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Working Around Flour

kmp86

By kmp86
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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kmp86 Newbie
kmp86
Posted

Hello everyone

I have been diagnosed with celiacs for about 2 months now and i have been fine following the diet (some frustration and tears but i have gotten through it) the problem is i manage a pizza shop, i am constantly breathing in flour and I'm covered head to toe daily. Since i have completely stopped eating gluten i am now showing physical signs when i work. When i am at work my head constantly hurts, i feel very anxious and by the time i get home i am covered in hives. I am working about 32+ hours a week and i am in college full time and i am speeding up my last semester so i can graduate earlier than expected (it going to be very hard but i have to do it)

My big problem is i need to quit this job, there is really no 2 ways about it but my boss does not seem to think that this is an issue. I have been his only manager for 8+ years and he's telling me that these physical symptoms are "all in my head" and that "its not that big of a deal". I don't understand how i can make him understand that he needs to start looking for another manager and that now i am going to have to step back and have someone else take on making the pizza dough and rolling it out because i am being contanimated in the process. When i raise these concerns i am just ignored.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? what should i do? I do not live with my parents so i have to find a job that is equal to what i am doing now, pay and hours wise ( i am in school during the day and work at night)

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

You are in a really tough spot. You may want to consider talking to the folks at unemployment. They may be able to help you find another job and also let you know if you leave your present job because of health issues if you will qualify for unemployment. It sounds like you have heavy work load at school and you need to be healthy to do your best. 

You may want to point out to your boss that celiac is covered under the ADAand he needs to make some accomodations for you if he can. He is likely in denial because he doesn't want to lose someone who has done a good job for him for 8 years. However your health is more important. You have told him someone else needs to make the dough. As the manager you can just decide which employee would be best for that task and just go ahead and train them. If he says anything negative about it remind him you told him you have to do that as you are being forced to find other employment because of your health issues not because you don't want to work there. 

I wish you the best of luck and hope you are able to find another job soon.

NoWhammies Newbie
NoWhammies
Posted

I tried the being celiac and being around flour thing for quite a while, because one of my passions is baking. My family loved all my gluten-y treats, and I felt terrible not being able to bake them for them any more. Unfortunately, I learned that I can't work with flour at all - my celiac disease is not under control when I am in the presence of airborne flour. I stopped baking.

 

Then, when my son headed off to college, I decided to purge the kitchen of gluten, cleaning out drawers and cupboards, etc. There was flour everywhere. Just working in the drawers and cupboards to clean out the flour gave me terrible symptoms. I think if you're working around flour as much as you are, it is going to be very difficult to  avoid cross contamination. Which sucks, because it's your job. Definitely talk to employment security in your area and see what your rights are under the ADA, etc. Perhaps there is a solution.

beth01 Enthusiast
beth01
Posted

I was working as a cook when I was diagnosed, it took me about two weeks before I quit. No matter what, I couldn't get away from the gluten. Thankfully my employer understood the need for me to quit without giving a two week notice, which I was very grateful for. I wish you luck and welcome to the forum.

C-Girl Contributor
C-Girl
Posted

Hello everyone

I have been diagnosed with celiacs for about 2 months now and i have been fine following the diet (some frustration and tears but i have gotten through it) the problem is i manage a pizza shop, i am constantly breathing in flour and I'm covered head to toe daily. Since i have completely stopped eating gluten i am now showing physical signs when i work. When i am at work my head constantly hurts, i feel very anxious and by the time i get home i am covered in hives. I am working about 32+ hours a week and i am in college full time and i am speeding up my last semester so i can graduate earlier than expected (it going to be very hard but i have to do it)

My big problem is i need to quit this job, there is really no 2 ways about it but my boss does not seem to think that this is an issue. I have been his only manager for 8+ years and he's telling me that these physical symptoms are "all in my head" and that "its not that big of a deal". I don't understand how i can make him understand that he needs to start looking for another manager and that now i am going to have to step back and have someone else take on making the pizza dough and rolling it out because i am being contanimated in the process. When i raise these concerns i am just ignored.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? what should i do? I do not live with my parents so i have to find a job that is equal to what i am doing now, pay and hours wise ( i am in school during the day and work at night)

 

Hi Kmp - you're young. You have not yet learned that employers will take everything they can from you and not care when it comes to firing you if they want to. So you should ask yourself why you care so much what this boss thinks? If you have to quit for your health, and it very much sounds like you need to and should, the only thing you need to do is give him the required notice and quit. In fact, notice is a courtesy, but you could up and quit - I give you permission.

 

You are far, far more important than any pizza shop. You're making money for them and I can assure you that you're not being compensated enough in your salary to make up for the physical pain this job is putting you through. If you've been a manager for 8+ years and the boss wants to keep you, then that means you're good at what you do. You will have no trouble finding another job, so please, please find another job and quit!

 

Do not wait until you're in your 40s to take care of yourself, it takes a long, long freaking time to heal when you're my age. You have to start right now when you've got all those wonderful growth hormones to help your body recover!

 

Best of luck to you!

Celiacandme Apprentice
Celiacandme
Posted

I'm sorry. That is very difficult. I do hope that you can find a new position in no time. I like the above suggestion of checking w unemployment for some help/suggestions. I can't be around the flour. My house is completely cleared of it. I can't imagine being in a position at diagnosis of working with it. Best of luck to you.

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