There are a lot of people that need accommodations, but don’t say anything to their employers because of fear. Several years ago we had 14 employees. After working for us for about a year a younger employee came up to me and asked if she can have a larger computer screen because of an eye problem that she had. I had no idea she had an issue, I got her the larger screen. No problem. But it made me think that maybe other employees had needs too. I went around and asked. Turned out I had 9 employees that needed better chairs for their backs, a vertical mouse for a wrist issue or larger screens. (One even had a placard to park in the disabled parking spot, but he said he felt embarrassed using it.) I felt so bad that no one said anything and that I never thought to ask. Now when we interview people, I tell that story to let them know they can let me know what they need. Education and awareness is the key to make people understand .

This!! But also!! Dave doesn’t have to be the best coder in the world! Dave deserves to be able to work even if he’s as average as they come!

Mollycoddling. Jesus. I WISH I could mollycoddle my disabled students. They deserve a bit of TLC after everything they put up with.

100% certain that this person’s attitude to what being a “good team player” means makes them a nightmare to work with for non-disabled colleagues too.

Equality isn’t always needed. Equity is what is needed. Different people will need different amounts of assistance to get to the same level.

My grandmother has chronic pancreatitis and addison's disease. She's been struggling literally her entire life - she wasn't even supposed to live past 18. But here she is, 67 years old, making her own food because she can't eat anything with fat or sugar (and I mean anything) and in spite of the fact that some days she literally can't even stand, dealing with a pain that I couldn't even begin to imagine. Calling disabled people "weak" is the *real* sign of weakness. Weakness of basic empathy for your fellow man and weakness of metaphorical backbone.

As a Special Education teacher, students are absolutely not “mollycoddled”!! I have to fight for their educational equality constantly, and if anything, students with disabilities are held to a higher standard than gen ed students. Ugh🙄 Love you Jessica, thank you for advocating for those who can’t💖💘💝

What makes me really angry about people saying accommodations are unreasonable is that they are basically saying it’s not worth it to put in effort for someone who is disabled to be comfortable or have the opportunity to live a full life. To me it indicates a fundamental lack of empathy and acknowledgement of our humanity as disabled people. In the disability conversation I’ve seen a lot activists talk about the fact that accommodations make people more productive, that’s not wrong and it’s not a bad thing but it sometimes frustrates me because even with accommodations I am not as productive as I was when I was in good health. No matter how much or how fast someone manages to work they should not be deprived of the opportunity to have a career. On a more positive note I felt really really happy when you talked about the people who want you to speak at their company😊💕

The tea example got me right away because while it’s ridiculous to think taking sugar in your tea is difficult. I often get made to feel like I’m being difficult when I ask for decaf tea due to a health condition, it’s just so silly and very annoying. This is basically just an addition to the dietary requirements thing. It’s crazy how many people assume that I should just eat things to be polite. I’m all for politeness, I will politely ask for what I need not to be in pain.

In high school when I couldn't see small print or read the board anymore, my physics teacher outright refused to give accommodations and recommended that I switch to the lower class so I could "keep up". It got to the point where I was sitting in a room - sobbing - with 8 of my teachers, my school counselor, and the AP corrdinator, while my mom was telling off said physics teacher. And I only got those accommodations for about a week, if that. We need that "special treatment" to even be on the same playing field as able bodied people. And even then, it's not really an equal standing. Honestly, thank you Jess for making the content that you do, it's so so helpful and important to hear

Amazon hired my 75 year old disabled mom with the knowledge she put her disabled status on her application and verbally told the person that interviewed her. She worked 6 shifts and she asked where her stool was that she was told would be provided. She hasn’t worked since nor has she been fired. What they have done though is told her she can’t work until the “request” has been seen, approved by the “support team”. That was more than 2 months ago and she still hasn’t been given any information or answers. I believe they are hopping if they drag this out she will give up and seek a job somewhere else. I’ve told her to keep pushing for answers. Because they are trying to get rid of a disabled person they hired knowing she is disabled. They want her to quit because they have no grounds for termination. They are afraid she will go to the ADA if they fire her. Oh, and she will because I will ensure she does. As I’m disabled and would love a job over having to live on disability of less than $1100 dollars a month. Try paying bills and having a roof over your head for that money. As a nurse for 12 years I made roughly $29,000 a year. Now I get $12,000.

This reminds me of the man in Kentucky who won a lawsuit against his ex-employer after they fired him for having a panic attack at the surprise party they threw. Their reasoning for firing him was that he wasn't a team player. Even though he asked them not to throw him a surprise birthday party b because it would trigger him.

