Work asking why I "habitually" late in am (& enemas (do help at night).

I think it's best to let your boss know your health issues. It is impacting your work if you are late regularly. Then you can try to work out some thing satisfactory to both of you like staying for an extra fifteen minutes at the end of the day.

You could also ask for a later starting time or get up fifteen minutes earlier

Hi Kat,

This is something that really hits home with me as well. The funny thing is I am on the opposite end as you so to speak... I don't want to make this to long and wordy of a post, but it's hard not to on this topic. I feel its very important many of us figure out how to handle this as it can only contribute to our future success in the workplace.

As a business owner - I completely understand where they are coming from. Habitual lateness and clocking in for hours as Probiotic said is just part of our culture. From a business owner perspective - If things need to be done at 9am or if customers are waiting etc and there is no employee to help them, then business suffers. Lateness can effect a lot of different responsibilities in which we, as a business "owner" or "manager" pay for this not to be a problem. Also if your late all the time - even 15 min, yet everyone else is on time - then what message is that sending to the other employees - so in your bosses mind they are saying I have to deal with this.

As someone with this Illness - I am the one, not my employees, that is habitually late in the mornings when I am in a flare. I actually have to answer to them. "Are you on your way? Someone is in the lobby waiting to see you..." It can at times be a common cell phone conversation. It makes me feel as though I am the one letting them down and setting a bad example, when I should be leading and inspiring.

Lodi and Probitoic are correct - You have to talk with them. ASAP.

Here is the problem though:

You may sit down with them, (which I have eventually done with my employees) and discuss the issue. Explain the illness a little to them (which is a bit of an awkward and embarrassing talk) and they may say oh, I understand. I'm sorry to hear that etc. Do your best please and we'll see how it goes.

But the fact is they don't - or they soon forget. It's hard for people without this disease to understand how difficult mornings can be for us. The freedom to just get up and run off first thing in the morning without a second thought. They really can't compute it. It's foreign to them. It's this freedom that I miss more than anything to be honest.


Here's what I personally think would help: To turn things on the positive side:

Have a face to face talk with your boss as soon as you can, BUT I think it would be just awesome to also have a letter - or something written that you could hand to them explaining a little of the how's and why's of the disease (not so much in graphic detail), but explaining the disease and the issues we face each and every day. That way they can read it in private and take time to fully absorb it. Without the awkward looks and fear of asking questions face to face. If no one explains the challenges to them, they'll never be able to fully understand.

Have the letter point out that for us - Our ultimate goal and desire it to be "on-time" or even a little early. "It's our dream" really. Something that enforces that we are not trying to use our illness as an "excuse" to be late - but rather the opposite - we'd love to always be on time and when we simply cannot, we're willing to stay just a little later or work that little bit harder to make up for it...

Educating your co-workers is really the only answer as far as I can see.

I'd be very interested in hearing what others have to say on this as well. I'd also be willing to have an employee of mine (Adam), who is amazing with words, help draft something up in a professional format if anyone felt it would help. Sort of like a form letter that addresses some questions and answers.

Mark

You may not like this but I can give you the perspective of someone who has UC and is an employer too. If you have no problems getting to work the same time every day 8:05 - 8:15 then you should have no problems doing whatever you have to do in the mornings 15 minutes earlier and getting to work at 8:00 every day. That may seem harsh but it is the truth. It's not a crime to arrive at 7:45 on your good days.

I was having so much trouble with my UC that I could no longer perform the essential functions of my position; which is justification for termination according to the Americans with Disabilities Act if reasonable accommodations can not be made by employer. I contacted my HR department and was told to tell my supervisor everything, I was told by him he had to terminate me. I contacted HR and told them and the woman that told me to tell my supervisor became furious, she got my job back pending medical review. To make a long story short, if your supervisor is giving you flack after you have explained everything, then you need to talk to HR. HR has individuals that are familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Equal Employment Opportunities Act; HR may need to talk to your supervisor. I have had to go to HR twice in 3 years because of my treatment by supervisors, it was amazing how accommodating they became after HR stepped in.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)you are entitled to a "reasonable accomodation." You could play that card, either with HR if they are any good and up to date on such things, or have an attorney (a legal aid group ought to be able to handle it at a low or no cost) write a letter, make a phone call. But you need to be reasonable, calm, too! Don't cry or write letters or emails in frustration, it just doesn't help. I really think it would be wise to get a knowledeable advocate to speak for you, considering where things have gone so far.

It is only recently that UC was found to be a disabiltiy, even though the symptoms come and go.

I get up 1/2 to an hour earlier in the mornings to make sure there won't be any issues for my commute to work.