Functional Limitations At Work – What Is Deemed Reasonable?

[NaomiSpellman]

Help! I am going to see Dr. Ahern this Friday and need advice. My employer has thankfully finally implemented a daytime only work schedule due to orthostatic intolerance. It is a huge help to me, and makes all the difference in my ability to get to work. This accommodation, along with remembering to stay seated, is invaluable. But problems remain. I wanted to ask your opinions re: worsening symptoms. Have any of you asked for the following functional limitations? Are they standard for Dysautonomics? I would so appreciate your thoughts re: managing work.

Letter for employer re: Functional Limitations

1. Cannot work in evening. A late morning or midday start time is ideal.
2. Cannot stand at work (must be seated).
3. Can not carry or transport items over 0.4 lbs.
4. Total work hours not to exceed 10 hours/week (goal is to limit number of classes to one class at a time)
5. Must occasionally take time off to negotiate severe symptoms, changes in symptoms, and changes in treatments (1-2 weeks)

I greatly appreciate hearing about your experience with negotiating work limitations! Thank you!

Naomi

[spinner]

Good thread. Very relevant.

Im in a similar situation, when i got my current job i made it clear that i had certain limitations especially involving heat intolerance.

Unfortunately, ANY UNDUE STRESS can make our performance worse and make us miss work as it can cause a flare.

Im currently learning the parameters of what i can do and what i cant myself.

Long term, im looking at self employment again, because quite frankly at least one or two days a week i just cant really

function well enough to work 8 hours.

Its scary. Especially as im paying my own health insurance.

Most bosses may be understanding, but if you dont serve your purpose youre going to be gone.

There is only so much flexibility regardless of their compassion.

We have to be really creative when it comes to making money.

[margiebee]

I work in retail so I am on my feet quite a bit, and it is difficult for me but fortunately I can actually manage it with compression stockings, although sometimes I do wonder if I am overexerting myself.

But I have noticed that when trying to explain my condition to my managers they just kind of go "oh, interesting" like they don't believe me, which is kind of frustrating for me. I'm just a part time sales associate so I guess I'm just sort of inconsequential to them, so I am hoping as I get higher level jobs I will get more respect to my limitations and requests for certain hours. I agree with Spinner, many people act like they care or claim to understand but the bottom line is most jobs in the corporate world don't care much if you can't do what they want all of the time =/

[Katybug]

I believe what is legally deemed "reasonable " is determined by whether or not you can complete the job duties you were hired to do within the accommodations and without putting an undue burden on your employer or co-workers. So, the answer to your question would vary depending on your expected job duties and volume of work.

[vtpixie]

I have been to college which was tough, and then started working. I also managed to go through a Medical Technology program and get my masters degree. All of these things were really hard for me but I pushed through. In my current job I started out on second shift, but soon switched to day shift. In the past few months I have been placed on evening shift every two weeks for two consecutive days. I keep trying to explain how hard this is for me compared to someone without CFS and POTS, but it falls on deaf ears. I have FMLA for two days a month due to CFS and POTS, but now I am getting push back that sometimes I call out for my second evening shift day. Well due to my conditions even doing one evening shift day causes me to be triggered. I don't know what to do about this. I have no real doctor around here who is truly familiar with CFS and POTS. I do have a doctor treating me, but mainly each symptom. I am on so many things to try and help. I wish I could work from home, but can't do lab work at home.

[KellyA]

Vtpixie, I'm in the exact situation. I'm a med tech. And we're chronically understaffed. I don't think we've kept someone longer than about a year for 3+ years. It's like a feeder program; New grads for a year, train them up to speed, then off they go to somewhere that pays more for less work. I'm thinking of leaving too, but because of my health would have to go per-diem, so no guaranteed hours. Right now, I'm 2 days a week and grandfathered in to get sick and vacation days. Pretty good deal. My boss has been really great, for me I worm swing better so I can nap in the morning after getting my kids to school. But I finally had to get a note limiting my hours because they were so desperately understaffed, they kept working me almost full time. So wish I had a job at home, but don't know how to make that happen. No lab at home! I tried medical transcription, but my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes, at 2, during my first couple weeks. Now I can't type or sit that long. Our ac is not keeping up at work, and they're "working on a plan." It'll be Christmas before they actually do any work. I also have a note saying I can't work if it's over 78°, but not sure how I pull that off if it hits that mid-shift? The poor other tech has  the hotter area, and will probably keel over if she had to do my job too. Their answer is more fans. Not a great solution with Sjogrens, and we all feel like we're going to blow away. Nothing better than a nice hot gale force wind

[Deet1965]

I think its kinda hard to find a job with so many restrictions, its hard but its posible! So goodluck! but i do understand you... there's my friend of mine simply because of her needs to take klonopin she found it extremely hard to find a job...

[Roxy]

Here is my two cents worth, be careful about letting them know to much information on your diagnosis, especially if you pass out/faint or come close to it. My reason in saying this is many companies use the we can't be held responsible for possible injuries, it is more liability than they can or are willing to assume. The company may have an insurance carrier who refuses to have you as an employee due to liability. I am saying this because it happened to me and many others I know of. Good luck