A Dissertation of my story at Danville Service Home. I was terminated for reporting abuse.
Early to mid April of this year, a friend told me of a job opening in Lehi, Utah working with mentally and physically handicap individuals in a group home setting. Before I accepted the job, I was asked to come and observe what the program entailed to see if this was something I really wanted to do.
After reviewing the program I then decided immediately this was something of interest to me. My first night at this group home observing, I observed an active disabled client being put into a hallway by a Direct Support Staff member and a love seat couch pushed in front of the door opening of a hallway that would blocked or restrain him.
I was told and demonstrated too him being kept restrained behind the love seat and was told that he falls and hurts him self and other clients, that this was a way to prevent injury from happening, this client later fell asleep on the floor with his pants down around his ankles.
Later on that evening, I was told of allegation and reports of sexually abuse by the person who announced the job opening to me in one of the homes for the disabled, against another male employee.
As time went on after being employed at this group home, the same allegations of sexual conduct that had been made to me initially by one of our staff member were also being made by other employees as well. This was about the same Male employee who has been reported in the past to me regarding abuse of the clients.
I was told these sexual allegations and suspicions had been reported to the director and that she was aware of this happening. I never witnessed any kind of inappropriate behavior from the male staff member that was being told to me by other direct support staff who is still employed at this home for men.
Adult Protective Services was never call from what I gather conducting my own investigations, nor was this allegation reported to the Regional Director, from what he announced to me when I initially I gave him my report, which is company protocol and should have been conducted or reported by our Home Director after I had initially reported the abuse i experienced the first couple of times. It seems that these issues were being covered up. This is not "new news" by any means.
Tracking backward a bit, After being employed for the next few months at this home, I witnesses abuse provoked by a Female staff member onto a disabled clients on two different occasions. I reported this activity to management. I was told it would be handled.
As the days went on a new staff member had reported to management at this group home, about rumors and sexual abuse allegations being made by veteran staff members. I began to hear rumors and allegation about myself acting inappropriately with the clients as well. (Sexually natured)
Incidentally the same accusations that had been made to me about the male staff member engaging in inappropriate behaviors were now being made about me. Later on, Rumors of about my sexual orientation and my belief system were used to provoke or incite fear in the new staff member in hopes to possibly get this new employee to dislike me and report back to members of staff and management to find a way to get rid of me for the fact that I could possibly be a threat to the company for acting on behave of our disabled clients.
These rumors and allegations were reported to management by me and the new staff member.
I was told, this was a personality issue of conflict which I did not understand because this was never an issue as far as I knew and was told by management that they were was not going to be involved, to work it out on my own.
I told management this was causing a volatile and hostile work environment also, that I believe it was being done out of retaliation for me reporting abuse. (I have kept good records)
The situation had gotten worse and I was being treated horrible different by now then before I had reported the abuse. Also not to mention that management and certain staff members are biologically related to each other and or friends.
Make it known; I also have physical proof that I can provide that clearly show the Lehi Manger trying to terminate me for a NO Call NO show. I had previously that week requested a Sunday off work, wrote it on the calendar for my request. The manger questioned me the day before about my day off and if I still needed it, in front of an employee who is witness to what was said by management I told the manger YES! She agreed that I could have the day off and walked away.
The very next day this manager called my cell phone and left a voice mail acting as if I had requested another day off and acted like I was a no call No show for this Sunday,
It was tried to make it look like I had actually requested a day off that I had not. This Manger forged documentation trying to validate her reasoning for marking me a No Call, No show, and it was in her handwriting. I can prove it. I can show she tried to back track her mistake because she knew she could not get away with what she had done.
I had been placed on administrative leave with pay by our Regional Director since September 28th and have been made to give an occurrence report of what I believe happened, but I was never paid as promised that Im aware of at this point and I have been terminated along with another staff member who reported abuse as well.
Im certain that these types of issues have been ongoing issues at this company with other employees in the past. I was forced out of my job, with no real reason! Also I have witness to my claims and there have been threats made to me and one other employee to keep our mouths shut! I found a rip off report online that Danville Services had been in a similar case involving clients and their rights.
The other staff member who reported most of the sexual allegations said about me and another staff member was told to get on the survival train. Or leave.
I was also informed that I was implicated in some sort of an egg assault at this home for disabled clients. I believe it was to incite negative behavior, to find a loop hole to fire me. Im not actually sure of all the details about that situation but I was never questioned by police or by the Company (at the mens home) about this incident. The other staff member was fired the alleged egg assault. (We know it was for reporting abuse) coincidentally, she and I were fired on the same day, Oct 19th after comparing our notes.
I received notice in the mail from Danville which stated I did not respond to a restricted letter sent to me, because I did not receive this letter until Oct 16th late in the evening after checking my mail. I never signed for this restricted letter sent by Danville or its staff. I can prove this to be the truth.
The 17th and 18th are Saturday and Sunday, which Danville Office is not open, then Monday I was fired.
I can prove based on the time line, that when abuse was reported the issues became worsened, and eventually myself and another employee was wrongfully terminated for reporting abuse!
On Saturday, Oct 24th my Daughter and I were on our way to American Fork when I noticed that we were being followed by a silver colored car I believe it was a Nissan. After pulling over to a parking lot, the car made a left turn into a parking stall near an Office max store, looking more closely, the two people who were in the car, was (Director of Danville) a direct support staff of this company which was her Daughter.
As I moved on to my destination I noticed they had followed me to another store a few minutes later in which I reported this to an employee and to the manger of the store my child and I were at, so that they could be able to witness this complaint.
On Oct 26th 9:05 AM
Adult Protection Services, the case worker for the abuse allegations at Lehi Mens Home, returned a call to me that I had made to her on Oct 22, regarding the fact that employees who reported abuse was not ever interviewed by her and that I wanted to make sure she was getting all the information necessary needed to conduct an investigation. She would not say anything to me at all!
I believe I have a right to report abuse. I believe I was terminated for my actions. Meanwhile I have never been written up, put on ant disciplinary plan, or verbally warned on the job at anytime!
I do believe I have been discriminated against on three different levels. Reporting abuse/retaliation, sexual harassment / sexual innuendos made about me that are untrue to incite fear to another and religious beliefs to also incite a negative view about me to perhaps try and get rid of me before I could report anything further.
As far as I know, Not only has the the right's of the clients I supported in the Danville home have been violated, but also the right's of the employees to report without reprisal. What a joke! Danville Policy, please ask your local office for a copy.
All of my claims have been documented and can be proven. I reported abuse, before I was terminated. I acted on the behalf of your clients and have been told on several occasions that I need to be careful what I say and who I say it too because if the state of Utah finds out it could me NO MORE hours for the employees. I believe the State Of Utah need to investigate these claims, also, I urge medicaid and other state officials to do the same. One client, that can communicate fairly well is afraid to speak out. I urged him to do so the very first time I witnessed abuse. This individual was also made to close his eye's while some staff members changed his depends. It was said to me and other staff members that he was a sexual pervert and this is how he got off, by looking down females blouses.
This made me sick! Because I had never witnessed this individual acting inappropriately. He is a sweet person and only wanted to be cared for like any human being.
I believe all these issues need to be accounted for by this company and any one that needs proof of what I say can contact me to validate my claims.
Sincerely,
Confused by abuse and the Non efforts of human services to conduct a "REAL" investigation
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