This is angriest I've ever seen Jessica! And rightfully so! I can't believe they not only DO that but ADMITTED it too AND to a person with disabilities!!

“But if we let ourselves be crushed now, who are we letting be crushed later?” 👏👏👏

I still remember when I was volunteering at a Christian camp one summer in the kitchens. One day I had to scoop hundreds of cookies onto trays from a huge bowl of batter. Sounds good. But it was going to take a while, and I knew my feet would start hurting. So to keep them from hurting for the rest of the day and impeding me, I brought over a little stool and sat on it. I was later TAKEN ASIDE and scolded because the other volunteers (mostly retired people) hadn’t gotten chairs, so why should I get one? Forget the fact that they were doing completely different jobs that required moving around, me PREVENTING PAIN and inconveniencing NO ONE was seen as selfish. Ah, martyrdom culture

I will never forget the time my mum got fired from somewhere when her mobility got bad enough for her to need crutches because apparently, according to the office manager, she was a fire hazard by having crutches in the office! It’s not like she left them laying around in the way or anything but they said unless she could walk around the office without them then she couldn’t be there. They knew she had a disability when they hired her but it was fine so long as she could still function like an able bodied person. She wasn’t even asking them for actual accommodations as such, just ‘please can I bring my mobility aids with me’. It seems such a stupid thing that you wouldn’t even think you had to ask it!

I get that a lot because of my autism. That I can't take places with lots of noises, or how I can't take lots of people talking to me at once. I get confused easily.

Bit of good news here! My husband and I were in M&S doing our shopping and we then went to the checkout to pay for our groceries. When we got our bags ready, we looked up and realised that the young lady at the checkout has an interpreter as she is hard of hearing. It was such a lovely surprise and I felt really proud that my local M&S actually hired a young lady and her interpreter. A company actually hiring someone who is ‘different’ and made accommodations for her? What a concept! *sarcasm. Honestly, makes me angry when people/companies are blatantly breaking the law or are blatantly and unapologetically biased.

I’ve been at my job just about 6 months now, and two months in we got a new manager and he is WONDERFUL! He cares about us all and our mental and physical health needs! I work in a leisure centre so it’s wild that they care about us disabled employees, but he really does he’s put me on shorter but more frequent shifts (ie 2 shifts of 4 hours rather than 1 of 8) and he’s frequently checking up on me and he fought for me to keep my job after I had a month I had to ring in sick about 4 times. I’m 23 and this is the first time a job has ever accommodated me, and it’s changed my whole outlook on work in the future. I enjoy?? Work?? What!!!

When I was younger I was definitely mollycoddled in school my Head of Year (And GCSE History teacher) did absolutely nothing when I was being bullied.... And when I asked for extra assistance for dyslexia, he said I was lazy and wouldn't amount to anything..... I now have a masters in Heritage and studying a PGCE..... at 23 I was diagnosed with an ASC..... I still struggle because I "Dont look Autistic" or I'm "too smart to be Dyslexic"..... I also tend to point out that the conditions that "didn't used to exist" meant that people often went into industrial jobs that didn't require the ability to read or write, lead to people dying early, or had people institutionalised.... Sorry for ranting Jessica.... You aren't the only one that gets wound up about these. Try to relax during your time off

Wow, the restaurant thing just hit home as I was recently on a trip so my partner and I went to eat in new unknown places, we did our research for what would be gluten free so that I could eat without being in excruciating joint pain for the rest of the trip. So I ordered and specifically ordered gluten free food. I remember reading something that a lady with a similar issue did in those cases so I thought I'd try just in case. So when my order came I casually asked "oh did I remember to ask for it to be gluten free? I'll be in so much pain if it does. Haha" the waitress took my plate back saying "uhm Just let me take this back to the kitchen." I got an entirely different plate with very different looking food. So clearly the first one wasn't gluten free. -.-'

I stopped saying that i have chronic pain and fatigue on application forms and its amazing how many more interviews I got after I stopped. I'm now lucky enough to be in a job with a supportive manager who looked for things like a more supportive chair and a better keyboard and mouse, to help me out without me asking. It makes such a difference.

