Fibro and your job -

Has anyone completely or partially disclosed to their employer their health problems due to fibro? What happened? Were you terminated? Were you accomodated in some way? Was your employer supportive?  (I know we had discussed this previously in the context of one of you who was about to disclose - I think it was someone who worked as an engineer or had recently finished grad school?)  Thanks for any information/advice you can lend.  I have been struggling to keep up lately and am very concerned about all this.

I have not disclosed to my supervisor, nor do I plan to within the next few years. However, in my job I work mostly independently, with almost no supervision. I am a college professor, and while a few of my closest colleagues know, I am uncomfortable with the administration knowing. This university is a political enough tight-rope without my adding chronic illness into the mix.

However, I meet all my classes and meetings and office hours, I do my committees (actually more than my fair share), and direct a play every semester. If for some reason I had to miss something major, I would disclose. But I do not see that happening.

Andrea11,
Very good topic as I have met face to face with the discrimination of having told my employer who knows about my condition. I wish I had never said a thing. I feel as though my job is in jeopardy.

My employer has been extremely supportive. They have assisted me in filing FMLA forms for both my Fibro and my Migraines so that should I need to stay at home for the day, it will be covered under FMLA and therefore a protected absence. My employer works with me when I am feeling good or bad. I am lucky that my employer is understanding and flexible... I have been a one person department in Purchasing for the last 3 years of my 15 years here. It's been tough on my fibro without the additional help in the department. I push myself daily to be in control of my pain, but some days are harder than others. Before I filed the FMLA forms, I would be penalized for my absences, but now I'm not. Maybe something to look into...

I work for a large technology company so they are covered by all the FMLA and ADA laws. I disclosed to my supervisor and she and my manager have been tremendously supportive. For myself it would all depend on how I thought my supervisor would receive the information. I already had a good rapport with my supervisor and I knew that she'd be supportive. They have both told me to let them know if there is anything they can do to help me. I am incredibly lucky. I also work a desk job and I have to get up and move a lot. I'm considering asking for a stand-up desk if they aren't too hard to switch back and forth because there are times during the day when it'd be easier to stand, but I couldn't stand for the full eight hours!

My employees know since I have good and bad days and I am their supervisor but I have been pretty lucky so far that I haven't had to take time off work. I usually work in the office alone. I don't plan on telling my supervisor until it becomes an issue. They may or may not have heard about it "through the grapevine" but have never said anything to me as I am so far keeping up the pace and surpassing their expectations. I try to pace myself and since I'm salried I often bring home work on the weekends to keep caught up and work at a pace I can handel. I also know that I can not use any FMLA until I have worked there a year and I have been there 8 months so I'm not going to bring it up until after that unless my body forces me to. My husband is home and waiting on his dissability filing for his illness but he makes dinner every day and allowes me to rest at night and on the weekends. He is very supportive I don't know what I would do without him.

Here are somethings to know:

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) applies to any individual who works for an employer with 50 or more employees

You can apply for a leave for a set time or for an intermittent time (such as flares that are unpredictable)

Under law you must have a "serious health condition" which in most cases/states fibro fulfills- but check the law in your state

I have an ILOA (intermittent leave of absence) that I need to recertify (a doctor must fill out) that covers me up to 7 days per month if I have a flare) once every 6 month

There is also an ADA (Americans with Disability Act) that requires an employer to provide "reasonable accommodations" to employees with disabilities. Here is the rub- in order to keep your job you must be able to perform you "essential job functions" with or without a reasonable accommodations (anything that would not cause undue hardship on an employer). So if you ask for a reasonable accommodation that is considered a hardship (such as you needing another person to lift all heavy objects and you work in a warehouse) it can be turned down. And if you have stated that you can not perform essential job functions without it- they can terminate you. Here is an example of a request that is reasonable: you are a greeter at a big box store and you have a disease that makes it difficult for you to stand for hours uinterrrupted- you may ask for a stool to sit on. Its an easy fix so they must grant it.

Under the EOE/ ADA's they can not terminate you for having a disease or disability- however if you can not perform your job functions they can. That is where is gets a little dicey. So you need to find out what your job description is and make sure that you can perform what is necessary or if you can't you need to think about what you would need to do it and if its unreasonable.

I told my bosses and for the most part they were either supportive or indifferent. Always remember: you are own advocate. They started to work with me big time when I got my ILOA and they realized that they could either make things easier for me or they would have to cover me for a week out of every month while I was down with a flare. If you don't look out for you and your health no one else will. I hope this helps!

I always recommend employees who are out frequent for health conditions to have a doc complete a medical profile to inform management that unscheduled absences may occur do to health issues. This ILOA policy helps to save employees jobs. I personally do not have a profile for ILOA, but would not hesitate to get one if I was exp DAILY overwhelming symptoms which requires me to call in sick or frequently leave work early. Many of us may live in states where "At Will" employment exist, but Employers who violate the Equal Opportunity Employment or American Disability Act can be held liable.

I was just diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. They say I may have lupus as well however the blood work is neg. I have been at my job for fifteen plus years. I am having memory problems. My accuracy rate is 97.6% and I am scared I will be let go because of this. Problem is I back up for other people. When I am stressed and trying to do my work and the work of others is when these errors occur. I have tried to ask for help but I have been dependable for so long I don't think they take me serious when I tell them It's a problem. I just wish they would underarans just because I look good on the outside, I am in pain on the inside..