I worked at a hospital in northern Virginia. My job was to be in the front lobby and greet patients and visitors when they entered the hospital and find out their destination. After I found out their destination I would escort or wheel their wheelchair to their destination. I had to stand for 40 hours a week. I developed swollen legs and feet from the standing and then the pinched nerve in my lower back started hurting. At one point I almost collapsed while pushing a wheelchair because my leg was so painful. I was told I could sit on my 15 minute morning break or on my half hour lunchtime. One day I was in such pain I sat down in the lobby and it was not break time. I was fired because of that. I will be 70 in January. I was told when I was fired that one of the bosses "expects everyone to be healthy". Is this not a naïve attitude when you are working with people? Especially when your employees are almost 70. Frustrated Senior
I used to work at an orthopedic center where women had to escort patients. What they did was work a shortened shift and/or take turns. It's too bad the hospital where you worked was so unaccommodating.
Wouldn't a simple chair fix this situation? We all have abilities and disabilities. If you are having trouble seeing get glasses. If you are having trouble hearing get a hearing aid. If you are having problems standing get a chair. It is a simple accommodation that your employer should be able to provide for you. Under the "American Disabilities Act" ADD for short they should be able to provide you with a chair.
Hello Ellen. When reading your post, the word "integrity" comes to mind. No, I'm not talking about the company that hired you or the manager. Not all jobs are for all people. Disabled or not. Senior or not. I am 61 and have been working very physical jobs all my life. I have a fake knee, a fake hip and a fake shoulder. Needless to say, I am in extreme pain every day and now my good shoulder is falling apart .I still am on my feet 12 hours a day. I do not sit down on my breaks because I'm not sure I will be able to get back up and that's not an exaggeration. On to my point. When you say down for your interview did you ask about what the job requirements were? Or did you just say you could do the job, no problem? You see, I am a manager and nobody thinks about how these situations impact the manager that hires them. Hell, some people think managers hire and fire people just for fun! This is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. I know for a fact that one of the things a manager is judged on, is his/her ability to hire the right person for the job. So if a manager hires too many people that later must be terminated, this calls into question their ability to do their job at all. I have seen many managers fired for this very reason. Not to mention, it truly makes a person feel like crap to have to terminate someone. The hiring process also costs a great deal of money to the company and takes up a great deal of that managers time that they never get paid extra to do. Yes they must still keep up with their daily work while also going through and interviewing all candidates. If they don't, they will be terminated for that. Many people have never read let alone understand any of the employment laws. The Americans with disabilities Act was not put into place so every disabled person can get every job. It was not put into place so that a person with a disability could never be terminated even if they could not perform the job and it was not put into place so a company has to bend over backwards to accommodate a disabled person. It was put into place in the event of a person who had been doing a job successfully was disabled, they could have a chance to perform that job, with reasonable accommodations by the company. Reasonable is the key word. They are not required to change your job description or talor a job to your needs of that day. In the law it clearly states that a disabled person is still required to meet any and all quotas that a non disabled person is. So how would this company make a reasonable accommodation so you could do this job? Not another job, not the one on the second floor but this one. The one that during the interview, you said you could do. If you ask any back doctor, they will tell you that sitting down is the worst thing for your back. This is why people that sit at a desk all day long account for a good majority of back claims through workman's comp. This is also why many companies are making desks now that a person can use standing up. So with you saying you have a pinched nerve, sitting would not be the answer. It would help with your feet but in the end make your nerve issue worse and the company knows this. So if you were the manager, what would be your answer in this situation?
Hi Ellen. That job you were doing at that age could harm you.The person that fires you for sitting down to ease your pain i don't think he or she has parents or grand parents. Instead of getting for you something more manageable they fire you.I think that was an excuse to get rid of you. Anyway Ellen don'tn worry talk to GOD
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM, I AM A SIXTYFIVE YEARS OLD AND MY LEGS HURT WHEN I STAND FOR LONG PERIODS AT A TIME, TELLME WHAT I CAN DO FOR THE PAIN.
File with commission on human rights age discrimination
God bless you to find loads of better opportunities in the new year!!
So sorry you had to experience that. People can be so cold. God bless you I know that God will open a better door of opportunity for you.
Ellen, They didn't deserve you. Have you ever tried working at a call center? You sit and answer phones 40 hours per week. You gotta love answering phones and dealing with people's issues. Most of the people I have spoken with are pretty nice. They fully train and pay you while you train. Check out call centers if you like the phone. The pay is pretty good too:) I'm 70 and that's what I love to do. I recently retired from that, but I like working Saturdays delivering Pizza and making nice tips. The rest of the days are mine to do what I want with, and I am loving every minute of it. God bless and good luck!
Wow; there is a special place in hell for people like your supervisor. Rest in the fact that one day he/she will find themselves in a situation similar to yours. Karma is real and can be life changing. (Unfortunately you probably will not be there to see it)