tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post820215804745677025..comments2023-10-10T20:15:32.779-07:00Comments on BRAINCHEESE: National Disability Employment Month...USA Style...BRAINCHEESEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04478852688645497036noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-54260259635545747782012-09-24T11:14:36.995-07:002012-09-24T11:14:36.995-07:00I have lost 3 jobs because of my MS and not becaus...I have lost 3 jobs because of my MS and not because i failed to do my job or missed time ... But bc of lack of understanding of the illness! But MI has 'At will employment' so they never have to give you a reason! Even unemployment was told 'i did nothing wrong' REALLY! But thats all they have to say 'at will' ... Unless fired for cause which has not occured. <br /><br />So how can i fight it when its the law?! Plus bc of my prior experiences i did not disclose my illness to last employer... And they found out the day i went for treatment bc i needed a dr note. Well my dr is an MS Specialist!!! Duh. So ironically that day as i left dr i was called n told i wouldnt need to return. NO REASON! So i spoke w lawyer n found out that bc i didnt disclose it i could do nothing! <br /><br />So stuck between Law and Law! So what can i do to not be 'at willed' again?!Fighting MS For A Curehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02532860588508220253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-4173465186373512642010-01-25T13:29:37.412-08:002010-01-25T13:29:37.412-08:00pUNKrOCKfairy,
I would NOT sit down and have a tal...pUNKrOCKfairy,<br />I would NOT sit down and have a talk with your employer. I would write a letter (or e-mail) and keep a copy of the letter. Be extremely careful on your choice of words - even to say that you have MS could give the employer ammunition to fire you, because it is THEIR choice to say if you are a threat to their business or not. There is a reason why politicians keep denying their wronghead deeds and that is because this is a legal thing to have an admission. But, I'm not a lawyer and I don't have MS, I've only been fired and now I'm BARRED from working, because I'm so stupid that I wrongly believed the governmental advertisement "they can't fire you". YES, THEY CAN FIRE YOU AND THEY WILL THAT IF YOU LET THEM!<br />The game is over as soon as they insist that you go to a "doctor". In my case they said that they would pay for everything. In the end they paid NOTHING that they required and the insurance company paid NOTHING. Everything that I worked for, for 40 years has been taken away, save my home, which will be taken to get a SSDI "benefit" (not worth it).<br />In the meanwhile, I would try to make a life without employment (medical history - written down and you need to have a copy, savings, self-employment, etc.), because, again the government is woofully negligent in helping a person "with a disability".<br />Bless you Brain Cheese, for the post. I do wish that I had a little advice, before my life (such as it was) was purposely destroyed. <br />Now, can you post something on what to do NOW? In my position, I'm ineligible for any type of "welfare" and I'm UNABLE to do telework.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-18998949076367499412008-10-13T16:48:00.000-07:002008-10-13T16:48:00.000-07:00Dude. Thanks for the info and the hella good timi...Dude. Thanks for the info and the hella good timing. I'm still on the fence at work in that, my co-workers know I have MS and I'm not keeping it a secret, but I've not sat down to have "the talk" with my boss. I'm thinking she probably knows ("coz everyone else does) but won't bring it up until I do. She is unpredictable, at least, in her decision making and capacity for compassion. So I can never make up mind about confessing in an attempt to prepare her for my inevitable health disasters, or I should wait until I absolutely MUST tell her when I can't come to work for some reason. Maybe you have some advice on this as well?@whiskey.xray.yoga.zulu https://www.blogger.com/profile/13486715100955603014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-37397085961108083962008-10-09T10:08:00.000-07:002008-10-09T10:08:00.000-07:00Brain Cheese---I wish the ADA was all I needed to ...Brain Cheese---<BR/><BR/>I wish the ADA was all I needed to stay employed out in the work force. I need the Family Medical Leave Act tweeked a bit. I have had trouble staying employed, even part-time and at low-stress and low-wage library jobs, for the past 5 years. I envy your resilience and tenacity. I'm trying to tweek my own at-home freelance writing (a couple of irons in the fire right now), but I miss being out in the work force. At the same time, I've tried twice to sustain outside employment and have failed. MS sucks in that it prevents people from being out in the work force, and so then they are home and not overdoing it, but they WANT to get back out there! But volunteering it is for now, and making money must be done from home, because I think the emotional carnage from a 3rd failed attempt would be way too much... <BR/><BR/>I'm dreary today--- just need to vent! Thanks for the great post and a little chuckle....