[Nana E]

Hi all,

I would like your opinion please.

I have been a housewife for 30 years. 9 months ago, I got a job as a cashier in a store.

I started on Medication for ADHD about the same time. My boss is training me to take over a department.

During my Training yesterday, My Boss told me I get side-tracked a lot. I lose Focus on what I am doing. I try to do too many things at once, therefor nothing gets finished. And I am not aware of my surroundings. (This was constructive criticism.) And, I agree with everything he said.

So far, I have not found a Medication that works. I started on 40mg Ritalin 2 weeks ago, and it has been the best so far. I think an increase in dosage would help, but that can't be done until next month.

Here is where I need advice--My Boss doesn't know I have ADHD.

Should I tell him?

Because I have never worked before, I don't really know what I should and shouldn't say or do.

Please help!

[avlady]

Maybe you should, only because he's seeing your symptoms of your"condition" and doesn't know anything about illness such as yours and may think of firing you. I don't mean to scare you, but I was fired from a job as the boss didn't know I was schitzophrenic, and neither did I, until I was diagnosed with it after losing the job. You do know it, and employers now have rules etc they can follow and may not have the option of firing you because there are programs and such which help the employees with disbilities. you have a T? and doctor to get meds from?Even if you don't the company you work for could give you resourses to use to keep your job.

[LovelaceF]

I think it might be best for you to try to develop some strategies to compensate for your ADHD inattentiveness before telling your boss about it. Sometimes bosses will get scared off by a diagnosis like that, thinking you'll never improve your performance. Yes, it is illegal to discriminate but that's extremely hard to prove and they can always give a different and legal reason for firing.

Meanwhile, you can do things that will help keep you on track. For instance, write checklists and tape them to the desk/register. If you lose track you can refer back to the checklist easily. Prioritize your work tasks on a TO DO list and only try to do one thing at a time. When you're interrupted, take care of the customer but then immediately go back to your TO DOs.

Good luck!

[Nana E]

Originally Posted by LovelaceF

I think it might be best for you to try to develop some strategies to compensate for your ADHD inattentiveness before telling your boss about it. Sometimes bosses will get scared off by a diagnosis like that, thinking you'll never improve your performance. Yes, it is illegal to discriminate but that's extremely hard to prove and they can always give a different and legal reason for firing.

Meanwhile, you can do things that will help keep you on track. For instance, write checklists and tape them to the desk/register. If you lose track you can refer back to the checklist easily. Prioritize your work tasks on a TO DO list and only try to do one thing at a time. When you're interrupted, take care of the customer but then immediately go back to your TO DOs.

Good luck!

Thank you, I have tried writing checklists on post its, and keeping them on the drawer under my register. I remove them daily. Every time My Boss sees them, he says I can't do that, and he throws them away. I am just at a loss as to what to do.

[dapooh1]

I have also struggled with telling my supervisor since my ADD is causing me to get negative performance reviews; however, I'm afraid it will sound like "just an excuse" to someone who isn't familiar with the reality of adult ADD.

[Nana E]

Originally Posted by dapooh1

I have also struggled with telling my supervisor since my ADD is causing me to get negative performance reviews; however, I'm afraid it will sound like "just an excuse" to someone who isn't familiar with the reality of adult ADD.

I agree, thank you.