Reasonable Accomodations

[CaliBay]

Hello Had It Family,

I have been working for the State Government in California since 2014, which at time of tire I did not disclose I was 50% disabled for Major Depressive Disorder.  I would like to know if it is too late to apply for ADA Reasonable Accomodations when I return to work? Some things that I may suggest if this is doable is to getan office with a door that shuts, flexible work hours for medical appoints and therapy, and possibly work from home.  I have even thought about requesting a service dog for emotional support.  What do you all think about my reasonable accommodation requests and if it is appropriate because I did not disclose when I initially got hired.

 

CaliBay

[broncovet]

Well, you may want to think carefully about this.  I will play the devils advocate here..so you can get ready for tough boss questions:

 

What answer will you give your boss as to why you are asking for a reasonable accomodation NOW, and did not disclose this when you hired on?  (Have your answer ready..rememeber the 5P's works when other stuff does not..Proper Preperation Prevents Poor Performance) 

I think you are not only asking for the pie, but you want the whole bakery.  Ask for a "slice" of pie, not the bakery.  Ask for reasonable accomodations in a flexible schedule to accomodate doc appts.  

A service dog costs thousands and thousands of dollars.  One disabled Vet could not get VA to provide one, but got one through other channels.  

As far as the office door that shuts, why would you want that?  That sounds like you want to hide and not work, or at least that is what they will think.  YOu had better have a good explanation for that one. 

I think you could test the waters with a request for an accomodation to doc appts.  

Working from home is probably too much.  While there are jobs where you can work from home, is your's one of those?  If its not, are you willing to transfer to a department where you could work from home.?  Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages.  Are you willing to relocate/retrain to do the new job?  For example, computer progarammers sometimes are effective by working from home.   

In short, I suggest you prioritize your list and ask for the top one or two.  I dont think its all that reasonable for you to ask for ALL these things.    Its easy for me to think from the bosses position, since I was a boss for much of my adult life.  

Edited December 4, 2016 by broncovet

[broncovet]

Remember to think of this from your bosses point of view:

One thing that is especially important:  Be willing to do MORE than others.  Do all that is expected plus more.   Dont expect others to permit you sub par performance.

If you have a great reputation, of working hard, and giving extra, then people will want to do things for you.  But, if you have a reputation of doing the minimum to get by, then why do you think they will give you their maximum effort, when you give the minimum?   

Think of your job like you were the owner of the company.  (I have been the owner most of my life)  Take "this" company as yours.  Just like a prized home, or car, you take great care of it.  Dont treat yoru job like a "junk" job.  

Remember this:  The world is like a stove.  If you say to the stove, "Will you give me some heat, and then I will cut you a nice load of firewood next week?"  

No.  Never.  The stove always says..that is not the way it works.  You cut me a nice load of firewood.  Clean my chimney.  Get me dry kindling, matches.  Carefully light my fire.  Then, in about an hour (provided you keep feeding me firewood), you get heat, and not one second earlier.  

We think this is funny, but do you know how many people I have heard say, "Gee, if my boss would pay me 120 dollars an hour, I would be the best employee he ever saw."  That aint happening.  

You get paid 8 dollars an hour.  You be WORTH 120 per hour.  You do the work of 10 people.  You clean up after yourself and others.  You are always there when needed, and always volunteer and complete any necessary extra hours/job.  You are the go to person.  Your boss worries that you may leave and he will have to hire at least 4 more people to do what you do now.  You ask for a raise..after 2 other companies offer you twice as much.  Do you think you will get it?  You bet.  You are worth 200 per hour, so you are a bargain at 120.  

Edited December 4, 2016 by broncovet

[CaliBay]

Thanks Broncovet for the insight,

I think I will test the waters but I will talk to my union rep and see what they have to say, make sure my union dues ($100 a month) are put to use.  I am worried about losing my job if I do indeed disclose too much.  I do want the whole bakery, good analogy.  I did not know that about the service dog costing so much.

The office door or the telework is regarding my agoraphobia and my fear of harming other people or myself. Though I have never done either of the two, probably because someone always played referee to stop my actions but I am definitely fearful of it.  There is a telework policy and nobody does it because they do not want to jump through the necessary hoops to get it like setting a room as a home office.

There is a little more to the story too, my boss has kind of retaliated against me for a previous grievance, forbade me to go to medical appointments, yelled and screamed at me, and made me do demeaning work not within my scope of duties.  You can probably say that this has even added to my mental problems in a completely different way.

[jfrei]

Be careful with accommodation they could decide to put you on a unpaid medical leave as that's what American Airlines did to me and said I could pay for my own benefits out of pocket forcing me to resign. Just watch how the doctor fills this request out and make sure your not a collective bargaining agreement Union. They have different rules with seniority trumping everything and it makes everything you think is reasonable unreasonable to the employer. I actually just went through this  2 months ago.