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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 10:37:47
i know i'm not around much any more, but i thought you guys might be able to help me.
i'm actually doing rather well these days, pretty much off meds and taking care of myself. i saw my pdoc today and off-handedly mentioned that they were moving my office soon. she asked where to and i told her it was the basement of a crappy bldg from a nice office with a window to a basement cube with fluorescent lights and no window. mostly i was complaining, but she instantly got upset and said that someone like me should NOT be deprived of daylight exposure and she was quite concerned. she wrote a note saying that i am highly sensitive to a lack of daylight exposure and that reasonable accomodations needed to be made to ensure that i was exposed to daylight for 8 hours a day while at work. she handed it to me and said that it was actually an ADA thing and they had to accomodate me.
she has a very valid point. and once she said something, i got to thinking. the last thing i want to is to revert back to the way things were with my health. i'm doing really well now and it'd be an absolute nightmare to start having problems again.
but i got to thinking in the car... people know i have a good office. it was the luck of the draw. my officemate and i have the best office of the 13 in our group because we have huge windows and a nice view. everyone else has either a windowless office or a cube in a basement or a warehouse. (we're spread out all over a huge site-- that's why we're moving, too, is so we can all be in one location.) i don't want my boss to think i talked to my doctor just because i'm whiny about moving to a crappy cube in a basement. i have enough problems right now with my job, i don't need to add any more upset. furthermore, i know it'll probably be a bit of a chore for them to accomodate me, because this is a manufacturing facility, with HUGE buildings and a large site. window offices are few and far between, because the buildings are so big, and the offices tend to be clustered in the middle where there aren't any windows. i also don't want to make my job harder, should they find me an inconvenient office that meets the recommendations, because i don't want to be 2 miles away from everyone i work with. (although truth be told, that's probably not as likely as i think it is.)
i don't know. i don't really know what to do. the pdoc has a very valid point that i really didn't think about when we were told we were moving months ago. and i don't want to get sick again. but i don't want to cause a stir, and i don't want to piss anyone off, and i don't want to get "special treatment," either. everyone else can handle cubes in basements... why am i so special that i'll get a better office?
i told the pdoc i was going to bring my light box in to my new office when i get it, and use it there, and she didn't think that was good enough. she also mentioned how bad the fluorescent lights were, and i noted that i wouldn't be able to avoid them if i were in a cube environment.
the company i work for is going through a huge amount of turmoil right now and i really don't want to rock the boat. i wonder if there is any kind of compromise.
i have a one on one meeting with my boss on wednesday and i think i'm going to bring it up then, but i have to figure out what i'm going to say, if anything.
any input is appreciated.
thanks,
ghost
Posted by B2chica on February 9, 2006, at 11:35:06
In reply to question: ADA and work accomodations, posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 10:37:47
hey sweetie! glad to see you.
i think you explained the situation really well above and i think you should say just that. That your doctor mentioned how being without daylight could potentially make you backslide (your bosses know about your condition yes?) anyway, if it's an ADA thing you should have an ADA representative (i do) they should bring it up to your boss as well. i had a sit down meeting with two ADA people and both my bosses all together to go over my needs and concerns. it's their job.
and i'd say just what you wrote, that you are concerned about how it would work, you being in an office with a window and your co-workers in another part of the building. say, your not wanting to stand out but you are also concerned about your health.
maybe your boss will resolve some of your issues by giving some helpful ideas.
or you can move on a trial basis??i HTH
missed you but SOOOOO glad you're feeling better. Yaaaa for you!
((((((((hugs))))))))))
b2c.
Posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 12:06:25
In reply to Re: question: ADA and work accomodations, posted by B2chica on February 9, 2006, at 11:35:06
i missed you too, b2c :)
my boss does NOT know about my condition, and i don't really want her to know, either. i keep my personal life EXTREMELY private at work. the pdoc didn't seem to imply i had to tell her, but that i could say that the need to have daylight was "diagnosis related."
how did you get an ADA rep? did you have to go through HR?
*hugs* and thanks
ghost
Posted by Dinah on February 9, 2006, at 12:33:05
In reply to question: ADA and work accomodations, posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 10:37:47
I think if you ask for accomodations you'll probably have to give up some of your privacy. Only you know if that tradeoff is worth it.
I've been pretty open that my current physical work situation makes it difficult for me to concentrate and work effectively. Nothing they can do about it of course. But I figured they ought to know why I sometimes look so distracted and distressed. But then there's not a lot of privacy involved with my office. The way our medical plan works, they see everything anyway. Everyone knows everything about everyone. Which at least equalizes it. :)
Posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 12:48:21
In reply to Re: question: ADA and work accomodations » ghost, posted by Dinah on February 9, 2006, at 12:33:05
wow, i couldn't work in a place like that. that's crazy.
Posted by Dinah on February 9, 2006, at 13:03:37
In reply to Re: question: ADA and work accomodations » Dinah, posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 12:48:21
the hazards of a small office with a fairly stable number of people who've been working together forever. :)
There are maybe ten people? Twelve? I've known most of them since I was in knee socks. (Well, I still wear knee socks, but I meant my school uniform days). They argue with me about the usefulness of therapy. I know of their marital difficulties and medical problems. And they're pretty understanding when I'm on new meds.
It works well enough for me. I'd never make it in a big work environment. I'm lousy at politics and small talk and the niceties. :(
Posted by B2chica on February 10, 2006, at 9:19:29
In reply to Re: question: ADA and work accomodations » B2chica, posted by ghost on February 9, 2006, at 12:06:25
there is a part of our company that has an Americans with Disability Act team, they are the disability accommodations department. that's all they do is make and enforce disability accommodations. the thing is i'm not sure if you have to tell your boss. my boss already knew so it was no biggy. but i think i remember her saying that all i had to say was that i have a disability and here's what i need...but our system...man it took MONTHS since i started the paper work before it finally went through the system-so be prepared for a lot of paperwork and minor detailed things. there is paperwork that you will need to get signed by your pdoc or other but your boss will have no access to this.
but they were great and really supportive!i think you could call your HR department and see if there is an Accommodations for people with disabilities department.
> i missed you too, b2c :)
>
> my boss does NOT know about my condition, and i don't really want her to know, either. i keep my personal life EXTREMELY private at work. the pdoc didn't seem to imply i had to tell her, but that i could say that the need to have daylight was "diagnosis related."
>
> how did you get an ADA rep? did you have to go through HR?
>
> *hugs* and thanks
> ghost
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