When did Alcoholism become a disability?

[Greenjade]

I was filling out paper work for my new job and one of the forms asked if I had any disabilities which listed a few well known disabilities. But what really caught my attention was they had Alcoholism listed. I asked the Hiring Manager if it was a joke and he told me very seriously that "Alcoholism is a very serious disease, and our company would never joke about that." I sat there and stared at him for a few minutes to see if he'll crack up or w/e but he didn't.

So now seriously is it considered a disability?

[MisterBob]

I was filling out paper work for my new job and one of the forms asked if I had any disabilities which listed a few well known disabilities. But what really caught my attention was they had Alcoholism listed. I asked the Hiring Manager if it was a joke and he told me very seriously that "Alcoholism is a very serious disease, and our company would never joke about that." I sat there and stared at him for a few minutes to see if he'll crack up or w/e but he didn't.

So now seriously is it considered a disability?

How's that cave you've been living in?

[Priran]

god dammit, otto

[Myst]

guyz its hueg disability. i cant hlep but drink it sux man. plz give me job.

[Lockecole7]

I was filling out paper work for my new job and one of the forms asked if I had any disabilities which listed a few well known disabilities. But what really caught my attention was they had Alcoholism listed. I asked the Hiring Manager if it was a joke and he told me very seriously that "Alcoholism is a very serious disease, and our company would never joke about that." I sat there and stared at him for a few minutes to see if he'll crack up or w/e but he didn't.

So now seriously is it considered a disability?

How's that cave you've been living in?

Are you seriously comparing alcoholism to something like being physically handicapped due to old age/inability to use certain limbs/or having a disease that WASNT brought on by the person himself? Why not just throw drug users and sexual predators in there? Anything else? I dunno so hard to think of ideas from being in this cave for so long.

[archibaldcrane]

Why not just throw drug users ... in there?

Some places do.

There was a king of the hill episode about this like 8 years ago.

[Lockecole7]

Why not just throw drug users ... in there?

Some places do.

There was a king of the hill episode about this like 8 years ago.

Now I can see it as something you'd take into account for a job, since you wouldn't want to be hiring an alcoholic, but it just seems wrong to classify it the way the hiree is, as if there's some sort of sympathy involved for the person. I think "a disease or disability" is the wrong word.

[Gafgarionn]

It's considered a disease because America has become far too politically correct. It's out of control.

But, the real reason is that genetics plays a large role in it. There's not a specific genotype for the alcoholism "disease", but other genes can contribute to it. For example, certain genes may make you more predisposed to taking risks which can lead to drinking and eventually becoming an alcoholic. So, some people are more likely to become alcoholics because of genetics. In that light, one can imagine how it might be considered a disease.

But, it's still a huge cop out. Ultimately self-control should play a larger role in one's life than genetic contribution does (for this case, at least).

[quannum]

god dammit, otto

you have lupus.

[Plow]

When rich people started having it.

[Khamsin]

Well, when DID alcoholism become a disability? 2002? 2004?

[Charla]

As you can see from this thread, there's still a debate on the subject. As such, some employers will conider it a disability to be on the safe side, and others won't consider it a disability also to be on the safe side.

According to Loveline, there's a specific, identified gene that creates a predisposition to all addictions. But I never actually looked it up myself.

[Greenjade]

It's considered a disease because America has become far too politically correct. It's out of control.

But, the real reason is that genetics plays a large role in it. There's not a specific genotype for the alcoholism "disease", but other genes can contribute to it. For example, certain genes may make you more predisposed to taking risks which can lead to drinking and eventually becoming an alcoholic. So, some people are more likely to become alcoholics because of genetics. In that light, one can imagine how it might be considered a disease.

But, it's still a huge cop out. Ultimately self-control should play a larger role in one's life than genetic contribution does (for this case, at least).

With that said, then why isn't being a drug addict considered a disability? It would fall into the same category as a predisposition for it when it comes into genetics. Which would probably allow all sorts of things to be considered a disability. They might as well give everyone a handicap license plate or tag.

As for living in a cave, I wasn't raised to be lazy or find excuses as to why I can't or can work. To me it just sounded like a huge cop out to get free money from the government. *shrug*

[Shuemue]

Alcoholism became a disability when white people fed it to brown and black people so they could enslave them and steal their land.

[Norelco]

Who in their right mind would check that box with any truthfulness?

[Lordwafik]

What about sex addicts, do they have to check a box too ?

[Kiro]

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...ness/ep914.gif

[Shuemue]

What about sex addicts, do they have to check a box too ?

They're too busy putting something else in 'the box'

[Metah]

What about sex addicts, do they have to check a box too ?

They're too busy putting something else in 'the box'

Well played...

[Deejay]

And all this time I thought I liked chicken simply because it tastes good....