Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Am I taking this the wrong way? (self.Blind)
submitted by Agreeable_Morning_60
So I work as an ophthalmology technician and I am legally blind. All of my coworkers know or should know this fact. I just had a coworker come in as I was about to go on my lunch break and say “Hey, are you going to go out to get lunch today?” I said “I cant…” (They all know I cannot drive) and her response was “Great! So you can take the last patient then so I can go out to get my lunch!”
She then left, with my other coworker (Both are techs) leaving me as the only technician, forcing me to take the last patient and (the two prior that I had already taken)
Edit*: Other occasions include them leaving early because they know I have to wait for a ride, so they will leave up to 3 patients for me to take at the end of the day.
Is this discrimination?
She then left, with my other coworker (Both are techs) leaving me as the only technician, forcing me to take the last patient and (the two prior that I had already taken)
Edit*: Other occasions include them leaving early because they know I have to wait for a ride, so they will leave up to 3 patients for me to take at the end of the day.
Is this discrimination?
MostlyBlindGamer 16 points 1y ago
Well... It sounds like it's about them feeling like they don't have much time to go out to get lunch and still handle the last patient, while you can, because you don't have to go out. I feel like it would happen just the same if anybody else has answered "no, I brought lunch from home."
That being said, this kind of thing, no matter how natural or reasonable it may seem to other people, does get old pretty quickly.
We might be in the field of office politics here, but you could say "sure, I'll join you" and just get up and head straight out the door. Last one out's a rotten tomato.
That being said, this kind of thing, no matter how natural or reasonable it may seem to other people, does get old pretty quickly.
We might be in the field of office politics here, but you could say "sure, I'll join you" and just get up and head straight out the door. Last one out's a rotten tomato.
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 8 points 1y ago
I see what you are saying, but a little bit of context might change your perspective. This was at 11:20am, the last patient was in the office. Our lunches are basically when there is no patients. The next patient was not until 12:40. Thats 1 hour and 20 minute lunch she gave herself at my expense.
Im less concerned about my lunch and what not, its more the principle that they take advantage of my disability in order for them to have to do less work. (Which has happened often)
Im less concerned about my lunch and what not, its more the principle that they take advantage of my disability in order for them to have to do less work. (Which has happened often)
MaplePaws 4 points 1y ago
Honestly I really don't think it has much to do with disability in this specific case, my Dad who almost always brings his lunch because he prefers not to spend the money on restaurants frequently has this happen has this happen constantly. It has everything to do with it simply taking longer to go get the food and eat it then it does for him to walk to the break room and grab his lunch from the company fridge, which he mentions that even if he has not had extra work dropped on him he eats while working.
Other circumstances I can't speak for, but I think this is kind of just a natural dynamic that forms between co-workers regardless of ability.
Other circumstances I can't speak for, but I think this is kind of just a natural dynamic that forms between co-workers regardless of ability.
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 3 points 1y ago
I see what you are saying. Just comes of as discriminatory because they will do the same at the end of the day so they can go home early. Because they know I have to wait for my wife to get me, they will leave up to 3 patients for me to take at the end of the day so they can go home early.
niamhweking 8 points 1y ago
I agree with the other poster that this may not be disability related and more shitty colleagues related.
I would have experienced the otherwise that as colleagues are relying on buses/trains, they cannot stay late but as I have a car sure, I'm in no rush.
I've also gotten in from working moms thinking non parents have nothing important and are willing to cover for them being late, nipping out to collect kids etc
I don't think it's discrimination but I would say it to the boss that surely clock out time is clock out time no matter who has what mode of transport.
Are they meant to stay till 5pm and you hang out till 5.15 for your lift, cos maybe you should start leaving at the official time and sit in the carpark, or head to the nearest shop for a browse maybe.
I think itsa case of somepeople thinking their time is more important than your time
MaplePaws 3 points 1y ago
Honestly bring it up with their boss, I don't really think it is specifically discrimination because I know this is something that routinely happens to people regardless of disability, race, gender, ect. Basically if a person has a reason to stay and the others don't want to be there it is natural to shirk their work on the person who is going to be staying regardless. The fact is that some people just lack the sense of responsibility or fairness and have no issue making others work harder for their convenience. But I am sure your employer would not be happy to know that they are routinely paying for time when the employees are not even present. Either way this would be more that they are being selfish than discriminatory, I do think that if you were not disabled and that perhaps your car was just in the garage that they would do the same thing
MostlyBlindGamer 3 points 1y ago
Why do they know you have to wait for your wife? Leave on time and go hang out somewhere. Tell them your wife changed schedules and do that every day from now on. It still definitely feels like office politics.
digwhereyoustand 1 points 1y ago
It feels discriminatory, at least in my morals. Maybe it’d be different if it was your choice to pack lunch every day. Either way leaving extra work for a coworker who can’t really say no is definitely unfair and asshole-ish IMO. If a superior would sympathize, maybe discuss it with them, but unfortunately I wouldn’t expect that kind of sense of justice from a boss.
codeplaysleep 3 points 1y ago
I don't think it's discrimination, but I do think it's shitty co-workers. The lunch thing wouldn't bother me so much as long as I had time to eat my lunch (and was getting the amount of break time that's required by state labor laws), because I'm there anyway and working makes the time go by faster. But leaving early (especially since it sounds like they're leaving super early) would be unacceptable. I'd definitely talk to my boss about it if I were you.
LyingSlider7 2 points 1y ago
Yeah it just sounds like your coworkers are dicks
queengemini 2 points 1y ago
NTA, that coworker was honestly a jerk. Haven’t they considered that you may have brought something and still needed a lunch break ?
anarcap 2 points 1y ago
The reward for working hard is more work!
Congratulations, OP!
Remember theses things next time you ask for a raise!
Congratulations, OP!
Remember theses things next time you ask for a raise!
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Haha it did help with my post 90 day raise at least
XkommonerX 1 points 1y ago
Unrelated to your post but I was mentioning it to my wife (has Stargardts, also legally blind) that you’re a legally blind tech and she had some questions she wanted me to pass on to you. Mind if I dm you?
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Absolutely! Happy to answer any questions!
carolineecouture 1 points 1y ago
It's not discrimination, but it's rude and unprofessional. Do you have a patient rota? Like do each of you round-robin patients or have to take a certain number each day? I would try and bring it up with them. "I don't know if you noticed but yesterday you left with 3 patients in the waiting room for me to take care of." Or "I've noticed that when we don't coordinate lunches the person who is left gets extra patients. Can we try and work something out to be more balanced?" And then if they don't talk to your manager. My guess is they are just being entitled and don't expect you to speak up.
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Usually its who ever is available takes the next patient. But lately they will cherry pick patients and leave me with the ones that require the most work or at the more inconvenient times.
dunktheball 1 points 1y ago
well, that second example seems even more wrong.
Agreeable_Morning_60 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Yeah, went with the more recent one cus that was fresh in my mind 😅
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