Migraine Headaches Support Group
Migraine is a neurological disease, of which the most common symptom is an intense and disabling episodic headache. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head and are often accompanied by photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), phonophobia (hypersensitivity to sound) and nausea.
I've finally hit the 1 year mark at my current position (after temping for almost a year prior to being officially hired on, so more like 2 years here) and was able to get my FMLA paperwork put in. Oddly enough my company had no problem with the missing work part of the FMLA, but they're driving me INSANE with the part where my doctor asked for me to have a darker space to work in.
My office is fairly small, and the darker ares are the larger, closed-in cubicles in the back where the more senior staff sit. I get that they don't want to uproot senior staff for junior staff, so I suggested some kind of screen for over my desk to block some of the overhead light. It's been weeks now of back and forth fighting between the partners here and HR in the big city office and myself. The partners don't like odd looking things disturbing the beauty of the office, local HR is treating me like some kind of criminal and national HR doesn't understand what the delay is. The back and forth is utterly insane.
I think the problem is that our local offices have never had to deal with a medical accommodation and don't see why they have to. National HR over on the other side of the country has had to deal with this and know exactly what to do, but are relying on the local people to actually do it. Only they aren't.
Have any of you gone through this? Any suggestions for products for blocking light in a cubicle?
Now to answer your question. If they are really dragging their feet, and you are going nowhere, I would talk to HR about the ADA-Americans with Disability Act. One provision of the act states:
"Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants or employees. A “reasonable accommodation” is a change that accommodates employees with disabilities so they can do the job without causing the employer “undue hardship” (too much difficulty or expense).
If you have to use FMLA because of your migraines, I would think that would qualify as a disability. Asking for decreased lighting should not be an undue hardship for your employer, and if they ignore you, you could sue. Of course I would never threaten HR to sue, but I bet once you bring up the ADA, and if you can get your doctor to write a letter about your condition, they would change their attitude very quickly.
That's just my recommendation. You may not want to go down that road. But I don't think it would hurt just by saying to HR "don't I need to be accomodated under the ADA?
Anyway, I really do hope that it all works out for you. And again, I would check out those migraine glasses. They really, really do help with all types of light sensitivity.
Good luck to you!
I just hope they don't have to dilate my pupils this time. The second they shine that light into my dilated pupils it causes an INSTANT migraine.
I had been getting around 8-9 migraines a month. After I got the TheraSpecs (indoor for constant wear, and outdoor for driving outside wear) they dropped DRAMATICALLY to around 1 a month, sometimes I would even SKIP an entire month! They have been the MOST effective treatment for my migraines to date!
YvetteK, you are a saint and a hero. My neurologist calls them my magic glasses and is now referring them to all his patients. I cannot ever thank you enough!!