ADHD work accommodations

[Francescatya]

hi, anyone have any experience with this? My doctor just submitted mine to my work place and I feel like I’m getting pushback. I was told it’s “under review” and my manager has to approve it but there’s a lot of detail he needs from me that would prevent him from declining it based on the “needs of the business” but they haven’t given me any indication I’m going to be involved in the discussion. I’m worried I have a bit of a battle on my hands. I’ve never worked at a place that’s been very accommodating of anything other than if people have physical issues or families (I am female, unmarried and childless) and I feel like if I’m not taking care of a kid or my parents and it’s “invisible” to them they’re going to blow it off. And if they do, what then? Do I go in medical leave? My doctor has approved that as well. Or appeal? Find another job? Sue?? I’m in New York so the laws here are generally more on the side of the patient, but it’s ultimately up to my employer, and I’m already stressed out thinking about this. She has diagnosed me with ADHD as well as MDD and panic disorder and all I’m asking for is a day here and there to work from home and not to have to change my schedule to 9-5 instead of 10-6 (I have severe sleep issues and chronic fatigue as well).

thanks anyone for any insight.

[Hominid711]

Do needs of business justify disability discrimination? Not with that kind of accommodation, I wouldn't have thought so. And you have a signed contract or not?You are not only just applying for this job.

Everything re the company's business needs should be written down already and

Perhaps you need clearly defined accommodations and defined business needs and that needs looking at but I guess HR and OH should be able to sort this out.

Yes you may need to answer questions but purely factual ones. ADHD causes lack of energy and late starts and you can't be the only one the company has ever accommodated working these hours or from home.

Maybe you're worrying a bit much? Getting flustered as it's too much thinking about it? I would understand that as I have that tendency but look up the law. It helped me knowing.

The question to ask is my first sentence. Or search for examples what business needs override rights under the equality/discrimination laws you've got in the US.

[Hidden]

I don’t have experience with accommodations at work for ADHD, but I’m fairly open so people know. When I went on meds, it helped immediately. My boss noticed and said to not stop whatever I’m doing.

That said, it’s been almost 3 years since my diagnosis and finding the right med and dose can take a while. between work and home life I was becoming overwhelmed at work. Almost seemed like my boss was throwing more at me on purpose. I decided to take medical leave last week to focus on my mental health and I’m glad I did. My work situation is very toxic and negative and that doesn’t help at all. I probably won’t return after leave and hope to get a new job working with people who appreciate me and what I have to offer. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Francescatya in reply to Hidden]

I feel like my request will be declined and almost like they’d RATHER me take medical leave. I asked about that, my doc approved that too. It might come to that. Maybe that’s why they’re being so secretive.

[STEM_Dad in reply to Francescatya]

I used to work at a place where I was treated very well, even though they could not pay me very well, I felt like I had arrived at the best job ever. I is disappointing that so many management types don't understand at the best way to get good performance out of employees is to treat them well, treat them with respect, address their cares and concerns, and make common sense accommodations.

I know that a handful of people will always try to play the system, for those people usually don't try to do it at work, they try to make it so they don't have to work.

If a person like you wants to work, and there should be no reason to make it so hard for you to do so.

[Hidden]

Meant to tell you, we worked from home for 14 months and it worked out well. All of the sudden my boss says I’m not productive working from home and he made me move my desk into my bedroom so my spouse doesn’t bother me. He gives me shit every time I work from home and doesn’t do that with any other employees on my team. He even had the gall to ask me the last time if there was anyone else home. WTF! My spouse was, but he had no right to ask that. He also manages with negative feedback, never positive. Very demoralizing. Wish I had recordings of some of the things he’s said to me. My employer has a trust issue and wants everyone in the office and I suspect that may be an issue with your company. I was very productive at home because I tended too work 9-10 hour days because I’d lose track of time.

[STEM_Dad in reply to Hidden]

I just had a thought pop into my head that maybe the reason some managers have become so reactionary against WFH is that they feel like they have less power over their employees, and thus less purpose at the organization.

(I worked at a place where pre-pandemic the management team was expanded and they reorganized the existing work teams. Then, mid-pandemic the management team was cut down due to "budget cuts", while at the same time the organization was trying to hire more first-line customer support workers. I guess they finally realized where they needed to invest their employee budget for maximum return.)

[Francescatya in reply to STEM_Dad]

This is a 100% accurate assessment.

[STEM_Dad]

Does the company allow anyone else for any reason to work a schedule like you've proposed (e.g. 10-6 instead of 9-5).

The idea of working from home one day a week, a hybrid work model, is becoming more normal now. Maybe you can propose what kind of work you will do at home. It seems like maybe it would be a good time to work on project work, or something else that doesn't require in-person interaction with peers, etc.

Maybe ask to do that on a trial basis for 6 months, with a review of the effectiveness of it every couple of months. The idea here is to give your time to prove how well it works for your productivity.

