[Nfbmo] employment question

Sun Sep 25 19:11:39 UTC 2011

All, I have been under the impression that in order for the ADA to protect
you that you must declare your disability with your employer and when you do
most employers are going to require documentation of that disability.  Are
these impressions not correct?  What if Jenny's employer wants her to go to
their doctor for an evaluation?  I know they did with another employee that
they just fired.

I have already been working with Jenny to find an acceptable low vision aid
but honestly while my computer skills are top notch, my knowledge of low
vision aids are not and I agree with Susan, I am too emotionally involved to
be any type of official technological  expert.

Thanks,
Randy Carmack

On Sun, Sep 25, 2011 at 9:47 AM, Susan Ford <johnsusanford at earthlink.net>wrote:

> Jenny:
>
> Hello.  It's been a long time, seems like.  Debbie and Dan have started you
> on the right track.  I think it is important for you to know exactly what
> programs you are required to use on the computer at work.  Some programs may
> work better with certain speech programs.  I know that you use Jaws, but
> what word processor does your work use?  What email do they use?  Do you
> fill out forms and if so, do you access them through a special program?  You
> may want RSB to ask for a rehab engineering eval to make sure that
> everything is compatible.  Your vision may be stable right now, but since
> with glaucoma your chance of losing vision may be higher, I would make sure
> everything is in place; the sooner the better.  That may mean those Braille
> skills too.  I think you know that large print is usable too, so perhaps
> Zoomtext plus or something that can be used with large print and speech is
> what you need.  You need to talk to someone like Gary, Denny Huff or Greg
> Mark to make sure everything is in order for you.  Your rehab counselor
> might help with discussing the situation with your supervisor, but you might
> choose to talk to someone like Dan, who has some of the same experiences
> with vision loss that you do.  Cari and Chris are both pretty knowledgable
> about computers too, and Bryan Schulz--all of whom live in St. Louis.  Oh,
> and Diana, Nancy Lynn and Fred.  And you know what Randy knows, but I think
> it would be better to keep him out of the situation, other than as your
> sounding board.  And probably a letter in your file from your rehab
> counselor would be good.  Don't turn in anything like that till you have
> read it.  If you have any questions about such a letter (how things are
> phrased) talk to Gary before you give it to your supervisor.  Sometimes
> doctors and counselors try to help and their comments are more damaging that
> it would have been if they said nothing.
>
> Sorry to go on, but your question stimulates lots of others questions.
>
> Susan Ford
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenny Carmack" <jcarmack314 at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB Listserv" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 9:18 PM
> Subject: [Nfbmo] employment question
>
>
>  Hi everyone.  I have never posted on here before, although I read what
>> everyone posts regualarly.  Anyway I have a question that I am pretty sure
>> someone can answer.  First let me give you a little background
>> information.
>> I am a mentor teacher for an early head start program in St. Louis city.
>> In
>> this position I have many job duties from working as a teacher to training
>> teachers to supervising teachers.  This program serves children who are
>> six
>> weeks to three years old.  I have worked in this program for eight years.
>> During this time I have worked under several different supervisors, most
>> of
>> who have been supportive of me and worked with accomadations that I may
>> need.  Two weeks ago a new director started and she wants us to move to
>> using the computers more.  She does not seem very happy to hear that I
>> will
>> have some trouble with this as none of the computers at my job have any
>> speech or enlarging programs on them.  I can use a computer without any
>> adaptation for a short while.  The new director has not said anything to
>> me
>> about this, but her sighs and body language that come out when I try to
>> talk
>> to her are making me uneasy. My eyesight has not changed over the past
>> eight
>> years, but my job requirements have.   Several people have suggested that
>> I
>> get my eye doctor to write a litter which would declare my disability to
>> give to my employer to be placed on file.  My questions are,  Should I get
>> this letter and what should this letter should be included in this letter
>> and is there anything that should not be mentioned in this letter? Thanks
>> for your help.  Jenny Carmack
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