Re: Question about work/employers

[Guest guest]

I'm going to have to agree with on this one...those bottom file

drawers are a killer! Actually having my break times would be nice

too (sometimes I have to work through them if I have a deadline to

meet) My hours are great (noon to 8 pm) and fortunely

I can work my appointments around my schedule and if I take a day off

I don't need a replacement, however since I am responsible for

covering others when they get sick etc. the change in shifts is

murder on my body, sleep patterns, & level of stress that I can

handle. I would never say anything to my employer unless it was an

emergency for fear of being replaced. I work directly with HR, AR,

AP, Admin so I keep my mouth

shut....zip

L Markham

" " <mystic102164@y...> wrote:

> Sorry but I can't help you with that. I haven't told my employer

about

> my diagnosis almost two years ago for fear of losing my job. Now IF

> they did know, some things that would help me would be 1) the

ability

> to take breaks from my desk and walk around the building to stretch

my

> muscles 2) keeping the office at a low temperature, I seem to have

> more energy in cool temperatures 3) the ability to alter my workdays

> to half a day on days that I am hurting very badly without having to

> have a doctor's excuse to use my sick hours 4) Moving our files our

of

> the bottom drawer of the filing cabinets so I wouldn't have to squat

> down to file things

>

> Just my two cents worth

>

---------------------------------------------------------------------

> <umgrad06@y...> wrote:

> > I am trying to get information on how work

> > conditions can be improved for people suffering with FM: in other

> > words, what could your employer do to make your life easier in

> > relation to FM? I hope to write an article that could eventually

be

> > published in a Human Resources magazine--to better educate HR

people

> > and employers.

> >

> > Any information you could share would be greatly appreciated and

> > thank you!

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

The worst thing when I started working was doing dishes after closing.

Spending an hour bending and lifting and carrying things at closing,

only to get stuck in back, bent over a waist-high sink (I'm 5'5 " for

the record) was just too much. That's what brought on the worst flare

I've ever had, started the siatic nerve pain, and really, I've never

been the same since then.

Second...make sure every supervisor, manager, director, etc KNOWS

about the condition and restrictions surrounding it. After

aforementioned problems started, I was put on serious restrictions,

including that I was not to work more than 3 hours a day, for four

days a week, and I was supposed to sit for five minutes every hour. I

went in one day and the person supervising the registers was

apparently not aware of this, and when I tried to explain it she said

since I wasn't working for 4+hours, I wasn't allowed a break of any kind.

Anyhow, that's my two cents.

-

[Guest guest]

,

That is an excellent area to do your study on! I work in a factory,

where excessive personal time is frowned upon, and while qauality is

of the utmost importance, quantity is a very close second!

General education about what Fibro is all about is the first thing

that pops into my head...that it is, and can be a very painful and

debilitating illness. And while we may be there, present at work,

we may still be suffering through a lot of pain. I recently came

upon an issue with my production manager where he didn't like that I

was sitting down to do a portion of my job. Had I been doing this

same exact job in another area of the dept., I would have been

sitting down as well, with no problems. He just didn't like having

chairs in this particular area. I calmly explained to him my

condition, my restrictons (backed by FMLA documentation), and

assured him that I wasn't sitting down while doing the part of the

job that required me to stand, and he was fine. It encouraged him

to do some research of his own, which helped.

Work stations that are more ergonomically designed with us in mind.

Bending at odd angles, stooping, squatting, these are hard for us to

do repetetively. A little more leeway to be able to take breaks

when we need them, not when they are mandated. If my back, legs,

and shoulders are all aching, I need to walk it out and stretch,

which sometimes takes more than my allotted 10 minutes.

More understanding from employers that while we may look like

normal, healthy people, we aren't. For instance, if my boss put me

on a job where I'm going to be working with 50 pound bearings all

day long, I'm going to be working at a snail's pace, and I'm going

to hurt like hell for days afterwards. However, if he gives me a

bunch of different, smaller weight bearings, I will fly right

through them. NO guilt complex about the things I can't do. I was

before Fibro, and still am, a hard worker....it's just that the

scope of the things I'm able to do has changed.

I hope that these things help you out !

Jen

[Guest guest]

Thank you SO much. . .

> > I am a graduate student at the University of Memphis. While I do

not

> > suffer from FM, I have several friends who do and am doing

research

> > on this illness I am trying to get information on how work

> > conditions can be improved for people suffering with FM: in

other

> > words, what could your employer do to make your life easier in

> > relation to FM? I hope to write an article that could eventually

be

> > published in a Human Resources magazine--to better educate HR

people

> > and employers.

> >

> > Any information you could share would be greatly appreciated and

> > thank you!

> >

> >