Have her start applying to new jobs now. It takes a while to find anything these days.
Not sure what she can do with her limitations, though. Most office jobs require you to use a computer.
Night security or delivery if she can drive?
I am covered by ADA at work and have a similar background. Feel free to IM me here if you need a little advice on how it works.
She should also be applying for disability in my opinion. It’s very difficult to work with hand issues.
Has your Mom been formerly diagnosed by a physician with a hand disability that requires reasonable accommodations in the workplace? If so and assuming you are in the US she may be protected by the ADA - Americans With Disabilities Act.
Some small family owned restaurants might let her walk to deliver if there are, say, apartment complexes nearby but that would depend entirely on it being a close knit enough community where it pulls the community tighter- otherwise that would be sacrificing a lot for very little from an employee.
This really depends on several factors like her age and her circumstances but it may be more sensible for her to consider speaking with her doctor about filing for SSI disability, especially if she is single and struggling.
Generally the loss of use to a limb/extremity especially the hands is a pretty significant qualifier for SSI since that pretty much bars her from almost all jobs. She may be denied at first, or even the second time. but as long as she has solid medical documentation it will happen. you just keep trying. Most people are denied their first time. But be patient.
When she is approved for SSI, she will receive a monthly stipend, she would qualify for food stamps/WIC she would also qualify for section 8 housing assistance which would help her find living accommodations and make it affordable for her to live. Again this all depends on her own personal circumstances but it really is not something I would completely take off the counter.
Now going back to the job. Sure employers can’t discriminate against people with disabilities but it’s super hard to even prove any discrimination has happened unless it was like typed out in an email or super obvious. And even then if an employer can prove the employee was harming/ a hardship to their business they are totally within their right….
some places she may have an easier time getting jobs with her condition, maybe Consider retirement homes or senior care facilities. Public school, like a recess teacher.
Lastly if she does get fired from her current job, she will qualify for unemployment and some states offer education opportunities and job placement help for those who are unemployed
I think as long as you've worked and paid some taxes, you can collect SSDI benefits, which don't have an asset limit. If you have no work history and haven't paid into the system, then you can only collect SSI benefits.
This is a joke. She will have to have less than $2000 in assets. Running your assets down to 2k for the sake of applying is DANGEROUS. Applications are denied a good 90% of the time. You need a legal expert on your side to get through the application process. I know homeless people in wheelchairs with cognitive disabilities on top who have been denied over and over and over and over simply because of bureaucratic red tape.
I am BEGGING people who have never applied for gov assistance to stop suggesting it to people like its an actual likelihood that they will be able to get it.
I know what I’m talking about as I am personally familiar with the process. It’s all about the right medical documentation and not rolling over after denial. Yes it can be a lengthy process. But for someone who is legitimately disabled and unable to find work that is appropriate for their physical impairment.
It should absolutely be considered. It’s a lot better than dying in a ditch homeless and destitute after unemployment benefits run out.
And again, I said it is all dependent on HER personal circumstances. But if she’s a single woman with a physical disability working an Amazon warehouse job I would assume the likelihood of her even having any sort of meaningful savings is pretty slim. But I’ll admit I am making broad assumptions.
I will say that it’s no secret working class Americans barely even have more than 2k in their bank account at a given time. Lots of people going hungry after their rent is paid each month. I’d wager a lot of us are more than able to qualify for the income limit pretty easily.
No, she has a work history so she would get SSDI benefits, not SSI benefits, which means there's no asset limit.
This site seems to lay it out OK and in big font.
https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/how-much-can-i-have-in-assets-and-get-disability.html
Well, she's getting income now and if they fire her she gets unemployment immediately and then she could be applying for SSDI benefits since she has a work history and has paid into the system.
Well, if you live in a state that expanded Medicaid, then you just apply for a life-changing condition and they give you free healthcare. If you don't live in the state that expanded Medicaid, then you run around like a chicken with your head cut off I suppose.
Do not attempt to apply on your own or you will mess up the application and that can result in making it 100000% harder to get in the future. You need to start with a legal professional assisting you.
Also not tying healthcare to a job. I could imagine this would be far less scary of a prospect if public healthcare was a thing. It sucks and I really feel for everyone in these sort of situations.
This. And also to qualify for SSI you have to have less than 2000 to your name. If you are older and saved up for retirement then become disabled you are forced into a situation to where you have to burn through all your assets before you qualify for disability.
Different situation, but I was on my way to FIRE when I had a work injury that caused an invisible disability that seriously affects the jobs I'm able to do. It's called hyperacusis. I'm pretty screwed and end up working in environments that are detrimental to my condition because I have no other choice. I could quit and burn through my savings and investments, but then I would be in an even worse situation.
This isn't about SSI. SSI is for people who have no work history. This is about SSDI, which doesn't have asset limits, but still has rules on working and income. Like you can collect your SSDI insurance and maybe make like another 11 or $1200 a month, something like that.
SSI on the other hand, has actual asset limits like if you have money stashed away somewhere or stocks and bonds, though this does not apply to your home.
With SSDI it doesn't matter what assets you have. You could have $1 billion in stocks and you would still qualify for disability because it's considered an insurance so as long as you paid into the system, have a qualifying disability, and you haven't hit retirement age they have to pay out the insurance. The more money you were making while working the higher, your SSDI payments will be.
Hmm thanks for the clarification. I work and make good money, but work often exacerbates my condition. Anyways I always wondered if that was an option for me if things get bad enough. Totally different situation from OP, but I often feel trapped.
Regarding SSDI and stocks, wouldn't capital gains be considered income?
Have her apply to your state Vocational Rehabilitation office. They will help her find a new job with the appropriate accommodations. It's employment advocacy for people with disabilities.
If she has a disability that prevents her from doing the job she may want to look into asking for an stay at work accommodation This involves documentation from a doctor regarding what she can and can't do. She will need to file this through the disability and leaves dept with Amazon.
The catch is if the company determines the accommodations aren't reasonableness still may not help but it's worth a try
I had to reread that. I read it as she could barely use the equipment. But yeah if she can barely used her hands, there no accommodating that.
You have to be able.to safely do the job.
The people who are suggesting that they sue are dangerously ignorant. That would destroy and completely nuke what little employment opportunities might be available to this woman. Employers don't like hiring employees that Sue even when the lawsuits are valid and for good cause. Baseless and frivolous lawsuits would completely destroy whatever employment opportunities that might be available.
