The Forums › Forums › The Workplace › Other › Help! my boss doesn't beleve in ADD › Re: Help! my boss doesn't beleve in ADD
Hi, David
For people like us with ADD in the workplace, you have to learn to advocate for yourself in these situations. Public awareness and acceptance is starting to change, although slowly. If you check online, you will find a lot of business e-zines (electronic magazines) have articles about the impact of ADD in the workplace and provide useful information to employers on how to help people with ADD succeed. That may be another source of information you can print and provide to your boss.
The good thing is that your boss is looking to help you. Maybe direct him to this site. Or, print some of the general information available here at this website.
I’d say you may need to check whatever federal or provincial (do you use the term provinces or states in Oz?) legislation to protect worker’s rights and does it include specific language for people with mental disabilities? In Canada, especially in Ontario, ADD is considered a mental disability and you have rights under legislation. This would be a good thing to know, but filing a complaint using them, or under human rights tribunals or committees should be the last resort. Always try to find accommodation for your ADD working with your boss rather than clobbering him with government investigations. Just be armed with that information and gently inform your boss that under legislation that ADD is recognized as a mental disability, if that is indeed the case.
Are you a member of a union? Perhaps they can help you deal with your boss.
Yes, it’s tough to deal with all this yourself. But because, as ADDers, when we choose to do something we can work harder and longer than most anyone else and this may be the case for you also. The other thing is that by researching all this you will feel a little better about yourself. If reading and writing are difficult for you, do you have anyone in your immediate family or friends that can help you with all this? Or, family service agencies may have counselors that can help and advise you.
Hope this helps…and good luck.
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