Discussions

I have been looking for a job for almost a year now and so far I have had no luck. I was/am out onto disability by my doctor and was not able to work until he said it was ok.  
 
Now that I have been out of the field for a little while my 15+ years of customer experience suddenly means nothing. I have been volunteering during the time doing what I can with my disability and picking up odd jobs like elections, but it doesn't seem to matter when trying to find full time work.  
 
Why is it when you want to work they don't want you?  
 
It's not just simple customer service I was an Insurance broker and I loved that job (and my clients liked me, they still ask me where I am) and I was a adminisratve assistant. But I feel like it doesn't matter now.  
 
I can't just get a job as a cashier again as I cannot stand for 8 hours (disability)  
 
What is a person to do?

This may be an opportunity for you to explore your options for going “back to school” and re-training for the kind of work you are physically able to perform with your disability, and that is the kind of work in demand in Brandon.

I'm going to give you a piece of advise. If you have to explain your absence on your resume do not, I repeat do not say you were off for a disability. Tell them you were taking care of a sick relative or you were away traveling. If your disability will not be aggravated by the job tasks then don't tell them. You don't have to divulge that information. I'm a hiring manager if I hear that someone has a disability that has taken someone out of the workforce for a long period of time I have a hard time hiring that person. It's completely discriminatory and against the law to do this but you are a liability that some employers can't afford if they are a small outfit. They also think that you may be working the system, I'm not trying to group people with disabilities together but it's an honest thought and if an employer tries to tell you different they are being untruthful. Sorry if this reply offends some but someone has to say it.

You're luck that human rights lawyers aren't reading this. If anyone caught wind of this, you could be in huge trouble for discrimination

about hiring is probably more common that anyone thinks.  
People get hired for the job they can do, not for doing a job and then having trouble completing their work.  
Not saying that it's right, just reality.

But truthfully, if you have to choose between hiring two completely capable and equally qualified individuals, it only makes sense that employers would lean toward the one without an injury or disability history. Is it right? Not at all. Hence, why the first employer to mention it is posting anonymously and not under their real name.

What happens if you are delt a crappy hand in life. Unfortunately, my disability was from birth I didn't get to choose it. As well as my health issue that I had. So does that mean that I am no deserving of a job?  
 
For a fact I was working up to 60 hours a week taking on additional work for the people who had kids and didn't want to work weekends and evenings...  
 
I guess they are more important than a person who is not physically perfect.

Hello I’ve sent u a message

I certainly hope karma pays you all a hefty visit. You're a terrible human beings to be calling anyone much less someone with a disability who's only crime in your eyes is trying to be a productive member of society a liability. Disabled people in the workforce can be just as productive if not more so than anyone else. They certainly have to have more determination than most simply because they have to prove people like you wrong on a daily basis. Check your privilege.  
 
OP don't get discouraged there are good people out there despite garbage responses like this. You'll have to work harder to prove it but proving people like this wrong will be more than worth it in the end. Good luck!  
 
Edited by Degenerate108, 2019-09-18 23:03:14

We have to be real. In working for an organization that only wanted good looking people, or who their parents were, or how good they were at extra curricular activities, it was embarrassing for these people when they couldn't do the job. I wud rather work with someone who is disabled as they can really show us all up. They are a benefit to our society!!!

In this day and age there is 100 applicants for every available job, so one must be creative and take the initative to make their own employment opportunities. There are many self employment opportunities in Brandon for any individual who is motivated. I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for individuals who want to wallow in self pity. Do you own a vehicle and Drive?? If so, there are many individuals who require transportation to Winnipeg for appointments. There are many seniors in long term care homes whose family can't get in to visit them as often as they would like, and would be happy to pay someone to go in and take their beloved out for coffee once or twice a week. There are many individuals who are mentally disabled or senile being cared for at home by a loved one. Their care giver needs a babysitter on occasion so they can get out to get groceries etc. People are even paying a babysitter to come in and look after their dogs while they go out for a few hours. Invent yourself and creative a service available to people in the community and then advertise same. If your motivated, ambitious and have a positive outlook on life you will have no problems in finding clients.

I feel badly for anyone with a disability looking for work. The job market is tough right now unless you want fast food/restaurant jobs. Which not everyone does. I’ve been searching unsuccessfully for a part time office job for 6 months now. It’s a tough market out there. Good luck to everyone searching.

"People have there entire lives invested in their business."  
 
Disabled people have their entire lives invested in "Living."  
 
"When I'm hiring someone what am I allowed to NOT hire them for? Like when did private employers become everyones wards?"  
 