People like to make very small accommodations sound like they're the end of the world. Unsurprisingly, the ones I encounter the most often are food related - every time my mom visits her parents, my grandmother makes a *huge* deal of "oh my god, what are you going to eat?" because she's a vegetarian, even though she... has been one for 30 years, doesn't eat a lot anyway, and is happy to make her own food if need be. My most common personal experience is people making a big deal out of me wanting to drink just water. Whether it's because they wanted me to drink alcohol at the table, or because they wanted me to drink a soda, I sometimes have to insist for multiple minutes at a time that I do! want! water! specifically! and I'm thirsty! It's a tame example, and definitely not as annoying as the actual food accommodations I need, but even just in this situation I'm made to feel like I'm being annoying by wanting water specifically, when water is clearly available. Just because they don't expect someone to actually prefer water, I guess.

I was literally thanking my boss in our last meeting that they actually acknowledge my mental health condition as a reason for provisions being made at work, and understanding that I need the context of a phone call given before they call and that I'm able to take days off if needed. They told me that they are just like me and they need those things too so it wasn't a bad thing at all. It was that moment I felt so healed from the workplace trauma of everyother place I've worked out using my condition as a weapon against me

That story about the Administrator stepping over your prone body is just classic public school system. My daughter has several common issues children in school have (dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety) and it's amazing how many people don't take basic accommodations seriously. I mean, all I want is for her to get extra time to complete work and her not to be required to present in front of the class. And it sometimes feels like I'm asking for first class treatment. Nope. Just trying to level the playing field.

It really annoys me when the govt says "get back to work!" meaning go back to physical offices when working remotely will not only help save our dying planet but also help people with disabilities find employment. Let's be real, the govt will never give people a decent amount for their disability allowance. Pick one, Boris!

Thank you for speaking on this!!! I have "invisible" disabilities but have only asked for an accommodation from an employer once, and was denied bc it was "not reasonable." I asked to work from home, which, as we all know, is EXTREMELY REASONABLE in these times. Anyway, I never feel safe disclosing disability to an employer bc I assume they will be like the person you mentioned in your story and deny my application for "a different reason." It's so unfair that there is a massive loophole for employers to discriminate against disabled applicants. (Side note, loved the heavy metal in the beginning of the video 🤘🏻🎸)

When I started my current job, I was recovering from iron-deficiency anemia, and went from occasional moderate exercise (at my own pace so that I didn't get into the "I'm-about-to-faint" stage) to standing in place, switching to throw/stack 20-lb weights every 15 minutes, and back every 15 minutes or so. I was about ready to quit after the first two weeks, which were also in the middle of a sweltering summer, with no AC (factory) and in the middle of a large contract for this company which meant a fair bit of overtime. I talked to the foreman after nearly passing out on the job (not for the first time, which was also a reason this was my only role while most people cycled through roles here) and asked if I could sit while I worked. The response I got was "you can do whatever you want as long as you do the job." Admittedly, after that I sat on a ladder for a long time because no chairs in the building were high enough (my own choice, that), but that was good enough for me to be able to continue working. Long story short, I feel that's the attitude most employers should have; "yes, you can have whatever you need as long as you can do the job."

I have several health problems/disabilities. I was denied (a couple of minor) adjustments at work because my manager said it would *'positive discrimination'*!! She eventually put me through occupational health & I explained the situation to them. They were absolutely flabbergasted & immediately emailed my manager a copy of the Disability Discrimination Act with 'reasonable adjustments' highlighted, along with a detailed report of what I have to deal with every day, saying my requests were 'more than reasonable'. How is supporting someone with additional difficulties discriminating against healthy people I ask you?! This is just one example I could give you of the madness endured during my career.

Thank you for that. As someone who suffers from complex PTSD, it is incredibly frustrating how so many people seem think it's "weak" to be experiencing anxiety. Dude, if you had to experience the levels of anxiety I experience on a daily basis, you would be overwhelmed and incapacitated. The fact that I get out of bed every day and continue to function is testament to my strength. I am BRAVE for how much fear I face. You're not stronger or braver than me just because you never had any fear to face in the first place.

As someone who's been desperately clawing her way out of a deep depression and, thus, had a lot of trouble getting up this morning, thank you. I am so tired. I have never once been mollycoddled, either in school or in work, and the insinuation is revolting. Ugh.

OMG this is so true. I applied for a job this week and got turned down because I was brave enough to say I am disabled and need accommodations. When you know you know.

Friendly reminder to my fellow spoonies that you're not obligated to disclose your disability status on applications or during the hiring process (at least in the us, not sure about other places)

Wow. Grrr. I had a very successful job interview years ago, and it was great, I completed the task and everything, and suddenly they no longer wanted to follow up as soon as I was asked about my disability status…. Weirdly I have never gone back to shop there. Utter 🍆. Disabled people both deserve and have a legal right to an equal life to people without disabilities. And there is still a LONG way to go to support every disabled person to access education, work, community services and healthcare!!

