Has anyone on here experienced disability discrimination in the work place?
I’m having a bit of a mare at the moment with my employer, I work for a well known Clothing shop (retail). I have scoliosis which they are aware of and having more tests as I’m having some serious nerve problems on my left side, which I’ve made them fully aware of.
basically after our store reopened due to Covid. I was put on the front door counting in and out customers, the standing onthe spot for 4 hours was agony. So they got me a chair for the first week this was fine with the main store manager.
but the second week the deputy manager was back and spoke to me really patronising in front of customers claiming that it was rude, unprofessional and unengaging despite chatting to every customer that entered the shop! I explained that I was in pain her reply was “what at this moment? Why are you here then?” Then proceeded to tell me that if I needed a chair it would need to be hidden behind the tills where customers can’t see.
I was so upset luckily it was near the end of my shift.
next day I went in and I was on the front door again in our work briefing with other staff and a different manager I asked if I could swap and told her about the day before what had happened. She basically shouted and belittled me in front of my colleagues that I shouldn’t be using a chair.
I then calmly said “if I was in a wheel chair you wouldn’t be saying that”
her reply “holly people in a wheel chair don’t have a choice But to have a seat, you do”
since then work has been extremely difficult and I have now been signed off as I am in agony just standing for a few minutes aswell as getting constant jolting/tremors in my left leg and right arm.
I get no disability benefits for my conditions something now I’m unfortunately looking into, I never thought I’d be like this at 29.
I’m having a bit of a mare at the moment with my employer, I work for a well known Clothing shop (retail). I have scoliosis which they are aware of and having more tests as I’m having some serious nerve problems on my left side, which I’ve made them fully aware of.
basically after our store reopened due to Covid. I was put on the front door counting in and out customers, the standing onthe spot for 4 hours was agony. So they got me a chair for the first week this was fine with the main store manager.
but the second week the deputy manager was back and spoke to me really patronising in front of customers claiming that it was rude, unprofessional and unengaging despite chatting to every customer that entered the shop! I explained that I was in pain her reply was “what at this moment? Why are you here then?” Then proceeded to tell me that if I needed a chair it would need to be hidden behind the tills where customers can’t see.
I was so upset luckily it was near the end of my shift.
next day I went in and I was on the front door again in our work briefing with other staff and a different manager I asked if I could swap and told her about the day before what had happened. She basically shouted and belittled me in front of my colleagues that I shouldn’t be using a chair.
I then calmly said “if I was in a wheel chair you wouldn’t be saying that”
her reply “holly people in a wheel chair don’t have a choice But to have a seat, you do”
since then work has been extremely difficult and I have now been signed off as I am in agony just standing for a few minutes aswell as getting constant jolting/tremors in my left leg and right arm.
I get no disability benefits for my conditions something now I’m unfortunately looking into, I never thought I’d be like this at 29.
Ive had two hospital admissions in last 2 weeks and work are making it really awkward and have extended my probation because of “sickness”
. I pulled ligaments on my left foot, same one I'd damaged six months before (a bleeping toast made me jump and land on my damaged foot). My work at the time was in museums, long days on my feet, but my boss wouldn't let me sit down at all (she even expected me to take two buses in when I couldn't get in after it happened to do the finances for a week). They were also dreadful with my mental health, and I'm a mental health advocate! Strangely, last week I had a meeting with my work after I had filed a formal complaint (a page and half typed) on how badly I'd been treated and awful things I'd witnessed. I'm changing careers from Monday, retraining, and feels right.
its so comfy!) Xxx