You know, Trish's post really hit a nerve with me and made me realize something. I have been in a tough spot lately with work and it is because I am not feeling well. I have a VERY demanding job where sometimes I drive 200 miles in one day. I visit up to 20 customers a week, and need to sell $100,000 per month. I came in top in the country for 2007, but over the past couple months, I just haven't been feeling well. I haven't been doing as well at work. He has noticed the difference and is starting to give me a hard time about it. It's hard to stay motivated.
How do you tell your boss you have lyme? Well actually, he knows I have lyme, but doesn't know what it does to you. He is a tough boss, but has a kind streak (sometimes!) I thought of sending him You Tube video trailor for the Lyme movie, but I don't want him to think the situation will get so bad that maybe he should get rid of me. What do you think?
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
How many employees does your employer have? If they have more than 15 employees than they are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have to provide you with reasonable accomadations to perform the essential functions of your job.
If you have a conversation, it is a good idea to say that you would like to talk about accomodations to help you perform your job. Once you use the accomodation word then a court will likely decide a conversation under the ADA so the employer was on notice.
The employer is not required to lower your work expectations, so the ADA would not consider lowering the amount you have to sell a month as a reasonable accommodation.
But there might be ways you can reduce the amount of driving you do, if there are other employees who can do longer drives. Or ways you can coordinate with your boss if you are not feeling well and need to take time off.
You also have the right to take time off under the FMLA. It's not necessarily paid time off, but you can take time off if you have too.
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
One more thing, be careful that you don't say anything that would suggest it is not safe for you to drive. Your employer could then say that you can no longer peform the job if driving is an essential function.
Posted by justag (Member # 11145) on :
one thing though, if you take unpaid time off (absense leave), health insurance may not cover you for that period...
Posted by BugBarb (Member # 210) on :
I've been off for 4 out of 6 weeks and have to go to a meeting next week. My performance suffered tremendously over the past year from the "health issues" and the "medications" I took at night to deal with them. I didn't know this until I had been off work for a week and a half. I know the medications are partly responsible for my incredible work stress, crumbling performance but I'm not sure I want to say anything in front of management....I may simply crazy glue my lips together or have the dentist numb me up, so I can't put my foot/job in my mouth. Early on, I told management about a daytime sleepiness problem so they would understand my excessive yawning. But, that was so they wouldn't think I was disrespecting them and I got on medication that treats it. I agree. Be really careful what you tell your boss. Or your coworkers.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
I've been hired since being dx with Lyme. I didn't respond to the offer until I'd been candid with my boss and her boss about what I'd experienced, as well as the possibility of further illness.
They wanted to hire me anyway, and I felt I'd done all I could to disclose my situation.
That said, while I didn't really downplay the seriousness of the disease, I didn't go into a lot of details...so I didn't talk about the paralysis I experienced or the seizures.
I've been at the job now for a year+, and in that time, I've only taken 3 sick days. I think mostly everyone forgets.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
wildthing, talk about a demanding job; $100 K month!
i agree with aniek; she knows the laws. IT'S DARNED IF YOU DO; DARNED IF YOU DON'T TELL THEM ANYTHING.
i also did like the idea of seeing one of videos; perhaps BROOKE's vs. under our skin since it shows her back towork, and what she had to do to get her back to "normal" health status.
best wishes regardless!
i kept my bosses informed, BUT never knew it was lyme until 4 yrs. ago in July!
i was given yearly lectures that i was the HIGHEST SICK LEAVE USER in our entire division...sometimes no. 1 in 2000 employees! had many, many surgeries during this time of 34 yrs. misdiagnosed by 40-50 drs. Posted by fetz (Member # 11843) on :
Unfortunately, if a boss wants to find a situation to fire you, despite the disabilities act, they probably can or will create a situation so that they can.
Personally, I have told them that I have Lyme, but I go to great lengths to prove that I can do the job.
It's hard to keep up a front sometimes when I'm not feeling well. There are definitely pros and cons to bosses being informed. In my financial position, I am the primary bread winner for my family so I just can't risk exposing details.
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
Hi. While I am too disabled to work, my lymie husband has worked straight through his treatment. His employer does know the entire family has lyme, but he always responds that he is doing well when asked about his health. He is just too afraid to appear fragile or weak. I can understand this.
Yea,having the secret is a terrible burden. My advice would be to be open when asked, but downplay it at the same time. It is too scary nowadays with lay offs and a poor economy.
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