I work for one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. For the past several years, our company has been dedicated to being an employer of choice for the disabled. In fact, I'm on a team that is dedicated to finding disability adaptations and support for disabled employees such as myself, mentor programs, so that new employees with disability do not have the difficulties some of the legacy employees faced, and building programs that will help to break down and eliminate ableism. In our experience, hiring disabled employees and making the tiny effort to accommodate them grants us more dedicated employees. I can't imagine where that guy's head was. Perhaps I should speak to my employer and ask whether or not they would like to have you come speak to our team? You are the reason that I joined this team, the reason I started advocating for myself at the age of 48. I genuinely believe people who see you and hear you learn from you. So please don't let this guy get you down. He's just a jerk.

THIS is why I answer “no” when they ask the disability question most of the time until after I’m hired (it’s easier to be protected under the ADA that way). I do disclose after, but I need a job that fits my skill set first.

Im autistic so getting a job for me is ✨anxiety✨ but the amount of times everyones come to me and been like ‘oh yeah, everyones anxious when they get a job, but just do it anyway’ or ‘well i was anxious and i did it! so…..do it’ doesnt work that way, jan 🥰 Also i took a class on how to make workplaces more diverse and they kept on promoting how great it was on having diverse people and theres all this leglaslation to protect disabled people and then theres me like ‘…but it happens anyway so whats the point-‘ ur litteral first example!!

I'm watching this in bed after finally, after experiencing pain and fatigue for as long as I can remember, I was discovered to have cervical hernias and had surgery at 31 years of age, all my life I was told I expected to be coddled just for having some stress pain, and everyone lived with pain and just dealt with it, why couldn't I? Anyway I'm in tears with how validated Jessica's videos make me feel. Thank you.

Yes! Having disabilities doesn’t mean we are difficult! It means we are different! Have different needs! Need different accommodations sometimes!!! I have disabilities myself (epilepsy and autism) and I’ve gotten judged for them before. Because my memory isn’t up to par with my peers, all through public school I got those testing accommodations. The only one that people tend to ignore is that I absolutely can’t be near strobe lights and I’m like do you want me in a seizure? I mean for real. People need to be made more aware and it sucks when they aren’t.

I am very blatant when going for a job interview to say "I AM DISABLED! I HAVE AUTISM!" Paying special attention to the reaction of the interviewer is so important in that moment. If they don't automatically respond positively with assurance, acceptance, and understanding as well as willingness to learn and accommodate then I know to look elsewhere.

As someone who recently got fired for requesting the accommodation of regular days off to attend therapy, medication management, and doctor appointments (which my job- a large hotel in a massive chain with a bunch of employees- said was an unreasonable accomodation... which. okay.) this came at a good time. It's really frustrating to have employers treat you like you're being entitled and unreasonable when you ask for a small adjustment that has minimal impact on any other individual employee.

I disclose my disability as soon as possible in the job hunt process. If someone's going to discriminate against me for it, I'd rather they do it before I ever meet than later on and bully me out of the workplace.

When it comes to mental health, the invisible problem, sometimes all you ask for is some understanding and compassion, but you don't necessarily even get that. I remember listening to a conversation my husband had with his boss, explaining that he couldn't work today because he was in the depths a major depressive episode so bad he was suicidal, hadn't slept for over 72 hours and was mentally incapable of doing even the simplest task. The boss in question was the manager of a store that employs hundreds of people, but my husband being unable to come in for his part-time, entry level job was apparently a personal affront. The sheer inquisition over how exactly he felt and why he couldn't come in was terrifying. I wanted to snatch the phone off my husband and just scream down the line "have you ANY idea what major depression is like? Have you NO human empathy or compassion? Because your responses to my husband could easily be used as a training tool for how NOT to speak to someone who's mentally ill." In the end I didn't, just signaled to my husband to hang up ASAP. Unsurprisingly, he never went back to that job. Fortunately his current employer is amazingly helpful and supportive and, as Jessica says, they understand that in return for this they get an employee who cares and is good at his job.

Louder for the people in the back!

I really needed to hear this today!! I don't work outside of the home, but my chronic health issues cause me daily struggles. As I get older, these issues become more difficult to push through on the daily. I am quite hard on myself about it. Luckily I have a partner and kids who empathize and help me when I need it. Even if I don't ask.

I'm part of that boomer generation. Difference is not difficult. It is also not deviance. Accessibility helps all of us. Not to take away from what it means to live life as a disabled person, being able bodied is a temporary condition.

