[HowDoYouFeelMeow?]

I've been struggling for over a year to get the HR person at my work to formalize basic ADA accommodations for a documented mental disability. There is amble evidence that I'm a qualified worker. Every time I would check in on the progress, nothing would be done and they'd say "I'll look into it and get back to you." This pattern continued for many months, then they started trying to falsely place the blame on me for not reminding HR of my request more often. It definitely felt like victim blaming for their unreasonable delays, which is a big trigger that exacerbates the condition for which I am actually seeking accommodations and amplifies feelings of extreme worthlessness.

After calming down from the last time this happened, I was thinking, "Who does something like that?! Something so ironically inappropriate?!" And then it hit me. It isn't about me. Something is very wrong with our HR person. Something big. I asked around, and that big thing may very well be alcoholism.

I still need my accommodations to feel safe at work, but at the same time I feel compelled to protect this individual who is suffering and not pester them, even though they hurt me and are not currently competent at their job. The company I work for is not huge, and it feels like I've stumbled upon one of those secrets that's analogous to the "Now that I've told you, I'll have to kill [fire] you" situations. It's a messy battle amongst assertively getting what I need, empathetically looking out for the suffering HR person, and mindfully protecting my job because now I may know too much.

[SMRY]

I worked in HR for nearly 3 decades and one of my responsibilities was handling ADA requests. Your HR person is clearly incompetent and is violating ADA law. It’s her responsibility to respond to your request in a timely manner. Do not let this linger any longer because you feel sorry for this “suffering” HR person. I would file a complaint through the EEOC - that will get your company to take action real fast. Do not suffer this fool who clearly cannot handle her job.

[seesaw]

I agree with SMRY, as I have had to go through HR multiple times for reasonable accommodations. What I would suggest first is giving them a deadline and saying if they cannot do something by X date then you will have to file a complaint with the EEOC. So give them a chance to fix it first, knowing that you will take action if it is not.

I say this because EEOC complaints get messy (and also take about 9 months to resolve).

Seesaw

[SMRY]

Originally Posted by seesaw

I agree with SMRY, as I have had to go through HR multiple times for reasonable accommodations. What I would suggest first is giving them a deadline and saying if they cannot do something by X date then you will have to file a complaint with the EEOC. So give them a chance to fix it first, knowing that you will take action if it is not.

I say this because EEOC complaints get messy (and also take about 9 months to resolve).

Seesaw

I do not recommend telling incompetent HR person - or anyone else - of any intentions of filing complaint with EEOC...do not play your hand; just go ahead and do it. The OP has been trying to get resolution for a year and that’s long enough and unacceptable. In my experience, once an organization receives an EEOC complaint, they will scramble to do what’s necessary to resolve issue. If successful, the complainant will usually withdraw the complaint.

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by SMRY

I do not recommend telling incompetent HR person - or anyone else - of any intentions of filing complaint with EEOC...do not play your hand; just go ahead and do it. The OP has been trying to get resolution for a year and that’s long enough and unacceptable. In my experience, once an organization receives an EEOC complaint, they will scramble to do what’s necessary to resolve issue. If successful, the complainant will usually withdraw the complaint.

That has not been my experience. I was fired for filing an EEOC complaint, which I then had to file another complaint about, and it's still under investigation. As I said, the EEOC takes about 9 months to investigate, so the employer could sit on their hands for another 9 months and then the EEOC has to determine if there was discrimination or not. It's notoriously slow.

[SMRY]

Originally Posted by seesaw

That has not been my experience. I was fired for filing an EEOC complaint, which I then had to file another complaint about, and it's still under investigation. As I said, the EEOC takes about 9 months to investigate, so the employer could sit on their hands for another 9 months and then the EEOC has to determine if there was discrimination or not. It's notoriously slow.

I’m sorry that happened to you. Firing someone for filing an EEOC complaint is against the law as you know. Yes I’m well aware of how it takes forever for EEOC to investigate complaints! If you don’t already have one, and can afford it, I would hire an employment attorney and file a civil lawsuit against the company that fired you.

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by SMRY

I’m sorry that happened to you. Firing someone for filing an EEOC complaint is against the law as you know. Yes I’m well aware of how it takes forever for EEOC to investigate complaints! If you don’t already have one, and can afford it, I would hire an employment attorney and file a civil lawsuit against the company that fired you.

Yup, already there. We still have to wait 9 months for the EEOC to finish their investigation before we are allowed to sue.