I’m Ill, but Who Really Needs to Know?

[doublevision1]

This is an article published in the NY Times yesterday.  It addresses a dialogue initiated on this board last week by MCBCON, regarding the decision to disclose one's illness in the workplace.  The article is interesting, as are the Reader Comments.  Lots of different perspectives on this, most leaning towards limited/no disclosure unless absolutely necessary.

FYI.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/fashion/21WORK.html

db1

[tanky]

I outed myself at work within a few days of getting my diagnosis.  It may not have been the "smart" thing to do for my career - I suppose only time will tell.  But, I am very lucky that everyone has been very supportive.  I've even been approached with unsolicited help in finding the best MS specialists and have colleagues who called in favors to get me appointments within a week instead of my original 7 month wait.  

I may be lucky or prematurely naive, but for me disclosure has been a positive thing.  I know this will not be the universal response by all employers but I hope that with more exposure to the facts of MS that employers will be more understanding and accomodating.  

Best wishes to all of you in making this important decision.  

[jrterriers]

Very nuanced article. Deciding when/if to "out" yourself to co-workers is complex and scary.

I was diagnosed with MS in 1990 but showed no visible signs or symptoms that I could not hide at the time I took a public relations desk job in 1995. So I told no one at my workplace. My general practitioner advised me to take this route, and in retrospect I believe she was right.

Still at the same job, I finally "told" in 2003, when I feared my imbalanced "lurching" down hallways because of MS imbalance would lead co-workers to falsely assume I was chemically altered on the job.

I do wonder what would have happened had I stayed at the job (I left in April 2007). Though a public college, my former workplace has been exceedingly slow in accommodating handicapped workers and even members of the public who use the facilities.

My prediction is that they would have been very reluctant to make any accommodations whatsoever for me.

The college likely will face some sort of legal action soon enough because of ADA. I hate that, given that I always believed in the college's missions and the many, many good things it did in its communities.

At the same time, my realization that the college will soon have to pay the legal piper also confirms that I made the right decision in keeping mum about MS for as long as I possibly could.

[Momzilla]

I read it yesterday, but didn't have time to respond.  Thanks for posting it.  I thought it was very relevant for so many here.

Take care!

Zilla*

[MCBCON]

Thanks