Struggling with chest pains and a sense of frustration that gripped me tighter than a bear trap, I kept telling myself: "They can't do this. The law says they can't." I clung to hope that one more mouse click in my heap of tireless research would uncover the truth—the undeniable facts that would compel someone, somewhere, to help.
I started where I thought justice lived: inside Cox’s own system. I submitted my case to HR and, when that fell on deaf ears, turned to the Cox EthicsPoint website, attaching policy after internal policy that spelled out exactly what should happen. Surely this would open their eyes, right? This would force change.
Instead, there was silence. Absolute silence. I escalated my concerns over and over, climbing the ladder until I was emailing the president of Cox Communications directly. Still, nothing. That’s when I knew I had to step outside the confines of their walls. I turned to the ADA, the EEOC, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs—they all seemed to agree that this was a blatant case of retaliation and discrimination. Even the Virginia Civil Rights Office joined the effort. With all of this support, you’d think someone—anyone—would stop Cox from their unlawful actions.
Zero Paychecks and Zero Accountability
Yet, I was left begging for my medical disability benefits to be turned back on after Cox abruptly cut them off without a single notice or explanation. Instead of solutions, I was met with zero paychecks for over a month. My pay records became a whirlwind of chaos—changed at least ten times, PTO balances erased, reappeared, reconstituted—all without a single email or explanation.
MetLife’s Kite on Cox’s String
Surely, MetLife—an experienced, professional organization—would step in as an advocate, right? But instead of standing firm, they trailed behind Cox’s confusing, ever-changing directives like a kite on a string. I wrote letter after letter, pleading my case to MetLife, laying out every piece of evidence, and all I got in return was silence. Crickets. No matter where I turned, it felt like the system was rigged against me, designed to wear me down instead of lifting me up.