just lost my job

[wolfshades]

Trashman, I wonder if you would care to write out your story in a separate thread? Might be helpful to some of us. Or maybe you’ve already done so? If so can you post a link?

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[Anonymous]

vampy – You may have action based on EEOC . I don’t know if ADA (disability) provides protection.. Depending on the nature of the work, etc there may protection and job accommodation.

_______

There needs to more education to educate public and private sector on depression, ADHD/ADD, stress disorders, etc.

Another option for adults with ADD/ADHD is before it reaches the point of firing is to explore the short and long term disability options.

You have to work closely with an ADHD specialist to make sure the problem can be documented.

Every time that government gets involved it makes it more difficult for people with disabilities to get hired in the first place

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[Anonymous]

I have read some Dr.’s say you cannot work, others go on disability sit at home get your cheque well I do not want to do that, I want to work and just be accepted for who I am, that is all, I will take my medication but medication is not the answer I will have my days,

So what we need to is more education talk to Human Resource in company’s have information sessions, sounds so simple so why not this done,

Look at other interest groups how they got notice how they made changes so it’s time for us ADD folks to stand up and stop being pushovers change can happen but now is the time to fight for it fight for our rights

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[Anonymous]

The bottom-line is that employers are missing out on many good, loyal employees by not educating themselves

on ADHD, stress, depression issues that impact employees. Government has no clue how to solve it because all they

can do is pass legislation that is not well thought out and makes it more difficult for people who want to find jobs

I was diagnosed in the early 90’s with depression and was told I was not meant to work in the everyday work world.

‘You are just not geared for the professional job you are in’

Needless to say I persevered and continued to face setbacks and yes job loss. What would have made life easier is if I had

some help doing some of the expense reporting, etc. I had no problem with the complex tasks (interesting stuff). The administrative stuff was my downfall.

Now 20 years later in Nov ’11 I was diagnosed with ADD and the foggy brain, racing thoughts, concentration are being managed

by stimulants. I still have much to learn and many behaviors to change. I have a better chance at succeeding

I am starting a new job tomorrow. Part of me is very excited. I am very worried going in to a new job that I am going to be

to do what I need to do . I would love to be able to tell my employer that if I had some limited admin support I would be

even more productive. If I told them i had ADD and asked for support….well I think I would have some BIG problems

Solutions take time and it is a major battle combating the ignorance of the public, government and private sector.

Yes i can laugh at the occasional ADD joke …. but guess what it is no longer funny when it is used against people.

The short term solution for me is to work with my doctor, work with an ADD coach to help me make the changes I need.

I want to have a balanced life as well. I don’t want to work 80 hours a week and pay for it in terms of my health and my sanity

All of us want to work, we want to be productive. and yes be happy.

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[Anonymous]

Hey Robert it is like hearing from myself with your last comment, my story is similar but my ADD stories are sad

I was placed in special classes in Grade 2 with children with severe learning disabilities some on the border of retardation ( can we still use that word ) then for the duration of my grade school picked on bullied even by teachers, I was humiliated on a trip to Quebec tied to a change with soiled underwear on my head, I wound up in the eighties full of anger at one point spent a night in jail to calm me down, I went to the top shrink in Toronto at the time Dr. Jerry Cooper he was useless, so I went through majority of my life untreated, then in middle 90’s seen another shrink he though I was depressed and borderline bipolar so they gave anti-depressants, it was towards the 2000’s I started to get tested for ADD got the Ritalin but I never fully understand the true nature of ADD, so off I went to the UK I stop taking my medication I felt the change of scenery would be good I needed a break my mother died in 2000 so 5 years latter I moved to the UK , then in 2009 I got tested again in the UK and it was stated I have ADD, but then in 2008 I found the job I loved and by accident I was posting on Facebook in UK Add groups, just to get more information etc, The company must of found me on facebook because the let me go stating I did not pay attention you know the usually bullshit that companies give you.

Moving forward I am still bouncing through jobs still cannot afford the medication, I would love to have coaching but it is not covered under our Provincial Canadian OHIP plan or my medication, and yes the Dr says maybe you cannot work ,

It is all bullshit to me all I want is a normal life nothing grandiose nothing spectacular, I am not rich I cannot preach the moon about coaching because I cannot afford it.

What this site does not tell you is this unless you have some great plan at work or are making a very good salary or even a actor you will have a tough time coping with this condition, or some would say a gift.

Lets be honest here it sucks to know you have a genetic disorder, in other words the very things that make you what you are is screwed up and you will be passing this mess to your kids and so on and so forth, my son has ADD though the Dr states he does not.

Going back to companies it is just pure arrogance on their part and also are inept Governments here in Canada, I want to work that is all, but I want people to just accept me for who I am, accept my differences , and do not judge me because I have a brain fart, this is the way I was born I cannot get a new brain can I

As you can tell I am bitter, I am bitter on not being able to receive the proper support because of money I am tired of a Country a Government that just does not give a shit.

So I got it out how I feel to the world do I feel good no because I feel like this all the time, bitter angry

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[trashman]

I will try to do it this evening ! with the link.

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[Anonymous]

Hi Revelations,

You and i are on the same page as far as wanting to lead a ‘normal’ existence.

