Problems at Work

Sunday, March 17th

I know I have been extremely honest about having epilepsy and the types of things I face due to having it. However, something I've never truly dealt with in the workplace happened just a few days ago.

I was at work doing my job and then helping coworkers for the rest of my shift, as I always do. I thought my shift was going smoothly. I only had one or two PNEA that affected my ability to do stuff. That's a low amount compared to some other shifts. I was nearing the end of my shift, only about 20 minutes left. The coworker I was helping came into the kitchen from taking care of some stuff as I was starting to wrap her pans from the salad bar. It was just us two in the kitchen when she quietly told me (in case anyone could hear), "I want to tell you what David just told me... He said, 'She should be going home as soon as she's done with her own tasks because what if she has a seizure?' I told him he can tell you that himself if he's that worried about it." David is a supervisor and still doesn't have any idea how seizures work despite me being as honest at work as I am on here.

What if they happen while I am doing my own job? I can't just prevent them for the 90-120 minutes that my own tasks take. My brain will have a seizure whenever it damn well pleases.

I bet the general manager will love to hear about that. Just last year, a manager was forced to leave because of an insensitive remark regarding my seizures. She was told to keep an eye on me by the former assistant manager and she said, "I know how to take care of people with seizures. My dog had epilepsy." I wasn't the one to tell on her but the general manager was pissed and let her choose between putting in her two weeks or being fired on the spot.

I swear this supervisor causing issues now just doesn't like me. He got mad when I asked if my mom and I could leave work early months ago because I was sobbing in pain and needed to go to urgent care. He has hated me since that day because he had to do... gasp... work, at a job of all places.

As soon as I found out about him saying that, I decided I am absolutely calling the general manager when he goes in on Monday. I am making sure shit gets done about this because I am fucking sick of the discrimination no matter where I go.

Monday, March 18th

I called the general manager this morning to tell him about everything that happened. I started with, "First of all, I'm sorry for calling so early." 7:45 in the morning seems early for a work call but he claimed it wasn't early, probably to make me feel better. I'll never know for sure.

I started with explaining that David didn't say it to me but told him the name of the coworker who he did say it to. He asked what I do when I finish my own tasks. I was honest about helping other people with prep work and cleaning tables. In a college dining hall, cleaning tables takes about 45 minutes at the end of my four hour shift each time.

I reassured him that everything I do to help is stuff that I feel safe and comfortable helping with. He wasn't worried about that (probably because he trusts my judgment... I've been there for three years) but because he wanted to make sure I was actually doing stuff and not on the clock doing nothing, which I completely understand.

After we talked about what was allegedly (though I trust this coworker) said and what I do after finishing my tasks, he said, "I'll handle this," which gave me some hope.

* * *

Instances such as this are unfortunately very common for people with disabilities. It's not okay and people need to realize that. He probably thought I wouldn't find out and in his mind, that somehow makes it okay. It isn't though... The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) exists BECAUSE of people like him. Unfortunately for him, my hours can't be cut just because I have a disability. More awareness needs to be brought to the discrimination that disabled people receive.