me. Now that I've said my pleasantries.

Melissa, who the hell are you to question someone else posting on this site when you're DOING THE EXACT SAME THING? You sound like an IDIOT. If your mom makes to much money tell her company to supply medical care. Companies where employees make that much money SHOULD have their own medical plan; maybe your MOM doesn't want to pay for it. Did you read the FIRST POST clown, the guy clearly STATED "Check into the nearest mental health facility. Either you're insane or just the dumbest person allowed to live on their own. Either way, gets off the streets." The first guy that REPLIED said for her to get help. Trust me Melissa I can stand up for myself, being a US Marine for 6 years I learned how to defend me and my family. Did you read my first post brainwave???? IT'S 4 YEARS AFTER THE FACT ROCKET SCIENTIEST! Do the math the sympathy card should have been played LONG BEFORE NOW! I would ALMOST be willing to beat she's re-married by now. If she would have quit, like your mom needs to, then she would have made NO MONEY and defiantly would have qualified for Welfare and its services. My mom died 5 years ago you think I'm still mourning, no. Do I think about her from time to time sure I do but do I post crap like her Pharmacist killed her when he diluted her cancer drugs, NO. Is that how my mom died, yes it is her Pharmacist diluted hers and a few others cancer drugs. Should I start a rampage 5 years later NO, I let sleeping dogs lye. Also Melissa I don't think I'M ALL BAD, I know I am and the USMC Tattoo on my arm tells everyone I meet just how bad a*s I am. Who needs friends when you have former Marines to hang out with? SEMPER FIDELIS. LATA

Business have been doing this to it's employees for years and if you're caught in the tornado of their lies, with false hope urging you on, you can't see what is happening to you until it's too late.

I've been down that road, working 70 hour weeks without overtime because I was trying to get ahead in the company and then they sell out and go Mexico.

Looking from the inside out, you can't see what is happening. Playing Monday morning quarterback is too easy and taking pot shots at her doesn't help. In fact, it illustrates your ignorance of the world you live in.

I now work for people who've been caught in that spinning-out-of-control world and are now left with nothing. Nobody is perfect, but at the same time, fair is as fair does and if the company you are trusting to do the right thing doesn't, too many times the employee is left holding the bag.

Hopefully, everyone will come out of this a little wiser and a little more knowledgeable about some of the tactics of Corporate USA.

What country do you guys live in? My mother attempted to get mass health but she supposedly makes too much money yet she can't afford the option of paying $500 a month for health insurance. She's tried health insurance plans for $100 a month but they've turned out to be scams.
I don't understand why you all jump to the conclusion that the original poster is lying. Firstly, if she was then she obviously needs help and not the attacks of people who probably can't stand up for themselves in real life so like to play big boy on campus on-line! Secondly, if she's not then irregardless of the circumstances she deserves empathy. What is wrong with you people???
Now, if this was a woman who quit because she was treated poorly and her husband died because she wasn't given insurance because she quit, the same jerks who are condemning her now would be saying, "well she should have kept her job..." You guys are awful. Let the woman mourn in peace!
You think you're so BAD on-line posting hurtful comments but I doubt any one of you would say anything in real life. For that matter I doubt any one of you have friends in real life to talk to, you're so miserable!

Another poster writes:

"I just don't understand the lack of empathy."

Well, I think I do. In fact, several thoughts come to mind:

1. This person supposedly could not afford the basic necessities of life, but can obviously afford a computer and access to the internet.

2. This person apparently chose loyalty to a job over loyalty to her family. She could have changed jobs, yet made a conscious decision not to. Or are we to believe that this was really as good as it gets?

3. Her husband died, he was not "killed". Period. Her title is pure melodrama for the sake of getting a rise out of people - and it apparently worked on some of you.

4. Worse still, if indeed anyone "killed" her husband, I would submit that it was her, through her conscious decisions and badly misplaced priorities.

5. Finally, I frankly find the whole thing suspect. How can anyone be that oblivious as to leave her husband to die while she was off supposedly working 24 x 7 at a job she detested, or some other such nonsense ?

"I just don't understand the lack of empathy." Well, fiction generally does not generate much empathy.

