Thanks Greg for the great advice.  I haven't signed anything yet, thank
goodness!

cheers,

Brenda


Greg Sterling wrote:

> Brenda,
> Don't sign anything anything your employer puts in front of you regarding
> disability claims.  Call your nearest EEOC office and have them mail you the
> forms necessary for an ADA claim.  You can file them yourself.  They will
> investigate and if claim is solid they will provide counsel.
>
> Request accommodations under ADA both verbally and in writing from your
> employer.  Most attorneys won't touch these claims anyway unless they are
> sure winners and money makers for them.
>
> Greg
> 47/35/35
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brenda Ambuehl <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Sunday, November 07, 1999 12:01 PM
> Subject: Re: HELP - Telling Your Boss You Have PD
>
> >I told my boss I had PD as soon as I discovered my diagnosis...1 1/2 years
> >ago.  I have now been riffed from my job, meaning that my job was
> eliminated,
> >ostensibly due to financial crunch company is currently in...however, at
> age
> >60, with retirement only 5 years away,  I know differently.  After 11 years
> >with this company, I'm hopeful someone else will take me on...I'm supposed
> to
> >have priority in job placement.
> >
> >If i had it to do over again, I might think twice, but then again, my
> illness
> >has affected my job performance, so I may have had to tell them.  I've had
> a
> >great deal of paranoia about my job performance, feeling they've been
> watching
> >me overmuch and blaming any mistake I make on my PD.
> >
> >At any rate, I'm glad to be out of that particular dept., wasn't prepared
> to
> >retire on a disability quite yet, but may have to give it a try, or at
> least
> >take a stress leave until I can get this  all figured out... I have til
> year's
> >end to find another .50 FTE which is my current coded hours and work
> schedule)
> >secretarial job within this company, Kaiser Permanente, US's largest HMO.
> >I carry the insurance for me and my husband who is self employed and has a
> >heart problem, so it's important for me to keep it.  I know I can pay full
> bore
> >via Cobra for a few months, but I'd prefer it to remain a "benefit!"
> >
> >I realize I'm protected by the ADA, but only if I sign that paperwork the
> Human
> >Resource consultant is now giving me to sign, supposedly.  I could use an
> >attorney about now, I guess!
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Brenda
> >
> >James Berlis wrote:
> >
> >> Hi
> >> I was in a similar situation here in the U.K. I had only worked for a
> large
> >> International Insurance company for 8 1/2 when I was diagnosed. The first
> >> thing I did was to check whether I was covered by any company illness or
> >> disability benefits -qualifying period was 9 yr. employment - next I went
> to
> >> the union to see if they would support me and to ask for their advice. As
> my
> >> condition was not affecting the ability to do my job I decided to hold
> off
> >> telling my boss until after the qualifying period ( which was perfectly
> >> acceptable ). After the qualifying period I told the my boss who was very
> >> supportive. about 7 months later I applied and my application for early
> >> retirement from the company was accepted. I may have been lucky with the
> >> response of my employer - they were great about it - but I think it is
> >> important for you to be well informed of the options and benefits
> available
> >> to you before you tell your employer.
> >> good luck
> >>
> >> James
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: William A. Parrette <[log in to unmask]>
> >> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >> Sent: 02 November 1999 22:52
> >> Subject: Re: HELP - Telling Your Boss You Have PD
> >>
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >>         On Tue, 2 Nov 1999, George Person wrote:
> >>
> >> > ...
> >> > I realize that the time is coming when I should tell my boss that I
> have a
> >> > physical problem or be direct and say those words I have avoided at
> work,
> >> > "PD".  With the possibly of a reorganization, I wonder what I might be
> >> asked
> >> > to do in the future.
> >> >
> >> > I hope that there are those who have experienced this situation and are
> >> > willing to share their process and insights regarding how to make it as
> >> easy
> >> > as possible.
> >> > ...
> >>
> >>         Well,  George,  that is a tough one.  Can't say that I've *ex-
> >>      actly* been there and done that.  But, I had a similar problem.
> >>
> >>         When  my  symptoms  first appeared, I was doing contract work.
> >>      As, the diagnosis became more clear, I determined that  I  needed
> >>      to find a full-time job that had benefits.  So, I started looking
> >>      for full-time employment.
> >>
> >>         At  nearly  the  exact  same time, as employment opportunities
> >>      seemed to swell up and then quickly fade away, one of the  compa-
> >>      nies  that  I  had been doing some contract work for called me up
> >>      and made me a full-time offer.  My response was that I might have
> >>      some  health issues that would limit the amount of travel I could
> >>      do (a *big* part of the job) and that I would get back to him  as
> >>      soon as I had investigated a few remaining, non-travel opportuni-
> >>      ties.
> >>
> >>         I eventually called him back and he inquired as to the "health
> >>      issues."  I told him about the PD, he said that  he  had  noticed
> >>      some  tremors,  but that he couldn't discriminate against me even
> >>      if he wanted to because of the American's With Disabilities  Act.
> >>      He  said  the job was still open, I accepted, and by some miracle
> >>      was accepted in their health plan.
> >>
> >>         That was some two years ago.
> >>
> >>         So,  (in  my  typical  long-winded  way)  I would say that you
> >>      should let your boss know as soon as possible.  And, if he is not
> >>      already  informed,  maybe  try to educate him as to what he might
> >>      expect in the future with some PD literature or Web sites.
> >>
> >>         All  this,  of course, is IMHO -- it sounds a lot easier to do
> >>      than it is in practice.  But, I believe, the sooner  the  better.
> >>      Good luck ...
> >>
> >> Bill--
> >>   ...who knows that two wrongs never make a right -- but three might.
> >> .___. William A. ....._..._ .......7177 Heritage Drive+- //\ -(42?)- /\\
> +
> >> | _ \__ _ _ _ _ _ ___| |_| |_ ___ .Westchester........| || * \ . . / *
> |||
> >> |  _/ _` | '_| '_/ -_)  _|  _/ -_).OH 45069-4012......|  \\____\X/____//
> |
> >> |_| \__,_|_| |_| \___|\__|\__\___|.513/779-0780.......|   / *  /O\  * \
> |
> >> ..... http://w3.one.net/~wap/ .... [log in to unmask] .......+-- \__/  "
>  \__/ -+
> >