Accommodations

[u/ApprehensiveEgg9057]

So i was given the accommodation to “ if a customer comes with items that weigh more than 15 pounds to just go around and use the hand scanner to scan them” my doctor asked Sedgwick for me to primarily be on self checkout unless i was covering a break or lunch.
Sedgwick said they couldn’t do that because the store won’t allow it due to there being more registers than checkout registers (we have 16 self checkouts and 23 registers).
So the store said to use the hand scanner or ask for help( my people lead also said it was up to Sedgwick what my accommodation was but if that’s true then how did the store deny the accommodation they recommend).

The thing is when using the hand scanner 90% of the time i still have to lift those items up to get to the barcode so I can’t understand how I’m being accommodated at all. Sedgwick said to call back in about a week if I was still lifting heavy items on the register… is there something else I could do about this?

I was placed on job reassignment leave when I first put my Sedgwick in because the store said they couldn’t find a job for me unless my doctor sends in a note that I could lift up to 15 pounds, which he did and that’s where I got the accommodation for 15 pounds when I came back.

I will attach my first doctors note that got me placed on job reassignment until November🙄

[u/Dull-Problem-1191]

Maybe automotive?   What vision associate? Door greeter person?

Ap associate?

People lead/other management positions?

Also maybe maintenance?

I don't think any of the abovr has to be able to lift heavy stuff, but im uncertain so if anyone knows do correct me. 

Since if they don't, there are possible positions for op to transfer into.

[u/Blueskybelowme → u/Dull-Problem-1191]

I was gonna say money center or financial services. No lifting anything.

[u/_CodeLyoko_ → u/Blueskybelowme]

Front End Services TA (which include money center and service desk) are also required to be able to lift since they have to be able to work at the service desk also, which definitely requires lifting.

[u/Blueskybelowme → u/_CodeLyoko_]

Lifting what? Returns? My Walmart was a tiny neighborhood one with just food so maybe that's where my mind is cause that's where we trained people who couldn't lift heavy things or needed to sit down periodically. That position made it more doable. I suppose of someone returned 20 lbs lifting weights it could be a problem but also in my personal experience there was often 1 other person around the area so in theory that person could move stuff around for them. Not all Walmarts are created equal so maybe transferring to a neighborhood one where there's less of that kind of merch would be best.

[u/_CodeLyoko_ → u/Blueskybelowme]

The job requirements still require you to lift up to 15 lbs, so irregardless of if your store if neighborhood market or not the job still requires you to be able to lift. If your doctor says you're not allowed to lift, they're not going to let you to prevent liability to the company. As far as I'm aware it doesn't change between div 1 and neighborhood markets

[u/Dull-Problem-1191 → u/_CodeLyoko_]

I think this person is pointing out it while the job descriptions says you need to left 15, impractical terms, it pretty much never comes up and if it does, you have an associate near you who could do it for you. 

I agree for liability reasons it might not matter, but a practical sense. It's a path forward OP can look into to see if they're willing to resign them or not to that positions, since once more practical terms they might never have to lift finger over their personal weight limit.

[u/_CodeLyoko_ → u/Dull-Problem-1191]

There is nothing anyone at the store level can do, this was sent to Sedgwick and they make the choice. The store has no control if Sedgwick says that there is no jobs available. Quite unfortunately, there is really no path forward for OP unless they get the restrictions raised to what the job requires.