From The Executive Director by Mary D. Lopez, PhD
I have to admit that sometimes it is true - I do lay down on the job.
I suppose that a different executive director at a different place of employment might not be so quick to do such a thing, much less announce that he or she does it, but it is definitely true for me. I do lay down on the job!
It’s called an accommodation. As is true with many, many people who live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), fatigue is one of my top disabling conditions. I experience an over-whelming fatigue that is hard to describe, and is hard to understand. People always try to analyze my fatigue. Did I not sleep well the night before? Did I over-exert in the morning? Is it the weather? Am I stressed? Did I get too hot? Or is it my MS?!! The truth of the matter is, at any given time, it could be all of the above or none of the above, except for the fact that I do have MS, and fatigue is the most common symptom of many people with MS.
It is quite reassuring to work in a place where my disability is taken for what it is. When I start slurring my words or stammering or can barely hold myself upright, no one blinks an eye if I then go lie down. I even have a mat and a pillow tucked away for those times.
That is a simple enough accommodation. But what about for others with other disabilities? Some employers are nervous about hiring people with disabilities. There are several common misconceptions about doing so. One is that the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) forces an employer to hire unqualified people with disabilities, when in fact candidates must be qualified for the positions for which they apply - disability or no disability. Another misconception is that hiring a person with a disability means hiring a person who will be excessively absent from work due to illness. Since disability does not equal illness, people with disabilities are not more likely to call in sick and instead, usually have a better absentee rate than their non-disabled counterparts. Finally, a third misconception is that hiring a person with a disability will create huge accommodation expenses. The ADA does not require any action causing undue financial burden. In fact, most workplace accommodations cost very little as the removal of barriers to businesses can often be achieved through creative thinking and federal tax incentives.
Most accommodations for people with disabilities run less than $100. And returning to my accommodation, since I brought my own mat, IEC pays nothing for mine!
from Winter 2007 Newsletter, Volume 2 Issue 1