I love the scenario framing of "suppose you're thinking about tea" 👍😆 But seriously, yes, absolutely illegal to choose not to discuss the accommodation of a disability as an employer! 👍

Became disabled after 58 and struggling to say what I need. Healthcare interface in US assumes you are able bodied despite diagnosis because it can't be that bad.. after all you live on your own. Things that have been spoken to me make no sense and clearly are isolated from other issues. am exhausted on Friday still from Tuesday contact. house is a mess and I really need a shower.

I needed this. I'm writing my dissertation at the moment on disability and the classical music sector, and there are times where ileverything looks so bleak but this really helped me remind myself that me doing this could help bring awareness to the issues being faced right now and demonstrate some level of best practice going for2ard x

The anecdote at the beginning is a great example of how discrimination happens even when it’s illegal. We minorities understand that but not everyone grasps the concept. Good on you, Jessica for calling her out! And im really sorry to hear about your painful experience during school I share digestive issues too, I’m not able to have milk. And while it’s become incredibly easy to accommodate myself (a brief look at a new label is all the time I need to check whether i can eat it or not) I find that other people who are used to eating everything have a hard time accommodating me. I’m learning that the right people will care about your needs and not treat you like a burden. You already know this but I’m so glad i’m not alone!

And then we have the fact that depression and pain run on the same nerve endings so when you’re depressed your pain levels go up. Wheee! - chronic myofascial pain, chronic fatigue, chronic migraines, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, CPTSD, anxiety Physical and mental health are both important and need to be talked about! Yay Jessica!

disability is a hot topic in S.Korea where I live right now. i personally am not fond of the combination of "disability" with "hot topic" but unfortunately diversity is not a thing here. :( disabled people of korea recently started a protest demanding more accessibility to subways, which is a vital means of transport to citizens of Seoul. however, because the protest would delay the train and people couldn't go to their places like work in time, voices of complaint and discomfort to say the least from able-bodied people is readily seen to be pointed to the protesters. what i'm trying to say here is that i'm so glad i have been following your channel because i am more aware of the depth of the situation and how exclusive the public infrastructure is. i hope i can contribute to a productive and meaningful discourse here in korea, even in the smallest bit. i'm still learning about it but i really want to thank you Jessica for what you're doing here in KZfaq! :) (i hope i haven't used any languages that are offensive to others. sorry and please educate me if i have, english is very difficult)

Wow, you didn't put up a rant in forever, and I noticed, because I love your rants, they are so insightful and as a straight able bodied white woman with little contact with disabled people, there are so many things I didn't think about before starting to watch your videos. Thank you!

I am so happy you created this video. I'm about to graduate from an extremely supportive and accommodating university. I'm nervous that my chosen field, tech, will not be as supportive and accommodating. This video is empowering me to ask for what I need and encouraging me to find the companies that will want to hire me and support me. Thank you so much!!!

Seeing (and hearing) your frustration makes me want to come over there and beat the snot out of whomever triggered this rant 😡. Some humans are just awful, no matter what you do. Appreciate your rants and advocacy for us. Sending good vibes from across the pond 🌺🌸🌼❤️

Thanks for sharing your views. You’re expressing the experience of so many of us. I haven’t told my coworkers that i have chronic fatigue. I just let them think I’m forgetful and not too swift. That way they let it pass without a thought. When people know you have a disability then, as you say, you become difficult, even condemned. For me, it’s better this way, and I can still be happy.

Reminds me of when they said people with disabilities would take less holidays as they'd be more grateful to just be given a job at all

Different is not equal to difficult; different is not equal to bad. But different can definitely be equal to clever, strong, and valuable!

Well this video just made me cry. Thank you so much for talking about this Jessica, as someone with multiple mental illnesses and who's been mentally ill since I was 13, I really needed to hear this and have some things I've been thinking about for a while articulated 💙

This video needs to be compulsory in school. Everyone needs to hear this message! Amazing as always ❤️

OMG, i was just on a training meeting for my work discussing this topic with a panel of experts. I'm lucky to work in a pretty inclusive place (be it with the LGBTQ+ community, VIH community, disability community, etc) and some of the questions where of how to approach the questions about possible disability's while on the interview process with the intend of knowing if certain accommodations would be needed and if asking that could be considered as discriminatory and it was a pretty great training even if i'm not in the HR department I think it reflects that there are for sure places looking to give everyone a chance at a job regardless of any "difference", this whole topic sadly blows my mind of how narrow minded some people still are...