My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to you for the lose of your husband i cannot imagine the pain you must be feeling . I do however believe that making such a harsh accusation as " family dollar killed my husband and is trying to kill me " is the wrong way to go . i am a young adult working very hard at crap jobs just to make ends meet . i know very much the pain of not having insurance. I have lived with my now fiance for 5 years and for the first half i had insurance and he didn't and now he has insurance and i don't. There were many things in this article that caught my eye but i will only comment on a few . As somone who has been out of insurance myself i know how to get medicle care without it but i had to make the effort. #1 not all ERs are required to take u on what are considered non-emergency symptoms only the ones that take low income or no pay patients, but all hospitals are required to treat u on emergency sysmptoms regardless of your ability to pay. If your husband was showing non-emergency symptoms but was still in need of medicle care he could have gone to a low income hospital . Aslo i know the bills can be staggering but i also know that they have convienent payment plans and forms and applications u can fill out to qualify for a no pay . I knew an low income immigrant woman who spent 3 days in the hospital and simply paid 5 dollars a week for bills .I and my fiance have been to the er without insurance and have simply said " we can't pay " and they took down our info relized we couldn't pay and sent us through to treatment . i disagree with some of the rebuttles that say get on stae insurance, obviously they have no idea how hard it is to do that, i have tried and failed . to get on state insurance u must meet strict requirements, like u must be a single mother or be unable to work or show some other severe hardship and it often times takes months just to get an appointmentto apply for it . I know a single mother who was able to get her son on state insurance but when it came to herself they told her that she made $1.00 ( i'm not kidding ) too much a month ! so i know that if your married and both able to work at all state insurance for an adult is almost impossible .In your article there were times when your husband could have gone to the doctor when u had the insurance but didn't :" he was going to go to the docotor that day but didn't want to go without me and i couldn't get off from work ", "he was supposed to go to the er but was so mad at fd he didn't ." if he had the chance and didn't go u can't blame a corporation . I know somone who worked for fd, and she was pregnant , she told me it was a great job, that no the money wasn't great but there were real good to her otherwise, very understanding about her pregnacy, let her take off when she had morning sickness didn't make her lift things .

I don't think your crazy as others have written but with all the stress you've been through do consider some counseling to help u through ( and u can useually pretty easily get that for free ).
again my deepest condolances and sympathies. If fd really treated u terribly i hope u get your day in court, but it's totally unfair to say they brainwashed u and killed your husband .Those are serious charges . Fd didn't brain wash u there are other jobs and i know somtimes its scary to leave a job when there are bills to pay but i think we all need to remember thats it's alot harder to get our sanity back than it is to find another job .

You wrote: They said, you have no insurance, we won't be paid, so come to our office and we will treat you there"

As someone who works as a csr dealing with patients and medical bills this makes no sense to me. They were more apt to be pd from seeing you in the hospital then in their private practice. If they worked for the hosp, they would get pd by them, if they worked for another medical group who staffs the ER, they would get pd by them.

Melissa, I understand you don't have insurance. Most states have a program called WELFARE, I pay for it monthly and so do you if you work. If you don't work then get on it and I can guarantee you will get insurance. Most states have insurance programs for low/no income people.

I've gone without insurance before and I've got 2 kids do you think it was easy.....NO! But I sacrificed something's and made sure they were ALWAYS taken care of.

You're not getting my point, STOP crying it's the hand delt, play it for worth it's worth. If you don't like it makes changes and get a new hand.

Bottom line if you don't like what you got make changes until you get what you want, don't expect people just to give it to you!

VERY SCARY TIMES when people blame others for their mis-fortune stop blaming others and except some responsibility for your actions. LATA

Her husband was without health insurance. I was without health insurance for a year and let me tell you when you're sick and without health insurance noone wants to know your name. My mom who's 55 has no health insurance, she's trying to go through AARP. Mass Health denied her, Health New England wants $500.00 a month, and all these stupid insurance alternatives are scams. If anyone knows anything adequate in MA let me know because everyone wants to screw her over. She needs thyroid medication and can't get it. They think she might have a block somewhere but she won't get it checked because she can't afford it!!!! IT's scary times we live in and don't blame the victims! It's not right!

