Whether Or Not You Can Work While Undergoing Cancer Treatment Will Depend On:
The type of treatment you are receiving
The stage of the cancer
Your general state of health
The type of work you do
Talk to your healthcare provider about your intentions to continue working or not to work. This medical professional will best advise you on your specific treatment plan and the possible side effects that could affect your ability to work. Your healthcare provider may also want to limit some of your activities.
Some people can continue to work while undergoing cancer treatment. Some even continue to fulfill their shift or full workday. Others work under the same hours that they used to have but under certain different conditions (adaptations), such as being closer to the office bathroom in order to better cope with the side effects that could occur. And others require less demanding work hours, such as being able to take extra days of leave or even work part-time for some time.
The willingness and ability in the workplace to provide these special accommodations that may be needed will impact the ability to continue working during treatment. Talk to your employer about what you may need during this time.
Based on federal and state laws, some companies may be required to grant you work under a flexible modality that allows you to carry out your treatment. You can access more information from your state's Employment Department. Visit their website (www.dol.gov/whd/contacts/state_of.htm) to find the appropriate office in your state. We also have the documents Americans with Disabilities Act: Information for People with Cancer and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). For more information, call us at 1-800-227-2345.
How To Report To Your Boss Or Supervisor
If you decide to talk about your cancer situation, arrange a meeting with your boss or supervisor to express that you want to continue working while receiving your treatment. Be honest about your treatment and how long it may take you to be away from work. In addition, you have to remember that your situation is susceptible to change and that at the moment the information you present consists of estimates only. However, if you inform your supervisor and your co-workers, they may all work together to set realistic expectations. Keep in mind that what you report to your superiors is confidential information and that it will not be shared unless you indicate otherwise.
How To Inform Your Coworkers
How much information about your cancer you will share with your co-workers is entirely up to you. Before speaking to me approximately your most cancers with co-workers, you could need to first speak together along with your healthcare issuer approximately how the sickness and its remedy can also additionally have an effect on your expert or process performance. Learn as much as you can from your team of medical professionals about the side effects you may experience and the best way to manage them while you are working. Depending on the relationship you have with your co-workers, you can decide whether or not to share your situation with them at all, and if so, how much. Try not to feel committed to explaining everything. Only you may determine what's great for you and your situation.
Some of your co-workers may react to your cancer diagnosis and absences with understanding and offers of help. Others may be a bit uncomfortable around you. For some people, it may remind them of the cancer that a loved one had. Some of your coworkers may resent having to add additional responsibilities to your workload on days when you need to be absent. Others may ask intrusive questions about your health and treatment, while others may want to avoid you. For more information on how to cope with these issues, you can refer to our content on how to talk about your cancer with others. It is also helpful to plan in advance how to deal with the reactions of others, as well as determine in advance how much you want to share with them.
Practical Advice When Receiving Treatment
It is important to determine how you will continue to perform your job while you are undergoing cancer treatment. The following practical tips may be helpful in managing your time and work better:
. If the recovery time is required after each treatment session, try to schedule your sessions based on your needs. For example, at the end of the day or just before the weekend starts to allow for the necessary recovery time.
. Explore available alternatives like working from home on some days. This may help you feel less tired, allowing you to take better care of yourself should complications arise.
. Having help at home can give you more energy to do your job. Certain household chores can be shared between friends and family.
. You may inform your co-workers about your situation if it is appropriate for you. These could be a great source of support. They may even be able to help you by suggesting better ways to manage your work during these times.
. Keep your superiors and co-workers informed, if applicable, of how well your work schedule accommodations and other changes are working.
. Keep track of work activities normally completed during your work hours. Refer to this record for when you require more flexibility, activity changes, or leave time.
. Prepare a detailed list of your work activities so that you can refer them to others when you need to leave.
. If coworkers support you with your work activities while you are away, make sure they know how much you appreciate their help and support.
. Don't be afraid to invite for assist in case you want it. This ensures that you are taking the best possible care of yourself and can help your superiors and co-workers see that you care about getting the best possible result from your job responsibilities.
Legal Protections For Workers With Cancer
You have the identical rights as every person else withinside the place of your job and have to have identical opportunities, whether or not or now no longer you inform others approximately cancer. Hiring, promotion, and how you are treated in the workplace should depend entirely on your skills and performance. As long as you can fulfill your job responsibilities, you cannot legally be fired due to illness. You also won't have to accept a position that you never would have considered prior to the illness.