1. your croissant tangent was so relatable. My limited diet has become more and more limited and I'm so mad about it haha! 2. This video is so good for my soul. I lost my last job at a ... very large global tech and retail company ... after taking a medical leave and requesting accommodations. Again, illegal?? Yes! 3. thank you for all that validation and encouragement! ❤️

It is ok to not be positive all the time. No one would expect a person to be happy all the time, even more so when that person has to work so much harder to be accepted than the average person. You help a lot of people, thank you.

At the arts organisation I work for occasionally, they've started asking people what their accessibility needs for meeting days are at the same time they ask about dietary requirements for the free lunch

Oh I feel yah! 4 discs out and an additional spinal injury years before. also now HOH and ears of a 70-year-old thankfully a BSL user of 26 years. Everyone looks at me and thinks fit and able-bodied when i spend 1-2 days a week in bed so i can work as the job is too demanding(GP told me ). In reality, working freelance as Photographer or CSW would be a dream. Already on way to being an FT photographer. Workplaces give few accommodations sadly. seen this type of discrimination all my working life

Yes!! I'm still trying to navigate working and finding a tolerable job while having ADHD. It shouldn't be a nightmare, but it is. I feel like I can't tell employers either because they'll be judgemental about it. "Oh, you're forgetful and lazy? Go elsewhere"

I love your rants My work seems to have done a weird thing where my boss has gone the opposite way... I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism last week, and since then the CEO has been more inclined to give me days off and make sure I'm not working too many hours in one day, even if that is something I've been doing for the past 3 years... and while I appreciate it, to a degree, it just confuses me a little because I haven't changed, I'm not suddenly a different person, I just now have a diagnosis... but at least she, and the rest of my work, is trying to be understanding so that's good

Thank you mum! You help me so much with living with mental illness. You're right. I'm strong daring to LIVE with this and not to just be alive.

This frustrates me to no end!!! They should close up the loopholes that employers can use to discriminate! Is there some place that you can file a complaint against this person?

that second date story had me almost tearing up!!!! all I have ever wanted is to go on a date and have the person notice how awful people are to me for being disabled or having needs.... SUCH A GREAT WIFE YOU HAVE

I hope this person was reported for the very illegal behaviour! People think they don't have to listen to disabled people and letting this kind of thing go on just reinforces that

I'm not sure what the process is everywhere else, but in the US (west coast) when you apply for a job they have you answer and sign a document asking if you have any of the disabilities on the list. There have been plenty of times where I have filled out an application and stated I have one or more disabilities on the list. Literally within seconds of filling out and submitting applications I would receive an email saying, sorry but we have found other candidates better suited for the job. It's as if they have a bot that is programmed to say no to anyone that marks, yes i have a disability.

Yes! Yes! Every. Word. Of. This. ThiIs is tremendous encouragement to me as a disabled person and should be mandatory viewing for all employers! And this is why I’m proud to support Jessica monthly!

Definitely started crying when you were talking about how strong people with disabilities are. I tend to be in denial about my disabilities because they’re invisible, but you’re absolutely right. (Boo capitalist worker drones, boo hiss.)

Thanks for this video. I've been struggling with homelessness, PTSD, anxiety and depression throughout my A Levels and university studies, and it's taking me twice as long as my cohort to finish my Bachelor's degree. I've been called lazy and incompetent by my ex as a result, and it really did grind down my self esteem. So I really needed to hear your words today.

THE WORKPLACE IS AS HARD AS THE PEOPLE MANAGING IT MAKE IT!! AAAAAAAHH!

I had an employer once try to convince me it was illegal for me to not disclose my disability in interview and then request accommodations AFTER getting hired. Uh no. They tried to get me to quit. I did not. (I did eventually get laid off because COVID gave them the perfect excuse.) Pretty sure I'm blacklisted from this industry in my county now but that's not any different from them not hiring me in the first place because of my disability so it's basically the same result except that for a whole year I actually had a job. Also the accommodation I needed was permission to bring in my own better high tech equipment that I purchased for myself so I can do my job and they were like "we don't like that you're bringing in equipment that we didn't provide but also we won't buy new equipment that you can actually use" so.... that was fun. I brought it in anyway and my on-site managers were like "yeah that's fine we won't tell on you because that's a reasonable accommodation"

Best question I've ever been asked in a job interview: 'So, what is it? Is it polio?' 😐

