THE QUESTION
In October, I had a minor accident and have been experiencing back pain ever since. In January, I lost my job as an administrative assistant in a mass layoff. I expect that I will be attending interviews soon and I am still in pain. My injury prevents me from sitting for long periods of time. I did not lose any work time owing to my injury. I am currently working with my doctor to find ways to cope with the pain until the injury has healed. In the meantime, in order to sit for short periods of time, I need to use a cushion and stand often, and in all cases the most comfortable position for me is standing.
How do I address this when meeting hiring managers without looking like a potential liability? I'm concerned that at the time of the interview the employer may have apprehensions about accommodating me. The only need I have is to get up often or work in a standing position. What is my best approach? I don't want to wait until I am pain-free to attend interviews, which could take another six months.
THE ANSWER
First of all, I am sorry to hear about your injury and your layoff.
A prospective employer cannot discriminate against you if you have a short-term or a long-term disability. There are labour laws and statutes in every province that prevent this form of discrimination. However, prospective employers need to know whether you can fulfill all the responsibilities of the position that they have advertised.
Are the cushion and the ability to stand while you work sufficient to allow you to complete a full eight-hour shift? What type of support are you receiving for your pain – prescription or over-the-counter drugs, physiotherapy, massage therapy, or chiropractic treatments? What have your doctor and other health professionals said about your ability to return to work – for example, the number of hours and the functions that you can and cannot perform?
I trust that you are working with your physician and other rehabilitation professionals to get you to the stage where you are able to sit for longer periods as soon as feasible. You may want to ask for a referral to a work-hardening program offered by a number of rehabilitation and pain programs which focus on helping clients return to full function in the workplace and life.
Be prepared to indicate that you have sustained a back injury as the result of a minor accident and that you may need to stand during all or part of the interview. Ask whether the interviewers are comfortable with this. You may want to let the human resources representative know in advance when they contact you about coming in for an interview.
Be prepared to answer the question: "Are there any reasons, health or otherwise, that would prevent you from being able to fulfill all the responsibilities of this job?" You will need to be honest about this and indicate what your limitations are with respect to movement and lifting. You may also wish to have a letter from your physician indicating that you are able to return to work and what your short-term limitations may be.
If the prospective employer has concerns about you being able to do the job, then the company may ask you to have a functional assessment done by an independent physician and/or work-return rehabilitation team chosen by them to verify that you are able to do the job with only minimal accommodations such as the use of a cushion and standing frequently.
In some workplaces these days, they have standing desks available for their employees. In this case, then your need to stand will not be an issue.
Be up front, honest and enthusiastic about the opportunity. Calm the prospective employer's concerns about your condition and be prepared to provide documentation from your physician about your condition and ability to work.
Bruce Sandy is principal of www.brucesandy.com and Pathfinder Coaching & Consulting.
Have a question about careers, labour law or management? Send it to our panel of experts: careerquestion@globeandmail.com Your name and address will be kept confidential.
Bruce Sandy