RE: When Should You Tell Your Boss About Your Illness or Disability?

[Guest guest]

The article indicates its generally better to let your employer know that you have a possibly disabling disease, but what if you are just looking for employment? I suspect most employers would rather not get involved with a employee that has a high risk of being off work or needing special accommodations. It may not be legal to discriminate because of this, but if you were hiring and had the choice of two potential employees one with a known ailment and one that appears healthy which would you chose?

Ian (52) PSC 89 often job seeker (no job I have held has lasted for loner than 5 years)

In 1997, when Dan was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and serious liver disease, one of the first things he did was tell his manager and coworkers at General Motors……..

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/627.cfm

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight.... Whatever it Takes!

-- Ian Cribb P.Eng.

[Guest guest]

The article indicates its generally better to let your employer know that you have a possibly disabling disease, but what if you are just looking for employment? I suspect most employers would rather not get involved with a employee that has a high risk of being off work or needing special accommodations. It may not be legal to discriminate because of this, but if you were hiring and had the choice of two potential employees one with a known ailment and one that appears healthy which would you chose?

Ian (52) PSC 89 often job seeker (no job I have held has lasted for loner than 5 years)

In 1997, when Dan was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and serious liver disease, one of the first things he did was tell his manager and coworkers at General Motors……..

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/627.cfm

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight.... Whatever it Takes!

-- Ian Cribb P.Eng.

[Guest guest]

The article indicates its generally better to let your employer know that you have a possibly disabling disease, but what if you are just looking for employment? I suspect most employers would rather not get involved with a employee that has a high risk of being off work or needing special accommodations. It may not be legal to discriminate because of this, but if you were hiring and had the choice of two potential employees one with a known ailment and one that appears healthy which would you chose?

Ian (52) PSC 89 often job seeker (no job I have held has lasted for loner than 5 years)

In 1997, when Dan was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and serious liver disease, one of the first things he did was tell his manager and coworkers at General Motors……..

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/627.cfm

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight.... Whatever it Takes!

-- Ian Cribb P.Eng.

[Guest guest]

Hi Ian,

I wouldn't tell your employer before you are hired. You can tell them

after. They have no right to know before hand. That is what I did. I

have been with my company for 5 years now and they know I work hard

when I am here but if I am not in the office it is for a damn good

reason. Since I have been here for awhile they agreed to give me a

laptop to work for home sometimes as well.

Shahina

PSC 2003

[Guest guest]

Hi Ian,

I wouldn't tell your employer before you are hired. You can tell them

after. They have no right to know before hand. That is what I did. I

have been with my company for 5 years now and they know I work hard

when I am here but if I am not in the office it is for a damn good

reason. Since I have been here for awhile they agreed to give me a

laptop to work for home sometimes as well.

Shahina

PSC 2003

[Guest guest]

Hi Ian,

I wouldn't tell your employer before you are hired. You can tell them

after. They have no right to know before hand. That is what I did. I

have been with my company for 5 years now and they know I work hard

when I am here but if I am not in the office it is for a damn good

reason. Since I have been here for awhile they agreed to give me a

laptop to work for home sometimes as well.

Shahina

PSC 2003

[Guest guest]

This is an excellent article and it is information anyone with PSC or any lingering illness should know about. My husband is on sick leave and has been for 5 months. In 1 more month he will have met his 180 waiting period for LTD (Long Term Disability) and he will be terminated from his job as a 4th grade teacher at that time. He works for the largest district in the state and the benefits are great, however it is not at all unusual for employers to terminate the employee when LTD kicks in - it's a matter of policy. I just keep assuring that after he is transplanted and able to work again he will have no problem getting a job because he is an excellent teacher and is loved by all.

LOVE & LIGHT

Barbara (Wife of , PSC'07, HE, Chronic Pancr, Osteo, Diabetes, Listed)

Subject: When Should You Tell Your Boss About Your Illness or Disability?To: Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 10:51 AM

In 1997, when Dan was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and serious liver disease, one of the first things he did was tell his manager and coworkers at General Motors……..

http://www.diversit yinc.com/ public/627. cfm

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight.... Whatever it Takes!

