Sometimes, I get put on medications that make me sleepy, have stomach pains, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, nausea. etc. I NEED this medication. Antidepressants & anti-anxiety/OCD, & Tourette’s medications. 1 time, I got fired for sleeping on the job, & the boss didn’t care about my medication side effects.
Also, the drowsiness would make me oversleep, miss school, fail a test, fighting to stay awake, etc. I have my BA in Spanish, & my Vocational Rehab. counselor refuses to help me, & she closed my case behind my back without telling me. I made a grievance, & the grievance lady agreed with the counselor. I want to work, but my disability & medications, & people discriminating & pre-judging, are ALL what’s holding me back from getting a job. Also lack of transportation. & I can’t take just any job. My disability may be mental, but I need special accommodations to work alone in a quiet office or something, since I get distracted easily & have trouble concentrating & focusing.
I feel so hopeless right now. What can I do? I can’t stand on my feet past 30 minutes, & I can’t work in noisy environments. I have some computer skills, & whatever skills I don’t have, I can go back & learn it. I’m brushing up on my Spanish skills & trying to learn French, as well.
#1 by Gardener for God(dmd) on February 8, 2010 - 1:28 pm
Quote
I look forwaard to viewing any substanced answers you may receive. My son has very similar disabilities, nearly identical. He is only in Jr. High – but it will help me to gain insight of what we may face.
I have to wonder – did they take you off of disabilitiy via government? Where you on disability via the gorvernment? You sound as if you should be eligable – AND – you would be able to make an additional amount of money in working aside from this program.
With regards to your disabilities – you do not have to tell your disabilities in the interview process I believe and with regards to being fired for being late or absent, sleepy, etc. because of your issues, I don’t believe they can give you a bad reference for it. There is possibility that they are in error for terminating your job due to it as well as if they give you a bad reference for it – a possible legal action could be taken I believe. The best thing you should do is to contact a disability lawyer and ask these very things and find out where you stand and what they are allowed to do. There ARE laws as to what they can tell about you as a reference and also as to what they can even ask you in an interview.
Once hired – there are also laws that say your employer must accomodate your disabilities.
It has been a good 8 years since I worked in Human Resources, so there may have been new or changed laws to take effect. Go to a disability lawyer to get informed and/or also, find a job coach to help – they are very well versed in employment law and could also be a great help for you.
#2 by Anonymous on February 8, 2010 - 6:12 pm
Quote
You might want to apply for Disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
#3 by Exist on February 8, 2010 - 11:39 pm
Quote
no
#4 by richchil on February 9, 2010 - 6:32 am
Quote
Your list of what is holding you back from being employed is soooo long. I don’t know why anyone would want to hire you. You don’t say one good thing about yourself here. Just read your own post – You fall asleep on the job, you are drowsy on the job, you oversleep and are late, you get distracted easily, you have trouble concentrating & focusing, you have a lack of transportation, you need to work in a quiet office or alone, you can’t stand more than 30 minutes, can’t work in noisy environments, you have only some computer skills, you need to brush up on your Spanish. Did you say one good thing about yourself?
With all those problems the only place you can work is at home in your own business. But doing what I don’t know because you said nothing you could do well.
#5 by Vera Gabriele on February 9, 2010 - 9:10 am
Quote
I can understand you.. but don’t ever give up… and ignore those who discriminate.. Just set yourself some goals.. any goals.. write stories.. do something just for fun.. maybe you can find you have a talent.. dare to dream… and I am on antidepressants/antianxiety meds but I don’t need the Effexor.. I suffer from GAD .. it makes me tired a lot.. and I gained weight.. so it stops me from exercising but if I don’t take the meds.. and I am on Klonopin also…then I get terrible chest pains due to my diaphragm muscles contracting and I am even more useless at least with the medication I have a life.. and even if I am tired out easily.. that’s better I can do some things and enjoy them.. you know you may be feeling lousy but there is this little girl in England. she is just 13 years old.. she has leukemia and she has a big heart problem.. her heart only works to 10 % of it’s capacity.. This girl had been in hospital almost all her life and she has had enough.. she said she wants to be with her parents.. and as she has leukemia..(cancer of the blood ) and at age 13 a heart transplant would most likely be very risky but without it she dies.. she said.. she had enough hospital stays.. she refuses the operation.. and she will die within the next weeks.. as with 10 % of a heart working it’s impossible but what I wish for this young girl.. that god is merciful and keeps her alive long enough to still celebrate Christmas with her parents this year..
There is always something worse off.. somewhere out there.. so have a goal. do things you like doing.. and also believe that behind every dark cloud.. every time it rains … there is the sun still in the sky.. you just can’t see it because the clouds hide it.. and there would be no rainbows if we didn’t have rainy days sometimes.. so … keep your chin up.. and be brave.. I wish you good luck I understand you feel bad.. but some have terminal diseases.. you have a row of mental disorders.. and they make life not easy but you have disorders.. you are not mentally impaired.. xxx
Best wishes
Vera Gabriele xx