Would you like two large helpings of discrimination with your disability, madame, or will I just shut my mouth tightly and say "NON!" when you ask me if it's ok to lie down somewhere and rest your aching limbs?
Has anyone actually had a positive experience at the Pole Epmloi, being disabled, or is it just me? Today I met the most hateful vile old cow I could ever want to wish on my worst enemy.
She flatly refused to let me attend a session in starting a business, because I wanted to put 3 chairs together to lie down on, in order to be able to attend the sessions without asking for too many breaks. I can't sit upright for long enough, see. Not rocket science and certainly not inconvenient, I wasn't asking for anything other than a bit of extra space _ of which there was plenty in the room. And afterwards, after being made to wait 2 hours, she told me there was no point in asking the pole emploi for retraining, because I wouldn't be able to sit upright in any of the sessions.
Has anyone taken a french authority to court yet? I think I want to.
hello, how's the BA going?
Thank you! Yes. After I obtain my B.A. I plan to move there under a study program for my M.A.
Hope you have a better reception at your next university. Love the name Kenda! are you planning to move here?
WOW! That's crazy, Jo.
You go girl. Don't let them treat you that way. I hope you are successful. Unfortunately, I have experienced discrimination in the U.S. at the university that I am attending. I have Fibromyalgia so I understand about not being able to sit upright for very long. The discrimination I face is with study guides. Every college in my state supplies study guides for its students, except mine. With this university I have to jump through many hoops, even though I have included it in a 504 accommodation plan. They refuse to honor it. Totally violating the American Disabilities Act. So I'm taking my money elsewhere and spending it at another university this spring semester.
P.S. I hope you get a chance to feel better.
thanks Simon. I found this man, and sent an email last week;
Monsieur Pierre Metais, pierre.metais@defenseurdesdroits.fr http://www.vienne.gouv.fr/litige-avec-ladministration-le-delegue-de-la-vienne-aupres-du-defenseur-des-droits.html who is the directeur. He was on the local Poitou Charentes news last night, coincidentally, explaining his role to the public.
I assume there are links to similar services in other parts of France.
Yes, I think it's astonishing that I've only been disabled for just under a year and have already found such blatent discrimination. The woman had no shame. She was vile. I've written to M. Metais to complain and to say that I think she should not work in public services, and I copied the letter to the local MDPH. The advice from the MDPH was that I do have rights and I should ask to speak with someone else at the pole emploi, instead of Christine ARNAUD.
My contact at the MDPH wasn't much help really, she offered no advice about legal action and it was my research that found M. Metais. I will take it to the European court if I have to, I have a letter that she signed and wrote on, scribbled a big "NON x" with a big circle round it and a cross through the address, next to the advice from the Pole Emploi that I should ask for an appointment with an advisor from CAP Emploi, who apparently specialise in helping people with disabilities. I'm all guns blazing, after her job! There has to be someone better than her to do it.
I am sorry this has happened. If truth be told I think France is quite a considerable way behind the UK in its disability awareness. I used to train people in this in the UK and I would love to know who to talk to about discrimination in France
Watch this space
Simon