Going to lose my job

[MsJoey1521]

Over the last 3 years, I have been fired from 4 jobs due to bipolar.  I finally think I am on the right concoction of meds and found a job I really love.  My problem is I can't get my emotions under control.  My feelings get hurt or I cry when stressed.  Could anyone please help if you have had the same probs?

My meds are Paxil 40mg, welbutrin 300, risperdal 1mg, and klonopin 1 mg.

Thanks!

[leica0000]

I spent the last year having this battle with a new manager I got last January. He tried to get me sacked because he saw my mood swings as a capability issue. My absentee rate is low, and my productivity is very high. I'm lucky to have a union where I work and they are in my corner, otherwise I'd be on unemployment benefits right now. Is there anyone that can represent you in a discussion with you manager? Or can you talk to an HR advisor. Make them aware you have a mental health disability. Try to get them to understand that neurologically your mood swings are similar to seizures in an epileptic and to try to get them to identify the mood swings with symptoms of a disability and not a personality flaw. For reasonable accomodation you mainly just need understanding from your colleagues that you merely displaying symptoms of a disability, get them to identify the differences between that and bad behaviour. If you make them aware of your diagnosis and they still fire you, you can look at discriminiation claims.

[leica0000]

Note: I've gotten fired from a number of jobs too, and I'm currently "on the bubble" at my current job, even though we're meant to be sympathic to people with illness. I'm in the UK so our laws are very different, but in the use the Americans With Disability Act states quite a lot explicitly: (a) General rule No covered entity shall discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of disability in regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. (b) Construction As used in subsection (a) of this section, the term “discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of disability” includes... (A) not making reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, unless such covered entity can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of such covered entity; or...

[mixedsalad]

Hi.  I know you feel hideously horrible and demoralized by this situation.

Advocate' advice looks good to me.

I will be taking it as well, as I have had/lost 3 jobs in the last year.  oops

[schizofriendia]

I was fired from my last job probably due to my illness I guess because I ended up on social security because of it.  I did what I did to get fired out of sheer anger.  I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia however.

[ILADVOCATE]

  Think about if there any specific concerns that stress you and see if there is a way you can speak to your supervisor and ask for a reasonable accommodation that might help you with this. When I worked part time in the past I found that certain sounds could create stress so I was allowed (I was in an office setting) to have my own cubicle that was somewhat apart from people. You can find out more about how to request a reasonable accomodation on the website ADA.gov. You can also discuss what issues create these concerns with your psychiatrist as well to find more coping solutions

[Jimmy86]

I have been fired from a couple of jobs 2 due to my bipolar. I have my ups and downs and it causes me yo lise jobs and now I am on 500mg of depokote twice a day risperdal 4mg 1 time a day and wilbutrin 300mg an it all seems ti be workin for.me but you are always going to have ups and downs but the point is to try to keep them to a minimum its not easy I deal with it everday at work. People yellin and you want to yell back or sometimes you just want to crawl in a corner and cry but hopefully everythin works out and let me know how everything goes