WEBVTT - Leverage Is My Favorite Word 0:00:04.840 --> 0:00:09.120 It's time for the v a QAA, the v a qa. 0:00:09.240 --> 0:00:12.840 What to say the b a qa with Manda the 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:18.240 ba QA and Tiffany ain't here a what's up y'all? 0:00:18.280 --> 0:00:22.760 It's Mandy Money. I am here writing solo for this 0:00:22.840 --> 0:00:27.200 episode of the BAQA, missing my better half. However, what 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:29.680 do we do when one of us is not feeling 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:32.720 up to it? We got each other's back, So I 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:36.120 am very excited to be here for today's career themed 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:40.600 episode of Brown Ambitions QA. Just a reminder, if you 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:44.240 guys have not been uses your first time listening to 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:47.640 the show, it's your first introduction. Let me just clarify 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:51.000 something with you. We ain't your financial advisor, we ain't 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:56.120 your lawyer. We are not your uh your gynecologist. We're 0:00:56.120 --> 0:01:00.560 not your therapist, we're not your doctor. So we give 0:01:00.720 --> 0:01:02.760 advice on the show. It is just meant to be 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:07.960 for entertainment enlightenment purposes. Okay, use it for inspo. We 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:10.480 can't know every single thing that is right for you, 0:01:10.560 --> 0:01:14.080 but we can definitely give you our best ideas and 0:01:14.200 --> 0:01:16.880 just based off of our own advice and expertise in 0:01:16.959 --> 0:01:20.200 our different fields. When it comes to career stuff, I 0:01:20.280 --> 0:01:23.160 do qualify myself as an expert because I had a 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:25.200 great career, I have a great career, and I help 0:01:25.280 --> 0:01:29.000 other ambitious women create incredible careers of their own. So 0:01:29.080 --> 0:01:32.120 I love getting these questions. I hope that you guys 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:35.119 find it helpful. If you want to submit a question 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.319 to the podcast to be answered, it's super easy. Slide 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.200 into our DMS at Brand Ambition Podcasts, and our wonderful 0:01:41.240 --> 0:01:46.400 assistant will direct your questions into the mailbag and then 0:01:46.440 --> 0:01:48.520 we just kind of pick each week which questions we 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:52.240 want to answer. And this week two incredible questions have 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:54.800 been highlighted. We got one that deals with a really 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:58.360 important topic, which is what happens and how can I, 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:00.480 you know, create a career when I actually have a 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:04.680 physical health condition that limits my physical abilities. And then 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.720 we also have a question about someone who's got access 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:11.520 to one of the dinosaurs of workplace benefits called a 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:14.560 pension plan and wants to know is it juicy enough 0:02:14.600 --> 0:02:17.520 to keep her there or can she entertain other job offers? 0:02:17.600 --> 0:02:20.680 So let's get on into it. Let's start with question 0:02:20.880 --> 0:02:23.919 This comes from someone who wants us to call her 0:02:23.960 --> 0:02:27.560 Mama Bear. Okay, from one Mama bear to another Mama 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:30.400 Bear says, hey, browan ambition, I have a career question. 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:33.960 When do you disclose a medical condition to your boss? 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:37.880 In this situation? A twenty seven twenty seven year old 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:42.000 was diagnosed with MS in twenty twenty one. Recently, she's 0:02:42.040 --> 0:02:45.919 having difficulty with basic physical tasks and has a noticeable limp, 0:02:46.120 --> 0:02:51.240 awkward walking slash altered walking slash moves much slower due 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:54.799 to MS or another yet to be diagnosed condition. She 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.800 was recently hired for a role that requires intermittent physical movement, 0:02:58.880 --> 0:03:02.440 including walking, lifting heavy equipment during about half of her 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:05.480 work days. She's one month into this new career and 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:08.200 is excited about it, but she's worried that her wedical 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:12.760 condition may impede her performance. People are noticing when asked 0:03:12.880 --> 0:03:15.720 she told them something but didn't fully disclose what was happening. 0:03:16.000 --> 0:03:18.600 She's in a right to work state and hopefully as 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:22.000 the doctor slash medicine slash treatments are figured out, she 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:24.560 will be physically better and can do the work. How 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:27.840 do you best navigate this landmine of a conversation? Signed 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:31.840 Mama Bear. Okay, Mama Bear, I'm going to guess this 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:36.120 is your daughter and Ugh, it's just first of all, 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:39.720 your daughter's only twenty seven years old, and I people 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:42.400 getting diagnosed with MS that young is just wild to me. 0:03:43.120 --> 0:03:46.119 And I think on the bright side, you know, there's 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:49.600 a lot more awareness about multiple sclerosis these days. We have, 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:53.840 you know, celebrities like Christina Applegate and Selma Blair, but 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:57.120 then also our own first lady, the queen of everything 0:03:57.160 --> 0:04:00.400 in my mind, Michelle Obama, talks about her dad's struggle 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.400 with MS even as she was a kid growing up. 