If this happened in 2000 why is it 4 years later this is just coming to light? If her husband had diabetes and would have gotten it checked out EARLY, like most normal people she wouldn't be in the position she's in now. My entire family had diabetes which means I probably will, so I get checked OFTEN because I know its coming I just don't know when yet. It's not like he was the first person in his family to have it, it's genetics he had to get it form somewhere. Again I'm not trying to be insensitive but d**n PEOPLE wake up and smell the coffee. I'm beginning to believe in Robert, she's needs to check into a mental health facility. You know EVERYONE has options; there are 2 jobs in this world you can never give up, that's being a parent and the military! I was a Marine for 6 years and when it came time for me to re-up do you think I did NO I exercised my right and got the hell out of dodge. There is no job IMPORTANT enough to endanger my family REGUARDLESS!!!!!! I don't care if I'm the d**n president of the United States. Tammy you have a WARPED sense of reality thinking that a company killed your husband, they didn't, you did for failing to get the medical attention he needed. Don't give me some sob story of how bad you have it and how horrible it is. There's ALWAYS someone out their in a worse spot, you have a roof over your head at night? How many meals you missed in the last few weeks? You get to take a bath this month? Don't complain! All the Tammy's in the world want something for NOTHING. Play the cards that are dealt and CARRY ON, stop crying because you can't keep up with the Jones'. Also your husband was working why didn't he get insurance though his company? Also you said you worked 140 hours a week, NO WAY that's 20 hours working so let's say an hour before work to get ready and an hour after work to get home eat and go to bed that leave 2 hours for sleep 7 days a week, your body couldn't handle it, it would shut down. There's NO WAY possible for your body to be productive on 2 hours of sleep PERIOD, unless you were sleeping on the clock when no one was looking. I think your just pissed off your ole man left you because you failed to work or lost your job at the Family Dollar and now you want to try and get back at them, but then again that's just my 2 cents. Any who I think you need to readjust your life and learn to left stuff GO! I'm in the law field now and you can GUARANTEE if all you said was true lawyers would be beating your door down to help you! LATA

Give her a break. I'm not saying that FD is 100% to blame for everything that went on in her life, but does it really effect you guys if she thinks they are. When one grieves they need someone to blame. I think she has more of a valid claim than those who come on here and get upset because a store charged them .25 cents more than advertised.
I just don't understand the lack of empathy.

I chose this to be my first response to some of the reports I have read here.

Tammy, I am really confused. I work for Family Dollar and I have for 2 years. I am now a CTM. I love my job. Your message said a couple of things to me. First, Family Dollar Insurance is NOT FREE!. It cost you! I don't understand why you did not get Insurance from some place like BCBS until your work insurance could kick in and pick up the tab. It would have cost you about $20.00 more per month if that to have BCBS. I know, I did it. The other thing is you blame Family Dollar for letting your husband die, (which I am so sorry to hear) when it was not their fault. You had other options.

Your message simple says to me that you all did not feel that your husband was worth a monthly medical payment or the time to get insurance elsewhere. I am not trying to be crule but Family Dollar insurance is NOT the only insurance available. You had a choice. You also had a choice to seek employement elsewhere. With the experience you gained from Family Dollar you could have easily gotten work some place else that was less tressful to you. I also have a family and I do sometimes put in long hours. I always put in hard hours. I also run my store the way the company ask me to because this IS what works. I am ALWAYS and anytime 5, my store is always clean and I have good employees because I respect them.I too chase thieves and have been robbed. I do freight, stock, trucks, the whole 9 yards. I would NEVER wait for insurance to kick in if a member of family's health was at stake, NEVER! I would take the medical payments or get another insurance company. Family Dollar does NOT brain wash you and ask you to do the same with your employees. They ask you follow simple plans that create time management so you can run a neat clean store and still have a life. This includes DTS, and compliance issues. Sure the company has a low payroll budget for you to work with, BUT, it does work with the amount of business a store does if you follow the plans they set for you. I have ran more than one store so I know. They give you a workable effective plan to follow. If you choose not to follow it, you CHOOSE to fall behind. I have helped many managers get on the right track and stay there. I have seen those who CHOOSE to do things their way and NOT the company way and they have set themselves up to fail.It is WRONG for you to say Family Dollar let your husband die when they had no role in it. You CHOSE to wait for the insurance, you CHOSE to not have a monthly medical bill, and you CHOSE to stay with a company you were not happy with. Yes Tammy I have seen and done a lot with this company and the number one rule you MUST remember is this, You have a boss bigger than the one right above you. If your DM was wrong you should have went above him, and if that didn't work you could have gone to the top if you wanted to.
The choices you made were YOUR OWN! You could have left at any time and you know it. Family Dollar is NOT the only company out there to work for. You really should take 2 steps back, look at how you handled the sistuation and realize that this company is NOT to blame. You did have a CHOICE. You just made the wrong one.
Again I am sorry about your loss. May God Bless you and Keep you always.

Sorry all, I guess I should have gone into more detail in certain things. First, The HOSPITAL did not refuse services, the DOCTORS AT THE HOSPITAL refused to come into the emergency room or when he was admitted. They said, you have no insurance, we won't be paid, so come to our office and we will treat you there. After $1800 cash in 2 weeks, they said your out of money, get more and come back and we will run more test. The entire time they did g=blood work, xrays, all all, but concentrated on these stupid heal spurs, because he couldn't walk. Death autopsy revealed, he was diabetic, (never knew)and his arteries and valves were NOT clogged. He had what they called a Sport heart, really large and pumped slow like someone who played alot of sports. They said that the explosion of his heart was probably caused by the diabetic, stress and the constanst worries. That was the only explanation they could give me.

