job interview

[addiesue]

I had a job interview today to work in a cash office at retail store. It went very well. Hours are perfect for me, I have the background, liked the people, etc. Then the woman interviewing me at the end said I'm just not sure if we can rearrange the cash office well enough for you to fit in there. Is this a legal thing to say? She said she'd think everything over and give me a call. I really liked her up until that point.

[addiesue]

The door is plenty wide but there is so much stuff in there I can't get to it to swing it open and they keep the money bags on a high shelf. Otherwise everything is accessible in this place.

[jadedcowgirl]

Let me guess Wal-mart?! To answer your ? NO IT IS NOT LEGAL. According to ADA Law they have to provide REASONABLE Accomidations.

[addiesue]

Sears

[SCI-Nurse]

Write this up and mail it to yourself. Don't open the envelope. This woman needs some education from their HR department. She set herself up for a EEOC complaint by you. Call the HR department and let them know. If she offers the job to someone else because she does not want to accomodate you, she is in violation of the law (and so is Sears).

(KLD)

[tasty]

addiesue, your local state Vocational Rehabilitation office has the capacity to do an on-site eval for you. This will be no cost to you or the employer. A rehab engineer will come in and advise you on the best way to insure accessibility for your entire workday. Personal items, like a computer or specialized software, may even be provided, if they will HELP YOU DO YOUR JOB. This service will not only be helpful, but will also put the employer on notice that a state agency is aware of the situation, and they may be less anxious to dismiss you for reasons of disability.

[LaMemChose]

Whoa, Lady C! Glad the interview went well to that point, but that lady really tanked it saying what she did.

Sears' parent company recently paid fines (rather insignificant, IMO, considering the size of the corporation) and settled out of court with a disabled employee for failing to allow reasonable accomodation for the employee. The employee had asked to enter a store entrance closest to her department (denied) and also, to eat her lunch/dinner in a back room instead of a common area within a mall quite a distance from her department (denied).

The Sears management blew it with her.

Sears, as a whole, doesn't have the best record for ADA compliance.

The woman you interviewed with was/is a legal idiot.

KLD gave you excellent advice re: an unopened letter to yourself.

BTW, July 26 marks the 16th anniversary of the signing of ADA.

[TheRainman]

Originally Posted by addiesue

I had a job interview today to work in a cash office at retail store. It went very well. Hours are perfect for me, I have the background, liked the people, etc. Then the woman interviewing me at the end said I'm just not sure if we can rearrange the cash office well enough for you to fit in there. Is this a legal thing to say? She said she'd think everything over and give me a call. I really liked her up until that point.

Addiesue
This might sound crazy to you but it worked for me. The very first time I tried it. I wanted to change my career 4 yrs ago. I was told by someone in the insurance business that if you had your own agency you can make a lot of money. So I went to fine out what I needed to do that. I went out and got me a 220 and a 214 licence. And the reason I mention that is because all you really need to work at an insurance company is a 440 license which is easy to get. Now I needed to get training which means I need to go work at one.

Now heres the problem I had getting hired. License, I had an advantage that most start with a 440. And I was told if you had a 220 you would be hired quickly.

So I answered at least 20 ads and went in to talk to five or six. Couldn't fine anyone to hire me.

So I said the next time i'm going to give them a no lose situation. I told him if he would let me work for him for one week free and if he wanted to pay me he could.

So now i've been there for three years. Everytime I start to talk about leaving I get a bigger bonus. I've had three job offers from other agencies two of them turned me down the first time.

I really like it there. But I think I might go on my own next year.

I know it sounds crazy working for free. Look at it as a internship. And if your any good at it they'll pay you for that week and hire you.

[Jadis]

Same here. I was just trying to do an externship for my medical program. I heard everything from "security risk" to a "liability" etc. I had to have three sites to do my externship and could only find two, so an exception was made.

Well, before I even finished my externship I had 5 job offers to choose from. I even had calls from places that denied me for my externship, but wanted to hire me. Some offices never even met me yet called me and asked me if I was interested in working for their practice. I always did wonder about how word got out. I know it's a small town, but daggone. Well, as it turns out, I was the topic of discussion at one of the medical professional meetings and the externship sites were bragging.

Addie, I was in the situation where I had the backing of the legal department of my credentialing agency and others. My situation was different as I didn't want to fight for my right to be an intern then not get any job offers because I rocked the boat too much. I told the sites that this wasnt' a required job, they didn't have to pay me--just let me observe and practice in my field.

I agree with the letter writing as well as the onsite evaluation. And, I would put a call into the sears regional HR department and ask them what their policy is. You know what the policy is, but they may not be aware that they have someone else about to cost them big bucks--esp with the statement that miss smarty made.