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:06.640 There's a lot more progress, I think being made when 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:09.760 it comes to like treating people with MS. I don't 0:04:09.760 --> 0:04:12.840 personally have experience with MS, but if you zoom out 0:04:12.840 --> 0:04:14.960 of this, it's not so much about the name of 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:17.240 her condition. It's the fact that she has a medical 0:04:17.240 --> 0:04:20.039 condition which is a private one and it can remain so, 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:24.279 and there are protections. There's something called the ADA, the 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:28.120 American Discrimination Act. So what it's called. I know it's ADA, 0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:30.000 but what does stand ford though? Let me oh, the 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:33.280 American Disabilities Act. Okay, aba fan, We're going to take 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:39.279 a quick break and we'll be right back. So the 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:45.479 ADA basically protects employees from being discriminated against as long 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:47.760 as they are qualified to do the job. They can't 0:04:47.760 --> 0:04:52.440 be discriminated against for any sort of quote unquote disability. 0:04:52.520 --> 0:04:55.400 We shouldn't be calling it that, I know, but different ability. 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:59.440 So if that's issues with vision, hearing, physical movement, if 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:02.240 you need a cane or a walker, or you know, 0:05:02.440 --> 0:05:07.960 you need special equipment, that you cannot be fired specifically 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:10.040 for that reason. So I had to do a little 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:12.640 bit of I wanted to understand really how the law 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:17.520 can be applied in a situation where jobs like absolutely 0:05:17.600 --> 0:05:20.200 need someone to be physically able to do the work. 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:24.880 For example, I imagine you'd have a hard time getting 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:28.360 hired by like a UPS or a FedEx to be 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.040 working in the warehouse if you're not able to physically 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:34.920 lift the boxes in the whatever you need the packages 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:40.040 into the trucks to be delivered. Right, So there is 0:05:40.120 --> 0:05:44.040 actually an allowance for companies to put on job descriptions 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:47.680 if it is a if it's a legitimate requirement that 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:49.560 you must be able to lift so and so, you 0:05:49.640 --> 0:05:52.720 must be able to stand for so many hours. And 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:55.599 I think that that's fair enough because in some jobs 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:58.880 there does need to be a physical requirement. My question 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:01.680 for you and your daughter is she's so young and 0:06:01.720 --> 0:06:04.480 carving out her career. I know that you guys are 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:07.680 I mean, MS is just this, from what I understand, 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:10.480 It's not a disease where you just here's the treatment 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:12.719 for it, and we put a bit. You just get 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.680 this medication, and that's what it is. It's not like 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:17.760 you just get a moxacillin and your day, you know, 0:06:17.800 --> 0:06:20.800 you're done, go fight the infection. It is so complex, 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:24.280 and it's so individually complex that she may have her 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:26.920 own treatment plan and that can change, and it probably 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:29.920 will change as she ages and as the science develops. 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:33.840 I hope to improve treatments for her disease. I think 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:38.040 it's a really crucial, probably difficult conversation to have. Because 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:40.440 you're twenty seven, you don't want any limits on your career, 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:42.159 and I don't think she should have any limits on 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:45.440 her career. But I do think that the same way 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:49.160 that you know, I approached my career, like, hey, I'm 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:54.760 not great at accounting, so I'm probably not going to 0:06:54.839 --> 0:06:59.760 go into, you know, into learning accounting or becoming a CPA. 0:07:00.240 --> 0:07:04.400 I'm not great at well, I'm so not great at 0:07:04.400 --> 0:07:06.920 so many things. What do I choose? I'm not great 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:09.960 at a sport, So I'm probably not going to go 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:13.000 into a field that requires any sort of coordination and 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:17.480 physical like sport activity. So I think that she doesn't 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:19.520 need to see it as like a something that's going 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:21.960 to hold her back, but just some some information about 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:25.440 herself and how she can best thrive in a workplace 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:27.960 and for her own happiness. You just don't want to 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:29.920 be in a workplace where you feel like you are 0:07:30.400 --> 0:07:32.680 not giving your best or not able to deliver the 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:35.400 same as your colleagues, because you're just not made the 0:07:35.400 --> 0:07:38.720 same way. We're all different. Right. What I will say is, 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:41.720 at this stage, she is well within her right to 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:44.600 keep the information private. I just don't want her to 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:46.520 get hurt by doing that, because at the end of 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:49.680 the day, who is she protecting with that information. If 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:52.760 she goes to her HR or to her manager and says, hey, 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:55.760 I want to disclose, I think she I want to 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:59.320 disclose that I have been diagnosed with MS. Here's what 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:02.400 that means. Here's what my doctors have said. I am 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:05.680 going to now ask you for to make some accommodations 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:08.840 because I have this diagnosis. She is well within her 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:11.240 right and as long as she is still qualified to 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:13.680 do the parts of the job that is that they're 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:16.840 requiring her to do. They can't legally do anything about it, 0:08:17.040 --> 0:08:20.680 like they have to be okay with that, And it's 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:23.280 I just don't want her to be unsafe because what 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:25.360 if they're asking her to do something that she can't 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:28.880 do and she hurts herself or you know, or just 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:32.480 like the even just the mental toll of like can 0:08:32.559 --> 0:08:35.679 I do this thing? Yeah, and just that discomfort of 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:37.680 saying that you can do something when you really don't 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:39.240 know is your body Are you going to wake up 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:41.960 that day able to do it? Which I don't think 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:44.280 of people with MS know every day what it's going 0:08:44.320 --> 0:08:46.199 to be like. You may have good days and bad days. 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:50.040 Having a boss who understands that you're going to give 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.719 them an opportunity to make accommodations for you and to 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:56.200 be flexible for you. I can give an example as 0:08:56.240 --> 0:08:58.800 a as a leader when I was managing a big team. 0:08:58.960 --> 0:09:02.800 One of my my actually my number two, after she 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:05.440 was hired. I forget at what point, but came to 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:09.480 me and said, I have a medical condition that I'm 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:11.760 not giving her name, so I'll just say it was endometriosis, 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:15.479 which is if you're a woman, you should know about endemetriosis. 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:21.560 It's very painful condition that affects your menstrual cycle. It 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:25.120 affects your fertility for so many different things, but it's 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:28.760 also extremely painful. And when you're in that type of pain, 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:30.400 you can't show up to the office. And this was 0:09:30.440 --> 0:09:33.240 pre COVID, so we were come to work every day, 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:36.040 be in the physical meetings, come to the happy hours, 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:39.080 kind of vibe right, And so it was, you know, 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.559 a request of hers, like when I'm in these when 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.480 I'm having these bad days, then I'm going to need 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:45.040 to work from home? Is that okay? And I was like, 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:48.160 of course, but I had an opportunity to like make 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:51.679 an accommodation, and I did and often, and I did 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:53.560 a little bit of research on this just to make sure. 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:57.079 Often when it comes to MS, a common accommodation is 0:09:57.120 --> 0:10:00.440 to work from home because you know, you you may 0:10:00.440 --> 0:10:03.920 feel fatigue is a big symptom also pain, and that 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:06.560 pain can manifest in different ways. So maybe that your 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:09.760 daughter wants to move forward in her career kind of 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:11.760 carving out a way that she can work from home 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:14.760 or at least have like a hybrid work situation. At 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:17.920 the very least work for you know, a company that 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:21.160 has management that is going to accommodate her and be 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:25.560 like understanding when it's a bad day. I don't for 0:10:25.640 --> 0:10:28.560 her own good. I don't want to make this about 0:10:28.920 --> 0:10:31.559 you know. You could go, like I said, in the 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:34.800 negative sort of lane of oh, this is going to 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:36.880 hold me back from so much. I wanted this kind 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:39.800 of career for myself. Don't think that way. I think 0:10:39.840 --> 0:10:43.640 the mindset has to be I'm going to make this 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:46.599 work for me as I am. I'm an individual, but 0:10:46.640 --> 0:10:50.360 I have every right to have an amazing career in 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:53.280 whatever field that she's in, you know, in spite of this, 0:10:53.640 --> 0:10:55.840 in