As to the lawyer thing, I tried to hire 16 different lawyers in this town and none would take on the doctors.

As to the lawyer on the Family Dollar case, I did and do. I hired one attorney that is a retired Social Security Judge and the last attorney is a State Senator also. I hired the best I could find. The first Attorney worked for a bout a year and finally said he didn't have time to play Family Dollars games, so he quit. Then the second fought for the last 2 years and just last month was removed fro the case by the Workers Comp, labor judge. The Judge is taking the paperwork and trying to get to the bottom of it.

As to the Labor and Discrimination case. Yes I am one of the Original clients in the 2 yes TWO class action lawsuits against this company. THis case has been going on for over 4 years now!! There are also over 800 people total involved in these cases with the same or similar problems but over 1000 more that didn't make it in time to apply for the suits. They are trying to get something else going on.

So no I don't sit on my butt and do nothing. I went through my 6 months of grieveing and trying to understand why I stayed with the Company as long as I did. The DOCTORS, JUDGES AND LAWYERS are baffled to. The best reason they can give me is brain washing.

In the Society we are in today you have two choices. You either sit on your but, suffer and wonder what you could have done, and blame yourself for the rest of your life until you finally give up and die. OR
You take the hurt, pain and sorrow and turn it into a positive way of thinking. For me this was get stubborn and tough!! I realized that this Company would let me die if they had a choice, because the DON"T CARE!! But I do!! And it is the only thing I can do is FIGHT!! Not just for myself but for my children and for all the other out there that will get sucked into this game with Family Dollar.

Truthfully I think they should be forced to rename the Company to, "NOT A FAMILY DOLLAR STORE", or maybe their slogan should be, WE WILL WORK YOU TO DEATH OR MAKE YOU WANT TO DIE TRYING.

AS TO MY DAUGHTER, she is NOT a Marine, but for a WOMAN to join the service of any kind for 8 years and only been in the service 1 year!!! and already been in Iraq since February, well do the math. She joined, went to boot camp, 1 week off, then to AIT, then 2 weeks off enrolled in college AGAIN, got 3 weeks done and then told leaving the country and more training for 6 weeks and shots and then gone!! SHE WAS GOING TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A NURSE!! BUT GUESS WHAT SHE IS DOING NOW!!

She is a Large Equipment Operator, trained on every piece or big equipment to drive and run, rebuilding towns, streets and homes, protecting US!!! and being shot at every day!!! Although she is not a MARINE, (ARMY) she is 1 of only 10 from her group that is TRAVELING WITH HE MARINES!!! SHE IS PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!! AND IS FIGHTING HER OWN BATTLE TO STAY ALIVE.

THANK GOD, HE GAVE ME ENOUGH STUBBORNESS TO PASS ON TO HER!!

So I thank GOD everyday that he gives me the stubborness to fight and stand up for what I believe in.... as do my children.

Hopefully I cleared up the questions....

Everyone seems to think that if someone is not happy with their job they can just leave and find another one. I don't know what world you're all living in, but sometimes it's a matter of you take what you can get. I just ran into an assistant store manager (ETL) for a Target co. the other day who has a MASTER'S in business management, and it took him 2 years and a relocation just to find this job. Wouldn't it be great if there were enough jobs that we could all pick and choose what one we wanted, that included good health insurance, enough pay, and great working conditions?

I commend the original poster for working to support her family. You all would be the first ones shoving your insults down her throat if she had just sat back and collected welfare. Obviously none of you have ever had to take any job you could get just to get by and stay off the system.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the original poster never said she was turned away from a hospital either (therefore, I don't see why people think she is such a liar). She just said that her husband didn't go to one because of the lack of health insurance (although she did say the doctors wouldn't run tests out of a fear of not getting paid, which I can completely believe).

Just a quick piece of personal experience...I was turned away from an ER once. I went in having seizures and blacking out. I wasn't exhibiting these symptoms at the time and I had no health insurance, so I was told to see a doctor on Monday.

Not more than 5 hours later I was unconscious being rushed back into the ER by ambulance, and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Hospitals can and will turn people away without insurance. It supposedly doesn't happen under the patient's bill of rights, but that's just a bunch of crap. If in their opinion you are not having an emergency (blackouts and seizures seem like an emergency to me) then they will send you on your way.

