One step at a time.
You're right, Storm...I know it is risky to do anything for my boss while I'm on medical leave...
Cynical of me, but I believe because it's to his advantage to not say anything about it (he simply can't get the grant done without me)...he's going to keep mum.
Makes me a little nervous because somewhere in the brochure it said you can't be given disability if you've been on Leave Without Pay. But I think that actually means that if you'd already asked for leave (but not for medical reasons) you can't later change your mind and say, actually I meant to file a disability claim.
We filed the claim first. Then the benefits counselor said the important thing now is to put you on FMLA, so he can't take away your employed status. (She did this because she understood that there was some gray area about whether he would try to claim, but she was retiring anyway. She knew about his coercian to put me on ADD drugs, and about his "blackmailing" me into saying I'd retire, which I specifically didn't want to do...in order to have a few more months' income.)
I can't be sure, but this woman spoke clearly as an advocate, and spent almost two hours with me making sure every step was done quickly and legally to get all the right moves into the system in the right order. So...I think I've taken my best shot.
Knowing my boss as I do after 2 years...it's a little subtle but I believe my offering to edit the grant from home was actually a way to protect myself and ensure his cooperation. That's how he seems to function--if you give him what he wants, he'll give back. And, I think his little bitty conscience did kick in, because it's probably a relief to him to have me leave with a bit of security rather than have me on his conscience. (He's the one with Bible verses all over his email and an active church life...it's his dark side that comes out in his professional life. But we're the exact same age, and on some level, I do think he was glad that this solution appeared.)
I'll be careful, but I'm going to do him this favor anyway. It may be a risk, but it's a careful one. I think placating him with my help for a little while was the safest thing to do (he has no interest in the fine print about anything....never even looks at or reads forms he's asked to sign).
Hoping for the best, whatever it is,
Hops