The fellow workers are concerned. This is the day they
found out Barb is going to confront her boss. If she succeeds will
celebrate by drinking IPA beer. Of course off site at a local
bar. One of the employees, a middle class man of
Irish descent with a ruddy complexion, full beard is busy with his
work. “Why aren’t you excited for Barb” he is asked.
“The brawny man replies I still must perform my
duties.” He then gets back to his work. “The other
worker responds “Can’t you see how important this is”
Okay if you insists I’ll drink a toast with my Guiness Stout
if she wins”.
.
Meantime Barb paced back and forth imaging how she would confront her supervisor. The young woman took a deep breath to help steady her nerves. and saying, “I must go with this. I’m doing this for my fellow workers with disabilities. I’m so close to what could be the most crucial experience of my career. She credited her mentor Lady Lynda for her determination.
Barb Silvestre, dressed in business casual, firmly rang the doorbell of her boss’s office. She immediately saw from his dismissive expression her supervisor was far from pleased with her presence. The stern looking man slowly rose from his office chair He inquired gruffly “What do you want? I’m very busy!!!”
‘Barb felt as if a man with a spiked boot kicked her stomach. She tried to regain her composure. She was about to tell him when she suddenly fainted.
Her superior stood over her and gloated. “Well I suppose I won’t near to deal with ungrateful b any longer.” he sneered
“Oh yes you will need to deal with me” The woman immediately jumped up and stood her ground.
Barb gasped as she listened intently to her boss’s threatening words. She felt her heart beat a bit faster. Yet she knew too that it was her right to defend herself. It was her right she intensely reminded herself under the Americans with Disability Act.
“I know my rights under the Americans with Disability Act” Barb
shouted at her boss. The man jumped back stunned by her
determination. Barb paused for a couple seconds
to gloat in her victorious stand. Then she immediately took
hold of her moment. Next she looked him directly
in the eye. “I won’t back down. You no
right not to give me fair and reasonable accommodations”
“Fair and reasonable? How is that determined?
Fairness isn’t fair unless it’s fair to every party involved”
commented her superior.
Silvestre was taken aback. She felt her heart jump a beat. Then she regained her composure. “I’m requesting you permit me to wear earplugs to help with distractions. I’m diagnosed with ADHD. How is that unfair to you?”
Her boss paused for a moment with a pensive expression on his face. He paced a bit as he looked to the woman he was gathering his thoughts. The minutes went by as slowly they felt like eons. Finally Mr said “Well I propose if you can do your duties with earphones for one week then you can wear them permanately. If not we’ll see from there. Its up to you Barb”
The woman smiled. “I promise I’ll do my best”
Barbara Silvestre walked out feeling triumphant. She looked forward to reporting back to her co workers how the meeting went.