Social Security benefits are difficult but definitely not impossible to obtain. The most important issue is documentation of medical issues. Also, you have to be unemployed for 6 months before the benefits actually kick in. If that is not financially impossible for you - then you have other options.
If you have been at your job for a year, then there is FMLA time. This is where is gets sticky. Most women have difficulty proving that endo is a disability. The true irony is that infertility is ruled a disability since it interferes with a life activity (reproduction). While I agree that it does interfere, I find it absurd that infertility applies and endo has not been. For those of us that aren't in a position to have a child - how are we to know that we are infertile or not? Sorry for the rant.
There is another issue. Ask yourself these questions...When you are absent, does this put undue burden on other coworkers, or the department/company? Can you perform the duties of the job when there? If you can say that you can do the job and no its not a burden, then your boss should resonably accomodate you. Should you continue to be pressured by your boss, you can contact the EEOC office for info. Remember to make sure your work is above reproach so that if you do file and charge (and you are in an at-will state), they will have a difficult time firing you. By law they cannot fire you because of the filing, they should have some type of grounds (poor work habits, lateness, insubordination, layoffs, etc.)
It maybe possible that if you talk to your boss that you can work out something like a flex schedule or 4 day work week to accomodate you. Do not take my advice as something set in stone. It comes from intense research and a personal experience with this. I hope that this helps.
Sharonda
>From: khickey <khickey@mciworld.com>
>Reply-To: adhesions@obgyn.net
>To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@talk.obgyn.net>
>Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 19:18:22 -0600
>
>HI, my name is Kim Hickey, and am an adhesion sufferer for about 15 years.
>I am currently having problems with my job, and my attendance there, due to
>absences for pain. I have been reprimanded by my supervisor, and put on a
>"watch" for attendance. I am in more pain today than I have been in
>several
>years, and know I can't take a day off, so I go to work, and suffer. I
>would love to find out how I can get some sort of help from Social Security
>Disability payments, but each time I call, I get no help from the S.S.
>office. Can anyone help with this problem? Thanks, Kim
>