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