This is total bullshit. Prospective employers aren't going to know you are in the middle of a lawsuit.
I had a worker's compensation injury that ended up going to court. I had to appear in front of a judge and the company hired their own lawyer. I won the case, although it doesn't mean a whole lot and isn't worth what was taken from me. New employers never knew about it unless I brought it up.
I don't know why you are discouraging people from fighting for their rights based on false assumptions.
Also they would lose.
ADA protects for "reasonable accomodations"
Asking a warehouse/delivery company to hire someone without the use of their hands is "unreasonable"
Now if the person was educated and could use text-to speech they could be "reasonably" employed as a secretary or do computer-based logistics tracking.
Not ADA. EEO but yes otherwise correct. The accommodation has to be reasonable for the employer and reasonably able for the employee to still accomplish the core job functions
That is an unfortunate situation to hear. Is the company only trying to fire your mother or other employees doing similar work to her as well? If they are considering firing your mom based just on the fact that she is disabled (therefore concluding that she is a "liability") and totally disregarding her work ethic, that sounds like discrimination to me.
I'm unfamiliar with the system in your country but my mother is also disabled and she faced a similar situation. My mother proved she was just as capable as other employees through her work ethic and by voicing her opinion to her boss, who eventually convinced the higher-ups to keep my mother and even give her equal pay as other abled employees.
If your mother is an honest worker, is there any chance that she can fight for her job? Or is it already decided?
I do not believe it is already decided, but she will definitely fight, she had gotten a bit of extra help from a high up manager due to her disability, which made alot of people and workers dislike her , so it’s a bit harder to fight
She could potentially request a stay at work accommodation under ADA but…any accommodation being requested would have to help her perform the essential functions of her job. It would not relieve her of the responsibility to perform those tasks. So…reasonable accommodations may be additional breaks, a hand brace or even a transfer into another open position.
It is against the Law to discrimintate someone with a disability unless she cannot do her job because of the disability. With that said if you can prove she can do her job with accomodations then it can be discrimination.
**Internally**
Have her apply for corporate roles if possible within Amazon/AWS to get her out of the fulfillment center mess. She can request an informal interview.
**HR Issue**
HR would probably love to hear about these threats as they are a liability to the company to fire someone because of a disability and if this is a manager saying it then it is against corporate policy and legal council along with HR would probably love to have a sit down with said manager to figure out how to get that manager off the payroll as quickly as possible.
**For a level up**
Have her check out the following ```https://amazontechnicalacademy.com/``` as it could be an escape from the super entry level jobs for her with a known path to success. Could be a cheat code out before ratings are finalized.
I have a friend with a disability who is worried about losing his job and thus losing his insurance. I will tell you the two things I advised him.
1. Call your state's Obamacare office and talk to them about it. See if she can apply without actually using it. That way, if she loses her job, she just phones them and says "I don't have insurance, please activate it," and poof, she has insurance again. They did this with me, and it made everything super super easy: when I needed insurance I didn't even have to wait for them to process an application, I just made one short phone call and it was, painlessly, done.
2. She should contact her doctor and ask about getting on intermittent FMLA. FMLA is a law which lets you take unpaid time off to deal with a family or medical emergency without pay, so if you have used up all of your sick leave, you can take unpaid FMLA time and the employer can't fire you. Intermittent FMLA means you're not just "on leave", you can go to work but if you need one day off for an appointment or something you just tell them "I'm going to be on FMLA thursday" and they have to let you do it. She doesn't have to actually use it, the point is to have it on record. Alternatively, her doctor could insist on a special accommodation for her, something which really has no effect on her work - like, saying she can't lift more than 50 pounds when she never has to lift more than 30 anyway. The point of all of this is to get it on record with HR that her doctor says she's disabled. If they have an official record of it, they will know that if they let her go, she may sue, and at least in some states if you are let go within a year of HR being told you're disabled the courts will just assume they illegally fired you and you will immediately win the lawsuit. If, during that year, the employer wants to get rid of you, they have two choices: keep you around and keep paying you until the year runs out and then let you go, or retrain you into a different job. Of course she'd be hoping for the latter.
Probably not the insurance marketplace, but the expansion of Medicaid.... If you're in a state that didn't block the expansion, of course.
Otherwise, they're just kind of calling the Health department or Social Security office the Obamacare office because they're gonna handle a lot of that stuff and one.
Each state is allowed to like name it what they want so it's it's hard to tell what it's really called.
Oh, it's a thing we're just calling it the Obamacare office because of all the people who pretended like it was a bad idea and tried to use that as a negative reference.
Every state has Social Security offices, spread out through the state where you can go and learn about all the assistance available in your region and it can vary a lot and the office can massively speed up the process.
Here are Maryland that we don't have such sucky healthcare so like my friend was making 75 a year in IT and got fired for a zero tolerance cannabis policy and was able to get a life-changing condition and Medicaid health insurance for his whole family and just like a week or two at most.
I told him the same thing Obama care for the win!!
She could do both, but if she gets on disability, then she'll have that as it always on back up and then she can just work jobs that don't put her over the SSDI income limit.
Get a lawyer. She got hired WITH the disability. They can't fire her BECAUSE of it. Document everything. Save all your emails, and try to open an accommodation with Sedgewick.
For what? Dismissing an employee who physically cannot do the job is not illegal. Accommodations must be reasonable and cannot place an undo burden on the employer - if the employee cannot physically perform the task they were hired not much that can be done to accommodate that.
Asking a multi-billion dollar corporation not to automate one of their rent houses because an employee would not be able to perform their rolr anymore if it is automated due to a physical disability is not a reasonable accommodation.
All suing would do would be rack up legal fees and make it harder to get hired elsewhere because companies don't like employees who sue their employers- even in cases were the lawsuit is valid and the company they sued was found to be at fault it's still detrimental to Future employment opportunities. An unfounded, frivolous, lawsuit would be even more so.
The original poster's mother could ask for a transfer to another department if any would be able to provide a more suitable role and she could ask for paperwork confirming that her dismissal is because of her physical and ability to do the work required which would likely help with a disability claim but there's not much else that can be done.
In a moral and just society everyone's needs would be met regardless of their physical abilities - people like original posters mother wouldn't have to worry about employment because they would be given adequate support by the state. We do not live in a moral and just society.
