ADD, Depression Made Me Late

nbc4i.com - Employment Advice - Ask Ella: ADD, Depression Made Me Late
Dear Ella,

I was terminated from a major company in October 2004 for not arriving to work on time. I could understand that and accept that reason, as long as my medical problems were taken into consideration.

I feel I was wrongfully terminated because at the time I was supposed to be on an anti-depressants and medication for ADD. I stopped taking the medications because they made me very sleepy and I felt I was endangering people on the road.

I put off contacting my psychologist for re-evaluation. My manager and the director of the department knew of my issues and seemed supportive. My doctor told me that lack of focus, procrastination and never getting anywhere on time were a result of the depression and the ADD.

When I was written up for tardiness, I was told by the director of the department that if I straightened up within 30 days all would be OK. I must mention that I was always on time for the mandatory 8:45 daily meeting but continued to be between three and eight minutes late for the prescribed 8:30 arrival time.

After I was ultimately terminated, I found out that my position was dissolved and that my boss, the director of the department, was fired the following Monday

That company was my dream company to work for and now I have lost every hope of ever having a great career. Is there anything I can do in order to have this company re-evaluate my situation and possibly hire me back?

Dear Four Steps Back From The Brink,

Organize your thought processes and get back on track by following these four simple steps, listed in the order of their importance.

1. Contact a doctor through a social services program in your area to get the immediate medical attention you need.

2. Determine how your ADD and depression affected your level of culpability surrounding your termination through careful medical evaluation and documentation, and take action to correct the problem.

3. Know that if you were no more than eight minutes late on each count but always arrived before the commencement of the staff meeting then maybe you're not as unstable as you would think, but rather working in an environment, or for a boss, that created instability. Be clear on this point before considering re-employment with your former firm.

4. Consider that, since your boss was fired the Monday following your termination, this might be a good time to make a written appeal to his boss for re-hire. Include in your correspondence that you were always present and on-time for the 8:45 staff meetings, completed projects within budget and on-time, contributed to the success of the organization overall and looked forward to a long and healthy career with a company you respected.

Unless asked about your ADD and depression directly, leave it out of your letter and any subsequent conversations that may take place. As long as you manage your conditions as prescribed, your mental health is none of your employer's business.

It would be wonderful if we could re-write our pasts once we learned from our mistakes, but since this isn't possible, work on fine-tuning your professional offering with an eye toward making a new mark in time.


Written By Ella Kallish