Yesterday was Valentine's Day. This day gives us the opportunity to tell those who we love how much they mean to us and how they have enriched our life. For those of us dealing with illness and disability, it also gives us a chance to tell OURSELVES how much we love us. Sound crazy? I beg to differ.
Being sick does a number on our ego. Often, we feel lacking and less of a person because we have some kind of health challenge we're dealing with. Sometimes we get that from others, but most of the time it is born within, in the place where we are insecure of ourselves. We sometimes get angry at the illness, at whatever is causing or has caused us to feel the way we do - imperfect. That anger festers, and keeping that anger doesn't give us the opportunity to accept who we are and love who we are. And, I contend that loving who we are - embracing all of us, including our illness or disability - is the way to happiness and having a fulfilled life...and the best way to meet the disability head on, get help and support, and move forward.
So, on Valentine's Day, remember to love yourself. Mwah!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Working with a Chronic Illness
Well, I promised to write weekly and it's been almost two weeks. So, I'll give that New Year's Resolution another try.
What I thought I'd talk about today is employment and how to manage that with a chronic illness. In addition to the fact that I am an employee working successfully with a chronic illness, I have also been working in the disability management field (and specifically ADA coordination) for over a decade. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I was told many years ago that I'd never work again. When I decided to say 'screw it' and try anyway, it propelled me to make a larger career decision to help others with disabilities gain employment. So, with this dual background, I have some experience to share.
First, many of you reading this are already aware that there are legal protections to assist you if you have a chronic disability in the workplace. The two biggies in this are the FMLA/CFRA (Family Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act), both of which provide time off for eligible employees to care for their own serious health condition. (It provides other entitlements as well, but for now we're just talking about our own disability.) This is entitled time, which means it can't be denied if you are eligible. The second biggie is the ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act, which in California is coupled with the broader protections of FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act). This provides for reasonable accommodations in the workplace to allow individuals with qualified disabilities equal access to perform essential functions of the position.
The most important thing I can say to you is to educate yourself about these laws, about what you're entitled to, and talk with your HR representatives at work. Make sure to have support on your side, whether a friend or union representative. Make sure you understand your rights as well as your responsibilities. Be prepared to suggest solutions and ideas. Also, be aware that finding a reasonable accommodation isn't always possible. However, armed with information, you will be in a much better place. Many companies don't have disability management specialists or ADA coordinators, and I often hear that employees in those organizations are at a great disadvantage many times in trying to get an accommodation. But it's your work life, so find out as much as you can yourself and be as prepared as possible.
A great place to check out that I highly recommend is the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). JAN helps both employees and employers with accommodation ideas for disabilities. Their website is great and something to take some time to peruse.
Another recommendation I have - which is often hard for people to hear - is understand your limitations. What I mean is understand your disability and what will work for you in employment, and be realistic. Seriously. For example, at one time I wanted to be a court reporter. I thought it was a really cool job, good money, and I had an affinity for those cool little machines with the funky keys. I signed up for classes, but upon greater thinking I realized that I can't sit in a courtroom for hours with my bowel and colon issues. This wouldn't be good for me, and I know I could not successfully perform the work. "Um, excuse me judge, I have to pee. NOW. Can you hold up these sentencing proceedings?" Yeah, right. There isn't a reasonable accommodation that would allow me to do the job the way I wanted to, so I opted another career path that I found I really love. Sometimes, looking at other options is the best thing you can do for yourself. If I had decided to continue down the stenographer path, guaranteed it would have created stressful situations for me and frankly been a bad match. That's just not worth it. Life is too short.
So, get educated, understand what you can do, and figure out how to do it.
What I thought I'd talk about today is employment and how to manage that with a chronic illness. In addition to the fact that I am an employee working successfully with a chronic illness, I have also been working in the disability management field (and specifically ADA coordination) for over a decade. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I was told many years ago that I'd never work again. When I decided to say 'screw it' and try anyway, it propelled me to make a larger career decision to help others with disabilities gain employment. So, with this dual background, I have some experience to share.
First, many of you reading this are already aware that there are legal protections to assist you if you have a chronic disability in the workplace. The two biggies in this are the FMLA/CFRA (Family Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act), both of which provide time off for eligible employees to care for their own serious health condition. (It provides other entitlements as well, but for now we're just talking about our own disability.) This is entitled time, which means it can't be denied if you are eligible. The second biggie is the ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act, which in California is coupled with the broader protections of FEHA (Fair Employment and Housing Act). This provides for reasonable accommodations in the workplace to allow individuals with qualified disabilities equal access to perform essential functions of the position.
The most important thing I can say to you is to educate yourself about these laws, about what you're entitled to, and talk with your HR representatives at work. Make sure to have support on your side, whether a friend or union representative. Make sure you understand your rights as well as your responsibilities. Be prepared to suggest solutions and ideas. Also, be aware that finding a reasonable accommodation isn't always possible. However, armed with information, you will be in a much better place. Many companies don't have disability management specialists or ADA coordinators, and I often hear that employees in those organizations are at a great disadvantage many times in trying to get an accommodation. But it's your work life, so find out as much as you can yourself and be as prepared as possible.
A great place to check out that I highly recommend is the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). JAN helps both employees and employers with accommodation ideas for disabilities. Their website is great and something to take some time to peruse.
Another recommendation I have - which is often hard for people to hear - is understand your limitations. What I mean is understand your disability and what will work for you in employment, and be realistic. Seriously. For example, at one time I wanted to be a court reporter. I thought it was a really cool job, good money, and I had an affinity for those cool little machines with the funky keys. I signed up for classes, but upon greater thinking I realized that I can't sit in a courtroom for hours with my bowel and colon issues. This wouldn't be good for me, and I know I could not successfully perform the work. "Um, excuse me judge, I have to pee. NOW. Can you hold up these sentencing proceedings?" Yeah, right. There isn't a reasonable accommodation that would allow me to do the job the way I wanted to, so I opted another career path that I found I really love. Sometimes, looking at other options is the best thing you can do for yourself. If I had decided to continue down the stenographer path, guaranteed it would have created stressful situations for me and frankly been a bad match. That's just not worth it. Life is too short.
So, get educated, understand what you can do, and figure out how to do it.
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