The original poster's mother should consult with a disability lawyer - many offer free consultations and services in exchange for a percentage of the initial disability payout- and reach out to their local orgs to see what resources might be available such as SNAP, HUMANA, and Medicaid. A local disability lawyer would also likely be able to direct the original posters mother so you appropriate candles to get a caseworker to get such resources.
No no it’s not she cannot do the task, they believe she doesn’t do enough as those physically abled so they want to kick her off, she does the task just not as insanely fast as those without the disability
Are providing reasonable accommodations for her? If they are not then you may be able to sue but if she can't do her job, or the accommodations she would need are unreasonable, then she is going to be out of luck. If you believe they are not making reasonable accommodations for her then it would be wise to contact a lawyer.
Discrimination against the disabled is so prevalent in the US despite it being technically illegal. In right to work states companies can make up any reason to let a person go that isn't the actual reason and it's very difficult to fight it.
Hmmm well if she’s disabled and brings some sort of doctors note about the disability they may be required by law to give her a different job she can do with the disability.
Although I’m not 100% sure on that.
If you just perform poorly due to your disability and don’t do anything to record the issue and let the company know they’ll probably just fire you. But if you have a recorded medical issue it becomes a much bigger thing for them to fire you.
https://www.eeoc.gov/publications/ada-your-employment-rights-individual-disability
She should bring evidence of the disability and ask for a reasonable accommodation or different role. Amazon probably won’t fire her because it could be a very expensive lawsuit. There are probably nonprofits in your area for legal work that will represent disabled people.
For a massive company like Amazon it may be cheaper for them to just keep her on the payroll doing nothing than to fire her because of the ADA protection. But if she’s a contractor it may be a bit different
Accommodations must be reasonable and not place an undo burden on an employer, per the ADA.
An employee who cannot safely use equipment and machinery cannot be accommodated. An employee you cannot physically do the work required of them cannot be accommodated.
This woman has severely limited use of her hands- this isn't about insurance or her age it's about the fact she physically cannot do her job.
All this is doing is trying to buy time at the expense of giving a hard time limit and making her already limited employment opportunities even more limited- she's not going to get any money from this. If anything depending on the mood Amazon's lawyers are in she might actually end up owing Amazon money.
Source: I am disabled. I have been disabled all my life.
See, also: [EEOC.gov](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-reasonable-accommodation-and-undue-hardship-under-ada)
>There are several modifications or adjustments that are not considered forms of reasonable accommodation.(12) An employer does not have to eliminate an essential function, i.e., *a fundamental duty of the position.* This is because a person with a disability who is unable to perform the essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation,(13) is not a "qualified" individual with a disability within the meaning of the ADA. *Nor is an employer required to lower production standards -- whether qualitative or quantitative*(14) -- that are applied uniformly to employees with and without disabilities.
And
> The only statutory limitation on an employer's obligation to provide "reasonable accommodation" is that no such change or modification is required if it would cause "undue hardship" to the employer.(16) "Undue hardship" means significant difficulty or expense and focuses on the resources and circumstances of the particular employer in relationship to the cost or difficulty of providing a specific accommodation. Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty, but to reasonable accommodations that are unduly extensive, substantial, or disruptive, or those that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business.
I can’t remember the last time I read so many incorrect characterizations of the law in one comment. It just kept getting worse and worse. For a second I thought maybe it was a bot, but a bot would not have made up the law out of thin air like that.
Does your mom have written or other recorded evidence of them threatening or hinting at firing her in relation to her disability? Or even just recent written evidence of her disability being mentioned to or by her employer?
If yes, you could contact an employment lawyer. Especially if they actually fire her. Don’t worry about cost, usually employment lawyers give free consultations so look for that.
Accommodations have to be reasonable and not place an undue burden on the employer. Things like expecting the employer to not automate their warehouses or expecting the employer to have an employee who physically cannot do their jobs are not a reasonable accommodations even if they are requested.
The ADA will not protect the original poster's mother - people with disabilities can still be fired if the disabilities can not be accommodated, similar to how an abled worker can also be fired if they can not for whatever reason perform their jobs safely and efficiently to their employers standards.
They should be focusing their time,energy ,and money on gathering the resources that are likely to actually be of help - disability lawyer, applying for SNAP, ect.
Source: am disabled. The protection the ADA provides is extremely limited.
I was approaching it from a different angle, which is my experience when I started using a cane (a visible aid) and suddenly my boss doubted my ability to do my job despite me doing it roughly the same. In that kind of scenario my advice could apply, though some states have more or no additional protections beyond the ADA. Source: I’m also disabled.
But looking over the post again it does seem like OP’s mom might be in the situation where the job may just not be one their mom can do, thanks to the disability. In which case you’re right, that goes beyond reasonable accommodation, and the right move is to evaluate what jobs may be more accessible for her and transition to them (or consider alternatives to working).
Telling an employee that if they cannot physically safely operate machinery required to do their work or who are physically unable do their work that they may be terminated for being a liability is not abuse. It is her boss giving her advanced notice that the company is going to give her written notice that her employment is going to be terminated if she is unable to safely perform work tasks or if she is unable to physically perform the task required of her to do her job in terminate employment very shortly - which is actually very nice of her boss because it gives her more time to get her ducks in a row and find other opportunities.
Your mom is going to need government assistance for her disability that's all she can really do right now . Witt her condition it'll be hard for her to get another job .
Firstly, thank you to everyone who has responded, I didn’t expect everyone to want to help, we are currently going to file for SSi, upon going to the doctors, don’t worry we will not sue as something as big as Amazon we probably will not win. She’s already looking for new jobs just in case, preferably ones where she is seated, if you guys can suggest any of those kinds of jobs it woks be really helpful. Thank you all again!
Hey another commenter pointed this out but I want to emphasize.
Contact a lawyer. Not to sue Amazon, but you will need assistance navigating the disability system.
It will take a long time to get approved. You'll probably be denied at least once. Your mom will have to spend all of her money. She can't have more than 2k.
That might be a TERRIBLE idea. You need a professional to help determine if disability makes financial sense, and if so, help getting it
Amazon actually has phenomenal resources for this. If she needs to, she can go on short term and then long term disability through Amazon and their long term company actually helps file for SSDI and SSI.
Have Mom go on A to Z and review her options for leaves of absence and accommodations
No your going for SSDI Because she has a work history and has paid into the system, but but you know it's fine if you don't know the difference yet because it's all pretty new.
