Wanted: A caring workplace

Until David McKee set out to earn a living, having juvenile rheumatoid arthritis never seemed to stand in his way. He joined Little League and played pickup games like the other kids in his Indianapolis neighborhood, pulling a catcher’s mitt over his deformed fingers and running hard despite the pain in his joints. And he was a good athlete—almost as good as his brothers, he proudly recalls—determined to give it his all.

But the workplace is a different playing field, and when he announced plans to become a construction worker, his mother sat him down for a gentle reality check. So David turned to electronics, earning a college degree in a manufacturing method that relies heavily on computers. But even a desk job can pose problems for people with arthritis unless they work for a company that’s sensitive to their needs. His first job, at a large automotive plant, required climbing two flights of stairs dozens of times a day to get from the factory floor to his office. He had difficulty with this situation and asked for an office on the lower level but never got it.

His next few employers were equally resistant to changes that might make his workday less taxing. Despite his obvious struggle, they refused him a flexible work schedule and were unhappy if he needed a day off to rest. “They made me feel like I was cheating them,” says David. “They had no compassion at all.”

Reversal of fortune
Eventually David joined a small company that allowed him to work from home, and for the first time he disclosed the nature of his disability. Having control over his hours made a world of difference: He could start later in the morning to take time to loosen up, and stop when he tired in mid-afternoon. By 9 pm, feeling refreshed, he’d go back to the computer for another few hours of work. Having flexibility also minimized time off when he underwent surgery for a ruptured spinal disk.

Now 43, David once again works for a large corporation—one that looks after the needs of the people it hires. Each new employee’s workspace is ergonomically assessed to ensure comfort and prevent muscle strain. David uses a three-piece keyboard and a specially configured mouse to avoid stressing his wrists, and he has gel-padded armrests to cushion his artificial elbow joints. Because his ankles are badly damaged, the company purchased a wheelchair to help him get from one building to another.

Looking back, David wishes he’d told all prospective employers about his arthritis. That way, “they’d know what they were getting and I’d know that they’d support me no matter what my physical situation or needs.”