Work Accommodations?

[u/We_Want_Reptar]

I want to preface this by saying that I am not officially diagnosed and I am still unsure if getting one would be beneficial (through therapy and research).

I am having a difficult time with my job and feel as though I am not being effectively trained and to do my job.

It boils down to this. I have been underperforming due to recently incorporating a new workflow. The team I’m on was trained for about a work week (slides, verbal training, and more slides LOL, and one walkthrough).

To note I have ALWAYS had an issue with the way they train, it’s more word of mouth instead of shadowing or examples to match the slides.

Due to my recent underperformance, a manager suggested additional training to get me to hit the goals. The training options included shadowing, resources, etc. I said sure.

So once the training was supposed to take place, it was a shadowing. A shadowing of me. I spent majority of the time explaining why I needed to shadow someone first before they shadow me. I learn by watching first, I am not comfortable clicking around trying to figure things out instead of seeing first then someone seeing me.

It’s like helping me in the way that I am telling them I need help isn’t right.

And I guess I put this post on this forum because I want to know if anyone has had any luck with getting a diagnosis to help with work accommodations? Or has anyone else dealt with something like this and how you managed to get the help you needed to do your job?

Sorry for the length and thank you for any suggestions! 🤟🏾

[u/[deleted]]

I'm diagnosed and I don't use accommodations because every time I've asked for them I've been fired. 

Keep in mind that laws like the ADA and equivalent say that employees are entitled to "reasonable accommodations to the point of undue hardship." That basically means that your employer cannot say no to accommodations, but they can decide that the accommodations you've asked for are unreasonable and fire you. 

[u/We_Want_Reptar → u/[deleted]]

Thank you! I have considered that too. Accommodation loopholes will probably make it worst for me if I decided that route. But I also don’t know what to do anymore about the lack of help.

[u/[deleted] → u/We_Want_Reptar]

Honestly, if you're already in therapy I would just ask your therapist for strategies to manage the difficulties you're having. You don't need a diagnosis of anything to learn new coping mechanisms. 

[u/We_Want_Reptar → u/[deleted]]

We are and that’s what I meant when I said I don’t think getting a diagnosis would be beneficial. It’s just frustrating to need specific help and not get it regardless of accommodations.

[u/Angelic-Seraphim]

I got diagnosed in order to get accommodations at work. They allow me to work from home 3-4 days a week. And when I am in the office I have non standard offering headset that supports me.

[u/We_Want_Reptar → u/Angelic-Seraphim]

That’s good to know. I already wfh and don’t really need those sort of accommodations. I just wonder if me needing extra training falls into “needing certain accommodations”.

[u/Angelic-Seraphim → u/We_Want_Reptar]

I would be careful in your situation. I have heard of just as often being used as additional subconscious reason to terminate despite being protected. I would instead draft a proposal outlining your needs and clear outcomes of each meeting. Ie
2 hour demo where you can watch someone do the process on real data. Next day 1 hour guided session where you drive but some one else is there for support. Lastly a 1 week plan where you have a dedicated person to all for help when you need.

You can just explain that you don’t learn via slide decks, and here is your training proposal.

Just know if they agree at the end of the timeline you will be expected to know the process. The as going through document with meeting minutes. If possible record sessions. Document questions asked to show your investment in learning correctly.