I have a New Job

[titaniumed]

Rich

Here is something to start with.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) may be your best protection, given that it is unlikely (though possible) that the medical issues you have listed here rise to the level where they would be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The FEHA prohibits employment discrimination based on race or color; religion; national origin or ancestry, physical disability; mental disability or medical condition; marital status; sex or sexual orientation; age, with respect to persons over the age of 40; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.



Read more: can an employer ask my medical conditions or med... - JustAnswer http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...#ixzz0vrkfjMTA

Laws vary from state to state. There will be other laws regarding this subject matter in California.

Good thing I'm 31 now. LOL
Ed

[rich1752]

I am in law enforcement, but have been told that they will medically retire me. I think I have a job lined up in the casino business, but ws wondering if I have to disclose my surgery. Do we have to tell them? For the health insurance coverage? Just wondering.
rich

[Debra JGL]

Julie, Thanks for passing on such positive news about "life after surgery". I'm so happy for you to be enjoying your new job and feeling good. I don't know what to expect after surgery (short term or long term), sometimes I worry, feel anxious, am excited - mostly try to stay calm. I've been humming the lines "we will never know about the things to come, but we think about them anyway" by Carly Simon (heard it on the radio and can't get it out of my head). Anyway, it's great to hear your news and I wish you lots of success in your job!!

[dolores a]

Hi Julie, Congrats on your new job, I can relate to not wanting to be defined by my scolisis -- everyone in my family and at work (I've been here for 15 yrs) won't let me do anything, they think I'm going to break if stoop down to pick something off the floor, and it's been a little over a year since my surgery. Of course everyone is well meaning, but sometimes I just don't want the attention that it draws. Enjoy you new job!

[jsully]

Congratulations, I hope to go back to work in 4 weeks. I am thinking of getting some kind of pillow or doughnut for the office chairs at work. I don't like to sit in a hard chair too long.
Janet

[titaniumed]

Julie

Congratulations. Its good that you have a position where you are moving all the time. You would be surprised how much you walk during a shift, it can be many miles. This exercise will be a great benefit for you as it was for me.

I needed a new chair down at work and when I went to the store to pick it out, I lined up the candidates without any price shopping, and found out that the secretarial chairs seemed to feel best. It turned out that I had picked all the cheapest chairs in the store....

You will have your fatigue mornings as I do, just go in and move slow, most of the times I will just "walk it through"

I now have the ability to work 80 hours per week, and sometimes do. Its probably one of the complications of scoliosis surgery they don’t know about yet. LOL

Ed

[doodie]

Update

I have worked 2 full shifts at the new job and I am certainly surprising even myself! I was primarily concerned with fatigue issues prior to returning to work - just didn't know if I could handle so much but I have been fine! Better than fine - that might be because of the job. Great customers, great work team and always moving which is exactly what I like. I'm amazed and excited!!!

Thanks for all of your support here! My husband is still right here encouraging me but he will never understand what this experience has been like for me. I'm just so grateful to have found this forum and all of you to share with. I don't post nearly as much as I could but I do read regularly and I identify with so many of your stories!

Thanks for 'listening'!

[gmw]

Good for you, Julie! You go girl.....great attitude!

Glenda

[Confusedmom]

That's great! Good to be working around people who don't see you as limited--because you are not!

Evelyn

[naptown78]

Congratulations Julie! I know exactly what you are talking about!!! And yes you are a normal person , just better...

[debbei]

I just wanted to give an update for those facing surgery...There IS life after it!

I started a new job today - sales/store management/instructor at a Paper Source here in Reston. (VA) I had interviews last week and did not mention my surgery. I have no idea if I should have but I didn't, and I had the distinct feeling that I was traveling incognito as a 'normal' person. But this is so eye opening to me - no one suspects a thing! My friends (and assistant manager) from my former job know what surgery I had and I felt they had formed certain opinions about my abilities post-surgery. I am (so far) successfully passing myself off...and I am not about to say anything to anyone. Not that I am afraid I would lose my job or something, but I DO NOT want this surgery to define who I am, just as I never let the fact that I had scoliosis define who I was prior to the surgery. And I know you know what I'm talking about.....

So, for all of you contemplating surgery or a quickly approaching surgery, you can get through it AND be all the stronger for it!

Congratulations on your new job!!! You silly girl--yo don't have to pass yourself off as a normal person because you ARE a normal person now!!

[jrnyc]

hey, Julie..congratulations!

you sound like a perfectly "normal person" to me!

jess

[JenniferG]

Good for you Julie. That's a real good news post: getting back to normal!

[ADMoul]

Congratulations, Julie, on the new job and esp. on that "living life without focusing on scoliosis" attitude. That's my goal as I start back to school (work), even though I'm not as far along on the journey as you are. You, go girl!

[golfnut]

Congratulations on your new job. I'm glad you are doing so well!