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After working from home the past few months, everyone in my company is back at a brand new office.
And I hate it.
At the previous office, I had my own little alcove where I could adjust the overhead lighting (usually off, so there was no glare on my screen). Now we are all in a big open space with no cubicle walls and lights that are WAY too bright for my eyes.
I asked my employer about moving into one of the 2 empty offices (where I could control the lighting) and he refused. I asked about cubicle walls, and he refused. The lights are automatically on at a certain time with no way to turn them off (and certainly not just over me). After telling me how much money he spent on LED's (not fluorescent) and how they were OSHA compliant .... He said I could deal with the bright lights or quit, and he didn't want to hear about it again.
I really don't want to put up with an 8 hour headache all day. I loved my job before all this, and I have no idea why my boss (who was normally very accommodating) is taking a hard stance on this one particular issue. I don't want to get lawyers involved and no sure it would do any good anyway. I just want about 70% less light.
Am I being unreasonable? Is my boss just being an Mod cut., or is there some angle I am not seeing? Is there any way to convince him I'm not lying (I could get a doctor's note if I had too), or to make him accommodate my light sensitivity? Or should I just deal with it until the economy gets back on track enough to find another job?
Last edited by PJSaturn; 07-20-2020 at 05:04 PM..
Reason: Circumventing the language filter.
After working from home the past few months, everyone in my company is back at a brand new office.
And I hate it.
At the previous office, I had my own little alcove where I could adjust the overhead lighting (usually off, so there was no glare on my screen). Now we are all in a big open space with no cubicle walls and lights that are WAY too bright for my eyes.
I asked my employer about moving into one of the 2 empty offices (where I could control the lighting) and he refused. I asked about cubicle walls, and he refused. The lights are automatically on at a certain time with no way to turn them off (and certainly not just over me). After telling me how much money he spent on LED's (not fluorescent) and how they were OSHA compliant .... He said I could deal with the bright lights or quit, and he didn't want to hear about it again.
I really don't want to put up with an 8 hour headache all day. I loved my job before all this, and I have no idea why my boss (who was normally very accommodating) is taking a hard stance on this one particular issue. I don't want to get lawyers involved and no sure it would do any good anyway. I just want about 70% less light.
Am I being unreasonable? Is my boss just being an [Snip.], or is there some angle I am not seeing? Is there any way to convince him I'm not lying (I could get a doctor's note if I had too), or to make him accommodate my light sensitivity? Or should I just deal with it until the economy gets back on track enough to find another job?
Probably because he spent a butt load of money on the lights. Our management just installed one of those new auto controlled LED systems throughout the whole plant. Pretty much you're going to like it, no complaining allowed. Seriously though they are too bright. Could have left out every other fixture and it would be about right.
OP, can you wear sun glasses in the office? I'm serious BTW. I wore sun glasses for a while in my previous job because of strong sunlight. My manager ended up using a curtain to cover the light!!
Try the updated anti-glare glasses, use a glare screen on your computer, and show up for work wearing a really great brimmed hat! Don't know your gender but you could cultivate a Panama? Fedora? Trilby? Sombrero? When coworkers (or this boss) ask you why, explain.
FWI, "reasonable accommodation" has a specific definition...refers to actions an employer might take to assist a disabled worker in compliance with the ADA. Doubt you'll be able to go there with this.
Nobody else is complaining?
If this is a multiple office building them he might be unable to control the light (no separate switches, light turns on automatically from a central station).
Too much light could be troublesome and cause headache and eye strain.
Like others suggested - wear sunglasses and maybe a baseball cap, if allowed.
You could make a joke and attach an umbrella to the back of your chair - if you don't work with customers - which I doubt, since you work in a big open space with multiple work stations. Not sure if your boss would understand the humor of that, though... But if he doesn't care, then go for it
Do you have a documented/verifiable medical reason for needing the lights adjusted? Since you use the phrase "reasonable accommodation" which is an actual work related legal issue under ADA, I'm not sure if you mean the legal process for a "Request for a Reasonable Accommodation" under the ADA or you just meant it in a generic way.
Nobody else is complaining?
If this is a multiple office building them he might be unable to control the light (no separate switches, light turns on automatically from a central station).
Too much light could be troublesome and cause headache and eye strain.
Like others suggested - wear sunglasses and maybe a baseball cap, if allowed.
You could make a joke and attach an umbrella to the back of your chair - if you don't work with customers - which I doubt, since you work in a big open space with multiple work stations. Not sure if your boss would understand the humor of that, though... But if he doesn't care, then go for it
No cubicle walls to attach it too. I know we have them in storage but buss is ADAMANT that everything be open with no modifications. At this point I'm worried Id be fired if I had an umbrella like the previous poster showed.
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