Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!William.Hall From: William.Hall@hnews.fidonet.org (William Hall) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Help needed Message-ID: <10335@bunker.UUCP> Date: 22 Feb 90 21:35:23 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: William.Hall@hnews.fidonet.org Distribution: misc Organization: The Handicap News, Shelton CT (203) 337-1607 Lines: 55 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 6902 I'm a 49 yo male who has cerebral Palsy. Prior to 12/86, I worked 21 years for a large computer firm. At that time, its management decided I was handicapped (they're slow to catch on, like most large bureacracies), so I was placed on medical disability--with a concomitant cut of 60% salary and benfits. Since last June I have been working for a very small software firm as a statistician. Last Thursday I was "laid off" supposedly due to "lack of work" in the firm. I have documented through memoranda (some to the CEO--well, I said it was a small firm, didn't I?...and, after all, he's the one who hired me and sketched [I use that term advisidely, since he was less than clear about his expectations]) the progress, and lack of same over the intervening 8 1/2 months. The crux of the matter being that 1) the colleagues who needed to supply background info to me, simply would not deal with me (I suspect disibiliti-phobia!), and 2) even when I attempted to make written requests, these request were deemed unclear (altho' I personally was never informed of such until months after-the-fact) and ignored. The CEO never, ever inquired concerning my progress, or lack of it. His office is scarcely 15 feet from mine. I wrote a very fine rep- ort, all colleagues in my department said so--as well as my im- mediate manager. Unfortunately, it was a report which could have been written in August (a memorandum I wrote then says that plain- ly). It's content is not what was wanted. I knew that...the CEO knew that since I'd months ago laid out the information and data I'd need to give him the kind of analysis I knew (since my init- ial hiring interview in April, 1989) he wanted. On Thursday, I composed a final letter to the CEO detailing my disappointment over the unprofessional way he and certain colleagues have chosen to ingore legitimate BUSINESS needs which I partially detailed (I figured it was unnecessary to rehearse [such sordid] history yet again--he has the memoranda after all!). Again, I have received no response. Received no acknowledgement at all. I received only one (1) day severence pay. I am uneligible for unemployment compensation, probably because I was paid 1/2 or less as much as a non-disabled person with comparable qualifications and experience. Can anyone suggestion some measures to get the attention of this CEO? If Georgia were not the worst of all states as far as Employ- ment Protection, then litigation might be the answer; however, since she is, going to court seems out of the question. If a consensus thinks a massive letter-writing campaign to this CEO would shake some things loose, let me know. If I gather enoughh positive res- ponses to that suggestion, then I'll happily forward names, address- es, and whatever other information people deem necessary in order for them to compose a reasoned inquiry to this gentleman concerning my situation there. Thanks to All, February 21, 1990 William Hall -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!William.Hall Internet: William.Hall@hnews.fidonet.org