Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photo
Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photo
By Amy Luft
Associated Press
POSTED: 02:14 p.m. EST, Nov 23, 2009
MONTREAL: A Canadian woman on sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits after her insurance agent found photos of her apparently having fun on Facebook.
Nathalie Blanchard said today she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits until payments dried up this fall.
When Blanchard called her insurance provider, Manulife, to find out why she says she was told the Facebook photos showed she was able to work.
''If you have insurance, be careful. This is a major battle and it's not going to be easy,'' Blanchard, 29, said in a telephone interview from her home in Bromont Quebec.
She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.
Blanchard said Manulife told her it was evidence she is no longer depressed.
Her lawyer, Tom Lavin, said Blanchard was wrongfully dismissed from her benefits, and she had the right to go on holiday.
''The issue for me is that they stopped her disability benefits without the proper medical recommendations. Her doctor recommended she go on vacation,'' he said.
Blanchard said she took three four-day trips when she was feeling especially low, on her psychiatrist's advice.
Manulife declined to comment on the case specifically but has said in a statement that ''we would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook.''
Still, Lavin said the issue raises concerns for anyone who expects their private life to remain so if they post personal information to social networking sites such as Facebook.
''It's good warning for people who use Facebook. It's not like being at home and writing in your diary. It's out there for the whole word to see,'' he said.
Blanchard's case will be before Quebec Superior Court Dec. 8.
MONTREAL: A Canadian woman on sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits after her insurance agent found photos of her apparently having fun on Facebook.
Nathalie Blanchard said today she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits until payments dried up this fall.
When Blanchard called her insurance provider, Manulife, to find out why she says she was told the Facebook photos showed she was able to work.
''If you have insurance, be careful. This is a major battle and it's not going to be easy,'' Blanchard, 29, said in a telephone interview from her home in Bromont Quebec.
She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.
Blanchard said Manulife told her it was evidence she is no longer depressed.
Her lawyer, Tom Lavin, said Blanchard was wrongfully dismissed from her benefits, and she had the right to go on holiday.
''The issue for me is that they stopped her disability benefits without the proper medical recommendations. Her doctor recommended she go on vacation,'' he said.
Blanchard said she took three four-day trips when she was feeling especially low, on her psychiatrist's advice.
Manulife declined to comment on the case specifically but has said in a statement that ''we would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook.''
Still, Lavin said the issue raises concerns for anyone who expects their private life to remain so if they post personal information to social networking sites such as Facebook.
''It's good warning for people who use Facebook. It's not like being at home and writing in your diary. It's out there for the whole word to see,'' he said.
Blanchard's case will be before Quebec Superior Court Dec. 8.
This is the most recent case that I have read about, but certainly not the first. There was a teacher who lost her job due to language on her page and other similar stories.
Are you comfortable with the snap judgements being made about people using a recreational vehicle like facebook or even Cafemom?
How far you go in life depends on your being: tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of both the weak and strong. Because someday in life you would have been one or all of these. GeorgeWashingtonCarver
The majority of people are not multiple personalities. What you put out there in public view is pretty much who you are. You'll always be judged according to what you show of yourself.
Quoting EireLass:
The majority of people are not multiple personalities. What you put out there in public view is pretty much who you are. You'll always be judged according to what you show of yourself.
I have severe arthritis, with deformities. Recently I posted a journal about an antique I restored. It took me much, much longer to do then it would have say 10 yrs ago.
If I were applying for benefits, which I am not, this could be really misinterpreted.
How far you go in life depends on your being: tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of both the weak and strong. Because someday in life you would have been one or all of these. GeorgeWashingtonCarver
usually the type of things people are posting are extreme. There was a local case of a guy that claimed he was permanently disabled due to back injury that got caught mountain climbing. I will agree if you are a scammer and taking something you aren't entitled to be smart enough not to post evidence that proves you are a liar on the internet.
Quoting katy_kay:
usually the type of things people are posting are extreme. There was a local case of a guy that claimed he was permanently disabled due to back injury. I will agree if you are a scammer and taking something you aren't entitled to be smart enough not to post evidence that proves you are a liar on the internet.
how about, don't be a scammer.
Quoting tinybubblez:
Quoting katy_kay:
usually the type of things people are posting are extreme. There was a local case of a guy that claimed he was permanently disabled due to back injury. I will agree if you are a scammer and taking something you aren't entitled to be smart enough not to post evidence that proves you are a liar on the internet.
how about, don't be a scammer.
Well that's the obvious answer but clearly people aren't willing to be honest.
I don't know...if she was depressed, maybe some friends drug her there to try and cheer her up and get her out of the house. That's a little different than a disabled person mountain climbing.
True, you have to be careful what you put out there, though. Big Brother is watching....
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