A second note...there is no way we could expect her husband to know that he was going to have a heart attack. He's not a medical expert, and not everyone knows the signs and symptoms. Obviously this family wanted to actually have a fair chance in life and not have creditors breathing down their back for years to come. Just because a hospital does admit you, doesn't mean that they aren't going to try every means possible to try to get their money. I don't know about you, but a $3,000 medical bill (or more) is not easy to pay off.

I assume someone working in any position at Family Dollar (who also has children to support) does not have a lot of extra money at the end of the month left from their paychecks. If I were her husband, not being an expert, and I didn't have health insurance, it would sure take a lot for me to go to the ER chancing complete financial ruin.

Shame on all of you for not having more compasion for this woman and her situation. You all jump on her for what reason? Because you want to believe that our country/employers wouldn't let this happen to someone so she must be lying?

Because you want to think that we live in a fair and just society? Because you have had things go right in your life and think that everyone's situation is like yours? She obviously was working hard to try to do as most of you would have her do (work and stay off welfare). Our country has problems with healthcare and having enough jobs to match people's education/experience. No person should have to make the decisions this poor woman has had to make or to go through what she has gone through.

NOT TRYING TO BE CRUEL, BUT...

There are some things in the story that don't ring quite true. First and foremost, condolences for the loss of your husband. However, I am having extreme difficulty believing that he was turned away from the hospital, especially if he expressed he was having cardiac symptoms, chest pain or shortness of breath of any kind. As another poster stated, we are required to IMMEDIATELY take these patients, uninsured, John/Jane Doe, or with past due bills. This patients are not usually even triaged, but taken to the back, put in a room and seen immediately. If your husband was turned away, you SHOULD get an attorney immediately.

As for your employment situation: If the place was so horrible and you felt like such a slave, why stay there? There are other jobs in retail. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Family Dollar treated you like a queen, but I do think you are embellishing your story just a bit.

First, it is illegal for a REAL hospital to turn you away for ANY reason- lack of insurance or money included. Secondly, there are labor laws and worker's compensation laws. If what you say id true and your not just a nutty liar than you definitly have a good case- HIRE A LAWYER

And your original missive stated that Family Dollar killed my husband. Finally after I respond about the stupidity of that statement, you start yammering on about everything under the sun that has NOTHING to do with your husbands FAT CLOGGED heart. His diet killed him, nothing else.

I work for myself, not Family Dollar. I know you THINK you got a raw deal from FD but, nobody held a gun to your head and made you work there. I've worked for big companies and small. That is why I am SELF-EMPLOYED. As for him not getting the medical treatment he should have sooner, what prevented him from going to the PUBLICLY funded hospital in your area. They have to treat him, and he could have set up a payment plan. It works that way in ALL public hospitals.

I think your husband was a good man, putting up with all of the nonsense and still supporting your desire to work for FD, but in hindsight, he should have tried to convince you otherwise. From what you've written however, you seem to be too stubborn in doing things YOUR way to have listened to him if he had. Get an attorney if you wish and sue. That's the American Dream.

Good luck, but as you've also written, it's not going your way so be prepared to move on with your life. Raise your children right and send my regards to your daughter. Semper-Fi if she's a Marine. If not, she can always join them.

FIRST, POOR ROBERT, WITH YOUR REBUTTAL... YOU MUST WORK FOR FAMILY DOLLAR....THAT'S OK BECAUSE WHEN ALL OF US WOMEN (AND MEN) ARE THROUGH WITH THIS COMPANY YOU WILL BE THE ONE WRITING THE LETTERS.... HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOSS OF A LOVE ONE BEFORE YOU PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF FAMILY DOLLAR'S A**.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE LETTERS THAT ARE SUBMITTED. GOD HELP YOU!!!

BACK TO THE UPDATE.... YES EVERYONE BE HAPPY!!!

I AM ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE IN THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS. i WAS SMART!!! I KEPT EVERY COPY OF EVERY TIME CARD I EVER PUNCHED AT FAMILY DOLLAR, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR ALL MY EMPOLOYEES. I TOOK PICTURES, I MADE NOTES, I MADE COPIES, I EVEN HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAPERWORK THAT THEY USED TO HAND OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES BUT DON'T ANYMORE.

SO NEVER DOUBT WHAT THESE PEOPLE SAY ON HERE ABOUT BEING FORCED TO SLEEP AT THE STORE, WORK OVER 1OO HOURS A WEEK, RUN THE STORES BY THEMSELVES FOR HALF THE DAY. I DID IT ALL!!!! AND WHY?! THE DOCTORS AND LAWYERS ASK ME THIS NOW EVERYDAY.