I have orthostatic issues (yay fainting!) and I'm a teacher. We were counted off on our evaluations by the state department for sitting down while teaching. I have a stool at the front of the room and I often need to sit or lean on it. I got scared after getting a bad evaluation, so I quit using the stool. My orthostatic issues became the worst they've ever been in my life. I started developing new symptoms I had never had before, like edema. The school nursing teacher noticed the edema and that led to me finally admiting I have those problems. I told my administration and they said to stand "as much as I can." Well, that means different things on different days, and I would stand for as long as I could without getting lightheaded which was still bad. I took me passing out in the hallway of the school and having to be found by students on the floor (which I really hope wasn't traumatic for them) before the administration actually took me seriously. It's sad that I had to show "proof" by fainting, but at least now I have a tall chair with a back (much better than a stool) so I'm still supported AND visible to the class. Moral of the story? Don't hide your disability from your employers because you think it makes you difficult. Also, if your employer needs "proof" that includes you having an episode, maybe avoid that workplace (despite my new chair, I'm looking for another school bc the way they treated me doesn't sit right with me)

Unfortunately this is not a shock for those of us who are in this world.My teenage daughter has those that are supposed to be supporting her and her challenges that come with her disability, not talk to her but me, I say nothing and wait for her to reply, they also tell her what she needs and don't listen to what she says she needs, she is currently studying hoping to get into law or peadiatric medicine so she can make a difference like you do for everyone Jessica, thanks for your insightfulness and sharing with the world.

"If we let ourselves be crushed now, who are we letting be crushed later?" ... Well damn now I have to stand up for myself. I wasn't really feeling it before.

I had to go into school to stand up for my dyslexic son because he was being kept in to finish work. the work was copying text, one of the hardest things for a dyslexic. I explained to the teacher why it's so hard and that he wasn't just daydreaming. I have lived experience but she is a trained professional, I would have thought she would understand.

Thank you for posting this. I got into a two week long argument with a coworker about this issue; she wanted accommodations for her disability but said I didn’t deserve one for mine.

We don't have to be positive about inherently negative things! You shouldn't have to silver lining a cloud of shit... That being said I know both the coping mechanism and the social advantages conferred by positivity-at-any-cost culture is very useful and especially in the public eye it's likely the best way to get information to the people who control the majority of our culture and institutions. Sadly, positivity often is used as a way to beat down the voices of the suffering and marginalized, so it shouldn't be something you or anyone feel they have no choice but to wholly entertain. The truth is often not particularly positive 💜 so glad to hear your truth!

i had to leave my last job because my disability flared up to the point i was having a hard time leaving my home... they didnt want to have people working from home, so it just became completely inaccessible to me. i loved that job. and it wasnt my team leaders fault, she had advocated for me to be allowed to work from home, but the higher ups didn't want to hear it. so i left so i could focus on getting my health managed better

I had a meeting for a scholarship on Wednesday, and as soon as they found out I would need accommodations to meet with them, they started brushing me off. Toward the end of our meeting, the woman looked at me, a wheelchair user who has been disabled since birth, and asked me "Can you have an operation that will fix you?" I've never felt so disrespected, and seen as though I'm broken in my life. So this video? This message? I needed it.

Two of my main disabilities that affect my work are my hearing impairment and my kyphoscoliosis. One of my previous employers let me keep a nasty old chair that we still had while all of the rest of the employers had the new mesh-backed chairs that are popular now. Those hurt my back, so I couldn't use them. My chair stuck out pretty horribly, but I was comfortable while working my desk job. My current employer, a call center, set me up with an amplifier and a giant headset so my hearing aids would stop squealing in my ears. They even bought me what looks like a fancy gamer-style headset for online meetings. They have adjustable desks and a lot of other accommodations for disabled employees. Hooray for not making a big deal about accommodations for employees!

I remember an image I once saw with everyone facing the same wall, but some are shorter than others. The easiest answer would be to break down the wall, but we all know that won't happen, so an alternative answer is to give the shorter people a ladder to stand on. This is what making accommodations is. It's so frustrating that the media and government like to paint every disabled person on benefits are lazy and not trying hard enough to get a job. Yes, some of us legitimately can't work due to disability, but for the majority of disabled people they can (with a few simple adjustments such as working from home, which we all know is 'too expensive' to allow disabled people to do) and want to work, but when nowhere will employ them they are blamed for having different needs from abled people. And while I agree with your end thought that we need to break down the barriers for the next generation, but many of us just want to live their lives, and even those of us who want to make change, the lack of resources such as available jobs can unfortunately prevent us from doing so as we try not to starve to death (okay, perhaps that's an extreme example, but it has happened in the UK in the past few years when disabled people have had support taken from them). I love your positivity and I've learned so much from you, but I just wish the hard work could be done by the non-oppressed for a change. Just as Black people shouldn't have to fight for basic rights, neither should disabled people. Of course, I understand we don't live in that world, but constantly feeling we're not doing enough to teach others about our disabilities is exhausting and destroys our mental health. I truly hope you're reporting the information for the company you talk about at the beginning (you know, the whole 'I do illegal stuff but pretend I'm not') with Citizens Advice Bureau - unfortunately it likely won't make a difference, people don't outwardly state they're breaking the law if they believe those laws won't be enforced - but I guess we have to keep trying. Unfortunately it is even easier for companies now to auto-reject people with certain words on their C.V as it's done electronically, which affects all minorities (there is a reason that many people of colour moving to the UK give their children 'white' names to prevent this), but unfortunately especially disabled people.

