Island Fever,

Would you say that you have been harassed by your supervisor? Have you been subject to a hostile environment at work due to having a disability? Have you followed your company's harassment policy by following what the policy advises you to do ( i.e. file a complaint with your human resources department)? If you were to state a legal claim for harassment and/or discrimination against your employer, based upon the fact that you have a disability and you made your employer aware of your disability, your employer's conduct would have to be either severe or pervasive for the claim to hold any weight. Have you requested from your employer that accomodations be made for you due to your disability? If so, how has your employer responded? Has your employer retaliated against you in any of the following ways: being demoted, being ostracized at work, being harassed, being taken away choice projects or commission opportunities, and of course, being terminated?

In any case, what you need to do is record everything - write down all incidents of harassment and be sure to complain to your employer through their internal procedures. If you answered yes to the previous questions and filing a complaint through internal procedures does not resolve the matter, I would encourage you to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC (the gov't). But be sure to seek legal representation first to determine whether you have a sufficient claim in order to proceed with a lawsuit. Through the assistance of an experienced attorney, a lawsuit can be filed and you would seek damages, which is what a jury would award if they side with you. But keep in mind, I read in an article recently that most allegations of discrimination by job seekers and employees with epilepsy are ultimately determined by the EEOC to be unfounded. In addition, the majority of allegations investigated by the EEOC involving epilepsy are decided in favor of employers.

Regardless of how this situation ensues, please be sure to prioritize your health. Prioritize your nutrition, sleep, and everything you need to be healthy. Why? Because you will always need your health in order to do any job. You come first before work. Don't skip lunch to earn extra points at work (I did this too many times at the expense of my health and now, I realize that it didn't matter! So don't dwell on this and take it so seriously. Go into work, show up, do what is expected and leave at 5pm and no later!

For some reason, we always seem to prioritize our to-do lists and fears associated with work, consumed by concerns over whether or not we have done well enough, satisfied the supervisor's ideals, and measured up enough in the corporate world...but for those who have limitations due to disability, it takes extra effort just to keep pace with the rest. Strive towards meeting your own personal expectations and working within your own physical limitations. If this job does not conform to those limitations, then it's not an ideal job for you.

Spend some time reading about the American with Disabilities Act, unfair employment discrimination practices, and try to get involved with a local disability advocacy organization located within your area, i.e. the epilepsy foundation, for example. Talking to other individuals who are in the same position can provide you with very helpful and insightful information.

I wish you all the best!