My new job has a requirement I don't know if I can fill (Read for details)

YES .. you have to tell them about your driving and health problems. They will not want to entrust their clients to you and you should tell them ASAP.

You would be setting yourself and them up for huge problems driving their clients knowing that you are not able to drive safely. You cannot keep that private whether you’re in the job for one week or permanently.

I would wonder too if you should be driving period with this type of issue….

Please do the right thing and be honest.

Absolutely do not take a job that requires driving – period.

Imagine how you will feel if you have an accident? You could lose much more than sleep.

Tell them. A job isn’t worth the risk you would be taking with your own and other people’s lives. They may be able to find a way to manage this. Perhaps someone else can do that part of the job.

WTF!!!!
Do NOT take this job!
Do you want innocent blood on your hands?
You KNOW you’re a high risk driver WHY would this even be an issue for you?

Man up bud…tell them you are not able to drive due to vision/medication issues and you hope they might be able to fit you into another position that does not involve driving.

Time out! Your ONLY obligation is to let them know that you are unable to drive due to recent challenges with double vision that otherwise has no impact on your job. They don’t get to know about your medication or why you take it (if this is in the US).

Yes, I would tell them of about the double vision. You don’t need to tell them why you have it.

All good answers – maybe I just needed to “see” them written down, in order to cement in my head what I essentially knew, anyway. I think the thing I need to do is craft my issue in a way that doesn’t reflect poorly on my eligibility. @Kayak8 – That’s good to know they don’t get to know about my meds. @Coloma – they’re are so many other responsibilities that are part of the job – driving is not the only factor.
I guess it is prudent to nip this in the bud – as much as I like the job, I’m not entirely emotionally invested in it I’ll fess up as soon as I see the CCO. Ideally, he’ll be in tomorrow, and if not then, as soon as I see him.
Thanks again, gang.

Under the ADA, I don’t think they can use this disability as a reason to fire you. They have to make reasonable accommodations. Like maybe finding someone to do the driving for you while you do the other duties of the job. Or to put you in a place where you can do the work. If you serve people with disabilities, perhaps they will be understanding and work to make it possible for you to do the work.

It sounds like driving is not an option for you. You may lose your job over it, but better that than someone losing their life.

Simply tell them that your vision problems prevent you from handling the driving part of the job, and you will understand if they have to let you go.

@Kayak8 is correct.

As far as telling the CCO about this, it would be better if you approached your supervisor first. I would be miffed if one of my direct reports went over my head to deliver a message like this. A manager is there to, well, manage. A CCO has other responsibilities. The manager may be able shift tasks around so that you don’t drive.

If it results in termination, the company would have a leg to stand on if the requirement was posted in the job description. If you didn’t find out that driving was a requirement before accepting, then the ball is in your court.

The bottom line is that you need to alert someone at the company before you get behind the wheel.

I would talk to them about the driving, but I wouldn’t disclose your mental health status. I would just say that it was a result of a health condition. There is still a lot of prejudice and stigma associated with mental illness.

The liability of the people you are transporting and the responsibility of the van, is 100% yours.

I am sure if you had advised your employer of this disability in the beginning, that you would not be driving a van for them today.

You are gambling with each mile you drive, especially with people onboard.

Tell them the truth before some major developes.

@wundayatta – regarding the ADA, I certainly hope that’s true.
@marinelife – I do suppose that’s true; losing a life over losing my job is pretty petty. Weighing inadvertently killing someone over needing a paycheck – well, I don’t even want to go there.
@Pied_Pfeffer – The reason I’m going the CCO route, is he’s the one responsible for getting me the job. The woman who is training me seems a bit rough around the edges; I don’t want to turn her off… As for the driving being in the job-description, it wasn’t “exactly.” They simply asked if I had a license; I didn’t necessarily put two-and-two together – I just assumed they wanted to know I had reliable transportation to get to work and back. Then, I was hit with some “van-safety” documentation. It’s not like I’ve been deceitful (not implying that you were purporting I was!), I just didn’t really fess up at the time. Oy vey!

You have a moral obligation to disclose that you lack the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

I think it would be best to tell them. There is no reason for you to put all those lives in danger because you really want the job. What if you do crash? You can get into major trouble with the law and other long complicated things that could be avoided if you just tell them. What’s the worst they could do? Say “I’m sorry, but you can’t have the job?”
You can tell them to place you in a different position other than driving, and if they really want you for the job, they will put your problem to the side and hire you. If they don’t want you, then suck it up and find a job with nicer, more understanding people.
Best wishes,
-BBawlight

Well see…turns out the little voice in your head ( it’s called a conscience ) already had the answer to this Q. it just needed to manifest in writing. Sooo…good news! You may be bi-polar but you’re not a sociopath. lololol :-)

Just tell them what you told us! They’d rather you tell them you can’t drive the people because that would put them in harms way, than you saying you can do it then wrecking with other people in the van and putting them at risk. If you qualify in every other aspect, it probably won’t be a problem. And if you don’t get the job, then it wasn’t meant to be anyway. Good luck!

