Drivers with J-Pouch?

[uber]

I've been working at UPS for about 5 years now and have wanted to become a driver and I think I'm pretty close seniority wise. In late April I had to get my colon removed because of a sudden case of Ulcerative Colitis. I was wondering if anyone had heard of a driver with the disease, similar IBD like symptoms, or a jpouch and if they could work their job successfully. I've heard that its go, go, go when your on your route, is there no opportunity for quick bathroom breaks if need be?

Thanks in advance.

 

[over9five]

Of course you can make quick bathroom breaks! One of the best things about my route is the amount of bathrooms available.

 

[browniehound]

I've been working at UPS for about 5 years now and have wanted to become a driver and I think I'm pretty close seniority wise. In late April I had to get my colon removed because of a sudden case of Ulcerative Colitis. I was wondering if anyone had heard of a driver with the disease, similar IBD like symptoms, or a jpouch and if they could work their job successfully. I've heard that its go, go, go when your on your route, is there no opportunity for quick bathroom breaks if need be?

Thanks in advance.

Ouch, my friend it depends on the route. There are many routes that are many miles away from any public bathrooms and there are some that have 100's of toilets within the route. The only way you could do the job is if you had some sort of medical device that allowed you to take care of business inside of the truck. I'm serious because there are many, many more of the routes that are many miles from toilets more than there are ones close to 100's of them.

It sounds like you are in a tough spot...

 

[satellitedriver]

If you are telling the truth, then this job is not for you.
Rarely is Ulcerative Colitis treated by immediate removal of the colon.
Many other treatments are performed before such a radical procedure.
Sadly, I have had too much experience with colon disease.
Personally, I think your post is Bogus.

 

[uber]

If you are telling the truth, then this job is not for you.
Rarely is Ulcerative Colitis treated by immediate removal of the colon.
Many other treatments are performed before such a radical procedure.
Sadly, I have had too much experience with colon disease.
Personally, I think your post is Bogus.

I guess I don't understand what your calling me out for, or why someone would make a bogus post about something so serious.

On April 28th I was admitted to the hospital with flu like symptoms. May 5th Dr. listened to my stomach and it was quiet, upon opening me up they found that I had toxic megacolon (which is basically a perforated colon) and had to immediately go through with a colectomy where they removed my colon. Then May 10th I had to go back under the knife because my small intestine twisted. In total I spent 28 days in the hospital.

I currently have an ostomy bag and I'm having my j pouch constructed on August 20th.

Not sure what part of my post you find bogus. But then again, nothing ever really stops someone from being an anonymous jackass on the internet to begin with.

 

[EAT MY OVERALLOWED]

Don't listen to any of these people. That kind of medical problem should not keep you from bidding into a job you have the senior rights to. UPS cannot discriminate against you because you have that medical issue. Going back 7 years ago, UPS lost a lawsuit where they discriminated against deaf workers by flagging them as ineligible for driving jobs.

 

[helenofcalifornia]

Nothing against the deaf, but I think being able to hear your surroundings should be a requirement of the job.

 

[JonFrum]

Read Contract Article 14 Section 3, and Article 36 which reference the Americans With Disabilities Act.

UPS must "accommodate" you by modifying your route to enable you to do the job so long as you are otherwise qualified.

Learn all you can about the ADA here . . .
http://www.ada.gov

 

[uber]

Read Contract Article 14 Section 3, and Article 36 which reference the Americans With Disabilities Act.

UPS must "accommodate" you by modifying your route to enable you to do the job so long as you are otherwise qualified.

Learn all you can about the ADA here . . .
http://www.ada.gov

Thanks a ton!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Read Contract Article 14 Section 3, and Article 36 which reference the Americans With Disabilities Act.

UPS must "accommodate" you by modifying your route to enable you to do the job so long as you are otherwise qualified.

Learn all you can about the ADA here . . .
http://www.ada.gov

Jon, you seem to excel at quoting applicable legal language but seldom offer viable alternatives. I am curious as to how UPS could "modify" his route to accomodate his medical situation. Are they going to install porta-potties along his route? I agree with BH that the best solution may be for the OP to have the necessary equipment on hand to take care of his business in the package car if need be.

I was confused by Sat's response as well.

We have a driver who is color blind who has adapted to his "disability" quite well.

I agree with Helen re: deaf drivers.

 

[brownmonster]

Many of the training areas are in town close to the center. I'm sure a good lawyer could persuade the company to keep this driver on said route as long as he is able to do all other functions of the job. We have some cover drivers that have to go all over and some that basically stay on the same couple of routes. If he is otherwise qualified this shouldn't be a problem.