WE WERE BRAINWASHED? NEEDED THE INSURANCE? NEEDED THE JOB? IF YOU NOTICE FAMILY DOLLAR DOESN'T HIRE MILLIONARES OR THEIR CHILDREN TO WORK FOR FAMILY DOLLAR. THEY HIRE THE LOWER INCOME, THE SINGLE PARENTS, EXPECIALLY YOUNG DUMB(REFERRING TO MYSELF) WOMEN. WE ARE TO EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANCE TO PROVE OURSELVES AND PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILY. THE AMERICAN DREAM!!1 HAHAHA FAMILY DOLLAR USES US UNTIL WE ARE SO WORN DOWN WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE TO LEAVE. WE STAY UNTIL WE DIE!!! MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY!!!

SO EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT SHOPS AT THESE STORES, JUST ASK THE EMPLOYEES HOW IT IS TO WORK FOR FAMILY DOLLAR.....I STILL HAVE FRIENDS THAT WORK FOR THE COMPANY. SOME ARE THE PEOPLE I HIRED AND TRAINED. EVEN AFTER THEY DECIDED TO STAY THEY ARE WORN DOWN, EXHAUSTED AND DESTROYED PEOPLE. AND THEY CAN'T GET OUT!!!!!

THEY DON'T EVEN LET THEM PUNCH A TIME CARD FOR MANAGERS ANYMORE NOR DO THEY WANT THEM TO KEEP TRACK, BECAUSE OF THE SMART ONES LIKE ME, THAT WENT TO COLLEGE AND EARNED AN ACCOUNTING DEGREE! THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE 3 DEGREES I EARNED BEFORE I WENT TO WORK AT FAMILY DOLLAR.

AS TO THE SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION...I WON'T EVEN GO THERE YET. BECASUE THAT LAWSUIT IS STILL IN THE WORKS. YES I JUMPED ON BOARD ON THAT ONE TOO. EXPECIALLY SINCE I REALIZED THE GUY BEFORE ME AND AFTER ME THAT HELD MY JOB MADE $300 MORE A WEEK THAN I DID!!! and he was only a high school graduate with no college, business or even management background!!!

So all of you out there that are reading this, or might even know me, you know i am a stubbourn and strong woman. You all were there for me when my husband died and are still my friends now. Pretty bad when all my friends are in the position i was 5 years ago and to afraid to leave the company. I refuse to give up and I will fight them to the end.

Let's see, so far I have been to court 17 times just over my workers comp and we have not even begun. this company will drag their feet as long as possible in doing something. They have faught me over, getting hurt, did i quit, did the doctor release me, did the treatment help, refused to pay for the back surgery, refused to pay for all some treatment and medicine, refuse to pay for all treatment or medicine. They play games. They try to where you down or in my case, killing me, to get you to go away@!!

WELL got new for ya FAMILY DOLLAR!!! this ITALIAN/INDIAN WOMAN is not going to go away!! You and your tactics, destroyed my husband, my children, my life and i will not stand back and let you win. You may end up killing me too, but I will go down fighting!! so far i have won everytime in court, and they are sitting on the verge of contempt of court now....

Oh they have new good strategies they think. i had 2 of the best attorney in town. One was a retired ss judge and one a state senator. But you know what. Family Dollar wore them down!! But not me!! If i have to fight them on my own and the 3 years of college i took to become a lawyer, i will use it.

If you are involved with this company, hang in there. They love to drag things on. If you die, they don't have to pay you....
but they forget I have 3 wonderful children that are worse than me when it comes to standing up for something right.

My sons 2 and 16 are just beginning, but my daughter, now 21, is jut like her mom. She is fighting for everyone of us, in IRAQ. and YES I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, WERE WE ARE FREE AND DO HAVE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS THE TRUTH!!!

SO HANG IN THERE, BECAUSE I HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT, AND POST ON THIS SITE...

Family Dollar killed your husband, huh? They went out and hunted him down and executed him. And of course, they're coming after you too. You need help alright, but you won't find it here. Check into the nearest mental health facility. Either you're insane or just the dumbest person allowed to live on their own. Either way, get off the streets.

You know the saying, "You've come along way baby", that is how I feel today.

My husband dying was the worse thing that could have ever happened and is still the worse day of my life, BUT>>>>>there is always a but>>>>

it lead to me getting strong enough to write this....

On June 17th 2000 I left Family Dollar as a manager employee, and was on Workers Comp until I finished the doctors treatments. But.. you know things never go the way they are suppose to....

