AIBU to not tell boss what condition I've been diagnosed with?

[IndigoHen]

I've just been diagnosed with a chronic condition that I have been suffering with for the past 10 years. I have been managing the pain and its only recently that I have had to take around 1 day off every 2 months to cope with the pain. I've recently had surgery and hence the condition has now been diagnosed. My boss is aware that I've had surgery.

AIBU to not disclose what condition I have been diagnosed with other than saying surgery went well? I don't think I will need any more days off and I will cope fine with a good pain management plan. Or is it better to share? The problem is the condition can manifest itself differently for different people, and I don't want to be disadvantaged (in relation to promotions) or labelled because of it, especially if I am coping fine with it, and its not affecting my work. What would you do?

You've had 1 day of every 2 months, is it a guarantee that the surgery will mean no more days off? If not, it's affecting your work as you're having to take days off

@RTFT Good question. There's no guarantee but it shouldn't affect my work days at least not in the near future. I will check with my consultant again to make sure.

Hi Indigo .I also have a chronic pain condition result of a bad accident .My employer is aware because i have gone from full time to part time .Would it come under the disability realm reason i ask is because regarding promotion it would be discrimination to hold it against you because of a disability. My work colleagues are also aware and everyone is supportive. It helps with people knowing for me because if i am having a bad pain day people understand if i am not my usual happy self .Good luck ,Chronic pain is no fun .

I honestly think you need to tell them, for a start if you ever became ill at work and needed emergency care they can tell the ambulance people.

If your work has occupational health they can also look at ways to help you are work.

It is illegal to discriminate against you for a chronic health condition.

If you have an HR dept tell them, you may find they can get some help. A colleague with chronic back pain was provided with a special chair with support which was set up by a occupational therapist to suit him.

I think you need to tell them. There may be things they can put in place to help you.

You're under no obligation to declare your condition. You can tell HR and it can be kept confidential.

Your Consultant will write about what you need and why, without mentioning your condition.

It's totally up to you.

All the 'need to know to phone ambulance'
Is a red herring. They wouldn't take someone's word for it, they'd consult your records.

All the 'need to know to phone ambulance'
Is a red herring. They wouldn't take someone's word for it, they'd consult your records.

Recent experience tells me that isn’t the case until quite a way down the line.

If your employer knows what is wrong with you and it is something covered by the Equality Act 2010, then you would be protected from being discriminated about.

It probably depends what kind of organisation you work for. In my organisation, you would have hit a sickness trigger and be on an attendance improvement plan most likely. In that scenario, it would be in your interests to disclose your condition, be referred to occupational health who will then most likely advise that sickness triggers be amended to take into account your condition. They would also look at whether reasonable adjustments should or could be made, in terms of start times, home working, flexibility etc. However I work for a big and formal organisation where robust measures are taken place to ensure people with disabilities and chronic conditions are treated fairly.

@SpottingTheZebras I've just checked, sadly the condition is not named under the Equality Act.

The condition is endometriosis, stage 4 (severe).

@CoperCabana Thanks. I work for a public sector organisation so probably similar in style to yours. Perhaps I should consider it then ....

It is more likely to reflect badly on you having a poor sickness record and no recorded reason than work knowing you have a condition but it’s well managed other than needing the odd day off

@Sirzy Thanks, that's a good point. Do you think there's a need to go into the severity of it (i.e the level/stage)?

Does the Equality Act name all medical conditions? I recall there used to be guidance that employers and courts could refer to when interpreting what was to be treated as a disability.

I'll have a look.

"It is more likely to reflect badly on you having a poor sickness record and no recorded reason than work knowing you have a condition but it’s well managed other than needing the odd day off"

I agree. I work with someone who has crohn's disease and has a lot of time off work. We all know because he has been quite open about. He gete nothing but sympathy and understanding from everyone. If we didn't know he would get talked about.

There is a test as to whether it’s a disability or not, it doesn’t need to be named in the EA so long as it isn’t one of the conditions specifically excluded.

Also, I have had experience of Occupational Health advising me as a manager that even if a condition isn’t technically covered by the Disability Discrimination Act, we should treat it as if it is covered. Given the kind of organisation, I would definitely disclose.

this is the guidance

Disability is a long term physical or mental condition with a serious adverse affect on your day to day activities.

Page 29 discusses fluctuating conditions. I would have thought your condition would be likely to be covered, as other fluctuating conditions such as migraines and arthritis flares are.

I would tell your employer. If not your boss, at least ohw so that your absence can be mitigated. In our place a absence of 1 day every couple of months would trigger Bradford and make you ineligible for promotion unless it was discounted due to disability.

I'd tell your employer. I also think your condition would be classed as a disability under the act. And even if its not I'd still recommend telling them.

If your employer knows what is wrong with you and it is something covered by the Equality Act 2010, then you would be protected from being discriminated about

In an ideal world.

In the real world, disability discrimination happens. As I found out in a previous job. At the NHS

@MissWilmottsGhost This is what I am worried about. I don't want to be overlooked because of a condition that I am managing and is not affecting my work, especially because even if I take a day off sick, I always make up that time.

@BerylStreep Thanks for that. The link doesn't open for me. I'll try and see if I can find the document. It would have been really helpful if it was listed in there.

I have MS. You can't "tell" by looking at me. My employer needed to know immediately so that I get the time off I need for medical appointments and they can make reasonable adjustments for me. At the moment, I don't need much of either. But that isn't the point.

@bellinisurge Thanks for sharing that. Did you get a letter from consultant/GP to give to HR/boss or did you just inform them?