Thank you for the additional information. Asking if a potential employee has a license is ambiguous. There are people that have a state-issued license to drive, but are no longer able to do so, either temporarily or permanently. If a position requires being able to drive, it should have been clearly communicated in the job description and/or during the interview.

You don’t specify if the trainer is your supervisor or not. Go to your supervisor first Even if sthe trainer is your supervisor and seems rough around the edges, she is in that position for a reason. Does the company have a human resources department? This may be your best bet in resolving the situation. Approaching a CCO is not the path to take.

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One question:

In my state, you need a special license to transport people for a company. A class C Chauffeur’s licence, if I remember correctly from when my mother worked for a nonemergency ambulance company. She also had to be a certified nursing assistant, so the clients would have someone to change their oxygen tanks or adjust a feeding tube or whatever.

How in the heck do they hire you to transport disabled clients without a special license, and without you knowing this is what you were being hired for?

How did you get into/past the interviews for the position if driving is part of the ‘requirement’?
If you misrepresented your qualifications that would be grounds for immediate dismissal.

@dabbler – I didn’t know about this requirement till after I was hired. I’m at work, now. We’ll see how it goes!

Ah! Then that’s entirely their fault. I hope they keep you and it goes well for you.

Hi all. I spoke to my immediate supervisor, and she said it won’t be grounds for termination! Having said that, though, she did say it would go through the appropriate channels. So, granted what she said is true, I should be fine. Still, I’m interested what the others will make of this.
I will need to supply a doctor’s note, and ascertain what the next avenue will be on my end, and see what’s next.
Thanks everyone!

@serenityNOW I am so happy to hear that you talked to your supervisor first and that your new job seems secure. It sounds as if you handled the situation well and are working for a fair company.

Requesting a doctor’s note allows the company to find out if this is a temporary or permanent restriction and act accordingly, as well as, well, a fact. It is doubtful that the supervisor questions the validity of your request. She is just requesting documentation to support her decision to not allow you to be a driver.

What she probably means by going through the appropriate channels is that it needs to be discussed with the human resources and legal representatives, as well as her supervisor. It means that she might have to get creative with the work schedules so that while you are on duty, a driver is available. She’ll need the support of her boss in case another employee claims favoritism for you for not having to drive. HR will want to change the job description. They will most likely put a note in your file as back-up regarding to the condition. Proof of a valid driver’s license and a background check needs to be run on future new hires in this position. Legal counsel might need to assess the situation in order to prepare for a potential lawsuit. While it sounds like an administrative nightmare, that’s the way it works and why there are people in these positions.

There is always the chance that she may come back and say that she was wrong and that not being able to drive is grounds for employment termination. Unless it was specifically stated in the job description, the company’s defense wouldn’t hold up in court.

If the disability is only temporary, the supervisor will likely just shift job responsibilities around. If it is permanent and this task is important to have in this position, they may encourage you to take on another position within the company.

@Pied_Pfeffer – I have an eye-doctor appointment on Tuesday evening. Right now, they (the job) just wants a verbal description of the issue, and a prognosis. Later, the trainer said they’d need it in writing, but this is a sort of “preliminary” assessment. I think you’re right about shifting job responsibilities; as long as I show up, work hard, etc., maybe they can find another position that would work.
At least, if I do get terminated, I’ll know I worked hard and tried my best. Ideally, also, if it doesn’t work out, I can get a reference for another agency that might not necessarily need driving as a requirement.
Thanks!

You need to able to lay it all out and be upfront you have to be honest and think of others.for there are other to think of and you are responsible for other that trust you .so go with your heart and have the courage to speak before someone gets hurt.

@serenityNOW It’s been two months since your last post. Would you mind providing an update?

@Pied_Pfeffer:
Well. This is the deal: I’ve been on the job for 3 months, counting the first month, which was training at their main office. My “probationary” period is over and it looks like I’m in. They’re supposed to be offering me health insurance. I’ve made it clear that once I have insurance, I’ll get my eye surgery. (I just need to be delicate about it). The training on the job – in the house with the individuals – has been very intense and I have a lot to learn, just at the residence, and driving has literally not come up.

So, to sum up: I think I’m good and the ball is essentially in their court, although I would never express it to them in that manner. However, if they drag their feet with the insurance, nothing will be accomplished.
And I have heard they might not be proactive with getting my insurance set up. Oh well, let’s see what happens

Thanks, Pied and all!