spite of this different ability that I have in 0:10:55.880 --> 0:11:00.800 this disease that I'm contending with, and you got to 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:03.400 take charge of it yourself and kind of move empowered, 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:07.560 move with the sense of let's figure this out. And 0:11:07.880 --> 0:11:10.800 ideally she has employer and employer who is going to 0:11:10.880 --> 0:11:12.600 be on board with that and wants to help her 0:11:13.760 --> 0:11:15.840 be prepared. I would say, to have an employer who 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:18.880 doesn't understand MS. I mean, you're kind of the same 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:21.240 way you're asking me this question. If I was your manager, 0:11:21.280 --> 0:11:24.320 I'd be like Okay, I want to find out everything 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:26.840 I can about your condition, and I want you to 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.280 also help educate me so that we can create an 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:32.440 environment that is you know, conducive to you. It makes 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:36.120 you comfortable, and that may be you know, even paying 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:38.439 for a certain equipment. You know, if you want to 0:11:38.440 --> 0:11:41.280 work from home, they need a special equipment like a 0:11:41.280 --> 0:11:44.600 special computer or whatever workstation that they can, you know, 0:11:44.720 --> 0:11:47.880 spend a few hundred dollars to do that to accommodate you. 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:52.440 Companies I've seen do that many times over on the 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.840 off chance that you're working and they they don't want 0:11:54.880 --> 0:11:59.280 to accommodate you, or they say, okay, we respect this, 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:03.439 but given the requirements of this job, you're not qualified 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:07.800 to complete the tasks that are required. This is the 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:10.079 point where I think it would be smart for you 0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:14.520 to go in ahead of time, like really well educated 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:18.560 on ADA, the American Disabilities Act and what is protected 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:21.520 and what isn't. Like I said, if it's a job 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:23.680 where like they were very specific, you need to be 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:27.000 able to do this type of physical labor. And that's 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:29.079 a big chunk of what the job is. I know 0:12:29.240 --> 0:12:30.959 you say that it's about half of her day. That's 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:35.240 a pretty significant amount of time. Then they may be 0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:38.920 within their rights to say, unfortunately, you're no longer able 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:43.160 to do what we are what's necessary for this role. 0:12:43.400 --> 0:12:45.520 But it would be in their best interest, I would say, 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:47.800 and yours for them to find a better fit for 0:12:47.880 --> 0:12:51.920 you at the same company. And I would want to 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:54.360 if it was me, if it was my daughter, I'd 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:57.000 want to help her kind of do her own research 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.560 before having the conversation and figure out maybe she could 0:12:59.600 --> 0:13:02.800 even come to the table with a suggestion this may bee, 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:05.199 may not the best, may not be the best long 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:08.559 term fit for me, But how about I check in 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:10.480 with you once a month and just let you know 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:12.480 how I'm doing, and we can sort of stay ahead 0:13:12.520 --> 0:13:14.720 of it. And then if things start, you know, really 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:19.120 deteriorating to where I can't actually consistently show up and 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:21.640 do what I need to do, then here's an idea 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:24.480 about transferring me to this other department, this other team. 0:13:24.960 --> 0:13:27.080 Where can we use my talents in the best way 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:30.400 so that I can deliver for you guys, and that 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:33.760 you guys, you know, are getting your business goals met. 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:37.200 But I'm also bringing value to the team. It is 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:40.440 a really complex conversation but I would not shy away 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:42.679 from it. Like I said, it's your baby, it's your daughter, 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.080 and she needs to be safe and they need to 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.280 know not to ask her to do certain things and understand, 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:52.319 you know, don't treat and not be able to judge 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:55.920 her negatively if she's like if they're like, oh gosh, 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:58.880 this girl again is calling out sick or saying she 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.120 needs to work from home, like, ough, what is going on? 