3 replies to this topic

[tseals]

I was diagnosed with N a little over a year and am very new to this site. I verbally informed my manager and HR department of my disabilty after diagnosed. I offer the pamphlet to my manger which refused it and stated "If I want to know something I will look it up on the internet".

Now I find myself on 60 day probation. I was placed on probation because I can not articulate results clearly the majority of the time, I'm not focused and have difficulty with reconciling my accounts. These of which are all related to N.

I tried speaking with my HR department to plead my case and was informed that since I did not provide written documentation from the doctor, didn't apply for FMLA etc., there is nothing they can do.

I have an appointment with my doctor in a few weeks to complete the FMLA paperwork, but I don't believe this will help me keep my job.

Anyone have any insight or suggestions on how I can handle this?

[merrymom1013]

It's important to move along with providing written documentation of your disability, written notification to HR, request for reasonable accommodations & FMLA. (Accommodations & family medical leave are not the same, though both might be appropriate to request.) Can you get a copy of your company's policy & procedures for employee disability accommodations? The question will still remain- are reasonable accommodations enough to allow you to perform the job?
Narcolepsy Network's publications may have some helpful resources. You may also need to talk to an attorney. If you are already on probation, admitting job performance is a problem & haven't yet provided anything in writing, time's a wasting.

[drago]

I was diagnosed with N a little over a year and am very new to this site. I verbally informed my manager and HR department of my disabilty after diagnosed. I offer the pamphlet to my manger which refused it and stated "If I want to know something I will look it up on the internet".

Question: Did you think that handing the pamphlet to the manager would be the method of informing the manager of your disability accomodations? If so, you need to make sure your HR understands that.

However, it is inappropriate, at least from a legal standpoint, to give your manager a general pamphlet on Narcolepsy. What you need to do is to file specific accomodation requests and have your doctor file a notice. The notice is especially important if your current job is being affected because you're still trying to find the right medications to treat your narcolepsy.

I'm not sure why, but the accomodation scenario is NOT about the general problems with your disorder; as a matter of fact, you don't have to name your disorder to your manager when requesting accommodations at all. (The disorder does have to be named on the paperwork you file with HR though.) You need to tell them the accomodations YOU need to perform your job, and that will vary with everyone.

Now I find myself on 60 day probation. I was placed on probation because I can not articulate results clearly the majority of the time, I'm not focused and have difficulty with reconciling my accounts. These of which are all related to N.

I tried speaking with my HR department to plead my case and was informed that since I did not provide written documentation from the doctor, didn't apply for FMLA etc., there is nothing they can do.

I would make it a point to take with HR about the fact that you did attempt to speak with your manager before, but owing to your newness to the disorder (as well as the possibility that it has taken you a while to adjust to medications, etc.) and your newness to the 'disability' realm, you did not do the appropriate paper work. Were you informed about the FMLA before? What about applying for disability? If you spoke with your manager earlier, but were not given a directive to reach out to the right groups, you might be able to buy yourself some time to file the paperwork now.

Also, there IS something they can do. You need to get on it ASAP - especially the doctor's documentation - but just because you're on probation now doesn't mean that it wouldn't be discrimination if they fired you because of a disability that they could have accomodated. The sixty-day probation period can be the time for THEM (as well as you) to adjust to accomodations you may need to perform your job.

I have an appointment with my doctor in a few weeks to complete the FMLA paperwork, but I don't believe this will help me keep my job.

Anyone have any insight or suggestions on how I can handle this?

I agree with the poster above about getting the written documentation about the proceedings for your company's handling of disability accomodations. I think it is also important that you assess your probational notations (the ones you mentioned here) as due to Narcolepsy, and also make sure you mention that, with time and the right treatment, these issues can get better or possibly go away.

Legally speaking, I'm not sure - but I hope you find some footing soon-
drago

[tseals]

Thanks to both of you for responding.

I had no idea I had a disability or anything else until joining this site about a month ago. When handing my employer and the HR dept the brochure, I would suspect that they should have informed me to provide actual medical documentation. I have received the paperwork that my doctor needs to fill out which after my appt, will hopefully be sent asap.

I did speak with my HR department 3/30/10 and explained that when first diagnosed I was unaware that N is considered a disability and that since joining this support site I've become more educated. HR basically said that there was nothing that they could do, because the forms should have been supplied when I was first diagnosed. I also explained that I didn't know that I could have received FMLA, which could have helped me to keep my doctor appointments. I had to reschedule several relating to this and my depression and anxiety because they conflicted with my work schedule.

Once again, thank you for your input and if there is anything else, please feel free to add it.