FAKE FRIENDS
Canadian Woman Loses Sick Leave Because Of Happy Facebook Pics
HER DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION: Have Fun.
So Nathalie Blanchard of Quebec took in a little Chippendales action, attended a birthday party, took a "sun" holiday. Then she did something stupid: she posted her pics in the throes of amusement on Facebook.
But Blanchard was on leave for depression from her job at IBM.
And, unbeknowst to her, depressed people can never, ever smile or have fun. They must stay grim inside their homes at all times of the day and night, never to show a crack of a grin in public.
And even if they do seek respite from gloom, they should definitely not be dumb enough to post their pictures on Facebook, where the world can pull up the pics and judge you.
And apparently Blanchard was in fact dumb, did post such pics, which were seen by her Manulife insurance agent, who declared that she looked to be having too good a time to be depressed. So Blanchard's sick benefits were cut, though the company does say they weighed other factors in its decision.
Now Blanchard's lawyer is investigating his options. And Blanchard wonders how Manulife saw the pics which she alleges were only supposed to be seen by her "approved" friends.
The story's moral?
Facebook is not your friend. Your insurance agent is not your friend.
Don't show fake friends your pictures.
Comments
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 sh!t 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.
Posted by: lofa | November 24, 2009 05:18 AM
I think depression is much more complicated than that. And though I am not professing to say the newspapers have all the facts, what I am certain about is that you can't determine someone's depression from pictures taken at a party. People laugh at funerals; does that mean they are not sad?
It's more complicated than that.
Posted by: EC | November 22, 2009 09:50 AM
It's not being depressed that is the issue. It's claiming to be so depressed, one cannot work for an entire year. Honestly, I have never met someone that depressed, that they cannot work due to it.
I would suggest that, if someone reached the level of laughing at birthday parties and cavorting on the beach, that perhaps it was indeed time to go back to work.
Posted by: Dave | November 22, 2009 08:43 AM