? re. PD and vocational rehab

[lfoster21]

Hello all-My i/c keeps asking if I am ready for vocational rehab. (Even though they have approved for me to have another surgery in a few weeks---go figure.) My question is this, if SS has declared me disabled and the vocational Dr. at the SS hearing said that after seeing all the Dr. reports and my restrictions, he would not be able to find me work. Will I still be required to go through the voc. rehab w/ W/C? And if so, what happens if they can not find me a job? How long will they keep trying to find me a job?

The vocational Dr. at the hearing, stated that not being able to control my bodily functions, is what made me undesirable as an emploee. He said that having to constantly change positions as well as only being able to work 10 hrs. would make it difficult, but not impossible and the rest of the restrictions would not keep him from finding me a job.

Any thoughts about w/c's vocational rehab program and what I can expect, would be greatly appreciated. Btw...Prior to my injury, I was working 1 F/T and 1 P/T job. My P/T job took me back with my restrictions, at the very beginning. (They had to make up a new position for me, but they did it.) Since 1 of my restrictions is that I can only work up to 15 hrs. now and may be able to get up to 20 hrs. after some more P/T. (I will never work 40 hrs. again, in my condition.) that would mean I couldn't go out and find another job. Does that make sense?

Thanks all,
Lorie

[Still in Limbo]

Hi lfoster! Check with Your Attorney, if You have One, with Your Condition a Severe as it is, You May be able to Sign some kind of Waiver to Stop the Voc. Rehab. Issue with w/c. It's a shame they keep coming at You, they are doing the Same to Me, SSDI had Me Totally Disabled, with My Injury Only at 43 Yrs. Old, 9 Dr.'s ( PCP, PM Dr., and 7 Both Ortho. and Neuro. Surgeons) have deemed Me Totally Disabled, and they are still trying to take away My Benefits! It's in the Judges Hands now, and they have had it since 1/15/08, the Date for Final Finding of Facts, and Still no Answer! I am going on 4 Years since My Injury, 2 1/2 Years in the Hearings System, and still can't try and Plan any kind of Future! I Guess My name on Here says it all!! Best of Luck to You, You Deserve a Break, as I know You have been at this awhile also!!

[maw19531]

I am in voc. rehab right now. I was released from my surgeon in Dec, 2007 and have restriction from my FCE test I took. I can only sit or stand no more than 2 hours per day. I am in pain management on some heavy narcodics but work comp wants me off the system if they can find me a job. I am also on social security disabiltiy for over 2 years. The IC does not care they just want us off the books or find any kind of a job to cut the weekly benefit down. I have been on voc. rehab for 5 weeks now. I have to find 25 jobs per week and apply for them mostly online. I have to meet with the voc rehab person every week at a local library near my home. She knows I am in lots of pain but she has to do her job. The IC and my attorney are in the settlement process for the past few months. I just go online to a job site like career builders.com and find jobs and apply online. No one will hire me with my restriction anyway but we still have to play the game.

[Lilly]

Hi.
Play the voc rehab game you probably must.....unless your lawyer can get you out of it, (hopefully he can). It consists of testing you to see what transferrable skills you may have & what type of work you are suited for, writing a good resume, then job searching daily & keeping a log of it. (I had to apply or inquire at 5 jobs a day). I was in voc rehab for almost a year and a half...and believe me I was totally sick of it, as they were trying to make me take ANY crap job! With your problems from the injury, I cannot see how you can get hired to work out of the house, or even want to!.....sad as it is. They may think you are able to work from home, therefore, are gonna go through the pushing motions of voc rehab. There's another person on here "Kat", that is on her SECOND round of voc rehab! Now That totally sucks!
Good luck to you, and take care. Lilly

[RNvic]

Lorie,
They sent me to rehab and it was joke. Had to send out 10-25 resumes a week and interview on at least 2. They did not care what kind of position you find or what it paid, in fact most leads that they gave me were for positions that paid so low that it would cost me to get there, more than I would make. The rep wanted me to go to walmart and work as a door greeter. She said any job was better than none. Even when I explained that I was a nurse and had a college degree. She would look at me and say but your restrictions will not allow you to work in your field of education. Our job is to just find you a job, regardless what it pays. If you get a interview they will expect you to not say anything about restrictions and will use it against you when you let a interviewer know you have restrictions. Watch what you say to the rehab person, they work for the wc insurance company and will lie to make it look like you are not trying to find position. Good luck and be careful.
RNvic

[lfoster21]

I have another question, as I use a walker...wouldn't that be the 1st question a job would inquire about? What would I say, other than I have to use it to walk and support myself? Also, Ive read these posts that say that the case worker tells you not to say anything about our restrictions...but how does your worker know what you tell the employer? Do they go with you or do they ask the employer what you said?

