So - I am interested in opinions of what you would do.
I have severe eye issues. My vision prescription is -19. My clinical diagnosis is progressive high myopia. My mother is blind in her left eye and has some vision in right eye and I am following in her progression. I have lost my night vision - have difficulty seeing/walking in low lighting - certainly do not drive at night. Have lost some depth perception - frequently trip over curbs, steps, etc.
Despite this, I generally function pretty well. I work from 9-4 at an office job where I am on the computer all day. This is hard on my eyes and very tiring. The saving grace is that I have an office with a window. I frequently take breaks for a minute or two and look out the window. Focusing on an object in the distance helps relax my eyes and helps me get through the day with minimal eye strain. I try to look out the window while I am on hold, in between tasks, etc.
I did ask for large monitors, but a few people in the office have those, so no one knows how significant my eye issues are.
Two weeks ago, I was informed that mgmt wants to use my office for another function - and move me to an interior cubicle. Obviously I don’t want to trade a private office for a cubicle at all - but losing the window really worries me. I made it pretty clear that I would not be happy about the switch, without getting into detail about my vision or why the window is so important to me. Nothing has been said about it since - but I am very concerned it is goung to come up again after the holidays.
I don’t know what to do. I have no idea if I want to talk to the HR person - try to get a letter from my eye doctor, etc. My concern is twofold. I value my privacy and don’t want people knowing the severity of my situation. I am also concerned that I could win the battle and be allowed to stay in the office with the window, but at a price, as I will be preventing mgmt from using the space for other purposes. I could try the interior cubicle and see how it goes, but the thought deoresses me.
Do you know which interior cubicle it would be? I think I would start by staying after work (if it were possible) and trying out the cubicle discretely to see how it would be. If you are functioning ok and your work doesn’t know the details of your condition I would try to keep it that way as long as possible.
OTOH, it occurs to me that others may know more than you think they do. Any way to get a handle on that?
I don’t get the dilemma here. It seems to me that to ensure you keep the window, you’re going to have to tell HR re your eye issue (and get medical documentation if needed). You can’t expect them to read your mind. I don’t see what other choice there is.
(d) Are there other places in the building that the “other purpose” could be placed?
(e) Are people in the company prone to thinking less of you if they know that you have that specific disability?
(f) Is your current window office typical for someone with your job function and standing in the company?
(g) Is it possible that the move to what most would consider to be a less desirable office is a signal that your job function is becoming less important and therefore at greater risk of being eliminated or outsourced?
I know which cubicle it would be. Every time I walk past it, I try to figure it out - but it’s just cubicles and more cubicles - nothing else to look at. I could get up more frequently and take more breaks - walk around, etc. I know I would miss the ease of being able to refocus my eyes by looking out the window as often as I like.
I don’t see how anyone would know how bad my vision is - I have not told anyone. And I have not tripped and fallen at work so far!
The dilemma is that I don’t want people to know. I do not want to present myself as “disabled”. I don’t want to be gossiped about. So, either I stay silent, take the cubicle if I have no choce, and try to make it work with frequent breaks, or I have to divulge a very personal issue. It feels like choosing betwen two bad options.
The company is growing rapidly. The office I am in is actually undesirable as it is in a noisy location - near the front reception desk area and also across the hall from the main conference room. It is pretty noisy - but that does not bother me. The CEO of the company wants to turn the space into a studio for audio visual projects. I countered that it was a very noisy space for such usage. I also suggested that I could share the space and that since I leave at 4pm anyway - they could do the audio visual stuff later when it is quieter. There really is no other space for it if the want to put the equipment in permanently. It is a large office - I think there is room to share - just a question as to whether the noise factor makes sense.
Virtually everyone at my level has their own window office. My functions are more internal - I do not meet with clients. I do not manage anyone else. I do feel the office culture favors younger employees. Very few are over 50. Yes - you could say that my being the one elected to have to move from office to cubicle is not a great sign. But it is a large office - at one time 3 people shared it - I have had it to myself for a while. My last review was excellent and I get frequent complements on my work.
I suggest you read through the linked EEOC material on requesting accommodations for disabilities at work and see if first if you would qualify and second if the privacy constraints it describes are sufficient to make you feel comfortable. What’s clear is that your medical issues can’t become the subject of office gossip. Your state may have a similar law and its procedures could be relevant as well. (If that’s New York State, I suspect its rules would be even more protective of the employee.)
Took a quick glance and that was quite interesting. I do feel I have grounds to pursue that path - just not sure I want to. I may call my eye doctor on Monday and see what documentation or letter he would be willing to provide - so I know if that is an option.
Are other window offices available, comparable to those that other employees with your job function and standing have?
If the company is growing rapidly, it is possible that they are all filled – but it is also possible that the company will soon have to move to a larger space (or add more space if it is leasing a portion of a building that has empty space or space being vacated by a departing tenant), in which case more window offices may become available.
The other possibility is, are there cubicles that have views out windows? (Or that could have views out windows, if the cubicle walls were rearranged to place the opening where the occupant could have a view of a window.)
You need to support the requested accommodation, but you do not need to specifically disclose the issue. ADA requires them to make accommodations to help you perform regular life functions if it can be done reasonably. Can a blind person get accommodations to be a fork lift driver? Of course not.