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:04.440 If you just give them the information, then they can 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:07.280 be more generous with you. I hate to say, but 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:11.200 human nature is to sometimes think the worst of people 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:14.680 who who you know, are not showing up to work 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:16.160 the way that they think that they should be and 0:14:16.200 --> 0:14:18.000 all that. But if they just know what's going on, 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.600 they can be much more sympathetic and empathetic to her, 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:23.480 and that, ultimately, I think, is just going to be better, 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:27.800 better for her, healthier for her. She'll feel safer and supported, 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:31.200 and if she's not getting what she needs from this place, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:35.520 then hopefully she can find well not hopefully she's going 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:40.520 to find something else for sure where she'll be able to, yeah, 0:14:40.600 --> 0:14:42.440 find a job that's a good fit for her as 0:14:42.480 --> 0:14:46.800 she deals with as she deals with these conditions, and listen. 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:49.960 As we know in this country, health care is tied 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:53.760 to our work, so she has to work, right, It's survival. 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:55.520 It's like for her, all these bills she's going to 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:57.360 be bringing up, like she's going to need to work 0:14:59.080 --> 0:15:02.160 unless it comes to a point where she's so debilitated. 0:15:02.240 --> 0:15:05.120 I pray it won't ever happen, but that she will 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:08.640 need some sort of like social services to help, and 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.640 then there's options for that Medicare, social Security, all of that. 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:14.480 But as I don't think that that you're even close 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:16.800 to that. I think as a mom, you know, you 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:21.080 may just be like thinking of worst outcomes because it's 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:22.680 your baby and you're so scared for her. But at 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.560 the same time, I think I would I would be 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:28.640 really optimistic because that's going to help her stay optimistic 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:31.080 and just say, like, we can figure this out, you know, 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:34.560 don't keep it a big hairy, scary secret. Let's be transparent. 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:38.440 Let's go in with like a solution oriented mindset and 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:41.160 just say, hey, this is what I'm capable of. I 0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:43.360 can still contribute so much, Here's where I can do it, 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:45.960 here's what I think. Get the advice from your medical 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:47.680 team as well, and bring that to the table and 0:15:47.760 --> 0:15:50.040 let your employer in on that so that they can 0:15:50.480 --> 0:15:54.320 be a supporter as well. Thank you, Mama Bear for 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:57.840 sending this question. Is I hope? I mean, I know 0:15:57.880 --> 0:16:01.200 that so many of our listeners are either dealing with something. 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.680 Maybe it's an invisible ailment like MS can be, or 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:07.120 maybe it's just you have a loved one who's dealing 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:09.560 with it and you've seen it effect their career. This 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:12.600 is not uncommon. I mean, you never know what people 0:16:12.640 --> 0:16:14.720 are going through, So I'm glad you asked. And if 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:16.880 you're someone who's listening right now and there's something that 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:20.400 you're holding back from your employer because you're afraid of repercussions, 0:16:21.040 --> 0:16:24.720 educate yourself on your protections too, and think about are 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:27.080 you doing more harm than good by keeping it a secret? 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:29.720 And what good can come of it if you open 0:16:29.960 --> 0:16:31.360 If you open up and let them in and let 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:33.840 them see what you're going through, you may find on 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:40.880 the other side there's understanding, compassion, flexibility waiting for you. Okay, 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:44.400 thank you so much for your question, Mama Bear, and 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:47.400 we'll take a quick break, take a little woosa, and 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:54.160 be right back for a question number two. All RIGHTBA Faan, 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:57.200 we are back with another question. I recognize this ig 0:16:57.320 --> 0:17:00.280 handle City Floor. I think you have sent a question before, 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:03.520 but I'm excited to hear from y'all again. You say, hey, 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:06.480 Mandy and Tiffany, y'all are my favorite podcasters of all time. 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:09.159 All I seriously love you guys. Thank you. I'm so sweet. 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:12.359 All Right, I have a career dilemma and need your help. 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:15.359 I work at a big company and they've offered great benefits. 