In this age of social networking and financial hardships, no one wants to lose their job over some bullshhh… but that’s exactly what’s been happening lately. First it was the Atlanta train operator who was suspended from his job after being caught texting by a passenger who posted pics on twitter, then there was those 3 dumb “A”zz teachers who got caught up in a FaceBook love triangle. Oh…and let’s not forget lil miss ‘I had a beer on vacation and got fired after I posted pics on my FaceBook page“. Granted, each case is completely different, but the underlying cause is the same…. SOCIAL NETWORKING! This time it’s FaceBook to blame again. A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave says she lost her disability benefits because her insurance agent located photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having too much fun.
Nathalie Blanchard has been on leave from her job at IBM in Bromont, Quebec, for the last year undergoing treatment for depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits from her companies disability insurance. Blanchard’s payments ceased unexpectedly and when the employee called her insurance company to inquire about her funds, she was told she was no longer considered disabled because of photos on her Facebook page.
Blanchard, 29, said representatives at the company described several pictures she had posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a male strip club and a few taken while posing on a beach:
Blanchard’s Facebook Photo. Credit: CBC.ca and Facebook
The rep advised her that it was evidence she is no longer depressed. According to Blanchard’s attorney, she’s currently fighting to get her benefits reinstated and exploring her next steps.When asked to explain the photos, Blanchard said that upon doctor’s orders, she attempted to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems.
Manulife, Blanchard’s disability insurer, wouldn’t comment on Blanchard’s case, but released a statement saying: “We would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on websites such as Facebook.” The company did, however, confirm that it does use the popular social networking site to investigate clients.
Her lawyer Tom Lavin said Manulife’s investigation was inappropriate. “I don’t think for judging a mental state that Facebook is a very good tool,” he said, adding that he has requested another psychiatric evaluation for Blanchard.
“It’s not as if somebody had a broken back and there was a picture of them carrying …a load of bricks,” Lavin said. “My client was diagnosed with a major depression. And there were pictures of her on Facebook, in a party or having a good time. It could be that she was just trying to escape.”
Insurance companies must weigh information found on such sites, said Claude Distasio, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association. “We can’t ignore it, wherever the source of the information is,” she said. “We can’t ignore it.”
Blanchard estimated she’s lost thousands of dollars in benefits since Manulife changed her claim.
If a person is dumb enough to post pics of his/her self out having fun while collecting disability, he or she doesn’t have anyone to blame but the person they see in the mirror when ish hits the fan.
I’ve read several news articles and researched for additional details before coming to a conclusion.
I’m sorry to say this, but it sounds like to me that this woman is just lazy. Anyone who really had a depression [or other mental] problem would NOT be posting photos on facebook, much less continuing to post photos on facebook. This whole “I have a depression problem” is just one that ANYONE can fake.
Now as for the argument of how facebook profiles should have been locked and private… there is NO such thing as keeping things “safe” and locked on the net. ANYTHING that gets posted or sent [yes that includes EMAIL] through the net STAYS on the net. I’ve known this simple FACT for years.
As for the insurance company being “in the wrong” to snoop and discontinue her benefits… I’m sorry, but they have every right to know if someone is handing them a line a **** just to get free money out of the deal. There ARE people out there who REALLY do need and deserve to have health insurance, but don’t get it because of individuals like this woman who make it bad for everyone else. I commend the insurance company for buckling down and I wish that other leeching individuals would get caught and cut off too.
Bottom line: it doesn’t pay to be a thief, liar, lazy, money moocher. Let this be a lesson for anyone who thinks it’s ok to suck on the system while others pay their hard earned money for it. IBM would be wise to not allow the woman to come back to the job. Instead, they should tell her to take a hike, as this story I’m sure will have some sort of bad reflection on the corporation. If this woman is capable of going to a beach weekly and capable of going to night clubs to see male dancers, then she’s most certainly capable of working a normal job like a normal human being.
Don’t feel sorry for con artists. They’re good at sucking people dry of their money.
“FACEBOOK” Is not the “devil” it’s the people who chose to put their daily lives on display who’s the “devil” to themselves.
No computer can post your photos or personal info without your help, people should be more mindful of what they inform the public of when it comes to their personal info.