Ive worked for my company as a temp for a year and was hired in November, about the same time my blood work went nuts.
I had hoped to keep my diagnosis private, especially this early in my career. How did you handle talking to your employer about treatment and the time off that you needed?
Hi Nama-8. What type of treatment will you be starting? I didn’t need much time off during my first treatment. A few appointments but not so many that it would seem unusual.
6 weeks of Obinutuzumab infusions. After that it's monthly checks and Venetoclax. The first infusion is over two days. I can and plan to do some work from there but it's not optimum.
I’d be honest and explain the situation to your employer. That is what I did. If you keep it to yourself and folks don’t understand why you are unavailable, taking sick and vacation days, etc. you potentially risk being viewed as someone who is cutting corners and uninterested in their job. Alternatively, explaining you have cancer and need treatment will likely be met with empathy. We are all different and deal with different employers but I think honesty is the best approach.
Good luck,
Mark
i wish you the best of luck. i was honest with my employer and hoped for empathy. in the end they elimated my position and turned around and hired someone 15 years younger than me. it was common knowledge that they felt that i was 'ill' and they held this against me though i had been a loyal and great employee for close to 20 years. i believe in honesty but i have to hope you have a more decent employer than i did.
I’m a newbie to this CLL stuff. Diagnosed in sept 21. Only been with this company for a little over a year. I reached out to my friend who got me the job. Told him what’s up and he asked if I told the COO yet. The COO was the guy who hired me. Well 10 min later I got a call from him and basically said , WHAT EVER I NEED TO DO I JUST DO. No matter what it is and I quote ,” you don’t need to answer to anyone , just do whatever needs to be done. We are a family here and you are now part of the family .” Made me fell so good knowing I have this kind of support
I contacted our HR department and requested FMLA Intermittent leave for those days. This is Family Medical Leave, and it’s for serious illnesses. It protects you in your job legally. I didn’t think my job would use my illness against me, but multiple people suggested this. Then when I called HR to inquire, they said now that they know I have an illness, I HAVE to file FMLA (and she iterated it’s to protect ME). They cannot turn around and fire me because of my illness or time off (which I didn’t think they’d do). Also, I take my medical days off as FMLA and don’t have to use up vacation days. (I did have to use them up initially before FMLA kicked in). My dr had to fill out forms and those are on file in HR, but no one knows the illness and they are not allowed to ask about it.
Good luck with your treatments and your job!
I, too, am very lucky. I work for a large retailer (Target). I was hired in 2017, diagnosed in 2018 and shared that in 2019. Everyone has been nothing but supportive. Granted, I'm not in any treatment and scheduling my 3 to 6 month bloodwork appointments isn't any problem. I, too, was told, " just do what ever you need and let us know". I'm deeply thankful and grateful for my job and the health insurance it gives me.Debbie
Askamanager.org has dealt with this issue, and has several "scripts". If you search that site, you will see various posts about how people with chronic illness have handled work issues. I can tell you that you are protected under the ADA, which I am sure you already know.
I had an employee who was HIV Positive decades ago, when there was a huge stigma around HIV. This was a hospital. He chose to tell me, his direct manager, but not the department head (who was a huge gossip). HR knew that he had a medical condition that he needed testing for. A letter was sent to HR stating he had a medical condition that needed testing, and that this employee might need to come late/leave early for the tests, or might call out sick on occasion. This particular doctor signed it simply as MD with address and phone/fax, not listing the medical specialty. The HR at this hospital was really good IMO, and simply verified with the State of FL that there was a licensed doctor by that name. To my knowledge HR never attempted to find out if that doc was a psychiatrist, or cancer doc, or whatever, and there wasn't any gossip spread around the hospital. I did have to deal with a certain amount of staff complaints regarding the amount of time that person came late, or left early, or was off sick. This was before FMLA, so I have no advice how to handle asking for time off.
IMO, based on the advice from the "askamanager.org" site that I have been reading for a while, saying something along the lines of " I have a medical condition, it's nothing to worry about, but I need off X days for testing /treatment." The more notice you give your employer, the better. If something comes up, (infusion reaction & you are hospitalized), let someone know ASAP. I called my boss sitting in the ER with a broken leg, my employer didn't hold it against me although staff were extremely mad at me (it was just before Christmas, and some staff had vacay cancelled to cover my shifts). But a broken leg doesn't have the stigma/gossip of a cancer diagnosis.
As others here have noted, the people at the place you work may be supportive, or may try to discriminate. Which is why I tend to recommend the "minimum information" until you know your employer/colleagues better.
TriageCancer (US Based) triagecancer.org/ has a lot of information regarding legal rights and employment advice for those of us taking time off for treatment or going back to work after treatment. I told my employer right away so I would be covered by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities act). Thus far they have been supportive. Wishing you all the best with your CLL journey.
When I was offered my job in 2013, I told the person hiring me about my situation even though I had been in W&W since 1997 and felt great. He was very understanding and supportive as well as our HR director who had dealt with breast cancer. I eventually told my immediate supervisor but no one else, and all was well in paradise until my health imploded in 2018.
Thankfully everyone was wonderful! I missed 2 1/2 weeks of work in January 2018 due to the flu and double pneumonia, and I missed 2 weeks of work in July 2018 due to food poisoning...I wasn't docked any time or pay for either event. I began treatment in August 2018, and I decided to share my diagnosis with coworkers who might be impacted by any absences. I received nothing but support, encouragement, and understanding from everyone at my place of employment.
I realize my situation may be unique, but in my case, being up front turned out to be the best approach.
I remained silent about my condition at first. I had already researched fmla and knew I would have to use my vacation time first anyhow so I stayed quiet. Never had a problem with that employer. Ten years later I had to be treated again and was with a new company and was open about the situation with the VP and she shared with HR. Later that day he called me in and accused me of not reporting the condition on my pre-employment insurance offer paperwork so they were going to terminate my employment. In my state they can terminate you without cause and that’s what they were going to do. That’s when I informed him that I did not have insurance with them and that’s why I never reported the condition. I politely informed him that I was on my wife’s insurance. He apologized………………..and I quit. I have never shared with any other employer.
Do you mean 6 months of Obinutuzumab treatments? If you are on the O+V treatment regimen you may have no issues with side effects at all. I started the regimen Oct. 13 and if I were still working I never would have missed a day after the initial two day hospital stay to titrate the Obinutuzumab dose. Good luck
Yes, I dont expect too many issues but treatments and drs appts take time. I have to leave work weekly until March and then monthly after that. The first treatment is being given over two days at the infusion center. Taking the day off for day 1. Might want it off for day two but after than just long lunches.
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