For anyone who wants to know how shitty late-stage capitalism is:

[Aristus]

I had to write a medical provider note to a patient’s employer today. She has chronic hip pain, and stands for an entire ten-hour shift.

Her boss ordered her to get a note from her primary care provider (me) so she could lean against a stool every now and then on the job. Not sit down, not “jeez, take a break, you must be in so much pain!”. Just to lean against a stool.

I hate our fucked-up species…

[Skittles]

1. can she get a job that does not require so much standing?

job numbers are still pretty good, thanks to Biden

[Uncle_Remus]

6. Once you're a stander, you're always a stander.

Speaking as a long time stander myself.

[JoseBalow]

14. Just keep your nose to the grindstone

they say

[Captain Zero]

29. And you will get a flat nose

Or a broken hip.

[Maninacan]

31. STANDER

Stood for 30yrs at work. When i got a sit down job had to adjust.

[spooky3]

2. It is terrible. I had a thought, and DU attorneys would know more than I do,

maybe she would qualify as partially disabled and entitled to reasonable accommodation on the job? Allowing her to sit from time to time seems very reasonable, not burdensome to the employer, but I know the definition of disabled is pretty restrictive.

IMHO, the employer should actually provide reasonable breaks or the opportunity to sit down frequently to everyone, if employees can do the job that way, but that's another fight to be fought.

[meadowlander]

17. I'm not an attorney

but the Americans with Disabilities Act provides the framework for asking for reasonable accommodation for disabilities.

https://www.eeoc.gov/publications/ada-your-responsibilities-employer

To qualify as having a disability you must "have a record of, or be regarded as having a substantial, as opposed to a minor, impairment. A substantial impairment is one that significantly limits or restricts a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, learning or working."

"It is a violation of the ADA to fail to provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability, unless to do so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of your business. Undue hardship means that the accommodation would require significant difficulty or expense."

So unless providing a chair somehow interferes with her ability to perform core job functions, then I would say she qualifies as disabled and asking for a chair is a reasonable accommodation.

[underpants]

3. That sucks.

One of the features at Aldi’s was that when an employee sees someone ready to check out they have a cushy seat to sit in while ringing up items. They don’t bag. This is like an incentive TO hustle up the the front.

[meadowlander]

18. When I was a cashier back in the 90s

most supermarkets ran on the theory that letting cashiers sit down meant you would be lazing around all day and that standing made you work harder.

I remember going to the UK, where all the cashiers get to sit, and thinking "what a difference a good union makes".

[Mariana]

42. My kid was working at a supermarket and she got a knee injury.

The doc's note said she could work but she had to sit. She was perched on a stool at the register with this giant full-length leg brace in plain view, and she got snotty remarks from some of the customers because she wasn't standing. Crap like, "Well, you're not working too hard, are you?"

She didn't hurt her knee at work.

[biocube]

4. I would have a few choice words for that manager

If I were writing that note.

[lostnfound]

5. I don't think that the anti-compassion rules have spread as thoroughly in other cultures

Here, they have become institutionalized.
There’s cruelty everywhere, but they’ve practically banned kindness on the job.

[markodochartaigh]

8. I think that you are correct.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/16/texas-heat-wave-water-break-construction-workers/

https://www.fox13news.com/news/desantis-signs-bill-banning-florida-counties-from-requiring-heat-and-water-breaks-for-outdoor-workers

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/mar/23/neil-gorsuch-supreme-court-frozen-trucker-alphonse-maddin

[lostnfound]

41. Good examples. Nt

[ShazzieB]

25. There are far too many employers in this country that would rather not have human employees?

They hire humans, because they have to, but they expect those humans to function as much like robots as possible. I'm grateful that I was able to avoid those kinds of employers for the most part, but there were a few along the way that had unnecessarily rigid rules about something or other. For no reason, except "We've always done it this way."

I don't know exactly why the U,S, lags so far behind most western European countries in so many areas that greatly affect the well-being of human workers and those who depend on them, but it's a real problem, and it sucks. And yet we're all taught that we just have to live with it if we want to earn a paycheck. It's wrong, SO wrong.

[orangecrush]

7. Had a few dick bosses in my time

After a while, you learn to be your own union.

Cross the line with me and something in your sweatshop is getting fucked up.

Glad I'm retired.

[Permanut]

12. Retired here too..

Your story is intriguing; I sense there's some things unsaid, and you ain't telling.

[orangecrush]

20. Word

[LT Barclay]

9. I'm a Physical Therapist and I see how there are psychopaths among us who would drain the life of another human to keep

their crappy ass-kissing job or for some of them just the feel of control and to make that next bonus. I see the bodies that have been over used, and abused.
My supervisor keeps telling me that if I don't meet certain performance criteria, they'll "say something to me". I'm a bit stressed so I till her to put them on the phone, I'm not taking that from someone who is sitting on their butt drinking coffee and not seeing any patients.
I don't want to hear it when they are forcing me to take documentation work home (HIPAA anyone?) and double-booking Medicare and other federal payers (fraud). Which is taking time from me caring for my wife with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and 2 adopted kids who are 10% sweet and 90% monster.

[Tarzanrock]

10. She needs to get a lawyer ...

... and bring a Workers Compensation claim against her employer and she needs to contact her State OSHA and other state agencies and make appropriate occupational claims about lack of safety in the workplace and hazardous/dangerous working conditions putting her in danger to her health and welfare.

