This is a slight update to my post about a hostile employee I worked with.
So all summer Iāve had an internship on a farm. This is due to me being an agriculture and natural resources treaty rights major. The farm is directly connected to my college campus. Itās a small community farm run nearly solely by volunteers. My advisor and the dean in charge of the students and internships know Iām disabled (EDS, POTS, MCAS) and weāre fine with me interning there.
Iāve worked my ass off planting, cleaning eggs, processing meat, sheeting rabbits, etc. Iāve never needed anyoneās help and Iāve only had one medical episode there throughout the summer and that wasnāt even related to my disabilities. I got heatstroke one day but I was not the only one who got heatstroke and they actually let all the workers off early because of how hot it was.
The plan was to extend it through fall for harvest season and we were preparing for that with my academic advisor and my farm supervisor until very abruptly the farm supervisor said he wasnāt going to extend it.
It took about three weeks to learn why which I did this morning. Apparently he doesnāt think Iām a good fit because I have EDS/POTS/MCAS and he doesnāt want someone to have to watch over me all the time or worry about the tasks he gives me. He doesnāt, and I quote, want the risk of a disabled person on the farm. Also, just to be clear, no one has EVER watched me. Iāve always worked solo. Thereās never been a time where I had someone working beside me in order to make sure I didnāt have a medical episode. The only time Iāve worked beside others is when I was doing tasks that involved working with the others (building new rabbit enclosures for instance). No one has ever āchecked upā on me or anything.
But the thing is aside from once in the very beginning Iāve never had a medical episode at the farm, Iāve never had to have someone with me in case of emergencies I always worked completely alone and the work Iāve done is at the same level as all the rest of the people on the farm.
I would understand if I was having medical episodes left and right and constantly needed support from another person but I didnāt. I worked alone and my only medical issue was something multiple workers experienced that day.
Hell! I barely used my forearm crutches!
Yet apparently theyāre so worried about this and claiming they need to do things for me that they have never actually done. Iāve never been communicated to about poor work, either.
I do know thereās this one employee who dislikes me because she ādoesnāt want to deal with my disability and is worried Iāll have an episode so maybe I shouldnāt be on the farmā. Sheās literally stated she doesnāt like being around disabled people because it grosses her out.
I donāt know. I may be overreacting. I probably am overreacting. But I canāt help but feel that this has a taste of ableism to it? Iām quite upset over this and also confused because as I said nothing has ever really happened. I mean I got bit by a tick once and had to work indoors for a week because I was on doxycycline but thatās pretty normal in our area since itās up in the rural Northwoods. Everyoneās been treated for, has had, or has been given antibiotics just in case for Lyme.
I just feel wronged. And again maybe Iām overreacting. But the fact no one communicated this to me, the farm supervisorās reasons being things that have never actually happened, the fact it took three weeks for my academic advisor in charge of the internship to find out why they didnāt want me back, the employee who didnāt like that I was there because it made her worry Iād have a accident or medical problems, that no one had ever complained about my workā¦idk man it all stinks.
And again it wasnāt like this was an official business. I wasnāt working for a company. There was no liability such and such. It was the campus farm. Iād been approved to work there by people who knew my disabilities.
I loved working on the farm. Iāve done everything theyāve put in front of me. Completed every task. Worked through lunch. It still wasnāt enough.
And Iām upset about it. Though the rest of Reddit is saying Iām overreacting, I guess. So idk maybe it all is my fault and Iām just overly sensitive. But I do feel very frustrated.
To be clear I donāt want to take any legal action. I donāt want the drama, I dont need more on my plate, and otherwise my college is excellent and I donāt want to do anything that could hurt them
But yeah needed to get this out.
ETA: this was a paid internship by my college who gets grant money for this program