Applying for a new job when you have a chronic illness requiring ongoing medical treatment.

[FourthToeOnTheRight]

How do you navigate this?

I’m unhappy where I currently work and would love to move on but the thought of applying for another job, where eventually I’d have to explain my illness, makes me wonder if I’m better off staying where I am.

Luckily I’m currently in remission but still require hospital treatment every 8 weeks, so one day every 2 months I’d need to request time off.

How would I even bring this up with a potential employer? When should I bring it up? At the interview stage (where they’d probably turn around and decide I’m a risk, therefore decreasing my chances of success) or discuss it only if they offered me the role?

For context, I’ve worked with my current employer for over 15 years, I make sure my treatment falls on one of my ‘official’ days off so I don’t get paid, even though I now work full time for them.

Has anyone been in this position? I wish I could stop having the treatment but would be at risk of coming out of remission, which would be the last thing I need right now. My illness isn’t curable but can be managed with the right treatment, which thankfully I’m now on.

What to do. I’m in my early fifties, desperately wanting a change.

AIBU to be overthinking this?

I brought it up in my interview. I was honest and upfront about it all. When they called me after the interview, they thanked me for being so honest and offered me the job. When I started my induction the first thing they did was a risk assessment and adaptions.

They sound wonderful employers @Groovee - well done on your success!

Same here, I brought it up at interview

I'd err on the side of only bringing it up once there is a solid job offer. I'm saying this as someone in a similar position to you, aware of the protection I'm afforded by the Equality Act 2010, but would always be questioning if I wasn't offered a job based solely on my disabilities and the adjustments I'd need. I guess you could play it by ear and discuss it at interview if you felt confident in doing so, I think there are lots of factors that might make me feel more inclined to disclose at interview, such as size of company etc

If the impact of your illness is long term and substantial, then it is treated the same as a disability in terms of the Equality Act. Your employer must not discriminate against you and must make reasonable adjustments.

Discuss at interview. Remember you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. If they won’t entertain supporting you then TBH you probably wouldn’t want to be working for them, and it’s likely their loss not yours if they either don’t offer you the job or you decide to turn it down.

I don’t mention it at this interview. Mostly because my 8 weekly infusions are now in injectible pen format.

I’ve been in remission for 2 years now, and feel well at present so didn’t mention it.

As I’ve got to know my employer more I can’t see it being a problem.

I didn't bring it up as I was fairly sure I wouldn't get the job because of it.

I manage it by treating each appointment as an individual event. If asked, which I shouldn't be but am, it's "oh just routine nothing to worry about". However they are not as regular as yours. If I came out of remission they would be and I'd declare it as a new condition.

Personally in my profession and industry I would do this for the first 2-3 which gives you 6 months and then say in really sorry but it looks like this is going to have to be regular

Your ongoing treatment and illness should be treated as a disability- they are not allowed to discriminate against you and must make reasonable accommodations for your condition (a day off for treatments as needed is reasonable - it's reasonable for this to be unpaid.

If they can show that your condition makes it impossible for you to do the job to a reasonable professional standard then it's not discrimination for them to not want you, but other than that you should be in with as good a chance of getting the job as if you didn't have this condition.