[RainCaster]

22. She needs a better job

My guess is that her job is menial and easily replaced. Truly sad, but it will make it easier for her to find another.

[KPN]

11. Says it all. Wake up humans.

[Mme. Defarge]

13. Merde alors!

Aux barricades!

[Duncanpup]

15. So cruel

[Meowmee]

16. Awful and it was going on long before late stage capitalism

I had a co worker years ago who had chronic back pain and could not stand. Our employer wouldn't let her sit etc. So she found another similar job where they did allow that.

[modrepub]

19. Is This As Bad

As not being able to get a hip replacement because of cost and insurance problems? I mean this sounds like the patient needs a hip replacement. If so than leaning on a stool occasionally is like prescribing a band-aid for an amputation.

Did retail in my mid 20s. Being on your feet for many hours took some getting used to. Can’t imagine trying to do that now.

[Wicked Blue]

21. Cashiers in European countries are allowed to sit

We need Right-to-Sit legislation if and when we get Democratic control of the White House, Senate and House.

[kimbutgar]

39. Some ALDI markets in the US also allow cashiers to sit

I was amazed years ago in Italy seeing cashiers sitting!

[milestogo]

23. When I broke my ankle they told me to keep my foot elevated

as much as possible. I told my employer I needed to work from home.

Then I had to get a note from my doctor explaining that the injury should be at heart level... and that I couldn't do my job with my leg on top of my desk.

[eppur_se_muova]

24. It's our country more than our species. "America doesn't have a culture -- it has an economy."

I've heard that a few times, and am inclined to believe it. Anything that can squeeze more labor out of the laboring classes to line the pockets of the rentier class is rendered legal and enforceable by their minions in bought-and-paid for elective office. No sacrifice is too great for a perceived marginal return in profit, even when that perception is delusional.

[3catwoman3]

26. During my 4 years as an NP in the Air Force, I often had to write notes...

...for moms who worked at the base credit union, attesting to the fact that they had brought their kids to the pediatric clinic for one reason or another.

I thought it was odd that these people were entrusted with our money, but the credit union didn''t trust them to say they needed to take their kids to a medical appointment.

[Maru Kitteh]

43. I'll bet men who worked at the credit union didn't have to bring dr notes

Women are constantly accused of “using” their children for the unholy purpose of defrauding capitalism.

[PatrickforB]

27. But, hey, at least here in 'Merika we ain't nebber going to go SOSH-A-LIST! Why, we're FREE

...to die if we cannot afford healthcare!

...to have ICE do no-knock raids on our homes regardless of whether we are citizens or not!

...to have our 401K wiped out by Trump's tariff-on-tariff-off insider training with his billionaire cronies!

...to...fill in the blanks.

Yep, this FREEDOM is really something to behold! Lucky thing them LIB-RULS are suffering, ain't it?

[Nigrum Cattus]

28. here ya go -

https://www.teepublic.com/long-sleeve-t-shirt/30051413-i-hate-people

[barbtries]

30. omigawd.

On Election Day I stood for a couple (like, 2) hours greeting voters. My legs hurt so much from that I was nearly in tears.

I hurt for her. I hope she can find a better position somewhere else.

[mwooldri]

32. I'm hoping you gave her more than what she was asking.

In that your note did say something about being able to sit on said stool.

You're right. It's fucked up.

[Aristus]

34. I did, actually.

I tell all my patients if they're in need of a medical note that I'm a soft touch. In any situation between an employer and an employee, I'm always going to come down on the side of the employee.

[CloudWatcher]

33. UK

One of the first things that struck me when visiting the UK for the first time (I live in the US), was that the retail clerks working at the grocery stores were sitting down! And expected me to scan and bag my groceries. Which just made all sorts of sense. Now I notice how few jobs in the US allow people to sit on stools, even though they don't need to stand to do their jobs. It's crazy.

Disclaimer: this was many years ago, I've no idea what life is like in the UK now. I hope this "no sitting on the job" thing is just a US sickness.

[Aristus]

35. Thank you for sharing that experience.

And congratulations on 2,000 posts.

[Richard D]

36. Wording is important

Many years ago I was taking a class in Worker's comp.

This is how it rolled (radically simplified version):

"It hurts" - sorry to hear that. Take more pain killers.

"It is excruciating when I work!" Sorry dear, here's stronger pain killers.

"I cannot do my job" - We'll put you on worker's comp benefit.

[dlilafae]

37. Work hard for the pittance we

allow you. And prove those words of yours to be true. We may begrudgingly oblige your request.

[Hassler]

38. Maybe she can leave Luigi press clipping

Around work. Make the boss paranoid.

[planetc]

40. My local grocery store would probably hire her.

They don't have stools at the checkout lanes, but I have noticed in the last month, that a little folding chair has turned up next to the busiest checkout. The lady who usually works it during the day shift is older, and has a few health problems. Apparently she has permission to sit down if traffic is slow. The chair impedes no traffic, and is a step away from the scanning station. Tell your patient that sane and sensible management is not dead in America.

[MerryBlooms]

44. Primary care means doc, not all the labels of assistants

Given out now days. I've gone through this with my sisters. One with craniotomy! The assistants are OK, but aren't doctors and don't qualify for meds at times or treatment
Ugh
Don't get me started
There's place and time
Craniotomy, or heart valve replacement isn't the time