First I had to argue with them over paying me while i was off for treatment, then they docked my pay. they said i had to work 48 hours to get salary pay, but if i worked over 48 hours i was salary with no overtime. THERE IS NO SUCH LAW!!!!

I was a really good empoloyee and a great Manager, but FAMILY DOLLAR had taught me one improtant thing.....TO BECOME A PERSON THAT COULD GET EMPLOYEES TO DO WHAT I HAD TO FOR THE CHEAPEST AMOUNT OF MONEY. I EVEN ASKED FOR RAISES FOR MY EMPLOYEES, and never for myself.

Then the real battle began.......Come to find out,,,,, they are now involved with a Labor disbute class action case and now a discrimination case due to the fact that the women doing the same job as the men were making alot less.... I was one of the lowest paid!!.

So tell me this,,,,,, how can they keep getting away with this....law suits my butt,,,,,,why are they allowed to keep killing people!!!!

just wait to the next update.....

I CAN'T STAND BACK ANYMORE AND WAIT FOR THEM TO KILL ME TOO!!!!

Well I read everyone of the report on here, and I am truly surprised that this Company has damaged so many people in our area and is still allowed to be open. I have waited over 5 years to go public with my story but after recent changes, I have had no choice. I can't wait any longer>

My story begins in 1995. I married a wonderful man, Dusty, and was on our way to a beautiful life together. He was my true soul mate. He was a contractor and i was in college trying to finish getting 3 degrees i had been slowly trying to accomplish for 10 years and raise two children on my own at the same time. When I graduated in 1998 I agreed to only work part time and try to get insurance on the family through my job so we would all be able to go to the doctors.

So in 1998, I went to work for Family Dollar temporarily, setting up a new store. By the time the 6 weeks were over I loved the job. I loved working with my manager and the other employees that were hired. I was told from day one that I would be an Assistant Manager within months, if that is what i wanted, and have my own store in a year.

I, at the time, was just glad i was going to be able to get insurance. So for the next year I worked hard, waited for the insurance to kick in. (dusty had heal spurs?? pre-existing condition) so they made us wait 1 year of paid coverage before he would be covered.

It was a rough year!!! Between July 1998 and June 1999, I helped set up, open and work at 3 different stores in this area. I also did inventory for almost all the stores in my district and worked at every one of the stores at least once. I had also became an Assistant Manager during this time.

Then I was unloading the truck that day with the manager, and long story short got hurt. My Manager was great!! She jumped right on sending me to the clinic doctor and i was sent back to work with pain pills and report of pulled muscle, take it easy for a couple of days. Funny thing was me and my manager both were afraid something else was wrong, she even heard a pop noise when I was injured, but we are not Doctors so....For the next month I worked, took my pain pills and felt like i was going to die at night. Then I went in to have some more test run at the hospital, Dr. decided that I was still in pain after a month, beter check. They ran a MRI, CT Scan, X-RAYS, Mileagram, and the worse was the Nerve Conduction Test. I passed out during this one and by the time all the test were done, I was paralized (temp) for almost 30 days and had to be off work to be able to walk again.

So I no longer had a pulled muscle but a bulged disk, and looks as though there was nerve damage. Meantime Dusty is working hard and getting worse. The Doctors have totally refused to see him anymore until our insurance kicks in.

So Of course when I returned to work the first of September 1999, I was told I was getting a promotion and getting my own NEW STORE!!!

So from September 1999 until May 2000, I worked!!! I mean I worked!!! Before I was working around 60 hours a week, only 40 reported. This was a tactic that Family Dollr teaches all Manager's, I later learned, to munipulated their employees. We as Managers are so Brainwashed, in the what we have to do, that it sems to make sence at the time because we are programmed that it is right.

For example, I could get my employees to work a few extra hours a week when we were trying to unload a truck, but then I would let them have extra time at doctors appts. or leave early on slow days. All Managers had their own ways of getting the job done the FAMILY DOLLAR WAY>>>>>

Well, We were also being munipulated. I never even realized it until after I was gone and at home one day, that from September 1999 until May of 2000 when I worked so hard.... I WORKED 7 DAYS A WEEK, WITHOUT A DAY OFF, BETWEEN 90 AND 140 HOURS PER WEEK!!!!
THAT IS 8 MONTHS WITH NO TIME OFF!!!!! Oh but it was only beginning......

