I started a job about 4 months ago and there a have been a lot of red flags.

Shirley Lents

November 4,2023 at 5:53PM UTC

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I started a job about 4 months ago and there a have been a lot of red flags. Training has consisted of video and not much else. I was constantly told I was doing a good job and yet 1 days says she notices I struggle a particular platform which I agreed explaining the lack of training and I have ADHD. She then suggests a PIP! I was shocked ! I went to HR about feeling discriminated against and ask for reasonable accommodations. I’m in the process of having my doctor complete but in the meantime my manager is bullying me, undermining me with my employees and is not involving me in communications of new employees I’ve hired. The stress is so intense I just want to quit but that’s what they want but it’s to the point that I think I’m going to ask my doctor for medical leave. Former employees says they will not accommodate my disability but idk what to do. I had such high hopes for this job but it’s not an ethical company. Should I take medical leave while fighting for accommodations or just go ahead and quit.

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AnonymousNovember 4,2023 at 6:22PM UTC
Take a medical leave would be my suggestion - work on the accommodation
But you also probably want to brush up your resume and start looking - once they’ve decided they want you gone - they usually eventually will.
Shirley LentsNovember 5,2023 at 7:14PM UTC
Thank you and that’s what I’m going to do. Appreciate the advice.
AnonymousNovember 4,2023 at 10:14PM UTC
A Pip in 4 months is shocking and like you’re not being given a chance regardless of your condition.
Shirley LentsNovember 5,2023 at 7:10PM UTC
Yes I agree I feel I’m not being given a chance no matter what.
Emmanuel ArhinNovember 4,2023 at 11:34PM UTC
Take a medical leave to regoup and ponder/research on other opportunities. I know it's easy said then done. Just know that may not always be helpful.
GirlBossanova934974November 5,2023 at 1:56PM UTC
Perhaps it is time to be a bit more practical, here? You are struggling a bit on a certain software platform, correct? Training was a starter video. If the software platform is a commercial software platform, you might want to see if there are some YOUTUBE videos you can watch. OR you can ask your manager or other folks in the company, whoarereally good at this software and then go visit them for a few pointers? I am a huge believer in Youtube instructional videos. They are free and you can stop and start them as need be. I learned how to use the most popular web analytics platforms (Google Analytics 4) that way by watching several dozen videos. My coworkers were too busy to be bothered. The company let me go around 4 months ago and NO ONE knew how to use the new platform. They flew blind for 90 days and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars on poor performing ads. Recently, they had to hire a 3rd party company for $100K PLUS per year to help them through it. All of that would have cost them $0 based upon my Youtube video training. So there are opportunities out there for those who want to make the effort.
April MinerNovember 5,2023 at 10:38PM UTC
No, if the employee with a disability needs a reasonable accommodation, I would definitely work with that employee to provide one. Most companies do not allow people to surf YouTube due to security reasons. It's not an uncommon request.
GirlBossanova934974November 6,2023 at 8:57PM UTC
Perhaps a little more time spent on Youube is in order, here? Youtube is stuffed and loaded with an ENORMOUS AMONT OF FREE TRAINING VIDEOS! Anything from EXCEL to Salesforce to dozens of other pieces of commercial software. ALL FREE! A company would be out of its mind to disallow this. In most circles, these same training videos can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars to attend.
AnonymousNovember 5,2023 at 4:45PM UTC
First question, why are you involving former employees in your situation? Stay the course. If you are early in your tenure there and need a medical accommodation get one. IF the company denies you any waiver or refuses to give you space to learn differently you can file a proper complaint with the EEOC and FEHA. Did you disclose this when interviewing? If you did then you have a strong claim, if not then it means you have to likely find an attorney that specializes in these types of claims. Not sure what you hope the outcome to be but no matter the end result this company does not seem like a long term place for you at all.
Shirley LentsNovember 5,2023 at 7:13PM UTC
Thank you. I’ve reached out for advice and yes I agree I think a medical leave is the best thing for now while I figure everything else out.
Lisa WatersNovember 6,2023 at 1:36PM UTC
At my company, FMLA doesn't start until after 1 year.
Yes, you can take medical leave but I would bet you would be phased out since there will be no job protection from FMLA.
You have to do what is best for you. What are reasonable accommodations for ADHD in your opinion? (genuinely asking). Like another person asked, did you notify the employer that it would prevent you from doing your job?
Also did your resume say that you knew or had basic knowledge of the new platform? Would watching the video again help understand it more? Does your company have a learning database to assist?
I received a resume just last week. The "skills" were forklift and warehouse experience. When I asked him what type of warehouse experience he had he indicated he owns his own truck and goes to warehouses to pick up. If he had any basic knowledge of a warehouse he may have gotten past the first round simply because of his resume.
Good luck. Whatever result you are hoping for, I hope you get it!
AnonymousNovember 6,2023 at 2:21PM UTC
What platform do you struggle with? I may be able to get from my network.
Shirley LentsNovember 6,2023 at 10:00PM UTC
Thank you so much it is called StaffSuite. I
AnonymousNovember 8,2023 at 7:15PM UTC
This might help. I google StaffSuite Help. If you need to call or email them, go for it. Consider it as investing yourself.
https://olh.bond-us.com/help/StaffSuite/7.8/Getting_Started_with_StaffSuite.htm
AnonymousNovember 6,2023 at 3:14PM UTC
