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Your condition and your employer

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
Based on something I had thought about, but mostly due being brought up by Kate in her situation, I want to know about what you think your responsibility is to a (potential) employer.

When applying or interviewing for a job, is this the time when you should be letting your employer know about your condition? Does it make a difference whether your condition is doing a bit better or worst as to if you tell your employer before employment?

Personally, I think that it is best to tell the employer, but that it is okay to wait until after being hired (if your current condition is quite good). This is because I believe that your coniditon will be taken as a disadvantage against you, and if there is no reason for that perceived disadvantage to exist, then it can be avoided. After being hired though, I think that letting the employer know about your condition, what could possibly happen in the future, and your belief that things will not change (assuming that is what you believe) with your condition now in the near-future is the right thing to do. This is because it ensures that the employer is aware of what can happen, and protects you a bit if a flair up occurs suddenly, as you will not be giving your employer a surprise when you do not show up to work.

So what do you all think of this? Is it ethical to hold back until you are hired?
 
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Donna

Guest
This becomes a no-win situation, if you ask me.

The problem with waiting until after you are employed, the employer can fire you for not being up-front about it before/during the interview. Most places have you fill out an application. On it they (most of the time), have a space for any illnesses that could prevent you from working. If you fill out "none", and then get a flare that makes you take off, they could get mad and fire you for not being truthful. It is within their "rights" as I am told.

On the other hand, if you fill it out, being truthful about it, they can either hire you and hope for the best, or look to someone else for the position. I have had that done to me twice.

I was actually fired from my job because of this illness. I was preggers at the time, having TONS of symptoms, and because I couldn't get diagnosed till after my son was born, they couldn't give me FMLA (family/medical leave). I had to eventually prove that I was going to the doc for my pregnancy, but because most day I didn't, I got fired cuz I couldn't make it to work.

I think, if you are up front, and get into an interview and are able to explain what the disease is and that you are doing great at the moment, they should give you a chance. And then if you are a good employee, when you get a flare, they wont be so apt to fire you. Plus, when you get a flare, you can get the medical leave so you can't get fired. One way to get an interview, is to put "will explain" in the illness spot on the app. That way you wont be called in for lying, and they know there is something.

And by the way, in the US it is illegal for them not to hire based on an illness. So they make up things like, you are over qualified, under qualified, etc., so they can get around that. Loopholes in everything ya know.
 
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DannyB

Guest
Interesting question Mikey for sure. I personally have never told any of employers including the one I have been with for the past 4 years nor do I choose to tell friends or acquaintances or anybody unless I really have to but that is just how I deal with these things. If we lived in an equal society with equal views on these things then it would be a different story but sadly that is not the case.
 
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Valentina

Guest
Thats a tough one.. I told the employer Im with now, but only after being there for over 4 years, before that they had no idea... and the only reason I told them was because I became extremely ill, and had to miss a lot of mornings and my treatments and DR appointments were really cutting into work time. They were extremely surprised, but very supportive. I think it helps I work in a very small family run office.
I also do a lot of freelance work on my own at home, and I try not to tell my clients anything about it unless I have to, I dont think they would agree to hire me if they thought I wasnt able to put in 100%, and I feel they would have every right to hire someone else. I now sadly I would pick someone else if I thought the job I was paying someone to do wasnt going to get done well. So I think it all depends on the type of job, and the employer, there are a lot of different scenarios that would maybe give you a different answer.
 

cookey

Mama Crohnie
I agree with Val, there are many different scenarios for this question. In my case I had a fantastic job at an Insurance company when I was diagnosed. My dedication to the company was impeccable, I was there 8 yrs. Gradually started to miss work, because of flare ups...and I couldn't be honest with them and tell them why I was missing work, because I didnt even know what I had myself. After many days of missing work due to flare ups, they fired me. I was crushed, because they wouldnt even let me finish my day off, not to mention no goodbyes from anyone except my boss. Years later when I applied for a job, I always told the Employers that I had Crohns..so they would know and understand that there would be days that I may be hospitalized and away from the job. Some were very understanding, where others were not..and yes you are correct Donna, they cannot discrimate over your ailments.
 
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jyarmo

Guest
I think it really depends on the type of job and the situations surrounding the person and the job their taking on. In my case, I have never told a potential employer about my condition. If an issue (ie: a flair up) does arise, I tell my boss the truth about the disease. I think the important thing is to be honest when your crohn's is an issue (and impeding you from doing your job).
 
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Kate

Guest
i think if they ask at the interview tell them if not then tell them when your ready in my case it has never affected my work to much cause i would go in sore and all but its completely indervidual
 
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JoJo

Guest
I have been with the same company since before I was diagnosed, so I told them pretty much I soon as I knew. I had been off for 6 weeks so I had to tell them something. They have turned out to be fantastic with it.
It always goes through my mind what I would do if I was applying for an other job, I'm really not sure at all. It would depend on what questions they asked,
 
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Spongie Sonya

Guest
I think I would have to be upfront at the interview stage...I wouldn't want to get the job then tell them as it may cause an atmosphere and I wouldn't want to work for an employer that wouldn't hire someone with IBD.
 
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Donna

Guest
I think too, that if you are already employed before being diagnosed, you should tell them when you find out. They can't fire you then for it, and if you are completely up-front with them, odds are they wont find something else to fire you for.

As they always say...honesty is the best policy (yeah, and whoever said that didn't have IBD!)

Donna
 
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