Why always when I tell people when I work or go to job interveiws they deny me when I tell them I'm epileptic

[Kratos]

I'm young I need a good job but how and we're do I go I have been let go so much coz of my epileptic ?

[Hidden]

There should not be any discrimination from anyone who has epilepsy and who has the right to be employed. I have tried to look for a job for ages, and it makes me cross when Recruitment Agencies respond with 'You can't be employed due to your health'. This is totally unfair, as we all have the right to work in a safe environment!

[SimpZ]

I am also a young guy who as a degree, but still I have been turned away from numerous job interviews because of my epilepsy, But i have the faith to believe when the rite time comes, u will get the job!

[mabora]

hi brother, i feel for you ,i went through the same sistuation as you whereby my health became a determining factor but i decided to stand up for my right and said enough is enough, i went through to my company policies and if epilepsy is not gonna affect your performace then they company dont have the right to descriminate against you and you are not forced to disclose to them that you are epileptic so if you dont feel like disclosing, please DO NOT DISCLOSE

[quintin1]

This is so unfair,who made them so perfect and who gave them the right to discriminate against us.I dont tell any one that I have Epilepsy for the reason that they just presume you cant work ,i know its wrong but its the best just to be quite about it .

[Tdevilliers]

Hi - If the type of work you are applying for involves working with machinery, driving, etc and your condition is not too well controlled, then the risk factor is high risk and you will need to disclose. If your condition is well controlled and you are seated in an office all day, the risk factor is low, so the decision is up to you on whether to disclose or not. Suss out the interviewer and determine whether you will feel comfortable disclosing your condition. Just be weary that if your condition may impact on your work/production then the company should know ahead of time otherwise they may say you mislead them and may reconsider your employment. If your seizures are well controlled and occur infrequently or at night then you may not need to disclose your condition.

So in brief, determine the risk factor between your seizure type and frequency and the type of work you are going to be involved in - if you believe the factor may be high, then you need to disclose, if not i.e. desk job with petimal seizures or infrequent seizures etc the you can determine whether you should or should not disclose.

Tim

[Kratos]

It doesn't matter what type of lob I'm applying for my condition always gona be a problem I'm well controlled I dnt get dissability and I don't get a job what ccan I do I need the money

[tamaraeve]

The first thing I would suggest, similar to others, is to know yourself. Know the type of seizures and their frequency and how they might impact a potential job. Also think about other factors such as transportation and if your medication causes side effects that you may need to think about when working. You want to be sure you will be safe and successful when finding the right job.

It is up to you to know when and how much to disclose about your disability. There are advantages and disadvantages at all stages. If you disclose your disability before signing an employment contract accepting a job offer you have limited recourse because it is difficult to prove discrimination. But it is not recommended to put yourself in a situation where it is likely that you will have a seizure and nobody around you knows how to respond appropriately; that could be dangerous. So you should think about the best way for you to approach disclosure.

Also, know your rights. It is against the law to refuse to hire or to terminate employment based solely in disability. The Labour Relations Act as well, the Employment Equity Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act protect the rights of workers to ensure you are not unfairly judged based on your disability and instead are judged on your work performance. Sometimes the laws can be a bit complicated, particularly because they can be somewhat ambiguous. Also, because of the Employment Equity Act and BBB- BEE some employers actually look for people with disability to hire. If you want more information about your rights you can contact Epilepsy South Africa, who can provide people with epilepsy more information. You can also find employment vacancies by departments and businesses who are looking to hire people with disabilities at our website at epilepsy.org.za.

It can take time and a lot of effort to get a job (for people with and without disabilities), but hang in there!