Posted on 04/08/2005 6:11:44 AM PDT by Born Conservative
HAZLETON -- Timothy Cerullo believes Luzerne County transportation officials fired him because he’s fat.
The 500-pound Hazleton man says his bosses were constantly on the lookout for mistakes, and refused to allow him to drive a van that was easier for him to get in and out of and drive – all because they didn’t like his appearance.
Cerullo, 44, said he can’t easily swing his legs up to climb steps because one of his calves remains sore from a blood clot surgery, and both legs often swell up with fluid.
“The vans the county got are too high, and they wouldn’t give me a step stool or running board,” said Cerullo, who was terminated March 30 and intends to initiate some type of legal action against the county.
“They didn’t come out and say it, but I know they wanted to get rid of me because of my weight status. It was a plot to get me.”
County Human Services Director Joe Loftus-Vergari said the county made the van Cerullo favored available to him whenever possible, but that van and others like it were replaced as the fleet was modernized.
Loftus-Vergari said the departments under his supervision, including transportation, are not prejudiced against any employees because of disabilities or appearance, stressing that much of their mission is focused on helping the downtrodden and people with disabilities.
Transportation Director Frank DeSanto said the new vans used in the department must meet industry standards because they are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The two department heads refused to specify the reasons for Cerullo’s termination, saying it is a confidential personnel matter. However, county officials did say running boards and step stools aren’t used on the vans because they could create a liability if someone, including a worker, slipped or fell.
The March 30 termination letter he received cites several reasons for his dismissal, Cerullo said, including: his failure to leave the van to assist passengers at six locations, and allowing a client riding in the van to assist other riders as they were dropped off.
Cerullo said the person who helped out was a mentally disabled client who offered to assist his friends from the bus.
“He wasn’t helping me all the time. If my help was needed, I would have struggled out of the van,” Cerullo said.
The letter also notes his refusal to finish one of his runs.
Cerullo said he took his van back to the headquarters and asked for someone else to make his final run because he was “shaken and nervous” that transportation managers kept following him around, something he likens to “entrapment.”
Loftus-Vergari said all drivers are regularly monitored to make sure client needs are being met.
Unexcused absences also were cited in the letter. Cerullo said he called off work some days because he couldn’t maneuver to fit into his vehicle. He added that he had doctor’s excuses for all of his days off, but management told him he turned them in too late.
The termination letter also cited Cerullo’s threat against a co-worker. He said he left a note on the co-worker’s car that said, “I hope you croak and die,” partly because the man was bragging that Cerullo was going to be fired.
Cerullo, with 14 years of experience, said he had no problems with his original van because it was lower, had wide steps and ample space between the seat and steering wheel. He said a similar van is used by the department today, but officials won’t allow him to use it.
He even filed a grievance to get it.
Cerullo said he has to grab onto a seat to pull himself up into his assigned van and has to squeeze into the seating area.
“God forbid there’s an accident. That steering wheel will go right into my stomach,” Cerullo said, adding that he does not believe a seat adjustment would cost much. He said he wouldn’t hold the county liable for any injuries caused by a running board because he wants to keep the $20,000-a-year job.
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission spokeswoman Laura Treaster said she can’t comment on this specific case, but said in general the law expects companies to make “reasonable accommodations” for people with physical disabilities.
The definition of “reasonable” is open to interpretation. Legal opinions also differ on whether obesity is a disability.
Cerullo doesn’t blame his weight on any physical problems, other than his inability to be active because of the problems with his legs. He said he wanted gastric bypass surgery, but the county’s last insurance carrier wouldn’t cover it.
He was in the process of seeking approval for the surgery under his new county plan but was notified in his termination letter that his coverage would end March 31.
At the current price of gasoline, he probably affected the gas mileage of the van he drove by .001%, so he was a financial liability. He probably cost the company at least $2.00 in additional gas costs per year. (/sarcasm)
Most likely, he was costing the company a fortune for health insurance premiums.
