Okay, so I'm disabled with a temporary disability that I've had more than a year. Back problems and a bit of an issue with my leg, just to simplify it. Location: Australia. This post is kind of a rant, sorry. I'm just really ticked off about the situation.
In my cover letter I made this absolutely clear that I will need the option to sit. It was not a secret. I have been uploading this information along with every single job application I've done since becoming disabled.
So yesterday I get a call from a potential employer about a job application I had done the other day, at a “luxury” retail business that has multiple stores within the city, including multiple shopfronts at the local mall. I go into the job interview and give him a quick overview of my work history. But I make sure to inform him of my disability as well, and that it's the primary reason I've had such a huge recent gap in my work history. There's a little more discussion and, to paraphrase, he then says to me “this is a standing job”, and wants me to understand that. But I tell him that I feel like a chair is a reasonable accommodation for my disability. And… There's just something about the way he looked at me that really bothered me, as if he seemed offended that I was asking for it. He even mentioned (again I'm paraphrasing) that there were no chairs or stools for me to use, and that he'd have to talk to his superiors about it.
There's just something that really bothered me about the interactions, when I mentioned my disability. I don't really have the luxury of choice when I apply to jobs; since I don't have much money, and I've been looking for work for quite some time, and this was the first actual response from an application in a long, long, long time. It's the type of thing where I don't have the experience, but I need the job in order to get the experience. And I can't really do volunteer work right now because I need to spend time looking for work, doing class, other obligations, etc.
And he informs me that, since I have a bit of work history in data entry, that I should be applying to those types of jobs, because being at a desk will be so much easier for my disability, in his opinion (it's really not, since I need to stand at times). I say that I already have been applying for those jobs. He informed me that I'll easily get a job in that field, if I apply. Ummmmmmmm…. What? If it's so easy, how is it that I don't already have a job in the field, if I've already been applying so much?
Anyway, after a bit of conversation, we end the interview. And, after a night's sleep, I'm still ticked off by the way he seemed kind of bothered that I asked for a chair. I mean honestly, I think all workers should have the option of having a sit down, when they need to. Sitting down on the job does not automatically mean laziness. If people want to stand, fine. If people want to sit, that should be fine, too. Especially for cashier, retail type work, or even a bunch of hospitality jobs, etc, etc. Just my opinion.
I don't think I was asking for too much. But just the way he was acting, and his remarks, made me feel really, utterly awful about my situation.
(Note: I know it's highly unlikely that I'll get the job, because of my lack of experience. So I'm not bothered by the idea that I won't get the job. My main issue is his reaction to me needing an accommodation.)