Guy gets surgeon to write note requiring that he flies business class for all work trips for the next 18 months: 'Ended up costing them at least $20,000 extra'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 22, 2024 8:00 AM EDT

Who else wants to get in line for a doctor's note from this surgeon?

This employee had a serious spinal surgery and, during recovery, was asked to go on a business trip to Shanghai after the startup he worked for was acquired by a much bigger company. Well, the employee tried to explain that he could only go on a flight that long if he were seated in business class, but his new boss refused to believe him until he got a doctor's note.

Well, the Redditor's surgeon was happy to oblige, and he even made the circumstances better for his patient. Not only would he have to fly business class for this particular trip, but the note also stated that he would need to fly business class for the next 18 months. 

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the boss's reaction. For more, check out this post about a job candidate who went full Karen on a hiring manager.

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  • 01
    "Cool, business class for over a year"
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  • 02
    Cool, Business class for over a year M ос Worked at a little US based startup that was being acquired by an industry giant. Had a good
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  • 03
    management role and flew across the globe a lot but as a startup we are frugal and kept spending as low as possible.
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  • 04
    I had a surgery planned for months, before the acquisition. Serious s, big spinal surgery involving titanium etc. So I have the surgery, all is well, am off for a
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  • 05
    3-4 weeks to recover and as I am recovering the merger into the new company completes and we have a large company event in China coming up. So I call my VP and tell him, love to come but cannot fly sitting up for 12 hours yet. Lying flat in business class works but will cost 1500$ more. VP says, "that is a no brainer, we want
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  • 06
    you there, book it" numb So I try to book and here comes s CPO of the new big company. Explain the situation to him and the VP pre approval and he gives me the "We bought you guys, that is not how things work in this company mister" speech.
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  • 07
    He needs doctors proof of my surgery. I offer to send him some b ✓ pictures of my surgery and scars if he doesnt believe me. Nope, needs to be a doc signature on it and explanation why. That is how the procedure works here. I tell him I was operated on by a top spinal surgeon who doesnt have the time to write a letter to a tiny
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  • 08
    p e CPO. Numb s ends call powertripping with "Well I guess you wont be going to Shanghai mister" Following week I had a planned checkup with surgeon, he asks how things are and I say all is great except Mr Numb S making things unnecessarily
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  • 09
    complicated at work. Surgeon smiles and says "Dont worry, I know the type, we will get him.” Two days later I get a letter from him in the mail detailing that any flight over 15 minutes(!) needs to be business class for the next 18 MONTHS to not risk my recovery.
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  • 10
    I submit the letter to numb 5, he forwards it to HR & expense approvals and I raked in more miles that year then I did in 5 years before. Thanks for the tip, numb s! Probably ended up costing them at least 20000$ extra.
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  • 11
    snurfy_mcgee. 17 hr. ago Went through the same acquisition thing ..worked for a startup where they took good care of us and didn't nickel and dime us over stupids like this. Got acquired and all the things I used to do to save our
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  • 12
    startup money were deemed unacceptable by new corporate. So I just went in the opposite direction, always picked the most expensive option I could, probably cost them 3-4 times as much for my travel than in previous years, fi idiots
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  • 13
    mac_a_bee 14 hr. ago Similarly acquired. New VP says we have to use up our accrued before year-end. Ask Are you sure?. He insists. I say See you in a month! to his open mouth. Our boutique firm was client-focused, so we put everything on hold for them.
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  • 14
    Different job: British government office's London consultant insisted I had to meet him July 3. Flew first class at their expense, met for a useless hour and immediately flew back to enjoy July 4 at my beach- share.
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  • 15
    GoldPotential6298 +1.22 hr. ago Good on you, but If the company was large enough (aka industry giant) then I can assure you that no on batted an eye at the increased travel Costs for you. It's all a part of the HR game and giving meaningful
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  • 16
    accommodations to prevent lawsuits on the backend. Might have been a big deal at your start up but the acquiring company could not have cared less. It was all a compliance issue.
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  • 17
    sincereferret 15 hr. ago What is this doctor note c >? Are they going to pay the doctor for the time to write a doctor note? They are just as busy as anyone else and the requesting party will
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  • 18
    have these egregious forms and 100s of pages faxed required (I'm looking at you, Standard Disability) because they're hoping the doctor will get frustrated, and they won't have to pay it. There. Rant over.
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  • 19
    SalleighG • +2 11 hr. ago It is common for the employee to have to pay the cost of the doctor's note. This fact is considered by employers and economists to be desirable protection to reduce the incidence of people making unwarranted medical claims...
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  • 20
    and frankly, to reduce the incidence of people making warranted medical claims too.
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  • 21
    DoppelFrog +3.12 hr. ago This isn't the win you think it is. Your new CPO would have seen the letter and said "Oh, ok."
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  • 22
    Impossible_Remove_28 OP. 4 hr. ago Except for the fact that full recovery for this procedure is officially set for 2 months instead of 9 times that. This was a middle finger from the
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  • 23
    surgeon, his massive grin made that clear. I am sure the CPO had a moment of Osh: but knew he couldnt back out because of my "compliance"
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