Wonder if he has any idea what caused his obesity and problems with employment?
"The March 30 termination letter he received cites several reasons for his dismissal, Cerullo said, including: his failure to leave the van to assist passengers at six locations, and allowing a client riding in the van to assist other riders as they were dropped off."
Its really simple.....the guy cannot perform his duties......plus, the sheer bulk of a 500=pounder in the drivers seat is an impediment to safe operation of a public transportation vehicle (as well as any other vehicle).
Oh yeah, I'll bet ya a Twinkie!
(make that a case of Twinkies)
It always amazes me to see people who are so fat that they have no hope of living a full life.
They have traded being fat for life itself. And this fellow thinks the world should change to accomodate him!
Of course he does, it was actually several peoples's fault. Let's start with his boss, he was always asking him to do his job, which made him angry so he ate. Then there was Bush, why he stole the election and launched an illegal war so he had no choice but to eat. Then we have Kristy Alley, well he was sure if he just ate some more she would fall head over heals for him!
With your "weight status" at 500 lbs I'd say you're plotting against yourself.
Oh! I get it now, he used the Clinton defense. Blame everyone else but himself.
I will never understand why people like this just can't somewhere along the line of their lives simply stop eating so much.
Same reason alcoholics can't "just stop drinking".
Same reason smokers can't "just stop smoking".
The only difference is you must have food to live, so it is available all the time, everywhere you go, in every situation. Cigs and booze are not, so why don't we condemn smokers and drinkers first?
You people piss me off when you automatically assume that a fat person is lazy, stuipd, and can "just stop eating" whenever they want. It doesn't work that way, and you know dang well it doesn't if you've ever had an addiction problem.
tSG
I didn't say "...that a fat person is lazy, stuipd, (sic) ..." - I didn't even infer it.
I simply stated that I can't comprehend how anybody can continue to live their life in such a manner: knowing that the destructive behavior they are expressing on their body and mind (whether food, alcohol, drugs, sex, whatever ...) is going to make their life worse. Somewhere along the line, it seems to me that they have to get the courage, strength, and guts to simply rise upagainst their weakness and say, "ENOUGH!" and _realize_ it is up to THEMSELVES and that no one else can do it for them.
I really can't comprehend this at all.
Sorry ...
(and by the way, most alcoholics who stop DO "just stop drinking", often with the support of religion, and most smokers who stop DO "just stop smoking", often with the support of their family ...)
failure to leave the van to assist passengers at six locations, and allowing a client riding in the van to assist other riders as they were dropped off.So this driver allowed a "mentally disabled client" to do his job?Cerullo said the person who helped out was a mentally disabled client who offered to assist his friends from the bus.
I really can't comprehend this at all.
There's a lot of factors the main one being that they don't honestly see themselves as they truly are. It's denial plain and simple. It does not matter the addiction, true change does not come until a person faces the ugly truth about themselves and determines to change. It has to come from within.
I had my come to Jesus wake up call a little over six months ago and once I faced the ugly truth there was no looking back. I have lost over 85 pounds by going the whole foods, balanced, common sense route. I made up my own plan and it is the "No More Excuses, Stop Your Whining" Plan. It's working and I have never felt better.
These people need a tough love approach. They need true honesty but they also need to see that they are indeed worth the effort to change. Most severely obese people don't feel like they deserve to treat themselves with respect. The comfort foods numb them from facing reality.
Anyway, enough of my rambling, the best thing for the fella in the OP is to stop whining and making excuses and get off the junk food.
God Bless you. Keep it up, and not only good luck, good prayer.
I really agree that for the most part it is a "tough love" and honest approach is necessary for all these problems. You have earned a specific prayer from me for your continued success, too.
Fellah, you're paid to haul the load, not BE the load.
Thanks for the prayer and I know that tough love is what is needed for most of life's problems. The "poor pitiful me" route is where the victimhood mentality aka liberalism takes root in a lot of people's lives. We all know where that leads./ rolls eyes
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