Events Calendar
In This Section
Over 60 feared dead, 400 hurt in Afghan avalanches
Russian military calls U.S. missile defense a threat
Defiant Iran accelerates nuclear program
Dubai tower shut after visitors stuck in elevator
U.S. Army closes in on targeted southern Afghan town
U.N. slams Haitian hospitals for charging patients
Rainy season poses new threat in ravaged Haiti
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Complaints against officer keep coming
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Police: Man tries to buy crack with credit card
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Five local gridders to play in Big33
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By Amy Luft
Associated Press
POSTED: 02:14 p.m. EST, Nov 23, 2009
MONTREAL: A Canadian woman on sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits after her insurance agent found photos of her apparently having fun on Facebook.
Nathalie Blanchard said today she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits until payments dried up this fall.
When Blanchard called her insurance provider, Manulife, to find out why she says she was told the Facebook photos showed she was able to work.
''If you have insurance, be careful. This is a major battle and it's not going to be easy,'' Blanchard, 29, said in a telephone interview from her home in Bromont Quebec.
She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.
Blanchard said Manulife told her it was evidence she is no longer depressed.
Her lawyer, Tom Lavin, said Blanchard was wrongfully dismissed from her benefits, and she had the right to go on holiday.
''The issue for me is that they stopped her disability benefits without the proper medical recommendations. Her doctor recommended she go on vacation,'' he said.
Blanchard said she took three four-day trips when she was feeling especially low, on her psychiatrist's advice.
Manulife declined to comment on the case specifically but has said in a statement that ''we would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook.''
Still, Lavin said the issue raises concerns for anyone who expects their private life to remain so if they post personal information to social networking sites such as Facebook.
''It's good warning for people who use Facebook. It's not like being at home and writing in your diary. It's out there for the whole word to see,'' he said.
Blanchard's case will be before Quebec Superior Court Dec. 8.
MONTREAL: A Canadian woman on sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits after her insurance agent found photos of her apparently having fun on Facebook.
Nathalie Blanchard said today she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits until payments dried up this fall.
When Blanchard called her insurance provider, Manulife, to find out why she says she was told the Facebook photos showed she was able to work.
''If you have insurance, be careful. This is a major battle and it's not going to be easy,'' Blanchard, 29, said in a telephone interview from her home in Bromont Quebec.
She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.
Blanchard said Manulife told her it was evidence she is no longer depressed.
Her lawyer, Tom Lavin, said Blanchard was wrongfully dismissed from her benefits, and she had the right to go on holiday.
''The issue for me is that they stopped her disability benefits without the proper medical recommendations. Her doctor recommended she go on vacation,'' he said.
Blanchard said she took three four-day trips when she was feeling especially low, on her psychiatrist's advice.
Manulife declined to comment on the case specifically but has said in a statement that ''we would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook.''
Still, Lavin said the issue raises concerns for anyone who expects their private life to remain so if they post personal information to social networking sites such as Facebook.
''It's good warning for people who use Facebook. It's not like being at home and writing in your diary. It's out there for the whole word to see,'' he said.
Blanchard's case will be before Quebec Superior Court Dec. 8.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, oh
Posted 02:37 PM, 11/23/2009
While it is wrong to solely base a decision to terminate an employee over a FB photo, people should be exercising common sense. It amazes me how many people are open about their lives on FB. It also amazes me how people do not correctly use the privacy setting to keep their information even somewhat private.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard of people getting in trouble for calling off sick and they have a picture of them at a sporting event online- for the same day! Social Networking is definitely the wave of the future but common sense should also be exercised! There is NO excuse of careless behavior.
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 02:41 PM, 11/23/2009
@avedakevin79
- You are absolutely correct there.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 02:49 PM, 11/23/2009
I disagree that posting photos online is a "common sense" issue. Cutting off someone's health benefits because they smiled for a photo, as evidence of their otherwise-happy disposition and clear cut faking of depression, is where the "common sense" needs to be applied. What a bunch of perfect jerks the insurance people are to even attempt something like this... and always right there with their hands out when it's time to collect the premium, too.
Am I to expect the same thing, the cutting off of my prescription benefits for my ADD medication, if a photo is uncovered that clearly shows me paying attention to something?!? One cannot from a photo surmise the mental state of a person, or otherwise draw conclusions of their physiology. Evidently the cops in Canada can throw away their expensive brethalyzers and get Polaroids of drunk drivers as evidence.
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 04:15 PM, 11/23/2009
My daughters g/f got fired from a management position at Smuckers when they saw a picture of her on Myspace.She was in a halter top ,belly showing,and said thats not what they wanted to represent the company.....hmmmm
yet they still have that old dude saying Happy 100th birthday every morning and he dont even know where hes at.That must be what they want to represent Smuckers.
xo, xo
Posted 07:08 PM, 11/23/2009
The future, avedakevin79? lol
