I am curious too if they knew you were on those types of meds when they hired you or were you placed on them after the fact? If it is your job to drive those machines, and you obviously cannot on those as you are impaired, I don't think he was all that out of line even if he came off rude. If you listed you took those meds with them knowingly hiring you for a position you would have to use machinery that was a very dense move on their part and should place you doing something else. If you applied for a job and that was part of the job description and you withheld you took medications that impair your abilities to safely do your job then you were deceptive. It is not up to them to create a job for you because you have to take these meds, they had a job that needs to be done and done safely.

At the chemical plants you cannot work at all on any of those meds that impair or any painkillers if injured. While this may hurt your pocket book this is for safety of not only yourself but others.

As for your knees, this is not kids world anymore. No one is making fun of you and when you go to work at a manual labor job you will have to check those feelings at the door. Stocking positions are pretty clear that you must be able to continuously lift 50lbs or so. If you have trouble doing it that again is not their problem and your boss will be annoyed as there is a job that needs to be done. He is there to make sure you get it done. If his workers have a poor job performance it is him who catches the shit, and when he catches the shit I can promise he is going to fling right to where he thinks the source of the problem is.

Never ever make the mistake that a boss is your friend. Personal and professional lives should be completely separate.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but it is the truth of the matter. I don't work because I cannot, but I certainly don't expect to be paid for a job I cannot perform.

Your boss hurt your feelings, the next one will too.