[il-talk] Vision requirement on job descripton

Thu Feb 23 01:48:49 UTC 2012

I have been partially blind all my life.  It was a hidden disability until 
recently when I started to use a cane.  When I was 18, I got a job in a meet 
department of a grocery store.  When I went I got the job application, took it 
home to fill out with my CCTV, came back, turned it in, got interviewed on the 
spot and hired.  Once they found out about my visual impairment, (since it was 
all guys working in the back room) they did  what they could to try and get me 
to quit.  I fought back, proved I could do the job without endangering myself or 
my co-workers., and had that position for 5 years.  

While working I went to school full time to get my Bachelors of Science.  Once I 
got the degree I left the position working in the meet department and started 
interviewing.  It was a long and hard road, where the bumps in the road were in 
one case getting thrown out of an interview because I was told I had 
mis-represented myself (never told them I was visually impaired) and other times 
where I could tell that the interviewer was uncomfortable.   I  kept at it and 
found a new job which I held for 8 years.  During that job I went back to school 
part time to get my Masters, left that job once I got my degree and found a new 
position which I am still at today. 

Moral of the story, do what you have to do to get in the door, and then prove 
your worth.    The only warning is that if you are going to apply for the 
position, you need to make sure it is one that you will not be placing your self 
or co-workers in danger because you can not see your surroundings while dooing 
the job and that it will not require the company to hire someone else to do any 
part of the job.   Also be persistent, determined, thick skinned and most of all 
keep your skills up to date and you will find a job.   

________________________________
From: Steven Hastalis <steve.hastalis at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Connie Davis <condav850 at gmail.com>
Sent: Wed, February 22, 2012 11:44:38 AM
Subject: Re: [il-talk] Vision requirement on job descripton

This correspondence brings to mind relevant language of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA).  Title I, which deals with employment, has a statement 
to this effect:  "Able to perform the essential functions of the job with or 
without reasonable accommodation."

In the course of my work at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), I gave guided 
tours on buses and trains, worked as an Information Specialist for public events 
and service disruptions.  I also helped establish bus and rail reroutes.  I the 
early years of my work there, some of my co-workers and managers questioned my 
competence to do such things as a blind person. Later on, however, they came to 
respect my competence and experience.  The man who ran the Employee Orientation 
Tours was happy to have me in his grouyp.  He knew about blindness from his 
previous experience with a mutual acquaintance who also is a Federationist.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Reif" <billreif at ameritech.net>
To: "NFB of Illinois Mailing List" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: [il-talk] Vision requirement on job descripton

> Hello Kelly and list,
> 
> In the case you describe, it is the ability to independently assess aspects of 
>the photos, and not the ability to see, that is the essential characteristic of 
>the job.  An astute recruiter would have described the qualification as it 
>relates to a job duty.  There are few activities that inherently require sight; 
>and in most cases, borrowing the sight of others will suffice.  I'm certain that 
>Patti Chang, through her staff, can adequately assess building conditions 
>through photo descriptions and reports.  Her ability to see the photos is less 
>important than the determinations the inspectors and the attorneys she 
>supervises make.  She, in a close case, would certainly question them regarding 
>details of the photos, which questioning would improve their investigative 
>abilities in the future.
> 
> In allowing a recruiter to state job requirements in terms of the ability to 
>see, you would open the door to their imposing their prejudices on the selection 
>process.  This is analogous to employers who, falsely believing the ability to 
>drive is an essential characteristic of their offered position, insist that 
>applicants hold a valid driver's license emen in cities where reliable public 
>transportation makes that requirement unnecessary.
> 
> We don't even know what type of position Glenn is applying for.  If only a 
>small percentage of the job requires visual acuity beyond what he has, that 
>situation can be reasonably accommodated.
> 
> Cordially,
> Bill
> 
> 
> On 2/20/2012 8:37 AM, Kelly Pierce wrote:
>> Glen,
>> 
>> Do you want the radiologist diagnosing suspected cancer to be blind
>> and unable to independently see the imaging films?  It sounds like
>> your position is that no job can ever require vision as a specific
>> quality from the applicant.  some jobs require without accommodation
>> visual analysis or visual monitoring as an essential part of the
>> position.
>> 
>> Kelly
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 2/20/12, GlennMooreIII at yahoo.com<GlennMooreIII at yahoo.com>  wrote:
>>> Maybe some of our lawyers could answer this:
>>> I'm paraphrasing, but is it legal for a company to state on a job
>>> description that an employee must have adequate vision to perform all
>>> requirements ef the job efficiently?
>>> (I can find out the exact wording if it helps)
>>> 
>>> If I understand correctly, the ADA only guarantees a disabled worker be
>>> provided with  accomodations to perform a job, if those accomodations are
>>> "reasonable" and that with them he or she would perform comperably to a
>>> typical qualified applicant or worker, and protect the worker from
>>> discriminatory hiring/firing if they can perform the job to standard, but
>>> can a company or NFP actually require a physical attribute to have or keep
>>> the job?
>>> 
>>> -Glenn III
>>> (from iPhone: 1 (847) 899-9801)
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> 
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