 

[JonFrum]

Jon, you seem to excel at quoting applicable legal language but seldom offer viable alternatives. I am curious as to how UPS could "modify" his route to accomodate his medical situation. Are they going to install porta-potties along his route? I agree with BH that the best solution may be for the OP to have the necessary equipment on hand to take care of his business in the package car if need be. . . .

The accommodation (or possibly accommodations) can take many forms depending on the particulars of the situation. As always, neither I nor you know the details of the case so we can't be too specific in our replies now can we? UPS is obligated by Law and Contract to make whatever changes are reasonable so that the ADA employee can be an otherwise normal productive employee. That may involve giving him a route with lots of bathrooms ( of which there are many such routes), or allowing him extra time to use bathrooms, or extra travel time to them, or allowing him to take his lunches and breaks at different hours as needed, or whatever, depending on the requirements of his situation.

These accommodations are actually a fairly simple thing to figure out as long as the person doing the figuring isn't hostile to the process to begin with. No need for UPS to buy porta-pottys.

The employee may choose to attend to some or all of his medical situation in the back of a package car, but I doubt that UPS could require him to do so. Just as I doubt they can require any other employee to pee in a bottle in the back of the package car. OSHA would be displeased.

 

[uber]

Thanks for the responses. Getting to a bathroom isn't going to be an urgent matter once I heal from this surgery. But, I have been told by my surgeon that going 6-8 times a day is the norm. Other than that I'd like to think I'm fit for the job.

The main reason I come here and ask is because I have a buddy who is a driver and he says that the way things are with the company now they frown upon stopping to use the bathroom unless its during your break time.

I don't know, I'll figure something out. I'm not going to let this little problem stop me from doing something that I really want to do.

 

[UPSGUY72]

I don't know how UPS could make reasonable accommodations for you to go to the bathroom 6 times a day. It's one thing if you are working in a building. However you are driving, routes are not the same everyday. Is UPS going have to have one person plan your route each day so that there are plenty of bathroom for you to use along the way and if so who is responsible for driving around to make sure that there are places for you to use the bathroom. I don't think that is reasonable. However as other have said if you can take care of business some how in the back of the package car thing might be different.

"To be protected, you must be a​

qualified individual with a disability. This means that you must have a disability as defined by the ADA. Under the ADA, you have a disability if you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speak-ing, thinking, walking, breathing, or performing manual tasks. You also must be able to do the job you want or were hired to do, with or without reasonable accommodation."​

 

[uber]

I don't know how UPS could make reasonable accommodations for you to go to the bathroom 6 times a day. It's one thing if you are working in a building. However you are driving, routes are not the same everyday. Is UPS going have to have one person plan your route each day so that there are plenty of bathroom for you to use along the way and if so who is responsible for driving around to make sure that there are places for you to use the bathroom. I don't think that is reasonable. However as other have said if you can take care of business some how in the back of the package car thing might be different.

"To be protected, you must be a​

qualified individual with a disability. This means that you must have a disability as defined by the ADA. Under the ADA, you have a disability if you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speak-ing, thinking, walking, breathing, or performing manual tasks. You also must be able to do the job you want or were hired to do, with or without reasonable accommodation."​

I'm not saying I'm going to have to use the bathroom 6 times during the day. More like 4-6 times in a 24 hour period. Its all dependent on my diet.

 

[dillweed]

I hope they make the effort to keep you working during this time. I'm so sorry for what you're going through. Had rough episode of crohn's many years ago and lost some intestine. Very lucky I didn't end up with an ostomy bag. It was hellish and I can't imagine the discomfort if you had to care for yourself in the back of a pkg car. Something, however, tells me you'll do whatever is needed. You're a strong individual.

Please take good care of yourself and I'll be hoping the very best for you!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I'm not saying I'm going to have to use the bathroom 6 times during the day. More like 4-6 times in a 24 hour period. Its all dependent on my diet.

4-6 times a day is not that unusual, especially as you get older.

 

[robot]

I train my colon to be ready after 8 hours after starting. So when i do go it's over time baby!

 

[rocket man]

iIM sorry I think your post is a lie. IF you been working for company for 5 years you must be old enough to make a decision on driving .? you must be in contact with drivers ask them. YOU have to ask on this you dont have a clue.

 

[uber]

I hope they make the effort to keep you working during this time. I'm so sorry for what you're going through. Had rough episode of crohn's many years ago and lost some intestine. Very lucky I didn't end up with an ostomy bag. It was hellish and I can't imagine the discomfort if you had to care for yourself in the back of a pkg car. Something, however, tells me you'll do whatever is needed. You're a strong individual.

Please take good care of yourself and I'll be hoping the very best for you!

Thanks for the kind words.