[Guest guest]

This may work at larger companies, but

" The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees or potential employees with disabilities, as long as the accommodation does not create a significant financial burden. "

I suspect " significant financial burden " would be very easy to prove for a small company, depending on how their benefits are funded. With less than a year left, I'm afraid I'll continue to refrain from volunteering information.

Arne

57 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000

Alive and well in Minnesota

________________________________

In 1997, when Dan was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare and serious liver disease, one of the first things he did was tell his manager and coworkers at General Motors……..

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/627.cfm

[Guest guest]

This is what concerns me. I get 12 week FMLA (which

isn't sick pay, just the ability to keep my job during

my illness....my sick pay is 960 hours in a 15 month

rolling period, so that is 6 months. But if they can

get rid of you after the 12 FMLA, what is the point of

having sick benefits beyond?

Work tells me that LTD doesn't kick in until 4 months

after FMLA runs out, so I know I have a GAP without

any income during that time unless social security

disability is approved.

Cindy Baudoux-Northrup

[Guest guest]

This is what concerns me. I get 12 week FMLA (which

isn't sick pay, just the ability to keep my job during

my illness....my sick pay is 960 hours in a 15 month

rolling period, so that is 6 months. But if they can

get rid of you after the 12 FMLA, what is the point of

having sick benefits beyond?

Work tells me that LTD doesn't kick in until 4 months

after FMLA runs out, so I know I have a GAP without

any income during that time unless social security

disability is approved.

Cindy Baudoux-Northrup

[Guest guest]

I'm with you Arne. I used to be open about my disease

and was felt like my bosses were supportive. I've

since had to start taking some medications that I

would rather not mention to them such as the fentanyl.

It's not so much me they are mistreating, but others

around me. I have watched them find a reason to fire

those who used up their 12 weeks and went over. They

may not be able to get rid of you due to illness, but

they certainly can look for other small things and

build a case against someone.

If a customer complains that you were rude...mostly

the supervisors blow that off as cranky customers, but

if they are building a case (and I know because I sit

right by my supervisor so I HEAR WAAYYY too

much...it's a start of building a reason to fire

someone)

Cindy Baudoux-Northrup

[Guest guest]

I'm with you Arne. I used to be open about my disease

and was felt like my bosses were supportive. I've

since had to start taking some medications that I

would rather not mention to them such as the fentanyl.

It's not so much me they are mistreating, but others

around me. I have watched them find a reason to fire

those who used up their 12 weeks and went over. They

may not be able to get rid of you due to illness, but

they certainly can look for other small things and

build a case against someone.

If a customer complains that you were rude...mostly

the supervisors blow that off as cranky customers, but

if they are building a case (and I know because I sit

right by my supervisor so I HEAR WAAYYY too

much...it's a start of building a reason to fire

someone)

Cindy Baudoux-Northrup

[Guest guest]

Don't have a choice on that one, as I'm subject to random drug testing! Even poppy seed muffins and kolaches show up as narcotics.

11 months to go.

Arne

57 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000

Alive and well in Minnesota

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Cindy Baudoux

I've since had to start taking some medications that I

would rather not mention to them such as the fentanyl...

[Guest guest]

Don't have a choice on that one, as I'm subject to random drug testing! Even poppy seed muffins and kolaches show up as narcotics.

11 months to go.

Arne

57 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000

Alive and well in Minnesota

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Cindy Baudoux

I've since had to start taking some medications that I

would rather not mention to them such as the fentanyl...

[Guest guest]

Don't have a choice on that one, as I'm subject to random drug testing! Even poppy seed muffins and kolaches show up as narcotics.

11 months to go.

Arne

57 - UC 1977 - PSC 2000

Alive and well in Minnesota

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Cindy Baudoux

I've since had to start taking some medications that I

would rather not mention to them such as the fentanyl...