122 LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH CANCER - PRACTICAL /// CHAPTER 77 Work FMLA Talking to People at Work about your Diagnosis Telling your Boss: Can I work during cancer treatment? Don't count yourself as unable to work automatically. Your ability to work during your treatment depends on several factors. You and your provider must consider: » The type of treatment you are getting » The stage of your cancer » Your general health » The kind of work that you do Continuing to work or returning to work may look different than it used to. Some people are still able to work their normal full-time schedules and some go part-time. Some patients return to work with the same schedule, but with special conditions or accommodations: less responsibilities, lighter duty or less of a workload. The desire and ability of your workplace to accommodate you or any special needs that you may have will have a huge impact on whether or not you can successfully continue to do your job during treatment. If you are working, talk with your provider to help you predict how much time off you will need and when in treatment you will need it. Keep in mind that these are only estimates because every person is different in their reaction and recovery from treatments. » Be honest about your needs » Remember things may change - You can only guess how much time you need off and when that will be. » Remember what you share should be kept confidential Telling your Co-workers: » How much you disclose and to who is your decision » Don't feel pressured to share or explain things » Remember each person will react to the news differently Legal Protections Dealing with a cancer diagnosis should not change your right to equal opportunities in the workplace. As long as you can fulfill your job duties, you can't be legally fired for being sick. Here are some of the federal laws that help protect you. » Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - as in ADA accommodations » Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - lets those with serious illness take a reasonable amount of unpaid leave to get medical care or manage symptoms Employers are not required to lower standards in order to accommodate an employee, nor must they provide personaluse items like glasses or hearing aids. But an employer must accommodate a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the employer can show doing so would be an undue hardship. Be sure to talk to your human resources department to find out more about your options. They can also be able to help you if you feel like you are being (or you mighthttps://fwaya.org/