Tim’s day had not exactly gone well.
As gender issues pressed down more and more upon him, as the nightmare-dreams recurred with sickening regularity, Tim’s ability to work was increasingly impaired, and it was now beginning to draw attention from co-workers and management.
Tim was fortunate to work for a very understanding and empathetic boss, who besides caring about Tim’s well being also was moving beyond work, trying to help him get his life back on track. Sara Beth knew Tim was seeing a therapist, and today finally found the courage to ask Tim if she might be able to meet with his therapist – she could not do so without his authorisation under HIPAA law.
Sara Beth had Tim’s best interest at heart – they had worked together as a team for several years – but she also had to see to the needs of their employer. She could only go so far, thus this request, an attempt to see if she and Tim’s therapist might find a way to channel his issues such that he could still competently go about his workday.
Tim din not give an answer immediately, but promised Sara Beth he would think on the request overnight and give his response the following day. Sara Beth agreed to this quite reasonable request, and hoped against all hope going this route would prove worthwhile.
For her part, Sara Beth spent several hours that night researching gender dysphoria. Tim had confided in her two weeks before, and Sara Beth would admit later what Tim shared had positively initially thrown her for a loop, but after sleeping on it, came to find both relief in knowing, and a sense of gratitude that Tim could trust her with something so very personal. No one else at work new of his issues, in fact, Tim had told Sara Beth only Ronnie, Dolores and she knew of this issue. In and of itself, gender dysphoria was not an issue. The company was really great about diversity, and Tim would fall under the protections extended in this regard. What was an issue was his deteriorating performance. The next step would be Family Medical Leave Act, which would give Tim 12 weeks to get his life in order. In the grand scheme of things, 12 weeks was not very much time for coming to terms with such a monumental issue – that is if Sara Beth’s current effort proved futile.
Deep inside, Sara felt Tim would accede to her request. Whether it would make a difference in the long run was a wholly different matter. If it came down to the company wishing to let Tim go, Sara decided right then and there she would resign before doing such a thing. Her skills – as were Tim’s for that matter – were very much in demand in the current employment marketplace, and so she could walk away with confidence her unemployment would only be temporary.
The following morning, Tim arrived at work, dropped off his briefcase on his desk, twirled around 180° and saw Sara Beth was already in. He set out on a straight path for her office.
A quick greeting was exchanged between the two, and Tim knew to close the door without Sara Beth asking. With this task complete, Tim settled into the left of two metal framed chairs facing Sara Beth’s wide contemporary oak desk. “OK” he spoke in a rather resigned manner. Tim immediately reached for the roughly pyramid shaped stone paperweight on Sara Beth’s desk, and started flipping it from one hand to the other, back and forth.
Sara Beth was pleased; it was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. Tim spoke again: “In order to comply with HIPAA law, I’ll have to sign papers authorising Dolores to speak with you. I’ll be seeing her in two days, and after that, please feel free to schedule an appointment. And Sara Beth… I know you are trying to help, and it is appreciated. This amounts to trusting you with my life.”
