- 12 -
At various times and for extended periods, petitioner has
experienced pain severe enough to warrant prescription-strength
analgesics. Such analgesics have not always been effective to
manage petitioner's pain.
Petitioner's medical condition justified the issuance of
handicapped tags and permit by the Maryland department of motor
vehicles. However, by no later than February 1991, petitioner's
ability even to drive a motor vehicle was very limited.
Notwithstanding petitioner's physical impairment as of
October 1989, petitioner retained his position as project
engineer and remained "on the job" until December 1990, at which
time he went on leave, never to return to work. During this
period, petitioner struggled to perform his job. Although he
could no longer climb or "walk beams", he attempted to "control
his job" by telephone from home and he attempted to work "on
site" by driving along, or by being driven along, in a vehicle.
During 1989, petitioner earned 120 hours of sick leave but
did not use any amount thereof. During 1990, petitioner also
earned 120 hours of sick leave but did not use any amount
thereof. However, it was not unusual for petitioner to use
annual leave (vacation days) in lieu of sick leave. Thus, for
example, petitioner used annual leave for his knee replacement
surgery on August 3, 1990, and for the two-week period thereafter
while he convalesced. Petitioner used all of his 200 hours of
Page: Previous 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 NextLast modified: May 25, 2011