Many people with cancer-related problems are protected by federal laws such as the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some people also have the benefit of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This law allows many people with a serious illness to take a reasonable leave of absence to receive necessary medical care or to control symptoms. Talk to someone in the human resources department at work or similar to find out what your options are.
Reasonable Accommodations At Work
Employers are not required to lower their standards in order to meet an employee's needs, such as providing glasses or hearing aids to the visually impaired or hearing impaired respectively. However, an employer must make accommodations for an applicant or qualified employee with a physical disability unless the employer shows that the accommodation is counterproductive. Examples of feasible accommodations for people with cancer may include, but are not limited to:
. Providing or modifying devices or work equipment.
. Restructure a job.
. Offer work part-time or under a modified schedule, such as the ability to work from home.
. Provide reasonable times for rest or taking medications.
. Adjust the office temperature.
. Reassign the employee to a vacant position or assign the employee different responsibilities in the event that he/she cannot continue to perform the responsibilities of his / her current position.
. Adapt or modify tests, training materials, or policies.
. Offer reader or interpreter services.
. Adapt the workplace for easy access and use by people with disabilities.
. Offer the service of a vocational rehabilitation counselor who can advise with labor law issues, but who can also determine which laws could affect and how to solve any setbacks that may arise. Some cancer care centers offer referrals to vocational rehabilitation counselors; the team of medical professionals could offer more information. They may also have information about tools and people available who could help.
For more information on workplace and employment accommodations for people with disabilities, consult the Job Accommodation Network organization at 1-800-526-7234. Here you can learn about the requirements imposed by the ADA law or by the Rehabilitation Law, as applicable in your case.
Discrimination In The Workplace Against People With Cancer
Although the understanding of cancer has improved among the population, prejudices, and fears in the workplace do not cease to arise at times. You may want to check with the human resources department at work if you have concerns about discrimination. If there is a union affiliation at your job, union officers can be a good source of information on sickness and work issues.
If you believe you have been a victim of discrimination, you should first learn as much as you can about how your company handled similar cases in the past. This could be helpful in avoiding a stressful situation that could be financially, physically, and emotionally draining.
Make notes of your interactions with staff at work, including the names of the people with whom you have spoken, the date and place of the interactions, and the information you received from them. It is also a good idea to keep copies of your performance reviews, as well as any other written information about your work. This can be very useful in case problems arise later.
In Case Of Requiring To Issue A Complaint Of Discrimination
If you believe you have been discriminated against at work because of a disability, remember that you can file a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This must be done within 180 days of when you believe the discrimination occurred (although some state and local laws allow you to extend the limit up to 300 days). For more specific information on what the ADA requires and how it affects employment, contact the EEOC at 1-800-669-4000 or 1-800-669-6820 (TTY).
Disability Insurance For People With Cancer
Sometimes, even with good planning and additional leave time, you may find that it is still difficult to continue working while you are undergoing cancer treatment. If you begin to find that you cannot handle the workload while in treatment, talk to your boss or supervisor. Explain that you intend to continue working, but that you need to take time off.
Talk to someone in the human resources department to find out if you qualify for short-term or long-term disability insurance benefits at your job and how you can apply. Generally, short-term disability pays for a portion of your income, from a few weeks to a few months, as long as you are unable to work. In the event of a long absence, some employers also carry long-term disability insurance, which takes effect after a few months with the disability. Definitions of short-term and long-term disability vary among insurance companies and workplaces. You must meet the criteria defined by your company to be eligible for these benefits. If your benefits do not include disability insurance, then ask about the supplemental income from insurance or disability insurance from the Social Security Administration.
Talk to your healthcare provider about how your treatment and symptoms are affecting your job to decide if and when you should consider taking a leave of absence. Your provider can help you process this part of the disability claim.
Be aware that delaying a short-term disability process could turn out to be a disadvantage. Some people face the difficulty of proving that they cannot do their job after weeks of struggling to get the job done. Don't wait for your performance to deteriorate before you decide to take time off. Keep your boss or supervisor informed and talk with your healthcare provider to make the decision that is best for you.
0 Comments