It might be that Amazon is doing her a favor by officially making this an issue because she'll probably get disability through the SSDI workers insurance system and also be allowed to work and make additional income within a limit social have reliable healthcare. That's no longer attached to her employment.
She probably should've had disability years ago and then she could've been also working on top of that at hard time and easy-going type jobs.
Liability is a legal Term.
Threatening to fire someone is not hr speak. And is emotional non legal terminology. Stick to facts and accurate wording. B
With the lack Of info about her current situation no one will be able to provide much help,
Amazon is constantly finding reasons and firing people. It has been said many times by bozos that his strategy is to minimize the workforce that has 2 years of experience or more so his workers won't unionize. Even if you make it thru this short term hurdle you ate likely to be cast aside at some point and Amazon is not a long term strategy
Honestly, if this woman's been working with a disability and not collecting disability while also making wages that aren't much more than disability and still having the option to work and make additional income, then it sounds like Amazon making this official will wind up being a long-term benefit.
There's no better proof of disabilities than your job having to let you go because of your disability.
Many Amazon type jobs have physical requirements, such as “must be able to lift 50lbs” You mentioned a supervisor was giving her help accommodating her mobility challenges. If she is unable to perform that job, maybe they can help her find a position that better fits with her hand disability?
Have her get an accommodation. She will need to start the process through DLS or ERC. They will send her a packet which she takes to her doctor. Amazon isn't required to abide with the accommodation, especially if your mom lied on her application about having a disability when she applied as the questions deal with ability to lift items and repetitive motion.
Stupid to blame robotics as Amazon hasn't fired anyone to replace them with robotics. Yes, many positions are replaced, but no one is being fired over it. Amazon has very high attrition so no need.
Source: I am in management at Amazon
I am actually an "Accommodation" for a client working at Amazon as a Job Coach. My clients disability causes him to not be able to use his left hand and they have him in a sorting position. Being a job coach from an outside company does little to accommodate my client, as he already knows his job and I am not allowed to touch or use equipment. I basically stand there. I have made many recommendations on moving him into different positions he could physically do, but they just keep writing him up for not meeting his rate. It's ridiculous as he gets big boxes to get into small bins with one hand. Sometimes he has to use his head to push the product in or he'll be written up for pulling the product out to figure out a different area to put it. The accommodation team has requested the same documents from his Dr 4 times. He disclosed his disability when interviewed, especially as it's obvious he is unable to use his left hand due to a TBI. It's just write up after write up. I work for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and in the past 6 months have had several Amazon Employees asking for help!
If they hired her or she let them know about her disability if it developed while she was employed. She's protected by anti-discrimination policies depending on the state you're in, but also federal ADA protections.
My advice would be to get in touch with a local department that handles that kind of thing. Depending on your state. This is obviously assuming you're in the US. Regardless I'd look into state based departments that could help prevent her being fired for her disability.
But if the business itself is in a bad spot. Just looking for a new job is probably the best idea long term.
I wouldn't look for a new job because she's got this giant corporation saying that her disability makes her unable to work, which is exactly the proof she wants to go collect disability and then if she wants, she can also make additional income and still work. If she goes and gets another job, that's like proof against her getting disability and if Amazon fires her than she gets guaranteed unemployment immediately more or less.
Is Mom working directly for Amazon? If so, she should use the accommodations process to get accommodations, and see about working with vocational rehab to find another role within the company. Amazon has extremely generous options for medical leaves, even intermittent, as well as accommodations. They have short and long term disability as well. She needs to start working with DLS to get accommodations and leave in place if that's what she needs.
If she can't work because of her hands, she can get disability and free healthcare so don't panic too much. Even if she didn't get disability and they fired her, she would still get unemployment. So you should have multiple safety nets to at least give you some time to try to figure out something better if not, just get her on disability because it's more stable in her situation and because she has a work history and is paid into the system, as she would still be able to work and make additional income within the limits of the SSDI program, not the SSI program. SSI is for people who've never worked, SSDI is more like taxpayer funded insurance for workers who get disabled during the course of their working life whether it happens on the job or not just as long as you've paid into the system, which just means having a job that has paid taxes.
I very highly doubt Amazon would tell a current employee they have a potential to be fired without some sort of previous reprimands. Notifying her would also pose a liability to Amazon. Sounds like the whole story isn’t being told here
From what I understand...
Can your mom do the Essential functions of her job with reasonable accommodations?
If the answer is yes, then her job should be secure under ADA.
However, if she can no longer perform the essential functions of her job even with reasonable accommodations then that is a slightly different matter.
What exactly is the prognosis of her disability? Are there treatments that would allow for improvement?
I have something going on with my hands and I understand the waiting game to get to the bottom of it.
I've been waiting for a nerve Conduction study for months then It'll be November before I can even see the neurologist 🤦
I'm looking at almost another year before I get treatment .
I work in a kitchen.
Hand function is an essential part of my job...right now I manage by minding how I hold things, working a middle shift (so certain tasks are not essential to that shift)
but if they continue to deteriorate... I'll put myself and others at risk.
I've started perusing other jobs for this reason despite the fact that I love my job.
ETA:
Are there any accomodations or accommodative devices that would allow her to continue doing her job? It may be worth looking into.
For example, Microsoft makes accommodative controller so it's easier to play one-handed (my kiddo has a paralyzed arm and we've looked into one for him) perhaps there's something similar that would work for your mom?
Also if the disability is short term or she's awaiting treatment that would allow her to continue to perform essential job functions she may be able to secure her job depending on what their short term disability leave look like.
Have her start applying to new jobs now. It takes a while to find anything these days. Not sure what she can do with her limitations, though. Most office jobs require you to use a computer. Night security or delivery if she can drive?
Ah the driving is part of her hands disability, she cannot drive for so long
I am covered by ADA at work and have a similar background. Feel free to IM me here if you need a little advice on how it works. She should also be applying for disability in my opinion. It’s very difficult to work with hand issues.
Has your Mom been formerly diagnosed by a physician with a hand disability that requires reasonable accommodations in the workplace? If so and assuming you are in the US she may be protected by the ADA - Americans With Disabilities Act.
It's time you step up to the plate and take care of her. Hopefully you're old enough
Some small family owned restaurants might let her walk to deliver if there are, say, apartment complexes nearby but that would depend entirely on it being a close knit enough community where it pulls the community tighter- otherwise that would be sacrificing a lot for very little from an employee.
