Stand up for Chris

Chris is 21 years old and was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of June. Since diagnosis he has had surgery and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Chris is an extraordinary young man. He has been living independently since he was 19 years old. Meaning he lives on his own and is responsible for all of his bills. He takes college classes part time. This past February Chris found a full-time job. He was thrilled because it came with full benefits. Chris had worked at part time jobs up until that point, and he couldn’t afford health care so he just went without and paid the fine at the end of the year. Chris’s adoptive mother died when he was in elementary school. So he doesn’t have a parent whose insurance he can be on.
I remember the day Chris was diagnosed with cancer. He said to me that at least he has insurance so he can get treatment. He found out that he was also eligible for short-term disability and would get 60% of his pay. That was a God send, he has been able to squeak by because of the disability. He still has a pile of unpaid medical bills that weren’t covered by his insurance. I have never heard him complain, he always says he’ll make it work and that he will make payments when he gets back to work.
Chris received a termination letter from his employer, Comcast, the Friday prior to Labor Day. The letter stated that he did not have the proper paperwork filled out and that there was no scheduled return to work date so therefore he will be losing his job. Yes, you read that correctly……COMCAST FIRED A KID WITH CANCER. FIRED HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT.
The letter went on to say that if he had any questions he could call them. Chris called the number on the letter several times. He was unable to leave a message because the number listed was incorrect. So then Chris called the people who handled his disability claim, they’re a third party organization who is hired by Comcast. Those people stated that Chris’s paperwork was in order and that Comcast was notified of Chris’s tentative return to work date of September 28th, which is the day after his last chemo treatment. That date is dependent on Chris’s white count and his overall health after his last treatment. The disability company gave Chris the correct contact number.
Chris called Comcast’s HR office and left numerous messages. No one bothered to call him back. So he went into the office (his white count was down to nothing at that point and he was taking antibiotics to prevent an infection) and the HR woman told him that she had received his phone calls. Apparently, she didn’t think his situation was important because she never called him back. She said that he didn’t have the proper paperwork filled out so he was fired. He asked why he wasn’t notified. He was told they tried and was shown the number she said she called. It wasn’t Chris’s phone number. He was informed that he should have checked to make sure they had his correct number. Really? His supervisor called and left messages on Chris’s cell phone. Where did he get the number? Chris has had the same cell number since his first phone interview with Comcast. They called him on that number to interview him.
Okay so let’s say they didn’t have his number, which they did. How about email or why didn’t they mail him a letter stating that his job and benefits were in jeopardy? We know they had his address because they just sent two letters notifying him that he was fired, one they sent by overnight UPS. They couldn’t take the time to notify him that the paperwork was incorrect. Paperwork that was sent to him by Comcast. Paperwork that could have easily been filled out. Paperwork that would have saved his job and benefits. Paperwork that HR is now saying is too late to be filled out. The HR woman made no effort to help Chris. She just didn’t care.
Oh, and here’s the best part. The HR woman told Chris that he was a good employee. That if he reapplied in November he would most likely get his job back. 
Chris has to go for chemo every day this week. It takes 7 hours every day. Yesterday he went for chemo and then went for a job interview. Yes. You read that correctly. He sat in chemo, getting poisoned for 7 hours and then went to an interview an hour and a half after he finished. He is waiting to hear if got the job. If he does, he will still be without benefits for several months. He still has to wait until after treatment and recovery until he can start. In the interim Chris has numerous doctor’s appointments and tests to look forward to that now will not be covered by insurance. Any money donated will go directly towards Chris's medical bills. Thank you all for your constant love and support!