I have seen so much happen when people fight for their right to stay at a job where colleagues have started to turn on them. To me, it is not worth it. It is not worth it to fight to be where you are not wanted, and you deserve to put in hours from your life into an environment where you are welcomed. I would look elsewhere ASAP. I’m not saying the right job isn’t worth fighting for, but time and mental health aren’t worth throwing away to continue being a punching bag for horrible coworkers and heartless managers. Find a company who appreciates and values you.
Shirley LentsNovember 6,2023 at 9:58PM UTC
You are so right and I totally agree! Thank you for your comment.
maria roseNovember 6,2023 at 3:47PM UTC
You knew as a person who has ADHD, that certain ways of presentation don’t work as well for you to understand whatever concept is being presented, hence your struggle to master the program within the timeframe allowed for standard perception. Part of having ADHD is learning how to adapt your methods of learning to every aspect of your life and ask for help if you can’t apply your personal way of learning skills. I see you took the first step in getting a doctor’s note to ask for accommodation since you need more time to learn to use the company’s program efficiently. . But why did you wait 4 months to do this when you know that you have ADHD and have problems/ issues with new things that you have to learn to deal with. You are always going to face new challenges in life and you need to use your awareness of your ADHD to accomplish what you want to achieve. What are you going to do when you face the next challenge, ADHD is not a crutch to bring up when you feel that you are being treated unfairly, because you were not in this situation. You were given a training session, which you knew wasn’t sufficient to help you understand all the details and you kept silent about your struggles to work the program and now want to bring up your ADHD as a protection shield to excuse your job performance instead of being honest about your own ability. I am quite sure you can learn how to use this program if you get it presented to you in a different way than a training video and if your initial goal was to hide your ADHD from others, you failed in that attempt. Face the reality of your abilities and make it work for you better ..
Tami CannizzaroNovember 6,2023 at 4:42PM UTC
Not trying to pile on you (OP) here, yet I agree with this assessment. I also have a learning style that's different than others, so I take it upon myself to figure things out rather than expecting my boss/company to do if for me. As soon as I realize I'm not grasping something, I either ask for additional help, find a colleague to help - and now it's great that I can Google "how to..." and many times get what I need. Most of the time my bosses have never found out I was struggling; they simply knew I figured it out. I hate to say it but gone are the days of in-depth training for employees. We have to take this into our own hands and either figure it out or speak up if/when we need help.
Shirley LentsNovember 6,2023 at 9:54PM UTC
i agree and I did only to be placed on the back burner or on hold. II actively tried to get more training, asked questions and attempted to find solutions but like I said I’ve only recently been diagnosed.I don’t feel that a performance plan should have been her solution. Again everything was positive up until this point.
Shirley LentsNovember 6,2023 at 9:50PM UTC
To clarify I was only recently diagnosed with ADHD so this is all new to me. I’m not using it as an excuse or shield. I tried independently to find solutions (YouTube, google etc) and repeatedly asked for help only to have my questions placed on hold by an already over stretched manager. When I sought mentors she requested I only ask her as she didn’t want to be seen as not doing her job by me going to others so I didn’t just sit back and expect to be spoon fed so I feel I was actively trying to succeed. Again all the feedback was positive until I mentioned I had ADHD and then and only then was a performance plan mentioned. I have been facing my realities yet I’m still navigating what those are.
Focused200094November 7,2023 at 3:53PM UTC
I went thru the same thing as you. And after going through the whole process, they fired me. They laid me off with smirks, after breaking federal rules, rigging my reviews when I got Excellents before, trying to humiliate me at every chance, mocking me, talking down to me, etc. I should have opened a case with the EEOC, but I fell into a deep depression. I also was under a tremendous amount of stress, and physically couldnt take any more. Theamount of gaslighting and childish mocking behavior they put me through made me suicidal. I also couldnt turn down any severance pay. They make it all but impossible to sue.
Focused200094November 7,2023 at 3:46PM UTC
Stop blaming the victim. You don’t know anything about her situation but youre right here blaming.
AnonymousNovember 6,2023 at 3:51PM UTC
ADHD is a disability that people cannot see. Make it very clear what your accommodation needs are. If possible, with a doctor's recommendation. Otherwise , how does your employer know? It is possible that what you are experiencing now is independent of all that though. From this, I can’t tell what kind of training you needed to succeed in your work, but it is important that you are specific about all that - what did you need that was not provided? It is not easy with your employer threatening you. Still, I think it is critical that you clarify what you needed to succeed and that it was not provided to you. Try to get clarity about what went wrong. ADA is about providing reasonable accommodation. You need to be clear clear about what you need.
Marisa JimenezNovember 6,2023 at 5:30PM UTC
Hi, if you would like to talk outside of this thread, I have recently had a similar experience unfortunately. I can’t offer much advice but I can brainstorm some next steps with you if that helps! Please don’t let folks blaming you for your disability get to you. It’s a shame that people blame themselves for things that should be accommodated at any workplace, but I am very sorry you’re experiencing this.
Shirley LentsNovember 6,2023 at 9:37PM UTC
Hi Marisa! Thank you that would be awesome! My email is shirleylents@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting.
AnonymousNovember 7,2023 at 2:26PM UTC
What type of reasonable accommodation are you looking for.