PFG (Performance Food Group)

I signed on with this company in September of last year, and was recently "constructively discharged" (legal term, will get to it in a bit.).

Out of Mansfield, Ohio. Pulling reefer, hand unloading freight. Physically demanding position - didn't bother me. Downstacking pallets of food, loading them onto a 2 wheel dolly, and taking them into the restaurant; rinse and repeat. Here was my original route:

Dispatch Monday @ 0230 to Pittsburgh PA - 6 stops, layover.
Tuesday, 2 stops - 1 in Pittsburgh, 1 in Tridelphia WV, then home (if no backhaul)
About 1200-1400 pieces for both days
Off Wednesday
Thursday - Dispatch @ 0330 to Mentor Ohio - Started out @ 1300 pieces, then slowly crept up to 1600 pieces for 5 stops. They expected me to get this done in less than 14 hours, and have time to get a backhaul
Friday - Dispatch @ 0330? to Columbus Ohio - 1200 pieces avg for 5 stops

Being new to Reefer, I was taking a bit longer than they wanted me to, so they forced me over to another route:

Mon - Dispatch @ 0230 to Amherst NY - 6 stops
Tue - Key drop in Amherst, then 2 stops at The Falls
About 1200-1400 or so pieces for both days.
Wed - Off
Thurs - Dispatch @ 0300 to Akron Ohio - 1000 pieces (avg)
Fri - Dispatch @ 0430 to Cleveland Ohio - about 800 pieces (avg)

12/21/15 - was hurt on the job while unloading at stop 1 Monday
I called and reported it, and finished out my route. Went to a BWC dr when I got back Tuesday - it wasn't a debilitating injury, I worked through the pain (I was in Amherst NY, 4 1/2 hours away from home)
Here is what happened after:

I was placed on light duty, no heavy lifting.
I was advised by dispatch that I "should expect things to get rough for you."
Physical Therapy was requested.
The above dispatcher told me there was no more light duty for me.
Went back to the dr on the advice of my lawyer since it had been over a week since my PT was requested.
HR called me inquiring as to why I went back to the dr, informed them my atty advised me to.
During that same phone call, upper management joined the conversation, and denied that I was told there was no more light duty for me. But then, said that if there was no more light duty for me, that meant I was going back to full duty (even though i was still on light duty as per Dr orders)
I advised them them that Ohio is a 1-party state, then explained it to them (i am legally permitted to record conversations)
Within 24 hours, my PT was approved.
Dispatch suggested I ignore the advice of a medical professional; "I think that you should probably consider working through it."
My 6 yr old had surgery scheduled (01/15/16) and they were made aware of it in December.I told them there was no way I was coming in.
Upper management tried to force me to go out on a layover during said surgery, tried to make me use PTO, then tried to say the missed time would be used against me - I informed them it was already approved.
I missed a day of work so I could go to my PT evaluation (01/21/16)
The brakes went out on my minivan on 01/23/16 - called dispatch to take a day off (Monday) so I could get to work safely the following day. Using personal time was brought up by both myself and dispatch.
Received a write-up for attendance - 01/21/16 was a day listed. I questioned the legality of holding that day against me since I missed it due to a workplace injury, refused to sign it and made them aware I was going to forward it to my atty.
HR called me within an hour to inform me it was a misprint - that date was supposed to be when I had no brakes on my minivan - it wasn't pre-arranged - even though they had 2 days notice, I was supposed to have told them on Thursday that my brakes were going to go out Saturday, and I needed to get it fixed on Monday.
New medical provider, new restrictions - drive only, no lifting at all. Dispatch informed me that I was going to be out on a layover, but with no actual set time of when I would be back.

I called HR and informed them they would have to find someone else to do that.

In employment law, constructive dismissal, also called constructive discharge or constructive termination, occurs when an employee resigns as a result of the employer creating a hostile work environment. Since the resignation was not truly voluntary, it is in effect a termination.

As far as I am aware of, everything was handed down from the Kendallville Indiana distribution center. The drop yard is in Mansfield Ohio, next to the Richland County Prison.

I do have the conversations recorded, and they are under review by a couple of employment lawyers.

I would not suggest anyone work for this company. The schedule sucks, you have no home life, and if you have small kids, it definitely isn't for you. If you are single ,have no sex/social life, and don't mind a physically demanding position; oh, and don't mind having management screw you over, go for it.

 

I was hurt on the job with another company, and when I had issues later on because of that injury (back), their words were "We don't have a record of you getting hurt on the job." A self-insured company that taught me to record conversations regarding a work-related injury for proof. I did not "go looking for trouble", I was covering my ### because of a previous experience. Also, the "I need light duty" was the Doctors Orders, not my request. As for the story from both sides - I recorded the conversations, would you like me to transcribe them for you?

As per legal advice, I applied.

When the injury happened, I started recording everything. Please see my above comment about a previous experience.

For the record, I did not try to get hurt. I picked up a case of ribs that weighed 30-40lbs. I usually got a few of those on every load. It wasn't anything I wasn't used to, or something excessively heavy. My kids weigh 30-45lbs, and I was picking them up every day. Center of gravity might be different, but the weights are about the same. Then again, I am not a physicist - though I know one or two that I could ask.