3 replies to this topic

[KayDub]

So first off, I'm still struggle with a certain very large corporation that runs things in the ski world (coughcoughVailResorts). After 6 months of back and forth and back and forth with supervisors, managers and HR I've been granted permission to teach, provided I pass the PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) adaptive mono/bi ski exam. I've passed the cognitive/VI exam when I was AB because most kiddos I skied with have Downs or autism, etc. However some had multiple disabilities and I skied with many kids who used a sit ski.

I'm kind of frustrated about this because no other instructor on our mountain is required to have national certification (PSIA). I know they want to make sure I'm qualified to teach on a mono-ski, but I don't see why they can't take me out and evaluate me on our mountain with our staff, just like they evaluate new instructors who are AB. I'd fight it but it'd take such a long time that I'd miss out on more of the season. Having my PSIA cert allows me to get paid more and it guarantees me a job in Australia, while not having certification and coming from the US (where ski instructing is seen as sub par by the rest of the world) doesn't guarantee anything.

The other hard part was getting a supplementary part time job that allowed me to be an employee and get a ski pass and other benefits... and make money because that's the point of my working. This summer I was told to go be a ticket seller full time (and not be allowed to teach at all). I adamantly opposed this because I wanted to teach. It took almost 2 months to convince the children's ski school manager that I could do this (after I convinced my supervisors then they realised they needed to tell him this). Then the problem became a new physical fitness testing for all on mountain employees (instructors, ski patrol, etc.) that I could do all of (push ups, sit ups, etc.) except two drills that involve box steps and leg balance. I suggested two alternate tasks that I would be doing in a mono-ski to fulfill the role of the physical fitness testing and not be seen as trying to cop out of it and my manager said to speak with HR. I did, they said not to worry about the test. Awesome. I told my manager and he said actually he, my adaptive supervisor and HR had to have a meeting about me. Suddenly they found corporate paperwork that I needed to fill out about my disability, potential accommodations and medical paperwork from my doctor. I had my form returned in a day and after a few days they hadn't received it from my doctor, I checked and the doctor's office said they kept faxing it. So I drove the 150 miles over two mountain passes in the snow to pick up the paperwork and hand deliver it to HR so I couldn't hear how they never got it. This was done within a week of receiving the paperwork. HR then took almost 2 weeks to process it, not finishing it until mid November when our mountain had opened for the season. They then kept saying they needed more time to make sure they found an appropriate job for me.

During this entire time I had been suggesting jobs in ski school like inside support staff for 3-6 (the little kids program), ticket selling in ski school, doing paper work like other injured instructors, etc. They kept saying they couldn't make a job for me and they'd let me know. Being an assistant supervisor to the adaptive supervisor even got brought up, which is the job my adaptive supervisor first brought up when I told her about my SCI in June. HR said the adult ski school who runs the adaptive program technically refused, citing budget issues... in a ski school that charged over $700 per day for a single private lesson. Adaptive has one employee and the equipment is getting older. It's getting the shaft. Anyway after all was said and done on December 1st I got called in for my options... they presented me the ONLY 3 jobs left on the mountain job posting website. They refused to find me a job internally and ask people if they could place me anywhere, they simply said I could only get a job that was officially posted to recruit new employees.

So I am now employe ed 6 hours a week maximum as a "greeter" in ski school where I sit there and "help direct people to the proper place when they walk inside". That's if they're not slow enough they cut me. All the other jobs I wanted were no longer posted by the time HR and my manager sat on their ass for 6 months going back and forth accomplishing nothing. I did my paperwork and got my pass to start skiing, but also sent an e-mail to them both explaining how I don't blame them and that it was a new and difficult situation for everyone involved (me BSing to be nice) but it was incorrect for me to not recieve proper employment like promised because of this. My manager responded that I hurt his feelings and HR blamed me for taking so long with my medical paperwork. I told HR that was incorrect also as I took less time to hand deliver my paperwork than they did to process it and they also lied to me and this was becoming more of an ADA issue as they placed every single employee from ski school who was injured, pregnant or couldn't teach full time for some reason in under a month into positions that were not posted on the website but created internally.

I'm waiting for them to respond and seriously considering shopping for an ADA lawyer. I really don't like the legal route but I've been advocating for myself for over 6 months now and gotten nothing but lies and excuses and been shafted. I don't want to think it's because of my disability and I hate making excuses but it's shaping up more and more like that... First and foremost I want to teach which I've been promised I can (but I just know once I spend the time and money to get my certification they won't schedule me for any lessons). But I also need a proper job. Before I got hurt I was promised full time work instructing. Now I've been given 6 hours a week maximum and expected them to thank me after they tried to tell me I could only sit in an office because I'm in a wheelchair... ARGHHHH.

But on the other hand I met this woman Sarah, who is a T 12 para, at the local grocery store yesterday. I've heard loads about her as she was an instructor over at Vail, our mountain's sister resort, and used a mono-ski. She's also just a bad ass skier and goes in the park and everything. We talked forever and she said she had to fight and fight Vail Resorts (our corporate) to be allowed to teach. She's since transferred to the adaptive program at Breckenridge which is much better (maybe she'll give me a ride every day, she still lives on my side of the pass!). It's good to feel validated in my struggle and know it's not me personally. Yet it disgusts me this is their policy for disabled employees when I know other employees who can't work because of pregnancy or injury are catered to and people rush to find them jobs.

So I'm off to get on the mono-ski today and prep for the adaptive test. Also I'll wait a few more days to hear back from HR and management (the last e-mail I sent must have scared them and I'm sick of trecking up to see them personally when they ignore my phone calls and e-mails, which they always do.)

Just wanted to update on my instructing struggle. For awhile I was too upset to even type it out but that has turned back into constructive anger where I'm ready to go to bat for myself again and make sure a proper and fair end to this situation comes up (aka me teaching when I've shown I can properly do so on a mono-ski with no strings attached or getting the scraps of lessons left over from AB adaptive instructors, and me getting a proper supplementary job that isn't also a leftover job from the ABs that no one wanted).

Happy skiing to everyone out there who does!

[megatrig]

Hope a day on the slopes has put a smile on your face and given you a "buzzzzzzzzzzzz"!!

Good luck with the hard bit!!!

If it helps its freezing cold and pouring with rain here in the UK!!! lol

[evilmac64]

I do not have any advice about skiing. That said i do on not giving up.Some times i have found in this new life people think i will just go away and not stand my ground..Win i have done every thing i can do on my own.I find that just having a lawyer call H.R. and ask a few pointed
questions about there policy on job requirements and hiring of the handicap.Plus needing to know names and positions of decision and policy enforcement personal for future correspondence. Or some thing along that train of thought.

[Tinbasher]

Don't give up and remember the law can be used to focus their minds and kept as your last resort but it is your right so don't let your misplaced loyalty stop you if you reach an impasse. To me it does sound like they are procrastinating.

Good luck.

Edited by Tinbasher, 08 December 2011 - 10:51 PM.