Thank you for addressing this! This made me smile and cry and smile. I have been going through a lot mental health issues that are very new to me the past few months. Anxiety, depression... And today I had to send emails and come to terms yet again that I have had to request several months extensions for my uni examinations. And although it's been really difficult to admit to myself that I cannot keep up right now despite my desperate hopes, I am just so grateful that my uni can make these accommodations for me in the first place.. Sometimes I do sort of sit back and realize that, yeah it's 2022, and things aren't perfect in any way, but there is progress in people's open-mindedness and understanding towards those with disabilities.

A friend if mine recommended your channel, and I must say I'm very happy with his recommendation. Its so nice to hear common sense!! Take care, and thank you for sharing

I absolutely love the comment about how hard it is to get out of bed be standing in front of this person. I get out of bed every day, have a wash, get dressed. Sometimes that’s as far as it gets. The Nextep has to be eat meal and take medication. Today that took till 1 o’clock. To give you some context, I’m getting dressed phase was completed at 7:30. The only thing I managed to achieve the entire morning was to put out two baskets of washing on the line. I’m incredibly fortunate at the moment but I have probably the best boss in the whole world. She’s not quite so concerned about how things are done, or when they’re done. She trusts me to figure out the things that need to be done, when they need to be done by, and to deliver. What happens in between doesn’t matter. It’s an incredible relief. For some reason the missing piece of information that the ubiquitous human resources drone (I’m sure there are nice human resources people but not at my workplace) can’t seem to integrate into their thinking is that many of the customs which come along with a job role actually not necessary for the delivery of the work to be done, they are however, massively detrimental to some of the people who would otherwise be capable of delivering that work. Thanks for a good video Jessica. It’s a good one to be able to share with people .

I actually raised hell at a previous job because they refused a reasonable accommodation for me. They fired the District Manager and created a new training module for management on reasonable accommodation and the ADA. I actually made a difference in the place I worked! Stand up for yourself always. Hold people to the laws no matter if they say you’re not being a “team player”, or whatever. Everyone matters and deserves rights.

Thank you so, so much for this video. I actually have a job interview today or a role in a museum that is part of a scheme specifically aiming to improve disabled access to arts and heritage careers! This was exactly the pep talk I needed to remember that not only am I enough, I am an asset!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We, as disabled people, are fantastic!!!!!!!!

The most important accommodation I have for work is being allowed to keep my bullet journal at my work station. I really struggle with standard or digital calendars, and I have a special setup I use that helps me avoid making errors. Keeping it at my station means I won't forget it at the end of the day (out of sight out of mind is literal for me), and means I can immediately answer questions about my availability and ability to pickup extra hours or shifts. Just having it with me significantly decreases my anxiety and it doesn't cost my company anything. The "special treatment" we ask for usual boils down to being allowed to make adjustments so we can help ourselves.

This video really puts into words what I felt at my last job, I actually only asked for regular breaks ( as in the minimum required ones/not having a 4+ hour gap between breaks) and to be able to use the toilet without waiting 15 minutes for someone to come to cover for me and was seen as difficult. Also, any time I was feeling anxious or needed anything I got shouted at. During covid they tried to force me back to work even though I was shielding due to vulnerable immune system. Now I look back and it has made my health so much worse long term that I went through that and felt like I was being difficult for being disabled

Jessica is annoyed. She has my full attention. Jessica, I am so proud of your rant. Thank you, you described my life.

Great rant Jessica. I'm exhausted at the moment so no further comment, just thank you for being you. 👍 🙏 💐🌈

I am so here for ranting Jessica. 👏👏👏

EXACTLY! WELL SAID JESSICA!!

Just under two mins into this and I'm already heated.... I get so vex when companies do stuff like this, because it just proves that the 'diversity and inclusion' they list on their websites and application forms is not genuine and never has been.