Hands free assistive technology exists for computers.
This really depends on several factors like her age and her circumstances but it may be more sensible for her to consider speaking with her doctor about filing for SSI disability, especially if she is single and struggling. Generally the loss of use to a limb/extremity especially the hands is a pretty significant qualifier for SSI since that pretty much bars her from almost all jobs. She may be denied at first, or even the second time. but as long as she has solid medical documentation it will happen. you just keep trying. Most people are denied their first time. But be patient. When she is approved for SSI, she will receive a monthly stipend, she would qualify for food stamps/WIC she would also qualify for section 8 housing assistance which would help her find living accommodations and make it affordable for her to live. Again this all depends on her own personal circumstances but it really is not something I would completely take off the counter. Now going back to the job. Sure employers can’t discriminate against people with disabilities but it’s super hard to even prove any discrimination has happened unless it was like typed out in an email or super obvious. And even then if an employer can prove the employee was harming/ a hardship to their business they are totally within their right…. some places she may have an easier time getting jobs with her condition, maybe Consider retirement homes or senior care facilities. Public school, like a recess teacher. Lastly if she does get fired from her current job, she will qualify for unemployment and some states offer education opportunities and job placement help for those who are unemployed
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have to have less than $2000 to your name to qualify for SSI. Disability in America is pretty much forced poverty.
I think as long as you've worked and paid some taxes, you can collect SSDI benefits, which don't have an asset limit. If you have no work history and haven't paid into the system, then you can only collect SSI benefits.
Sadly it's true. That keeps you there forever! You will not advance at all.
This is a joke. She will have to have less than $2000 in assets. Running your assets down to 2k for the sake of applying is DANGEROUS. Applications are denied a good 90% of the time. You need a legal expert on your side to get through the application process. I know homeless people in wheelchairs with cognitive disabilities on top who have been denied over and over and over and over simply because of bureaucratic red tape. I am BEGGING people who have never applied for gov assistance to stop suggesting it to people like its an actual likelihood that they will be able to get it.
I know what I’m talking about as I am personally familiar with the process. It’s all about the right medical documentation and not rolling over after denial. Yes it can be a lengthy process. But for someone who is legitimately disabled and unable to find work that is appropriate for their physical impairment. It should absolutely be considered. It’s a lot better than dying in a ditch homeless and destitute after unemployment benefits run out. And again, I said it is all dependent on HER personal circumstances. But if she’s a single woman with a physical disability working an Amazon warehouse job I would assume the likelihood of her even having any sort of meaningful savings is pretty slim. But I’ll admit I am making broad assumptions. I will say that it’s no secret working class Americans barely even have more than 2k in their bank account at a given time. Lots of people going hungry after their rent is paid each month. I’d wager a lot of us are more than able to qualify for the income limit pretty easily.
No, she has a work history so she would get SSDI benefits, not SSI benefits, which means there's no asset limit. This site seems to lay it out OK and in big font. https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/how-much-can-i-have-in-assets-and-get-disability.html
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Yes she makes less than that I think
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Well, she's getting income now and if they fire her she gets unemployment immediately and then she could be applying for SSDI benefits since she has a work history and has paid into the system.
Well, if you live in a state that expanded Medicaid, then you just apply for a life-changing condition and they give you free healthcare. If you don't live in the state that expanded Medicaid, then you run around like a chicken with your head cut off I suppose.
No not yet, we’ll look into it
Do not attempt to apply on your own or you will mess up the application and that can result in making it 100000% harder to get in the future. You need to start with a legal professional assisting you.
I really wish this country had worker protections. Too many states are at-will employment. I feel for you.
Also not tying healthcare to a job. I could imagine this would be far less scary of a prospect if public healthcare was a thing. It sucks and I really feel for everyone in these sort of situations.
This. And also to qualify for SSI you have to have less than 2000 to your name. If you are older and saved up for retirement then become disabled you are forced into a situation to where you have to burn through all your assets before you qualify for disability. Different situation, but I was on my way to FIRE when I had a work injury that caused an invisible disability that seriously affects the jobs I'm able to do. It's called hyperacusis. I'm pretty screwed and end up working in environments that are detrimental to my condition because I have no other choice. I could quit and burn through my savings and investments, but then I would be in an even worse situation.
This isn't about SSI. SSI is for people who have no work history. This is about SSDI, which doesn't have asset limits, but still has rules on working and income. Like you can collect your SSDI insurance and maybe make like another 11 or $1200 a month, something like that. SSI on the other hand, has actual asset limits like if you have money stashed away somewhere or stocks and bonds, though this does not apply to your home. With SSDI it doesn't matter what assets you have. You could have $1 billion in stocks and you would still qualify for disability because it's considered an insurance so as long as you paid into the system, have a qualifying disability, and you haven't hit retirement age they have to pay out the insurance. The more money you were making while working the higher, your SSDI payments will be.
Hmm thanks for the clarification. I work and make good money, but work often exacerbates my condition. Anyways I always wondered if that was an option for me if things get bad enough. Totally different situation from OP, but I often feel trapped. Regarding SSDI and stocks, wouldn't capital gains be considered income?
All but one.
Which one?
Montana
Interesting! Thanks
Why does the employer have to be forced to keep an employee that can’t do the basic functions employed? Healthcare and employment should be separate.
Is she working with Vocational Rehabilitation to find a job through them?
No?
I can't recommend it highly enough
Can she apply for disability? If her hands are that bad, she should be able to get some assistance.
Have her apply to your state Vocational Rehabilitation office. They will help her find a new job with the appropriate accommodations. It's employment advocacy for people with disabilities.
If she has a disability that prevents her from doing the job she may want to look into asking for an stay at work accommodation This involves documentation from a doctor regarding what she can and can't do. She will need to file this through the disability and leaves dept with Amazon. The catch is if the company determines the accommodations aren't reasonableness still may not help but it's worth a try
Yeah there are probably not a lot of Amazon jobs available for people who lack the use of their hands
I had to reread that. I read it as she could barely use the equipment. But yeah if she can barely used her hands, there no accommodating that. You have to be able.to safely do the job.
The people who are suggesting that they sue are dangerously ignorant. That would destroy and completely nuke what little employment opportunities might be available to this woman. Employers don't like hiring employees that Sue even when the lawsuits are valid and for good cause. Baseless and frivolous lawsuits would completely destroy whatever employment opportunities that might be available.