Among those aged 25 to 64 years, persons with disabilities were less likely to be employed (59%) . Among those with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years who were not employed and not currently in school, two in five (39%) had potential to work. This represents nearly 645,000 individuals with disabilities. Persons with more severe disabilities (28%) aged 25 to 64 years were more likely to be living in poverty (as measured by the Market Basket Measure) than their counterparts without disabilities (10%) or with milder disabilities (14%).  
 
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-654-x/89-654-x2018002-eng.htm  
 
That is why employers should be made to hire people with disabilities, because there's a huge stigma that if you're disabled you can't do the job and that you should want nothing more than to live in poverty on government assistance.

Society is making great strides towards the inclusion of those with various disabilities but, granted, there is still along way to go. I have been discriminated against and it hurts like hell. I have also been a business owner and supervisor to staff so have been in positions to have to weigh pros and cons of hiring someone with a disability. It is tough on both sides of the equation. My problem is that the employers that promise tons of support are "usually" just giving lip service to the problem and the people who are actually honest about the matter. are totally chastised.

How are you applying for these jobs? I know in this day and age, it has become the norm to apply online for jobs.  
 
However, if you've been off for a while, and are worried about how your resume is being handled by the HR/hiring manager, then perhaps applying in person might be your best bet! Maybe you've done that already!  
 
As someone who has been in charge of the hiring process, I am usually more impressed by the individuals who take the time to bring me their resume/cover letter in person. That way, I can meet the person and have a quick chat with them, get to put a face to the name, and a better first impression than an impersonal email.  
 
Also, perhaps you've done this, too, but have you taken your resume to a professional to look over? Ensure that, other than the gap in employment, there are no formatting/grammatical/synapses error that is turning potential employers off.  
 
Personally, I am willing to give someone with gaps in employment a chance to come interview, but if I'm hiring for a job where attention to detail is critical, and your resume is full of errors, I'm probably NOT going to give you a call, as you've already shown that you're lacking in a skill essential to the job.

Lookup “Ricky Berwick“ on YouTube if you want to see somebody whose made a successful career on YouTube by not letting his disability get in his way, some people criticize him but the dude is making what he has work and its working for him.  
 
I am not saying copy Ricky Berwick, but if there is any skill you have, that people type into google "how to ____?" and you can answer those questions, you said you have a background in Insurance Broker maybe you could start a YouTube channel that answers the basics of peoples questions in regards to that, or if you have any other skills or ability's to craft things with your hands make "how to" videos on literally anything.  
 
YouTube is the second largest search engine so if people aren't finding their answers on Google, they're looking for them on YouTube.  
 
There is a ridiculous amount of information on YouTube about how to start a YouTube channel, a VLOG or even start Live Streaming and its all free, and its also so simple anybody can do it. If you can type questions into YouTube and you can follow instructional videos there Is nothing stopping, you from trying a career on the internet.  
 
Just a suggestion from a different perspective, no standing required for this and work from home! You can even keep doing it if you find part time work, create your own passive income.

It can take years before you will ever even see one dime from YouTube. It's certainly not going to start earning you money right away. First, your channel has to reach one thousand subscribers and, if I'm not mistaken, 4000 hours of watch time, before you can start monetizing it. You also can not link other money making ventures, like Teespring for example, to your channel until your channel meets those requirements. I do like the suggestions about trying to come up with a way to be self employed and you may still be able to work at a part time job, if you can find one with regular shift times. A lot of "part time" jobs these days seem to expect you to be available 24/7, which just plain sucks, IMO.  
 
Good luck to you.  
 
Edited by Triplethreat, 2019-09-19 12:53:33

If you were an insurance broker and all of your clients really liked you, can you not go back to your previous employer? Why did you not return? I was under the impression that one could not be fired for medical reasons under Manitoba Employment Standards, so I really hope that wasn’t your case and that you resigned from your position voluntarily when your doctor placed you in disability.

You can be fired regardless of whatever goes on within the first 3 or 6 months probation,regardless of what medical reason it is...I know first hand,as It happened to me....

I was there for over 4 years until I had to by surgery on both hand for carpal tunnel and had to wear walking shoes by podiatrist letter for orthotics....

Have you checked into Career Connections? Helping people with a disability, find employment, is what they do.

YouTube is a terrible way to make money unless you're a content farm. One channel I regularly watch (Glen & Friends Cooking - a Canadian, highly recommend it!) recently did a tour & Q&A and even with 200K+ subscribers and a viral videos with millions of views, he doesn't even get enough from YouTube to pay for the food to do the videos. He does it because he loves doing it, and it's associated with his "day job" (he produces food commercials for a living).  
 
Edited by Abbysmum, 2019-09-20 16:30:38

Said it the way it is. It’s an honest answer and someone had to say it. He’s not saying folks with a disability can’t do the job but employers have to protect their business. Don’t tell them, I agree.