 |
 |
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] .......+-- \__/ " \__/ -+