Imagine there's a career you've dreamed of pursuing. You work hard and come thisclose to getting hired. Then the employer who is about to hire you learns you have a medical condition and worries that it will interfere with your work. They decide not to hire you despite your insistence that you are in control of your condition. What would you do?
When Anna Balogh faced this situation she decided to fight back. She sued the U.S. Department of State for denying her a job as a Foreign Service officer because she has Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes, reports Boston.com (Diabetic to Begin Career as Diplomat). Last week Balogh and the U.S. government settled the case out of court shortly before it was to go to trial. She got the job she wanted, on a trial basis, and will be compensated for lost wages.
Unfortunately there are some employers that can't see past someone's disabilities. They make assumptions based on what they think they know without ever giving a qualified candidate the opportunity to do the job they know they can do. Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act protects workers from this kind of discrimination. Learn more about the Americans With Disabilities Act.