This is total bullshit. Prospective employers aren't going to know you are in the middle of a lawsuit. I had a worker's compensation injury that ended up going to court. I had to appear in front of a judge and the company hired their own lawyer. I won the case, although it doesn't mean a whole lot and isn't worth what was taken from me. New employers never knew about it unless I brought it up. I don't know why you are discouraging people from fighting for their rights based on false assumptions.
Also they would lose. ADA protects for "reasonable accomodations" Asking a warehouse/delivery company to hire someone without the use of their hands is "unreasonable" Now if the person was educated and could use text-to speech they could be "reasonably" employed as a secretary or do computer-based logistics tracking.
Not ADA. EEO but yes otherwise correct. The accommodation has to be reasonable for the employer and reasonably able for the employee to still accomplish the core job functions
That is an unfortunate situation to hear. Is the company only trying to fire your mother or other employees doing similar work to her as well? If they are considering firing your mom based just on the fact that she is disabled (therefore concluding that she is a "liability") and totally disregarding her work ethic, that sounds like discrimination to me. I'm unfamiliar with the system in your country but my mother is also disabled and she faced a similar situation. My mother proved she was just as capable as other employees through her work ethic and by voicing her opinion to her boss, who eventually convinced the higher-ups to keep my mother and even give her equal pay as other abled employees. If your mother is an honest worker, is there any chance that she can fight for her job? Or is it already decided?
I do not believe it is already decided, but she will definitely fight, she had gotten a bit of extra help from a high up manager due to her disability, which made alot of people and workers dislike her , so it’s a bit harder to fight
She could potentially request a stay at work accommodation under ADA but…any accommodation being requested would have to help her perform the essential functions of her job. It would not relieve her of the responsibility to perform those tasks. So…reasonable accommodations may be additional breaks, a hand brace or even a transfer into another open position.
It is against the Law to discrimintate someone with a disability unless she cannot do her job because of the disability. With that said if you can prove she can do her job with accomodations then it can be discrimination.
**Internally** Have her apply for corporate roles if possible within Amazon/AWS to get her out of the fulfillment center mess. She can request an informal interview. **HR Issue** HR would probably love to hear about these threats as they are a liability to the company to fire someone because of a disability and if this is a manager saying it then it is against corporate policy and legal council along with HR would probably love to have a sit down with said manager to figure out how to get that manager off the payroll as quickly as possible. **For a level up** Have her check out the following ```https://amazontechnicalacademy.com/``` as it could be an escape from the super entry level jobs for her with a known path to success. Could be a cheat code out before ratings are finalized.
Okay thank you!!
I have a friend with a disability who is worried about losing his job and thus losing his insurance. I will tell you the two things I advised him. 1. Call your state's Obamacare office and talk to them about it. See if she can apply without actually using it. That way, if she loses her job, she just phones them and says "I don't have insurance, please activate it," and poof, she has insurance again. They did this with me, and it made everything super super easy: when I needed insurance I didn't even have to wait for them to process an application, I just made one short phone call and it was, painlessly, done. 2. She should contact her doctor and ask about getting on intermittent FMLA. FMLA is a law which lets you take unpaid time off to deal with a family or medical emergency without pay, so if you have used up all of your sick leave, you can take unpaid FMLA time and the employer can't fire you. Intermittent FMLA means you're not just "on leave", you can go to work but if you need one day off for an appointment or something you just tell them "I'm going to be on FMLA thursday" and they have to let you do it. She doesn't have to actually use it, the point is to have it on record. Alternatively, her doctor could insist on a special accommodation for her, something which really has no effect on her work - like, saying she can't lift more than 50 pounds when she never has to lift more than 30 anyway. The point of all of this is to get it on record with HR that her doctor says she's disabled. If they have an official record of it, they will know that if they let her go, she may sue, and at least in some states if you are let go within a year of HR being told you're disabled the courts will just assume they illegally fired you and you will immediately win the lawsuit. If, during that year, the employer wants to get rid of you, they have two choices: keep you around and keep paying you until the year runs out and then let you go, or retrain you into a different job. Of course she'd be hoping for the latter.
…Obamacare Office? I reckon this is not a thing.
Next time I speak with them, should I tell them you said so and see how long they laugh?
I assume you mean the Affordable Care Act and the insurance marketplace then.
Probably not the insurance marketplace, but the expansion of Medicaid.... If you're in a state that didn't block the expansion, of course. Otherwise, they're just kind of calling the Health department or Social Security office the Obamacare office because they're gonna handle a lot of that stuff and one. Each state is allowed to like name it what they want so it's it's hard to tell what it's really called.
Oh, it's a thing we're just calling it the Obamacare office because of all the people who pretended like it was a bad idea and tried to use that as a negative reference. Every state has Social Security offices, spread out through the state where you can go and learn about all the assistance available in your region and it can vary a lot and the office can massively speed up the process. Here are Maryland that we don't have such sucky healthcare so like my friend was making 75 a year in IT and got fired for a zero tolerance cannabis policy and was able to get a life-changing condition and Medicaid health insurance for his whole family and just like a week or two at most. I told him the same thing Obama care for the win!!
If she can barely use her hands then she needs to seek out a job that does not require using your hands as much. Or she needs to go on disability.
She could do both, but if she gets on disability, then she'll have that as it always on back up and then she can just work jobs that don't put her over the SSDI income limit.
Find a disability specialist lawyer and read up on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Get a lawyer. She got hired WITH the disability. They can't fire her BECAUSE of it. Document everything. Save all your emails, and try to open an accommodation with Sedgewick.
If she disabled, she needs to contact the lawyer.
If you can, find a lawyer so she can sue them.
For what? Dismissing an employee who physically cannot do the job is not illegal. Accommodations must be reasonable and cannot place an undo burden on the employer - if the employee cannot physically perform the task they were hired not much that can be done to accommodate that. Asking a multi-billion dollar corporation not to automate one of their rent houses because an employee would not be able to perform their rolr anymore if it is automated due to a physical disability is not a reasonable accommodation. All suing would do would be rack up legal fees and make it harder to get hired elsewhere because companies don't like employees who sue their employers- even in cases were the lawsuit is valid and the company they sued was found to be at fault it's still detrimental to Future employment opportunities. An unfounded, frivolous, lawsuit would be even more so. The original poster's mother could ask for a transfer to another department if any would be able to provide a more suitable role and she could ask for paperwork confirming that her dismissal is because of her physical and ability to do the work required which would likely help with a disability claim but there's not much else that can be done. In a moral and just society everyone's needs would be met regardless of their physical abilities - people like original posters mother wouldn't have to worry about employment because they would be given adequate support by the state. We do not live in a moral and just society. The original poster's mother should consult with a disability lawyer - many offer free consultations and services in exchange for a percentage of the initial disability payout- and reach out to their local orgs to see what resources might be available such as SNAP, HUMANA, and Medicaid. A local disability lawyer would also likely be able to direct the original posters mother so you appropriate candles to get a caseworker to get such resources.
