Working with endo - when's best to let an employer know you have endo when applying for jobs?

[GrouchoSparx]

Hi everyone,

I recently lost my job due to the amount of time I had to have off sick because of my endo. It was a bit of a shock really, and my manager and HR had previously been really good about it. It was a fully remote job too, which helped massively with not having to travel while sick/worrying about how I'd get home if a flare up happened during the day.

I'm looking at trying to get another job, but at what stage is best to tell a prospective employer that you might need a lot of time off? I feel like my confidence has been knocked a fair bit after that, as I know I can't help being sick from a flare up.

I also had a lot of doctors and hospital appointments, which initially my job would let me have time off for, but gradually became more and more resistant to, so is it best to be upfront, or wait until I've been offered a position before letting HR know I have endometriosis?

Are there any accomodations I could ask for?

(I wasn't diagnosed when I started my last job, so didn't mention it.)

I'm looking at other remote working jobs, and also part time hours, so hopefully I'll be able to reduce time off sick 🤞🏻

[bluebug]

At any point they ask if you have a disability.

Some will ask at the beginning, while others will not ask at all but ask if you need reasonable adjustments for the interview process. If you don't need reasonable adjustments for the interview process you don't need to say anything until you are employed.

Yes you do risk not getting the job as either they do not want to employ someone with a disability at all or just your disability.

Btw I presume you didn't state to your last employer that your endo was a disability? If you had they would have been more careful in sacking you. I have had to tell other people that their conditions are disabilities when they were at the point of being sacked.

[GrouchoSparx in reply to bluebug]

Thank you for that. I do have other disabilities that I need reasonable adjustments for, but wasn't sure if endo was something that should be disclosed at that point or if it came later.

I kept my last employer informed when I was going through the diagnostic process, and how far along I was etc, but their occupational health team decided at an assessment that it didn't constitute a disability because I could function in the job for a couple of weeks per month.

[bluebug in reply to GrouchoSparx]

A company's occupational health team works for them. Your specialist doctor works for you.

As long as your specialist doctor backs you that your condition is debilitating even though you don't suffer everyday with it and that you have also suffered from it for longer 12 months (even before diagnosis), then you have a disability. A occupational health doctor cannot argue with a specialist's view.

Conditions that flare up can legally considered disabilities even if most of the time you can function whether this is due to the nature of the condition and/or the medication/aids you use. So diabetes (all types), epilepsy, and MS are all legally recognised as disabilities even if the person with the condition rarely has an issues with it. There as arthritis and asthma would only be considered a disabilities in certain circumstances.

[Cocoacupid]

hey I was upfront as soon as I knew after my lap diagnostic last year and they have been amazing. They are understanding as I’m having surgery to remove endo next month . I found if you’re honest and upfront they are more understanding than if you don’t say anything. X

[GrouchoSparx in reply to Cocoacupid]

Thank you for this! It's the first time I've been applying for jobs after being officially diagnosed, and having had my previous employer go from being understanding to getting annoyed with me, I was a bit worried about how honest I should be upfront

[nikogirl18]

hi! Sorry to hear this, endo really is awful!

I had a meeting with occupational health yesterday (arranged by my employer) to see what accommodations etc they could make. The reason this was arranged was because my absences including surgery had pushed me above their ‘marker’ and HR had to get involved. My work are very understanding and we though occupational health would be good as it would allow us to work together to find solutions.

Interestingly the occupational health doctor told me he would class endo as a disability and protected characteristic under the equality act and had told me from a HR point of view that would allow me a bit more protection.

My work have been in the loop ever since I started there about my health as it’s been a long process to get diagnosed (I’ve been there about 2 years but only had my surgery and diagnosis in November) and they do want to support me as best they can - I feel quite lucky for that. I would say the same as bluebug, if they ask you if you have a disability, let them know 🙂

[GrouchoSparx in reply to nikogirl18]

I had an occupational health assessment at my old job, and was told that endo didn't constitute a disability for me, because I was able to function for a couple of weeks at a time when my symptoms were less 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm worried about being turned down for jobs for disclosing I have a disability, as it's happened before (I have other disabilities and learning difficulties which I need adjustments for).

I did keep my last employer informed of where I was during the diagnosis journey, and sent proof of the appointments, doctor's letters, diagnosis confirmation etc, but they just got fed up with me being off for a few days every month in the end