telling employers/employment

July 9, 2004

Hi Sharon,

Was it necessary to tell the potential employer? Was she applying for a

position where it actually made a difference whether she had CMT? If the

answer is " no " to both these questions, I wouldn't volunteer it. I

realize there _may_ be quotas in regard to hiring folks with

disabilities however I wouldn't tell the interviewer unless it was a

matter of safety...just my opinion. I'm sure if they need to know,

they'll ask.

I recently had a seasonal job in a national company that made high

school & college yearbooks. I was hired to do desktop publishing and was

told, since it's seasonal work, that I could extend my employment hours

by working in bindery(where pages are gathered & made into books, then

packed & shipped). My time in bindery would only be a month or so. I

agreed, hoping I'd get one of the easier jobs in bindery. Turns out I

only spent ~2 months on a computer and ~3 months in bindery. To make

matters worse...and a long story longer..._I_ was the one packing

yearbooks into boxes and stacking 50-60lb. boxes on skids for 40-48

hours/week.

It was a gooooood workout but I was toast by the end of the week! (I

was 43 when I took that job, dunno' what flavor of CMT I have -

don't care.) It wasn't until a review that I mentioned my CMT. They

couldn't have been nicer and were willing to accomodate me. I didn't ask

for any special accomodations mostly because the yearbook season was

almost over and I feel awkward asking for special treatment. I got

another job offer so I didn't return. My imediate supervisor never knew

I had CMT and said she'd request me again for next season because I did

a great job.

Tell your daughter to put CMT _behind_ her dreams & desires. That's

where it belongs!

God bless,

Joe

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