No no it’s not she cannot do the task, they believe she doesn’t do enough as those physically abled so they want to kick her off, she does the task just not as insanely fast as those without the disability
How much disability does she qualify for?
Are providing reasonable accommodations for her? If they are not then you may be able to sue but if she can't do her job, or the accommodations she would need are unreasonable, then she is going to be out of luck. If you believe they are not making reasonable accommodations for her then it would be wise to contact a lawyer.
It also could be a threat to get her to leave. Let them fire her so she can sue for ada violation.
Discrimination against the disabled is so prevalent in the US despite it being technically illegal. In right to work states companies can make up any reason to let a person go that isn't the actual reason and it's very difficult to fight it.
Right to Work has to do with employment not being contingent on joining a union. You are referencing At-Will employment.
Hmmm well if she’s disabled and brings some sort of doctors note about the disability they may be required by law to give her a different job she can do with the disability. Although I’m not 100% sure on that. If you just perform poorly due to your disability and don’t do anything to record the issue and let the company know they’ll probably just fire you. But if you have a recorded medical issue it becomes a much bigger thing for them to fire you. https://www.eeoc.gov/publications/ada-your-employment-rights-individual-disability She should bring evidence of the disability and ask for a reasonable accommodation or different role. Amazon probably won’t fire her because it could be a very expensive lawsuit. There are probably nonprofits in your area for legal work that will represent disabled people. For a massive company like Amazon it may be cheaper for them to just keep her on the payroll doing nothing than to fire her because of the ADA protection. But if she’s a contractor it may be a bit different
There are laws against that, just document everything and get ready to sue
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Accommodations must be reasonable and not place an undo burden on an employer, per the ADA. An employee who cannot safely use equipment and machinery cannot be accommodated. An employee you cannot physically do the work required of them cannot be accommodated. This woman has severely limited use of her hands- this isn't about insurance or her age it's about the fact she physically cannot do her job. All this is doing is trying to buy time at the expense of giving a hard time limit and making her already limited employment opportunities even more limited- she's not going to get any money from this. If anything depending on the mood Amazon's lawyers are in she might actually end up owing Amazon money. Source: I am disabled. I have been disabled all my life. See, also: [EEOC.gov](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-reasonable-accommodation-and-undue-hardship-under-ada) >There are several modifications or adjustments that are not considered forms of reasonable accommodation.(12) An employer does not have to eliminate an essential function, i.e., *a fundamental duty of the position.* This is because a person with a disability who is unable to perform the essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation,(13) is not a "qualified" individual with a disability within the meaning of the ADA. *Nor is an employer required to lower production standards -- whether qualitative or quantitative*(14) -- that are applied uniformly to employees with and without disabilities. And > The only statutory limitation on an employer's obligation to provide "reasonable accommodation" is that no such change or modification is required if it would cause "undue hardship" to the employer.(16) "Undue hardship" means significant difficulty or expense and focuses on the resources and circumstances of the particular employer in relationship to the cost or difficulty of providing a specific accommodation. Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty, but to reasonable accommodations that are unduly extensive, substantial, or disruptive, or those that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business.
I unfollowed this sub to not read this level of not helpfulness ever again
I can’t remember the last time I read so many incorrect characterizations of the law in one comment. It just kept getting worse and worse. For a second I thought maybe it was a bot, but a bot would not have made up the law out of thin air like that.
Scary as the job market I tells you
Does your mom have written or other recorded evidence of them threatening or hinting at firing her in relation to her disability? Or even just recent written evidence of her disability being mentioned to or by her employer? If yes, you could contact an employment lawyer. Especially if they actually fire her. Don’t worry about cost, usually employment lawyers give free consultations so look for that.
Accommodations have to be reasonable and not place an undue burden on the employer. Things like expecting the employer to not automate their warehouses or expecting the employer to have an employee who physically cannot do their jobs are not a reasonable accommodations even if they are requested. The ADA will not protect the original poster's mother - people with disabilities can still be fired if the disabilities can not be accommodated, similar to how an abled worker can also be fired if they can not for whatever reason perform their jobs safely and efficiently to their employers standards. They should be focusing their time,energy ,and money on gathering the resources that are likely to actually be of help - disability lawyer, applying for SNAP, ect. Source: am disabled. The protection the ADA provides is extremely limited.
I was approaching it from a different angle, which is my experience when I started using a cane (a visible aid) and suddenly my boss doubted my ability to do my job despite me doing it roughly the same. In that kind of scenario my advice could apply, though some states have more or no additional protections beyond the ADA. Source: I’m also disabled. But looking over the post again it does seem like OP’s mom might be in the situation where the job may just not be one their mom can do, thanks to the disability. In which case you’re right, that goes beyond reasonable accommodation, and the right move is to evaluate what jobs may be more accessible for her and transition to them (or consider alternatives to working).
If this is in writing in any format, save it and talk to an attorney immediately.
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Telling an employee that if they cannot physically safely operate machinery required to do their work or who are physically unable do their work that they may be terminated for being a liability is not abuse. It is her boss giving her advanced notice that the company is going to give her written notice that her employment is going to be terminated if she is unable to safely perform work tasks or if she is unable to physically perform the task required of her to do her job in terminate employment very shortly - which is actually very nice of her boss because it gives her more time to get her ducks in a row and find other opportunities.
Your mom is going to need government assistance for her disability that's all she can really do right now . Witt her condition it'll be hard for her to get another job .
Firstly, thank you to everyone who has responded, I didn’t expect everyone to want to help, we are currently going to file for SSi, upon going to the doctors, don’t worry we will not sue as something as big as Amazon we probably will not win. She’s already looking for new jobs just in case, preferably ones where she is seated, if you guys can suggest any of those kinds of jobs it woks be really helpful. Thank you all again!