I am truly sorry you went through all the labeling and name calling, etc.

In my case I have had family support and I was able to stay on track for most of my education.

The impact of ADD on my adult life has caused so many problems in relationships, work, etc

Governments are useless because of the way they approach it. The legislation is not at the level it is needed.

It is the same on both sides of the border. I am from Canada and now live in the US (past 10 years).

I believe that change has to happen at the individual employer level. The government could provide incentives through

tax breaks that encourage hiring for people with ADD/ADHD.

Employers have their heads in the sand. If they looked at the issue from a cost/benefit standpoint they would

find that the people with ADD/ADHD with some accommodation will out work the rest

The other point you raised abut not having the benefit plans or better salary is a problem.. That is where government should target

some support. For example providing access to coaching and other programs that target specific needs. The person with ADD/ADHD then becomes more productive and can work in the man stream work environment.

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[trashman]

Whom Greetings all, at this time I am unable to find the information that you are asking for. All I have done is to apply for the disability disability tax credit. I believe this information can be found on the revenue Canada website if you Google them. All you have to look for is the application form for the T2 22 tax credit.

I think that the only difference might be is the reason I was put on disability in the first place. It is due to how I scored in the testing for the ADD diagnosis. It seems to show that I have ADHD and several learning disabilities. The thing that gave me the ability or the lack thereof to be put on disability is the fact that my IQ score was on the very borderline of low normal. I believe this is what my psychiatrist use to justify putting me on disability and the reason I could not be retrained for other duties due to the ADHD and the three learning disabilities and unreliable memory. So this might not be an avenue that all can use. If I am able to find the link and posted I will do it as soon as I can. The problem is I am a little bit ADHD. L OL.

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[wolfshades]

No problem, trashman. I was just curious. Thanks for sharing your story.

I wonder: was your disability approved the first time through or was it rejected and you had to appeal? My understanding that all submissions are rejected at first as a matter of course.

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[trashman]

Wolf shades, good question . I am in the Manitoba so we are neighbors. and the difference is I have both disability insurance andmy cpp disability at this time. and so at this time, I have not lost any income nor will I have any more struggles with my disability insurance through work. They try to deny my claim but my doctor went to bat for me. And when she gave them her credentials and let them know she was an associate professor at our local university will then they had no choice but to approve my claim. I am hoping at at the time that I have to apply for long-term that this will not be a problem because I’m already on CPP disability, and they say this is the most difficult insurance to be approved for. For me it was not the most difficult it was the private disability insurance through work that gave me all the grief I think that third thought was and always is that if they deny a claim people will not challenge their decision. I was one of the lucky people that have a very good doctor. Without her in my corner helping me through that difficult paper maze I would’ve not made it on my own.

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[wolfshades]

Thanks for the update on that, trashman. I agree: their thinking is that enough people won’t bother to fight to appeal their initial denial so the pressure on the entire program will be limited. Which is why if I were in that position, I would already expect to be turned down and have to appeal right away. Probably most doctors know the score on this too. It’s maddening but probably effective, from the disability insurers and CPP view.

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[trashman]

http://www.cra.gc.ca/disability hi all, here is the link for the T2201 tax credit information that some of you were asking for. I finally learned how to put up the link . this information is for you to get your doctor to fill out. once approved then you can send them a request to add the credit for up two ten years. the trick is the letter of re quest has to be written for each year individually. so that means 10 letters. and each one just has to ask to add the T2201 tax credit to the year you are asking for.

hope this helps!! sorry that I am a little slow. : This is in Canada only

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[halfright]

Have to say I’m kind of torn on some of the posts.

I have all the same issues, especially the loathing of administrative tasks that I always seem to procrastinate on…taxes, reports, correspondence etc etc etc.

I feel your pain. However, I also feel the pain of business owners.

The key is this, if you have ADHD or ADD it’s ok, just make sure you OWN that and find way to manage.

It sucks, but there is no way around it. I struggle everyday, but I can’t give that excuse to my employees if they don’t get paychecks next week. I have no choice but to find work arounds…and alot of those time, those work arounds are expensive.

However, You can turn it in your favor. If you know you’re going to struggle with expense reports, take initiative and find a way to solve the prolem yourself. You might have to hire someone to help you, or a coach. That will impress your employer and not burden your manager with your unique challenges.

Businesses fail because administrative details slip through the cracks. I’m in both camps here. I have to do things that I hate as an owner so that we can pay our employees and make sure competition doesn’t stea- roll us. It’s draining, but it exposes your weaknesses and strengths pretty quickly. Accept it and try and learn from your mistakes.

Don’t ask your employer to own your ADD/ADHD.

Another thought…don’t let perfection get in the way of good enough. Armed with the knowledge that we have ADD or ADHD we should own that it’s now our responsibility to make the necessary adjustments to manage the tasks that our jobs require, if we can’t then obviously it wasn’t the right job in the first place.

Start-up environments always appealed to me becuase they tend to be sink or swim and you just jump into the middle of the action and figure it out as you go. I struggle when the start-up days fade and the focus is on the details, processes, procedures etc. More to manage, more planning and less reacting…not ADD/ADHD friendly, but you can find a way.

Hope this was helpfull, not trying to chastise anybody.

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