THE FINE ART OF REQUESTING
JOB ACCOMMODATIONS
EDITOR'S NOTE:
This was written
by our expert before she came to the Sunshine State. All negative anecdotes and complaints about
bosses are based on incidents in Ohio, not Miami.
If
you have a disability, then you’re probably familiar with the “20 favors a day”
concept.
I
once had a friend of mine, a wheelchair user, employ this phrase to describe
all those little extras people with disabilities need help with.
The
heavy door, the dropped book, the object on a too-high shelf.
As
a rheumatoid arthritis survivor and power chair user, occasionally I ask
friends and co-workers for a moment of assistance, and they’re often happy to
help.
Still,
I’d prefer not to have to ask, feeling just a smidgen of guilty reluctance each
time I have to grab someone’s attention.
When
the stakes are upped, and the “favor” is more complex or costly (in dollars
and/or effort), things get tricky.
It’s
especially true when I’m requesting something of my supervisor, the one who
evaluates me, gives me orders and has direct control over whether I get a
paycheck.
ARTICLE CONTINUES TOMORROW -- MARCH 13
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