There have been many posts about employment problems lately. I will tell you something about this from another veiwpoint. Part of my job was auditing manufacturing companies and I audited many. Two of them, having no idea that the auditor has MS, we’re quite open with me about their discrimination policies. I would ask about disabled facilities sometimes although this was really within the remit. One company in Czech Republic was very interesting. I gave an example of somebody with MS and how they would facilitate their needs. ‘we won’t have them’, was the answer. Why not??? ‘They’re nothing but trouble, we get rid of them’. This was the HR manager… Next was a printer in Leicestershire. I asked the same question. ‘We put them on sorting’. WHAT??? Disabled people are put in the sorting room, sorting out reject prints from good ones. I had to visit the warehouse and got stuck on the floor when I bent down to look at something. I didn’t let on why until the closing meeting. I must say we had a giggle about this at the time. I asked further at the closing meeting where I had the Operations Director, the Quality Manager and the MD. They all confirmed that they wouldn’t employ somebody with MS and if diagnosed while in employment would be put on sorting. All their disabled employees were in the sorting room. I asked if they would allow an auditor with MS to audit the company. The answer was NO because of health and safety reasons. I then said ‘So I’m not allowed in then’??? The conversation went something like this… But you haven’t got MS. Yes I have, that’s why I got stuck on the floor in the warehouse. That’s why I am slow on the stairs. You didn’t tell us, you are supposed to disclose it for insurance purposes. Do you want our business or not? They were very embarrassed, but these are just two companies that discriminate. There will be many more. Pat
Haha…good for you, Pat…would love to have seen their faces !!