It seems like I will eventually be going through this voc. rehab, so I thank each of you for your posts here. It is amazing to me, but it does not suprise me.

Stillinlimbo, I have not known your background up till now, but boy do you and I seem to have a lot in common. It's been about the same amount of time that we have been dealing with w/c and both in the same age group.

I'm sorry that we're all in these situations, but I am sure you will understand when I say it makes me feel good, in an odd way, that there are others out there who understand. Not that I would wish it on any of you, but I'm thankful for your replies and compassion.

[Lilly]

Hi foster!
WC is simply hassling you IMO. You are correct....an employer is going to look at the walker and steer clear (no offense to you intended by this comment). I don't know of an employment that will hire a person using a walker or crutches! Where i used to work, if one was injured and needed crutches to function....they would not allow you in the plant, or even on restricted duties in the office. You were deemed a liability in their eyes! I can't see where the walker would be any different. Please talk to your lawyer & see if it's possible to dodge the VR....

VR IS a joke....like RNvic stated.....the jerks wanted me to pass of pretzel samples in a mall!! I was furious and felt it very humiliating. Some of the jobs that they suggest you to check on are degrading, poor pay, and a long drive from your home...so in fact, if you were to find a crap job somewhere...you end up loosing money in the long run, because of the price of gas & your loss of time. It's totally ridiculous and simply another form of punishment for getting injured.

To make a long story short....they don't want to pay you to sit home & do nothing!

My VRC told me to only answer about my restrictions if asked, but i should not dwell on it. It's only fair during an interview to disclose what you can & cannot do. One must also be able to pass a drug employment test....not many of us on here could do that with the amount of drugs that we need to take to even function. VR never went with me to an interview...and i don't think they ever called the interviewer either. What ever you do,,,don't lie. Tell the truth and be upfront and if you state you called on a certain job...you better have done it, as the VRC is apt to check up on your searches you claimed you did.
Take care & good luck, Lilly

[AQA]

Just to give my oppinion. I would tell the ic I am ready for vr.. I would then tell vr that I will be taking my walker to any interview that I may get. If by chance any employer called me for an interview, I would let them know on the phone that I have to use one.

I have always been an advocate for telling the truth. I believe vr is as state specific as wc. I am sorry to hear that people have to deal with the garbage. I believe vr is appropriet for some and serves as a great benifit. For others it is not appropriet.

[katicabogar]

I am on my second round with voc rehab. The first voc firm what w/c hired, couldn't find me a transferable skill and also couldn't find me any re-training options due to several factors, not just my restrictions. They recommended pension, w/c in turn sent me to two IME's and hired a second Voc Firm.
This new firm found me a transferable skill, which is same, as my old job and two doctors and two FCE's permanently restricted me doing this type of work. Now after about $15 000.00 fees to Voc Firms it is temporaly on halt because of new medical condition. I have hearing about this in July and after that, I am not sure again what happens.

The answer is your doctor. If the Voc counselor recommends a certain type of job what she feels you can do, your doctor has to approve. If dr doesn't approve, no way they can force you to search for that type of job.

Good luck.

Kat

[lfoster21]

You all have been so very helpful and believe me, I will remember ea. of your situations, as I have learned from them all. I feel like I will be ready to go forth with what they have for me.

Does anyone know how it will work with the fact that I am now working at my P/T job that I had, prior to my injury. They have made up a position that allows me to do whatever, whenever I am able to do it. If my restriction says I can only work up to 20 hrs. and if I should get to the point that I am up to 20 hrs. at this job...what happens then? Will they try to find me another 20 hrs. job so that I am actually working 40 hrs.? They do know that I am working at my old job and at 1 point they said they thought I should not cont. to be on ttd. But that has since been proved that they knew I went back to work, at the very beginning. They actually told me to go back, since it was a different type of job, than the 1 which I was injured at. So, I know they won't say that this job, is all I need and take me off of W/C (since they already tried that a while ago and have since accepted it.)

Thanx all!