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:18.639 One of them is a six percent retirement match and 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:23.560 a pension plan after three year. One of them is 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:26.200 a six percent retirement match in a pension plan after 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.160 three years of employment. I'm going to be at two 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:32.679 years this September. My dilemma is, I've been getting a 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:36.160 lot of in Mandy's words, juicy job offers on LinkedIn 0:17:36.400 --> 0:17:39.040 that offer a minimum one hundred K and great benefits 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:43.080 slash work balance, they're one hundred percent remote, etc. I'm 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:46.120 currently making a little over eighty K and I'm coming 0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:48.879 into the office three days a week. It's enticing to 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:52.080 consider one of these other offers, but I don't want 0:17:52.080 --> 0:17:54.440 to forgo the money the company has been putting into 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:57.400 my retirement and the pension plan, especially since I've only 0:17:57.440 --> 0:18:00.800 got a year and change left to be vested. What 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:05.240 advice would you give me? Please help many things, City Floor. Okay, 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:09.200 I love this question. I love a company that offers 0:18:09.240 --> 0:18:11.919 not only a match for your retirement contributions, but a 0:18:11.960 --> 0:18:16.920 pension plan of their own. That's incredible. I don't unfortunately, 0:18:17.000 --> 0:18:19.280 I want like, I want to know more about the 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:23.160 details of your retirement match and of the pension plan. 0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:25.479 I need to understand that to give you, like a 0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:29.600 really specific answer to your question. But I'll do my best. Okay. So, 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:32.320 when it comes to your four one K match and 0:18:32.359 --> 0:18:35.000 a pension plan, the keyword you mentioned it is vested. 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:39.120 Are you actually vested? You say that after three years 0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:41.600 of employment you have access to a pension plan. So 0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:44.320 I'm going to make an assumption here that in order 0:18:44.359 --> 0:18:46.920 to even have a pension plan, you have to work 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:51.040 through three years. Then the company starts making an employer 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:55.080 contribution to a pension for you. At that point, you're 0:18:55.119 --> 0:18:57.800 still not vested. There's going to be a vesting schedule 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:01.679 for that pension, so the employer maybe making contributions to 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:05.639 your pension for years of employment. This happens in a 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:08.159 lot of public sector fields, a lot less common in 0:19:08.160 --> 0:19:10.560 private sector, but hey, you found a little unicorn of 0:19:10.600 --> 0:19:14.199 your own. However, they're making these contributions, but you may 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:16.439 you may not have access or you will not have 0:19:16.520 --> 0:19:20.359 access to those funds until you are vested. All right, now, 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:24.160 your retirement match This is when a company says, if 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:26.920 you put in a certain amount of money to your 0:19:26.920 --> 0:19:30.239 retirement each month, we will match that up to, in 0:19:30.280 --> 0:19:35.120 your case, six percent of your contribution, or sorry, we will, yeah, 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:38.520 we will contribute up to six percent of whatever you 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:41.280 do or six It can it can vary the language, 0:19:41.680 --> 0:19:44.280 but they're going to be matching what you're putting into 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:46.920 your four one K to a certain extent. But even 0:19:46.960 --> 0:19:50.760 that match can be on a vesting schedule. So even 0:19:50.760 --> 0:19:52.560 if they're like, we're going to cover one hundred percent 0:19:52.640 --> 0:19:56.480 up to six percent of your contribution, they can still say, 0:19:56.520 --> 0:19:58.600 but you can't touch that money that we put in 0:19:58.800 --> 0:20:02.720 until you have been vested. It's for or until you've 0:20:02.840 --> 0:20:05.040 been here for ten years, then you're fully vested, or 0:20:05.119 --> 0:20:07.960 it'll probably be less than that. But you catch my drift. 0:20:08.960 --> 0:20:12.040 What I call when you're when I call this situation, 0:20:12.920 --> 0:20:16.000 it's actually a really positive one because this baby girl 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:21.160 gives you lever rige just my favorite word. It gets 0:20:21.200 --> 0:20:24.879 me up in the morning. It gives me life leverage, 0:20:25.000 --> 0:20:28.879 baby leverage. Here's what happens when you are applying for 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:30.760 these other jobs, or you're not even applying, you're just 0:20:30.760 --> 0:20:34.840 getting little like you're getting nice, juicy offers on LinkedIn. 0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:39.160 Probably because you have a great profile that is specific 0:20:39.200 --> 0:20:42.160 about what skills you bring to the table and the jobs. 0:20:42.240 --> 0:20:45.480 The people who are looking for talent and posting jobs, 0:20:45.480 --> 0:20:48.560 they are finding your profile and reaching out to you. Amazing. 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:52.720 That's a great sign that you have a strong you know, profile, 0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:56.159 a strong brand professionally, and also that your skills are 0:20:56.160 --> 0:21:00.600 in demand. Love that for you. However, what that means 0:21:00.640 --> 0:21:02.320 for the people trying to poach you, which is what 0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:04.879 they're trying to do. They're trying to get you to 0:21:05.040 --> 0:21:08.760 leave your comfortable job with the six percent match, with 0:21:08.920 --> 0:21:12.280 the promise of a pension, with the decent salary of 0:21:12.320 --> 0:21:15.160 eighty k. They're trying to get you to leave that job. 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:17.880 And do you know what, all these these delicious things 0:21:17.880 --> 0:21:20.680 on your plate, all these benefits that you have, what 0:21:20.720 --> 0:21:24.320 that's telling them is, oh city floor, that floor is 0:21:24.400 --> 0:21:26.119 not going to be an easy catch. We're going to 0:21:26.160 --> 0:21:30.199 have to bring the best, juiciest benefits and compensation to 0:21:30.320 --> 0:21:33.600 the table to get her to even consider taking our offer. 0:21:34.560 --> 0:21:37.480 That's leverage, baby, And that is when I say you 0:21:37.520 --> 0:21:40.120