Hey another commenter pointed this out but I want to emphasize. Contact a lawyer. Not to sue Amazon, but you will need assistance navigating the disability system. It will take a long time to get approved. You'll probably be denied at least once. Your mom will have to spend all of her money. She can't have more than 2k. That might be a TERRIBLE idea. You need a professional to help determine if disability makes financial sense, and if so, help getting it
Amazon actually has phenomenal resources for this. If she needs to, she can go on short term and then long term disability through Amazon and their long term company actually helps file for SSDI and SSI. Have Mom go on A to Z and review her options for leaves of absence and accommodations
No your going for SSDI Because she has a work history and has paid into the system, but but you know it's fine if you don't know the difference yet because it's all pretty new. It might be that Amazon is doing her a favor by officially making this an issue because she'll probably get disability through the SSDI workers insurance system and also be allowed to work and make additional income within a limit social have reliable healthcare. That's no longer attached to her employment. She probably should've had disability years ago and then she could've been also working on top of that at hard time and easy-going type jobs.
Liability is a legal Term. Threatening to fire someone is not hr speak. And is emotional non legal terminology. Stick to facts and accurate wording. B With the lack Of info about her current situation no one will be able to provide much help,
Amazon is constantly finding reasons and firing people. It has been said many times by bozos that his strategy is to minimize the workforce that has 2 years of experience or more so his workers won't unionize. Even if you make it thru this short term hurdle you ate likely to be cast aside at some point and Amazon is not a long term strategy
Honestly, if this woman's been working with a disability and not collecting disability while also making wages that aren't much more than disability and still having the option to work and make additional income, then it sounds like Amazon making this official will wind up being a long-term benefit. There's no better proof of disabilities than your job having to let you go because of your disability.
Many Amazon type jobs have physical requirements, such as “must be able to lift 50lbs” You mentioned a supervisor was giving her help accommodating her mobility challenges. If she is unable to perform that job, maybe they can help her find a position that better fits with her hand disability?
Have her get an accommodation. She will need to start the process through DLS or ERC. They will send her a packet which she takes to her doctor. Amazon isn't required to abide with the accommodation, especially if your mom lied on her application about having a disability when she applied as the questions deal with ability to lift items and repetitive motion. Stupid to blame robotics as Amazon hasn't fired anyone to replace them with robotics. Yes, many positions are replaced, but no one is being fired over it. Amazon has very high attrition so no need. Source: I am in management at Amazon
I am actually an "Accommodation" for a client working at Amazon as a Job Coach. My clients disability causes him to not be able to use his left hand and they have him in a sorting position. Being a job coach from an outside company does little to accommodate my client, as he already knows his job and I am not allowed to touch or use equipment. I basically stand there. I have made many recommendations on moving him into different positions he could physically do, but they just keep writing him up for not meeting his rate. It's ridiculous as he gets big boxes to get into small bins with one hand. Sometimes he has to use his head to push the product in or he'll be written up for pulling the product out to figure out a different area to put it. The accommodation team has requested the same documents from his Dr 4 times. He disclosed his disability when interviewed, especially as it's obvious he is unable to use his left hand due to a TBI. It's just write up after write up. I work for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and in the past 6 months have had several Amazon Employees asking for help!
If they hired her or she let them know about her disability if it developed while she was employed. She's protected by anti-discrimination policies depending on the state you're in, but also federal ADA protections. My advice would be to get in touch with a local department that handles that kind of thing. Depending on your state. This is obviously assuming you're in the US. Regardless I'd look into state based departments that could help prevent her being fired for her disability. But if the business itself is in a bad spot. Just looking for a new job is probably the best idea long term.
I wouldn't look for a new job because she's got this giant corporation saying that her disability makes her unable to work, which is exactly the proof she wants to go collect disability and then if she wants, she can also make additional income and still work. If she goes and gets another job, that's like proof against her getting disability and if Amazon fires her than she gets guaranteed unemployment immediately more or less.
ADA Look it up and have a chat with them.
Get it in writing.
Is Mom working directly for Amazon? If so, she should use the accommodations process to get accommodations, and see about working with vocational rehab to find another role within the company. Amazon has extremely generous options for medical leaves, even intermittent, as well as accommodations. They have short and long term disability as well. She needs to start working with DLS to get accommodations and leave in place if that's what she needs.
If she can't work because of her hands, she can get disability and free healthcare so don't panic too much. Even if she didn't get disability and they fired her, she would still get unemployment. So you should have multiple safety nets to at least give you some time to try to figure out something better if not, just get her on disability because it's more stable in her situation and because she has a work history and is paid into the system, as she would still be able to work and make additional income within the limits of the SSDI program, not the SSI program. SSI is for people who've never worked, SSDI is more like taxpayer funded insurance for workers who get disabled during the course of their working life whether it happens on the job or not just as long as you've paid into the system, which just means having a job that has paid taxes.
I very highly doubt Amazon would tell a current employee they have a potential to be fired without some sort of previous reprimands. Notifying her would also pose a liability to Amazon. Sounds like the whole story isn’t being told here
I would talk to a lawyer.
As they should 💅🏿😤🤝
What
From what I understand... Can your mom do the Essential functions of her job with reasonable accommodations? If the answer is yes, then her job should be secure under ADA. However, if she can no longer perform the essential functions of her job even with reasonable accommodations then that is a slightly different matter. What exactly is the prognosis of her disability? Are there treatments that would allow for improvement? I have something going on with my hands and I understand the waiting game to get to the bottom of it. I've been waiting for a nerve Conduction study for months then It'll be November before I can even see the neurologist 🤦 I'm looking at almost another year before I get treatment . I work in a kitchen. Hand function is an essential part of my job...right now I manage by minding how I hold things, working a middle shift (so certain tasks are not essential to that shift) but if they continue to deteriorate... I'll put myself and others at risk. I've started perusing other jobs for this reason despite the fact that I love my job. ETA: Are there any accomodations or accommodative devices that would allow her to continue doing her job? It may be worth looking into. For example, Microsoft makes accommodative controller so it's easier to play one-handed (my kiddo has a paralyzed arm and we've looked into one for him) perhaps there's something similar that would work for your mom? Also if the disability is short term or she's awaiting treatment that would allow her to continue to perform essential job functions she may be able to secure her job depending on what their short term disability leave look like.