I think there are a few things you can do to maintain your privacy. Do get your doctor to write a report of what you need. What kind of light helps? Is it sunlight only or a certain type of lighting? I have to imagine it is not always sunny when you are at the office, so doctor needs to explain what you need. You can’t just say it, or everyone would claim the need for a quiet office or a window. At my last job, the CEO said we would sit in cubes. Honestly, I think it is very difficult to work that way, almost all of us had 20-30 years of work experience in private offices, and we all wanted the windows. Nope. One person did nothing but complain about how far she was from the window, how cold her cube was (it was, I was jealous), how loud other people were near her. They would not move her. Had she supported the request with a doctor’s report, they would have had to consider it.
You can also request that your reason for the accommodation not be disclosed to anyone except on a need to know basis. People can see the accommodation but not know the reason for it.
But I think you need to accept that if you want the accommodations, you can’t retain total privacy. Friend’s DD needs classroom accommodations, but then complains that other students know she’s received accoomodations. Well, the rule is no using laptops unless you need an accommodation, and if you use a laptop, you have to sit in the front row. Thems the rules, take the accommodation or leave it.
In your case, the accommodation may be that your assigned cube is by a window. Be prepared for that.
I don’t have anything more practical to add, as you’ve received lots of great suggestions. I just want you to know I understand why you don’t want people to know. As I was losing my hearing in one ear, and had an acoustic neuroma in the other, eventually wearing HA’s in both…I didn’t like people to know. They see you differently, as old, as disabled. You don’t want to be treated differently. I still struggle to say, “could you please repeat that, I’m hearing impaired.” Part of it is I don’t want people to feel that I’m trying to illicit sympathy.
If you really want to be by daylight, you are going to have to tell…but you don’t have to tell that it will get worse,nor anything like that. All they need to know is your condition right now, and if you are functioning well, I don’t think anyone will think much of it. I would point out it doesn’t need to be that office, but you need to be next to daylight. Get that doctors note!! Good luck and big hugs.
You might also want to investigate whether having access to a window is considered to be the type of accommodation that is appropriate / necessary for your condition.
You may know that it helps you as an individual, but it would be good to confirm that is medically acknowledged.
Personally, I would first have a conversation with my direct manager to let him know everything you’ve said here. Give him an opportunity to see what he can do. But also let him know that you thought about approaching HR because it’s an ADA issue and if he can’t discretely help (i.e. his own management won’t change their minds) then you’ll go that route. I always like to let people know my plan B in advance so that if/when you go that route, they don’t feel like you went behind their backs, and it also (indirectly and politely) lets them know that it’s a serious issue for you which you’re not going to let go.
Do ask your manager to keep your information confidential. He should be willing, as it’s medical information (assuming this is a large enough company that managers are properly trained).
In order to get accommodations you need, you have to disclose something otherwise you’re going to look unreasonable and an obstacle to the company. Also while the workplace will agree to accommodating your needs, it may not be staying in your office. Last, people may know by what office does to accommodate you that you have some sort of visual condition but not specific details Is that okay?
That said, I have several colleagues who set a timer to take screen breaks to prevent eye fatigue/strain and headaches. I don’t know of any specific medical conditions or diagnoses; it’s just something they do.
What about a cubicle by a window? Don’t think they’ll let you stay in that office. If it was for 3, and down to one, then they are right to repurpose it. Open plan is the new big thing. You have to do it. Period. ADD is not good with open plan, but you get used to a lower level of productivity. Just ask for a cube by a window, let them know why.
I think other people in your office likely care a lot less about your eyes than you think - meaning that if they heard “oh, she needs that office due to a vision issue” they’ll shrug and go on their merry way. Either way, it’s unreasonable to expect that you can maintain the office without disclosing the issue.
Thank you for the thoughts. There are no other available window offices. The offices are around the perimeter of the space and all of the cubicles are interior - no cubicle has a window.
The window serves two purposes for me. One is the ability to look away from the computer screen and focus on a distant object - this is helpful for anyone dealing with computer eyestrain. The other is that I get natural light and will sometimes turn off the harsh overhead fluorescents and take a break for a few minutes with just natural light. Moving into an interior cubicle makes it impossible to do either.
We are growing and have only cubicle space open.
I have mentioned a small piece of this to my direct manager - she was actually the one who suggested going to HR. I think the communication at my company is horrible - she knew nothing about the plan to move me until I told her.
I’m not sure if I should go to HR now, or wait until the issue of moving me comes up again. It has not been mentioned in the past 2 weeks and I have no idea what that means. I’m usually a very proactive person, but this issue makes me very uncomfortable. I don’t like talking or even thinking about my vision issues - I just do my best to live as normally as possible and move on.
I do think I will take the proactive step of contacting my eye doctor tomorrow and see what he is willing to say in a letter. I’m not sure that sitting next to a window is medically necessary - it’s just easier for me.
On the privacy thing - I just don’t want or need people feeling sorry for me or believing I am exaggerating a medical issue. I have been in this office for a while, so if they don’t move me - no one will know that any conversation has taken place. I just don’t want to be the subject of office gossip on a private medical issue.
I used to share the office with someone else and would be happy to do so again if that was an option.