During this time, Several other empolyees were injured. Even my Manager's were hurt. One male manager, even had a nervouse break down, but instead of getting him help, they sent him off to another state!!! Then another of my managers hurt her collar bone. then we had 2 managers working at another a store in my area, were in the warehouse and fell off the top racks. Both were enjured pretty bad. One actually was unable to have children after this accident!!! Then we had one manager get pregnant, first time at 40!!!, and was forced to unload the truck anyway, and lost her baby. Another manager, hired an attorney and was able to work side jobs until she took maternity leave and had her baby. But when she returned they gave her job away!!

I watched so many family's destroyed by the way this company runs their business, it made me sick. But I was part of it. And couldn't get out!!!I needed the insurance!!! I worked to make my store #1... I chased the shop lifters, I was robbed, I had the worse stealing area for a store but the highest selling store. I can remmember days that i was at the store from 6 am until 8 am the next morning. Waiting on floor people, I actually had to spend the night in the store with my son 8yrs, at the time, becasue the floor people were not done and my District Manager didn't allow them to stay there alone.

I was also still seeing a Doctor, But I had changed to one that actually listened to me. So in April of 2000 he instructed me that i was going to have to have some more test run, so we worked the test around the store and i made sure i was always back at work after the test. He increased my medicines and for the next few months we tried to experiment, i guess you could say, to see which ones worked and get me off the ones that didn't. We finally got that straigtened out and all the test came back. It was not good news.

Within one year my slightly bulged disk had now become a herniated disk and the inflamation was so bad, it was putting so much pressure on the nerves, that I was loosing feeling in my left leg. My dotor, threw a fit and tld me he would not release me to go back to work!!!!He would not be responsible for making me a crippled!! He told me that if I did not listen to his medical treatments and do what he told me too, i would be paralized within the next year.

I was totally devistated!!! I couldn't leave work!! I had just got the insurance and Dusty was fixing to go to the doctor....!! So I talked to my district manager and begged the doctor.... Let me work through inventory in May, I would gladly take the leave and work on the intense physically therapy to correct what damage we could. My district manager agreed and I was told to do NO LIFTING OR BENDING, NO UNLOADING TRUCKS, do NOTHING BUT WALKING POINTING AND SITTING. So I did.

And then I finally got a real day off. I finally after 8 months of working straight I got Mothers day off!!! I was great!! We worked in the yard all day but Dusty was really sick!!! He had planned to go to the Doctor Wed of the next week but he had his disablility hearing coming up Thursday. I told him not to worry.

Monday May 15th I worked my last true day at Family Dollar. Dusty came by and was not good at all but wouldn't go to the doctor without me. I couldn't leave work... I was the only ONE working until 2pm and I couldn't leave the store. So he went home and I finished out the day at work. That night I tried to get him to go to the hospital but he was so angry at FAMILY DOLLAR AND THE INSURANCE, that he wouldn't calm down. He kept telling me I was runing my life....that NO ONE SHOULD BE TREATED THE WAY FAMILY DOLLAR TREATED ME!! THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO PUT UP WITH IT ANYMORE!! THAT, AFTER HIS HEARING AND HIS DISABILITY WENT THROUGH I WAS LEAVING FAMILY DOLLAR ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!!! WE WOULD MAKE SURE OF IT!! I TOLD HIM NOT TO WORRY... I was doing what the doctor told me to and then as soon as inventory was over i was going in for the shots in my back...I TOLD HIM I LOVED HIM, AND TO REST, NOT TO WORRY, THAT I WOULD NOT LET FAMILY DOLLAR HURT ME OR MY FAMILY ANYMORE.....

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I GOT TO TELL MY HUSBAND THAT I LOVED HIM!!

DURING THAT NIGHT,RIGHT AFTER HE WENT TO SLEEP, HOLDING ME TIGHT IN HIS ARMS WHILE I SLEPT PEACEFULLY AND SECURE FOR THE LAST TIME IN MY LIFE, HIS GREAT BIG HUGE HEART EXPLODED!! HE DIED INSTANTLY AND HE IS IN NO MORE PAIN.

THE PAIN HE HAD LIVED WITH FOR OVER A YEAR TURNED OUT NOT TO BE HEAL SPURS, BUT THAT HIS HEART (VALVES) WERE CLOGGED. THE DOCTORS DIDN'T RUN THESE TEST BECASUE WE DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE AND THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD GET PAID.

THIS WAS THE WORSE DAY OF MY LIFE. I WOKE UP WITH THIS MAN I LOVED MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF, DEAD, HOLDING ME AS TIGHT AS HE HAD WHEN WE FELL ASLEEP. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT MORNING. AND THANKS TO FAMILY DOLLAR I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TOO....