Temporary disability, mass layoff, job hunting.

[themissypoo]

What is the name of your state? Texas

I was recently layed off by a corporation that is shutting down new business. There was a mass layoff. Last year I was on temporary disability due to back problems. I still have back problems. I skill is clerical in nature. I have two questions about hunting for a new job.
1. Do I let on that I have back problems, will the antidiscrimination laws protect me? Or what should I try to come up with a story if they see me have difficulty standing/sitting? What should I do if I am well qualified, but no one hires me?

2. It came to my attention that one of my past employers is having difficulty with my employment record. I called pretending to be another employer and they couldn't even find me on the system, he said they purge records after so many years. Then he found me looking up on a storage system. If I hadn't been insistent, he wouldn't have bothered. And, he could not find me listed as manager, but only the entry level position I had. What, if anything, can I do about that? The employment dates were 2/1997-12/1998 and their reference is important to my resume. Are there any laws that protect my records here? Can I write to them or something?

 

[Beth3]

1. Do I let on that I have back problems, will the antidiscrimination laws protect me? Or what should I try to come up with a story if they see me have difficulty standing/sitting? What should I do if I am well qualified, but no one hires me? Under the ADA, a disability is defined as a medical condition that "significantly impairs a major life function." Thus, having back problems is not a disability unless it reaches that level. Yes, I do think you should explain to prospective employers that you may need to periodically alter your physical position because of some lingering back problems, although I don't think you need to discuss this until a job offer is made. If you fail to reveal something during the recruiting process that could impact your ability to perform the job, a new employer is going to look askance at that. They could even conclude you were dishonest and terminate your employment.

2. It came to my attention that one of my past employers is having difficulty with my employment record. I called pretending to be another employer and they couldn't even find me on the system, he said they purge records after so many years. Then he found me looking up on a storage system. If I hadn't been insistent, he wouldn't have bothered. And, he could not find me listed as manager, but only the entry level position I had. What, if anything, can I do about that? The employment dates were 2/1997-12/1998 and their reference is important to my resume. Are there any laws that protect my records here? Can I write to them or something? No laws require employers to provide references or verify employment. What you need to do is call the employer back and see if you can persuade them to straighten out your records so they're available if contacted for a reference.