An east Auckland woman says a Work and Income case manager inferred she’s overweight and should exercise during an appointment at the agency’s Manukau branch.
The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, contacted the news media today about the incident.
She describes her interview with the case manager on November 28 as a “disgusting and unprofessional interaction”.
The 19-year-old Howick resident says she was released from hospital on November 17 after almost a week after being admitted with a pulmonary embolism.
“I had blood clots in both ventricles leading from my heart to my lungs.
“Since being discharged, I have had GP appointments where they have declared me unfit and at no capacity to work for at least three months, with the ultimate outcome after that time for me to be able to return to full-time work.”
She says that information was put onto a medical certificate which was forwarded to the Ministry of Social Development.
When she arrived to her appoint at the Work and Income she met with a case manager.
He asked her if she had asthma. She feels that question was undermining her medical condition and inferred it wasn’t that serious.
“He then asked me, ‘oh what is a young person like you having heart problems for?’
“To which I replied that it is not a heart problem, it’s my lungs, and he kept telling me I was wrong and that it was my heart.
“That conversation passed and we discussed financial outcomes for me in regard to receiving help. Everything I questioned, he was extremely rude.
“My GP had said the overall goal will be for me to return to work at full-time hours after the three months, but he was adamant I had to be looking for full-time work now.
“I told him I have three jobs. I have no issue finding work, but as I have no more sick leave and physically cannot work as I get severe shortness of breath and have no income coming in, that I am just wanting financial support.
“He was very unhelpful and continuously belittled me, making me feel dumb.”
She says later in the interview the case manager referred back to her medical issue and told her being overweight can make her health worse.
He also asked if she’d ever thought about physical activity and said otherwise she would risk having a heart attack, she says.
“I was shocked and didn’t even know what to say. Although he did not directly say, ‘you’re fat’, the intent was there and it was extremely condescending.”
The woman has posted a video on social media about the incident which has received more than 750 comments.
Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner Auckland, Jules Lynch, says the agency is “very sorry for what happened and it was “unacceptable”.
“We contacted her on Friday morning to apologise and have invited her to meet with us so we can apologise in person.
“We aim to provide a consistent and professional standard of service to our clients.
“This has not happened in this instance – so this is very disappointing.
“I unreservedly apologise. In relation to the staff member concerned, this is now an employment matter.”
