Friday, October 19, 2007
(Me): "Thanks for your candor. So, we know the downside. What would be the upside of such a health condition disclosure?"
(HR): "We would be able to address the needs of the individual through reasonable accommodations."
(Me): "That’s all the questions I have right now. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and you’ve given me things to think about."
(HR): "That’s why we’re here. So is there a reason for me to notify my superiors at this time to pursue this?"
(Me): "Not at this time. Thanks again."
My opinion has not changed in the least. For as much as I would like to "come clean" with this disclosure, chances are it would be career suicide. And really, the times I’d need this in a year are not terribly significant. But it would be nice to be able to say "The mania is really bad today, I’d like to drop a Seroquel and leave early". Or "I haven’t slept in 2 days, I’ll be in at noon". I work in a technical capacity, not an entry level position, but not professional and not management. I’m a typical IT grunt in a fast-paced industry, business-casual attire, ID badge hanging from my belt, cell phone on one hip, pager on the other, USB drive in my pocket at all times. I don’t make a lot of money, but if I were forced to start over in another industry I’d take a very serious income hit. So this is a big deal to me, and probably to many others out there.
I am very interested in other’s viewpoints on this. Has anyone successfully "come out" to their employer? Are there success stories? Does anyone have a horror story about this? Are there upsides I’m not seeing? I understand that a percentage of our peers are impacted in such a way that holding down a career is just not possible. I fully and completely understand this, and don’t want to exclude you, so please don’t hesitate to jump in with your opinions also. Let’s get a good discussion going on this.
..and to be honest, she was a childhood friend
that became principal in our local school where we both graduated from and both were employed at. 
..NO KIDDING>>>and to be honest, not to toot my own horn here, but the kids AND the teachers nominated me as Teacher of the Year...and I won! 
NOW what does that have to do with qualifying for a disability.
..anyway, she verbally made it clear that the problems i face as a Bipolar (although their doctor THEY chose would only say i had a Personality Disorder NOS) would not be conducive to a classroom....
although I don't have all the experience you do and I have failed in my ability to control this BP to the point of gainful employment is this....either contact the American Disability depts or DON"T TELL>>>>>not kidding.
..
....tread lightly and i hate to say it for how sad that we have to wear a mask
each day when we're already suffering enough.....but my advice and it may not be a good one...is this....beware and keep discrete....but that is from someone who went through discrimination and mistreatment of the system and is rather uhm paranoid now due to the ordeal....
but I still hang in there tehee.
,
KID you not!! 
I "came out" last fall to my direct supervisor about my having Bipolar and she was okay with it. Reason why is that she had mentioned a week earlier, in casual conversation, that her mom was Bipolar out the max and was having trouble taking her BP meds along with chemo.
The reason why the labor law attorney advises that you not disclose during the interview is because while an employer can not discriminate on the basis of blah blah blah - they can not offer you a job and give a reason of "we found someone whose qualifications fit our needs more readily" or "we chose to go with another candidate due to (his/her) credentials", etc..
Employers can not fire an employee with a stated documented disability and/or handicap due to the Americans with Disabilities Act. They also, once it is disclosed/documented, must provide reasonable accomodations so that the employee can perform his/her job. However, employers can get around this legal thing by stating that they are releasing you because you aren't able to perform your job satisfactorily, or they make it "hard" on you to the point you quit or mess up, or they release you based on your attendance (keep eye on tardies and such).
It is best if you disclose after you get the job but once you do - you have to be aware of potential consequences and yes - your supervisor/manager/director will be informed. The larger amount of people knowing your business - the larger amount of risk that someone will tell someone and so on and so on and so on....
I've had this happen to me twice - once for carpal tunnel and once for mental. I wasn't fired due to my disabilities/illness. I was fired because of tardies and job performance issues (though was awarded an outstanding employee throughout my work tenure in both places).
Tabby - that would be an ideal scenario, where you have a relationship with your immediate supervisor and you wouldn't have to worry about disclosure. And it worries me that if an employer wants to get rid of you, they can do it any number of different ways, no matter what a disability might be.
Thanks for sharing your story, and I'm envious of your relationship with your supervisor.
the supervisor who was good with the diagnosis is no longer my supervisor. i've had to obtain another job due to a "layoff" and a car wreck last spring. new employer - will not disclose to because i'm already having concerns with accomodations for my injuries due to my wreck and i have to get through yet another initial probationary period to see if they'll keep me on.
can't risk telling them about the BP at least not until I am sure I am perm. however employer is an "at will" employer meaning at anytime the employer can just let me go without any prior explanation.
Oh, and it would be really nice to be viewed as "sick" rather than incompetent. In the 2 jobs I did lose directly due but not given it as a reason - I was extremely competent to do the jobs. I just had periods where the actual performing, though didn't fail, just wasn't where I normally was at. That was the official reason given.