Comments on: Does your doctor know what you do at work?

By: Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com

Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:53:03 +0000

Being self employed does make the unpredictable part of a CI easier – but it also leaves you out there, all alone, often without a back up. It also takes a higher level of self motivation. And it can be isolating. There are no easy answers. That’s for sure. .

By: Guy Thompson

Guy Thompson — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:12:50 +0000

It is certainly hard to know how to handle relations with employers, who have genuine duties to other staff members as well as business owners / shareholders. I have had MS for over 20 years so I know the problems of never quite knowing from one day to the next how I will feel.

And if the patient doesn’t know, how will the employer be able to understand? Keeping lines of communication open is necessary, but not sufficient. There may not ever be an answer in an employment relationship because even when discriminatioin is illegal (as it is many countries now) there are so many overlapping and conflicting dutiies between the company and the employee. That’s why I have become self employed and started my own internet business, as well as writing ebooks about MS and other subjects..

By: Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com

Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:28:26 +0000

Even all after all of my own years being employed in small and large firms – and then consulting to companies — and finally coaching employees, it never ceases to amaze how badly people/organizations can behave. You certainly had a case against them if you’d taken it to court – but would you have won? And at what price? Are you employed now? I hope it’s worked out for you.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:22:38 +0000

I sure wish I had this advice a few years ago. The law firm I worked for got a new HR director. The person I worked with for 15 years and who knew of my RA was replaced by one who viewed me as an expensive problem. As the firm self-insured, she had access to my medical expenses and figured she could save the firm a lot of money by getting rid of employees with high medical bills. I requested accommodation under the ADA, in writing, and she ignored any reference to ADA or accommodation. All I needed was a flexible start time. I failed to give my doctor’s office a heads up on my request. When I asked them to write a letter requesting the firm’s assistance, the physician’s assistant left a message on my work voice mail stating that he didn’t know why I would need such a letter. Unbeknownst to me, my supervisor had been instructed to screen my voice mail and e-mail. The firm used this question to ignore my request. The former HR director heard what was going on and advised me to request incremental FMLA leave. I was fired 2 days after I downloaded the FMLA form on my work computer. The firm had installed a “sniffer” on my pc and knew every keystroke I typed. Several others were terminated after me, and then the supervisor they used to do the dirty work was fired. I guess law firms don’t have to follow the law.

By: Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com

Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:57:16 +0000

Thanks for sharing that Pat. This is very worthwhile information here. The landmines to avoid….

By: Patricia Hauslein, Ph.D

Patricia Hauslein, Ph.D — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:30:40 +0000

I had an unfortuante incident with this a few years back. I was in charge of teaching a large lecture class (200 students) with 10 sections of lab every week and supervising 3 TA’s. I was working 12 hour days. In agreement with my department chair we decided to file for accommadations so we could use that documentation to get me more help. My doctor was very helpful by writing a letter pretty much stating exactly what I asked for. Which was needing to get closer to a 40 hour week than a plus 60 week. Our HR person had never worked in an educational system and had no clue what a lab section even meant. Their solution to my request for accommadation was to re-issue my contract to a 2/3 rd’s workload with the accommpaning reduction in salary. It took two lawyers to get that worked out. I guess the moral of the story is.. be very specific what you ask for AND know the politics of the institution you work for.

Pat

By: Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com

Rosalind Joffe aka cicoach.com — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:24:34 +0000

Funny how that happens.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:52:35 +0000

this is a p.s. to my previous message. Now that I am seeing mental health tyhey are documenting all over the place, including in the diagnostic code, that I am being seen for work related stress.

Mary

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:04:52 +0000

I was quite distressed when I obtained a copy of my medical records that my allopathic care providers had not ever entered ANYTHING about chronic headaches or the work stress that I repteatedly emphasized. However, my chiropractors have definitely documented about work related stress. So I think the moral of my story is to periodically request a copy of your medical records, even if you do have to go through a lot of rigamorale.
mary

By: James

James — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:50:50 +0000

Thanks for the helpful post! I wonder if there are other reasons why having a “paper trail” would be helpful. What about insurance, or future jobs, or even close friends or family that don’t understand? I wonder because I am certainly one to make a lot of adjustments quietly, and that has gotten me in trouble before!