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questions and suggestions about medication

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blue-

Junior Member
i am a mid-level manager of a local government IT dept. I have a sleep disorder (sleep apnea) and am taking medication for it. one of the medications is a sleeping pill (Lunesta).
One of my staff called my phone in the middle of the night after I had gone to bed. I missed the call. the next day I was verbally reprimanded for not picking up the phone. I later sent a message to my manager asking if I could offer up my home number as an alternative (my wife would most likely hear this and pick it up, wake me up). I also mentioned that I have been taking some medication that might have contributed to my not answering the phone. my manager quickly came in my office and asked if I was taking sleeping pills. shocked, I said yes, it's a prescription from my Dr. she then suggested that I consider getting off the medication and that it was her expectation that I answer my cell phone.
Stopping the medication is not an option for me at this point and I don't want to end up getting fired because of this. can she ask me about medical conditions like this? do I need to talk to HR or attorney?
 


OHRoadwarrior

Senior Member
Consider Zolpidem. It is a 4 hour, not a 7 hour. Put your phone by the bed, so wife will wake up. Ask your doctor to allow you to manipulate dosage to maximize your sleep when you are not on call. I take 1/2 a tab on nights I must get up in 5 hours and more on nights I can sleep through.
 

You Are Guilty

Senior Member
i am a mid-level manager of a local government IT dept. I have a sleep disorder (sleep apnea) and am taking medication for it. one of the medications is a sleeping pill (Lunesta).
One of my staff called my phone in the middle of the night after I had gone to bed. I missed the call. the next day I was verbally reprimanded for not picking up the phone. I later sent a message to my manager asking if I could offer up my home number as an alternative (my wife would most likely hear this and pick it up, wake me up). I also mentioned that I have been taking some medication that might have contributed to my not answering the phone. my manager quickly came in my office and asked if I was taking sleeping pills. shocked, I said yes, it's a prescription from my Dr. she then suggested that I consider getting off the medication and that it was her expectation that I answer my cell phone.
Stopping the medication is not an option for me at this point and I don't want to end up getting fired because of this. can she ask me about medical conditions like this? do I need to talk to HR or attorney?
Read this immediately:
http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html#requesting
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Wouldn't it be easier to just forward the cell phone to the home number while the OP is dead to the world?
 

commentator

Senior Member
Very good point, zig. I am very doubtful if sleep apnea is going to be considered a life-limiting disability for which ADA accomodations should be made. True, the condition is getting a lot more attention these days. But need for reasonable accomodations on the job because of it? Hard to show, I'd say

Is the nature of your job such that you are required by your job description to be on call at any time night and day? If so, then you're going to figure out some way to get waked up if you're called in the middle of the night.Why not just work out the problem instead of making this a fight you probaby will not win?
 
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swalsh411

Senior Member
Or maybe get your employer to realize that you need your sleep and personal life and so shouldn't be on call 24/7. That's really quite ridiculous for an local government IT employee. (no offense). If the job is so critical that somebody needs to be available all the time, then they should hire somebody to work the night shift who can perform whatever task it is they are calling you about at 2 AM.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
A condition does not have to be life-limiting in order to qualify for ADA protection. It just needs to affect one or more major life activities - and sleep would definitely qualify as a major life activitiy. Though sleep apnea can absolutely be fatal if it's untreated.

Upon further review, it looks like sleeping is specifically listed in the ADA law as a major life activity :)
 

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