Politician Information

 

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The excuses that the North Carolina Department of Transportation Div. 10 gave to Governor Jim Hunt did not match the excuses the EEOC gave to me and other politicians.  The EEOC said that the NCDOT hired someone more qualified.  I filed my Charge of Discrimination on April 4, 1999 which at that time the position was still open. Joyce Stafford, the lady that typed up my complaint, called and verified that the position was still open. She even wrote that "the position was re-advertised" on the complaint form.  So the excuse the EEOC used can not be justified.

The excuses the NCDOT sent to Governor Jim Hunt, and he endorsed it, was the 9 years and 2 months that I taught for Stanly Community College could not be given for the 18 months experience required since I was part time.  I have taught many advance computer classes at Stanly Community College during those years. The electronic classes I taught included Microprocessors and Digital Electronics which is what a computer is made of.  So I know computers very well. I don't understand how 9 years and 2 months could not equal 18 months experience.  They also said that I failed to provide my transcripts with my application to receive credit for the different degree.  They blamed me for not knowing this information, they said "Had Mr. Thompson contacted the Qualification Review Section, all of this would have been explained to him so that if he applied for similar future vacancies, he could have ensured that the required information was included with his application".  A few weeks after I applied for the Computer Consultant II position I did a follow-up by e-mailing Bill Williams of NCDOT Div. 10 and explained to him my qualifications and told him I looked forward for an interview.  If the Qualification Review Section would have read the bottom of the application that I filled out it clearly states: "... In the event confirmation is needed in connection with my work, I authorize educational institutions, associations, registration and licensing boards, and others to furnish whatever detail is available concerning my qualifications...".  They seem to degrade my experience because the NCDOT Div. 10 was aware of my disability.  My second cousin Robert Thompson, who retired from the NCDOT Div. 10, spoke with the individual incharge of hiring and told them that my disability wouldn't interfere with the job they advertised. He explained to them my disability and I did also on the application.

I feel that it is time that Lawmakers realize the problems that many of the disabled are facing.  There should be better hiring policies and more enforcement to the "Equal Opportunity Employer" slogan.  The youth of America needs exposure of the successful working qualified disabled individuals in the workforce to prevent future prejudice that exists in today's society.  We can ignore the problem and pretend it does not exist and destroy the life of someone else who wants to earn a living by working.  Denying that individual the opportunity to someday have a house and a family of their own.  Or we can say that it is time that the Qualified Disabled in America finally deserves a fair chance at jobs that that are advertised to the public.

The problem that I'm currently facing is not an isolated problem, statistics show that three out of four of the disabled can't find work.  With Government Agencies such as the EEOC and the State such as the NCDOT treating the disabled the way I described, doesn't serve as a model for the private industry.

   Here is a quote from The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Titles I and V - Findings and Purposes -  Sec. 12101 [Section 2] - that I find very truthful:
  
"Unlike individuals who have experienced discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or age, individuals who have experienced discrimination on the basis of disability have often had no legal recourse to redress such discrimination;
 
 Individuals with disabilities are a discrete and insular minority who have been faced with restrictions and limitations, subjected to a history of purposeful unequal treatment, and relegated to a position of political powerlessness in our society, based on characteristics that are beyond the control of such individuals and resulting from stereotypic assumptions not truly indicative of the individual ability of such individuals to participate in, and contribute to, society;"

I would like a chance to tell my story to the Senators and House of Representatives of America so they can take actions to stop this type of problems.
                               

 

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