Getting Employment

[natalie]

Hi all

General question 2 weeks before I was diagnosed I lost all 3 of my casual jobs due to not being able to perform my duties since then I have had a fair few job interviews and been denied by all of them the minute i mention the word Crohn's and what it intells. Because I am only 8 months into my illness I still have restrictions from my doc like lifting and standing for to long and to top it off I have worked in the customer service industry since I was 16 so it's all I know....

I need some advice on how to get back to the work force centrelink money is just not cutting it anymore speacially if the bills keep going up the way they are????????????????

 

[LOSTnut]

Are you required to mention your Crohn's? In the US we are not and I am hiding it like hell. Thanks to HIPAA they shouldn't be able to find out and when I get an interview I try to restrict drinking and eating before so the bag won't fill up and give me away, or worse, explode on me.

 

[jesseiam2]

Employers in the US are legally able to ask if there is anything that would prevent you from doing your job duties as they are described in the job description or in how the interviewer has explained the job (i.e. lifting, bending, standing, ect). I never bring up Crohn's and it hasnt prevented me from doing any job that I have had. If your doc is currently restricting you from doing certain things that would be part of the job description, you are required to disclose that, and that only. "Currently I am prevented from .... by my doctor." You do not have to disclose that you have Crohn's disease. Employers are required to make reasonable accomodations for anyone that has a medical issue. That being said, if you disclose you cant stand for more than XXX mins at a time, and a job requires you to be on your feet all day, its unlikely they will hire you. They dont have to say its because of that either, it could be a "better candidate" was found.

At this point you really have a couple options, apply for jobs that will not interfere with your medical restrictions, or wait until those restrictions are lifted to apply for those jobs. Also, try a local employment agency, they want to help you find a job cause thats how they get paid. Tell them your restrictions and they can find jobs that can fit.