The Evening Before…

Hello everyone!

 

I am sorry for not blogging for a while.  Been extremely busy.  Thank you for your patience on waiting for my new blog.

Yesterday, I had a meeting at work for the updates and to improve the company’s progressive.  I guess that is one way of explaining it.  Anyways, as you all may have remembered, I am deaf and I wrote a blog about accessibility?  I am writing about it again because I got so frustrated yesterday.  I had no idea we had a meeting yesterday and I had told the person that any meetings we have I would need interpreters.  I thought the person had provided one so I didn’t think to ask beforehand.  Remember, I wasn’t told about the meeting until yesterday morning when I arrived at work.  I just feel like they aren’t listening to me enough.  ADA law requires any company to hire interpreters for any deaf employees.  I have told this person repeatedly that I need one.  I can do one on one just fine myself.  But with a crowd of people?  Nope.  I will be totally lost.

I just am not sure what I should do.  I want to fight for my rights and I am trying to figure out if it’s worth working for a company that clearly does not respect my need for accessibility.

Thank you for “listening” to my rant.  I will post something more positive next time, I promise!

Much Love,

Toni Ann

Where’s my accessibility?

It is so frustrating!  Why is it so hard for the company that I work for to understand about my need of accessibility?  Okay, let me back up.

About 4 months ago, we had an all employees meeting and I had requested an interpreter for me two weeks prior to the meeting (I was informed that day about the meeting which I requested for an interpreter).  The day of meeting came up, so I went to my HR (Human Resources) to see if there is any interpreter.  She informed me that she didn’t have time to go through the contract so therefore, there was no interpreter for me which I had to sit through the meeting for 2 1/2 hours having no idea what was being said.

Yesterday, I was informed that we will have another all employees meeting in couple weeks.  Again, I went to HR to request an interpreter.  I was bothered by what she said.  She was curious about the cost.  I remember thinking, “Does it really matter?  Shouldn’t you be more focused on accessiblity for me?”  I told her that it depends on the field, I believe.  She then proceeded to tell me that she thought about getting interpreters for the Muslims, but was worried about the cost.  I then corrected her, saying, “You mean, translator?  Interpreter is for the Deaf and translator is for the forgein language to be translated.”  She then said, “Oh yeah.”  I remember thinking as I looked at her.  She seemed more focused on the cost, than the accessiblity for us.  I got a little upset.  I then informed her that the ADA (American Disablities Act) law requires all employers to provide an interpreter for their employees if requested.  This is my second time requesting an interpreter.

It is so frustrating.  I am going to fight this, because I deserve to have an interpreter!  I deserve to know what is being said in the 2 1/2 hours of meeting where there will be several people.  More than 15 people.  This is ALL EMPLOYEES meeting.  Yeah, I need to know what is going on.

Sorry for ranting about this.  This is just a sore subject and just needed to vent about this.  I am also wondering if anyone has had any problems getting their needs met?

Much Love!  Until next time!

Toni Ann

Where’s the work ethic?

Oh, where do I start?  What a long day it has been!  I joke you not.

Monday started off as any other Mondays.  Day feeling so blah and blue.  I went to work, trying to be upbeat and trying to wake myself up.  I am NOT a morning person.  Whatsover.  I work day shift because I am a single mom and I want to be home with my son when he gets home from school.

I was put on this job with two co-workers.  I like them both.  They are nice.  There is only one problem when they are together.  They talk way too much.  I remember thinking, there is no way they are that upbeat to chat because it is 6 o’clock!  In the morning!  I am very quiet.  One co-worker asked me why I was quiet.  I told her I am not a morning person.  She realized that I just am in process of getting out of the sleep mode to where I am to myself.  If you guys get what I mean.

Anyways, I remember thinking, Oh my god, would them two please shut up?!  They talked more than they worked.  Whatever.  I decide to move into this area to be more focused on my job.  We go on a break and my supervisor tells me that we three are being moved to another area.  My supervisor tells me that one of them girls are to stack while another is on the line with me.  Okay, fine, no problem.  Only they gave me such a hard time.  They kept telling me that they can’t do it or whatnots.  I looked at them and I said, Um, I have been stacking for the last two weeks.  I am sure if I can do it, you can.  Then they proceed to tell me that fine, I can stay on the line while they both work on the stack.  I am sorry, but what?!

Understand this.  The line is fast!  There is no way I can do the table by myself without getting so behind.  I did the stacking by myself for the last couple weeks.  So why can’t one girl do it by herself?  They said it’s so heavy.  Yeah, no kidding!  I had to lift those boxes myself!

I decide to go to my supervisor to inform him of the complication.  He tells me to stay on the table and one is to stack.  If they give me a hard time, to tell them to go talk to him.  I go back to the line and I got into a mild argument with one co-worker.  I straight up told her if you don’t like it, go talk to supervisor because he told me that one of you are to stack!  She gave me an attitude.  I know they were pissed off at me because they weren’t able to talk away the day on the line.  They were separated.  I am sorry, but you are there to work!

I can’t help but wonder.  What has happened to the work ethics?  What has happened to the respect?  What has happened to the work attitude?  I mean, I did not like it when they disrespected me like that.  I felt upset.

I am curious.  Has any of this happened to you before?  Has any co-worker ever gave you any hard time?  Disrespected you?

All I know is: tomorrow better be a better day than today was!

Sorry for ranting, but I just needed to get this off of my chest.  Thank you for listening!

Much love!  Until next time!

Toni Ann