<BR/><BR/>JenJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17421022098477662697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-3457637624815583542008-10-08T23:11:00.000-07:002008-10-08T23:11:00.000-07:00And here I thought October was all about falling l...And here I thought October was all about falling leaves and ghosts and goblins and pumpkins and corn mazes and drinking German beers. Silly me. Thanks for a well written synopsis.Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13518858062969978457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-63140687537988518452008-10-06T19:23:00.000-07:002008-10-06T19:23:00.000-07:00In the interest of not overstating, I should clari...In the interest of not overstating, I should clarify that hours worked can be relevant. I really only wanted to point out that the determination isn't based upon hours worked; rather, it's based upon amount earned or amount capable of being earned.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10085160494038535606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-88336986909883188722008-10-06T19:03:00.000-07:002008-10-06T19:03:00.000-07:00For the record, disability determinations for Soci...For the record, disability determinations for Social Security have nothing to do with the number of hours you work. The determination is based upon whether the work you are doing or are deemed capable of doing is considered Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). <A HREF="http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/sga.html" REL="nofollow">SGA is essentially a dollar amount that goes up each year</A>. If you work 1 day per month, but earn $1500 that day, you would (depending of course upon other factors as well) likely not be considered disabled according to Social Security rules. <BR/><BR/>Of course, they take into consideration things like subsidies, impairment related work expenses and the like. <BR/><BR/>Also, as an interesting bit of trivia, the Washington State Direction of the Disability Determination Services (the agency in Washington State that makes disability decisions for Social Security) is a quadriplegic.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, great post!Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10085160494038535606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-79910012514381529752008-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:002008-10-06T14:25:00.000-07:00Are you sure you have the month correct? I'm pret...Are you sure you have the month correct? I'm pretty sure the SGK folks own October.Walk Starshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10693731803279525864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-24422997933233686202008-10-05T20:27:00.000-07:002008-10-05T20:27:00.000-07:00You and Lisa...you have all the info! Thanks so m...You and Lisa...you have all the info! Thanks so much! :)Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13498350103500754085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-81860830069853697132008-10-05T18:46:00.000-07:002008-10-05T18:46:00.000-07:00umm...I'm sure I heard your co-workers refer to yo...umm...I'm sure I heard your co-workers refer to you as the designated office chump!<BR/><BR/>Another good and information post to your minions Brainiac! Well Done.<BR/><BR/>Actually, I know from the hard knocks of life's experiences that you are right target about disability laws. Just wish I had someone with the encouragment, tenacity and tiger claws you have that would have helped to stay gainfully employed, because even though I took the low road to finally be awarded SSDI, I hate being pooor. And with someone like you guiding me when I wasn't able to think right, I believe I (accidentally hit the send button HERE!)<BR/>I believe I could have kept working. When my manager heard I had MS I became "damaged Goods" to him and I firmly believe he SET me up so that I would say I QUIT, or he could fire me. I ended up saying I quit. My own advise to ALL out there is to never say or write the words "I Quit." while you might think it the "noble" thing to do because with MS you are now "damaged good" its better to make your employer PROVE it by LAW!!! As for myself, I believe my own psyche would be better if I were still able to work, even part-time. At this point though my good days are unreliable (as is my mind).<BR/> Incidentally, to qualify for SSDI you have to prove you can't work full-time...or a 40 hour work week considering of five 8-hour days. And when filling out the application emphasize what you cannot do on your WORST days, because those are the days that hold the most meaning.Spaz Attackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028118630456939910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38895750.post-86852133160508244682008-10-05T16:03:00.000-07:002008-10-05T16:03:00.000-07:00You are a bottomless cavern of knowledge! "The Che...You are a bottomless cavern of knowledge! "The Cheese" is where I go for my info. :)Miss Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11731458343222525114noreply@blogger.com