Just over a month ago I had an accident. Now, my dominant hand it's pretty much useless and I've limited mobility in my non-dominant hand. This will be a rundown of what I have encountered, good and bad, in the hopes that the next person isn't caught off guard, like I was, when dealing with disability claims.
Let me begin by saying that the people who live and work and thrive in this world when it is not set up for them to succeed are superheroes. I have only had the smallest taste of what it is like, to not be able to open a door or complete a full day of work, and I see you and your efforts so much more clearly now. Thank you for not giving up in the face of adversity.
The how.
Back in March the company I work for went remote I was proud of them for valuing their workers and respecting the guidelines put in place by our city and state. This was especially important to me as a commuter, it took me over an hour to get into work and and almost two hours to get home. This meant that even when people started to declare it was safe to go back to work I asked to stay remote. I made my case and tried to prove how much I had accomplished during the pandemic, how useful my skill set was even from afar, and found ways that I could help them complete tasks no one else wanted to claim. Just when it looked like they might be coming around... perhaps the scientist who wasn't in the lab could still be useful. I had my accident. Now I have a doctor's order stating that I shouldn’t work with my hands more than four hours a day.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T
First of all, the management arm of my company is not respecting the doctor's order. They had me use up sick time over the first few weeks and they continue to request full time levels of work. While I wish they would just respect my doctor's order I do partially blame myself. In all honesty I was scared to admit when I needed to tap out. So I requested longer working timelines rather than a reduced work load. all because I didn't want to be seen as the freeloader, but if I could go back and do it differently I would. As it was I mostly came hat
in hand, Oliver Twist style, looking for scraps from the company and shockingly that didn’t work.
I have only done this once, so far, so I cannot give too much advice on this part. However, it looks like I might have to start this process multiple time before I am 100% which means I might have pro tips to add over the next few months.
You don’t know what you don’t know.
Most companies have disability plans for long and short term usage, but not as many tell you the specifics. I had to go through all my benefits paperwork to find the short term disability policy, and when I found it there was only a summary page. I had to contact my direct manager, the CEO, and then the company’s financial consultant just to get a phone number. To date I still have not been granted access to the policy in full. I have spent hours being lost in a phone tree, getting redirected between departments, and in meetings where I have to describe the specifics of my injuries which I have not even given myself time to really deal with. I have talked to three people about short term disability, from the insurance company, and at this point and each one gave me different advice and tried to set my expectations to a different level.
Good news if your company has short term disability and your doctor wants you to be on short term disability they basically have to cover it. More good news they can often cover partial short term disability as well. You also have up to a year after the accident to file a claim, this is different if you are going on short term disability due to an illness. Okay, time for some bad news. It can take 30 days to get on disability, and your company can try to make you take a leave of absence in place of going on disability. However, the kicker is that you do not have a guaranteed job when your short term disability is finished. Yah you read that right, they can fire you while you are on disability. I’m not saying it always happens but it can, and that is part of the reason you need to know what you are walking into.
Trust someone.
I definitely recommend playing this game close to your chest by which I mean don‘t lie but do not offer up every piece of information. I have been honest about my big picture situation, but I have kept some of the unknowns and specific details to myself. That said, I think it is important to be on the level with at least one person you work closely with. You will need someone who encourages you to advocate for yourself. I reached out to individuals on the team and talked with them about my situation. They check in with me and are understanding of my currently crazy schedule of doctors appointments and physical therapy. It might not be surprising but this has been vital to keeping my mental state steady over the last few weeks.
Prioritize getting well over the optics.
If you are dealing with going on disability you are dealing with a lot. There is bound to be stress, anxiety, and frustration around your health so please do not compound this. If you can avoid it. I was too concerned about being considered the weak link in a small group so I put the job before my health. Now I have issues that could have been avoided. Follow your doctors orders rather than pushing yourself past your limit. No matter how cliche it sounds you and your health are more important than any job. I’m still learning this lesson but I want to pass it on to anyone out there that might be struggling with this choice.
Do not feel ashamed to make a choice that is best for you in this moment. It is not only the right time to be focused on yourself it is necessary.
Take care of yourselves out there!