[Francescatya in reply to STEM_Dad]

Yes, one of my coworkers had a stroke and has mobile and speech difficulties, so he has accommodations, as does another who has children and a wife he takes care of. But those are, of course, “visible.”

What you outlined is exactly the plan. The problem is my HR department is kind of leaving me hanging. I submitted a letter from my doc, it was assigned to someone who I checked in with a week later and it turned out she left the organization (I work for an art school). No one even told me. When I reached out to the head of HR it was like pulling teeth to get any details aside from “it’s under review.” Then she stated it needs to be approved by my manager. And I said well what’s the reassurance I’m going to be involved in the conversation, because I need to discuss exactly what you suggested. No reply. I can’t get them on the phone. I wrote a second email saying I had some questions that I couldn’t find answers to in our documentation. The head of HR then emailed me she can fit me in for a call on Monday, I asked if I can also discuss details of my request as well, just more non-answers. There is no one else I can talk to. I prefer not to go to my manager yet and in fact I had been advised strictly NOT to go to management and just go through them first. It’s almost like HR doesn’t want whatever it is they’re going to tell me in writing, which in a weird way is reassuring but it’s more worrying than anything.

Thanks for the insight. I’m going to post an update when I get one.

[Leenie0811]

I am from the UK but my understanding is when it comes to the disability at work act the adjustments that are provided are reasonable. If you are asking to work one hour earlier than your usual start and wanting to work from home I wouldn't see why that would be an issue especially if you state that working from home and those hours are when you're at your most productive.

All those reasons are a benefit to the business but maybe say to your employer if there are meetings in person which they would like you to attend you can be flexible and come into the office for them, offering them flexibility might work in your favour. Most companies since the pandemic are proposing a hybrid model of working from home and office work but it depends on the person really.

If I have things I really need to concentrate on I'll work from home but if there are in person meetings and I am the only one planning to work from home I would probably change that day to be in the office. It does work and if communication is there between you and your boss/rest of the team I think you'll thrive in this type of environment, it doesn't cost the company money for you to start earlier or working from home so they should be fine with it.

Good luck speaking to your employer and defo make sure you are part of the discussions, after all, it is for you and your benefit. Don't let them do it without you!

[STEM_Dad]

I'm currently looking for remote work. The reason why it has to be remote work is so I can be home with my kids. It's a necessity.

My younger kids have been homeschooled since kindergarten. Their mom and I are now divorced, and we are co-parenting with 50:50 custody.

(We had lots of problems with how our older kids were treated in public school. First child was only in public school. She may be ADHD-HI. Second child went from public school, to charter school, to private school, to homeschool. He is almost certainly ADHD-PI, because that one is almost exactly like me. Both of those kids are now grown, but as a family, we learned a hard lesson. Youngest two seem ADHD-C son and possibly-ADHD-PI daughter. None of my kids are diagnosed ADHD)

*ADHD-HI = Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive

*ADHD-PI = Predominantly Inattentive

*ADHD-C = Combined

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So, I'm only applying for remote work only, with one exception for a hybrid position (noted as follows).

The one job I'm most interested in right now can be a mostly-remote hybrid role. It would have a requirement to travel to the home office for about 10% of the work time (for meetings and training). That comes out to 2-3 days a month.

It's a management-level position...one I barely qualify for, but very interesting in an organization that I have a lot of interest in...all things considered, I think I can swing traveling 10% of the time, as long as I can make it work out with my child custody.

(Caveat: In the job posting, it does say that the preference is for an employee in their area, but the posting has been up for 3-4 months, and was just updated to say they want someone who can start ASAP, so I guess they haven't found a local to fill the position.)

Not holding my breath that I'll get that particular job, but I am qualified (just barely). It's the most ambitious position I've ever tried for.

[STEM_Dad in reply to STEM_Dad]

I ended up getting a job in my area. It's a little bit of a longer commute, but it's a good company. Not an ideal job for me, but very good fit for my skills, and I've got some latitude to structure my work how it works best for me.

While a part of me wishes that I could with remotely, but an another part likes the novelty of the variety of work I do. (I work in information technology, mostly tech support.)

[Shenanigans53]

I feel for you, I am somewhat in the same boat, but I have a union to back me up and support me.

My requests for accommodation that I received pushback on included a simple request for standard communication in regards to work flow. I have to go into work with a plan, and I get overwhelmed when juggling my plan and then out of nowhere (with no communication or support) more "fuel" is added to my workload. I have tried speaking with my employer about how the overwhelm could be prevented by communicating with me and allowing me to be a part of the workflow process. My boss responded by saying "I can't make people change the way they communicate".... ummmm, yes, you can. You are the boss, you can set expectations for how workload is delivered. Frustrating.

I have opted for a sick leave though, as I have recently been diagnosed at 52 years of age, and it has brought up other issues that I that I had dealt with, but now realizing perhaps I was repressing a lot throughout my life.

Regardless, this has helped me to realize I would like to find a place of employment that is more respectful in the way they communicate and has a more mature concept of what team work means.