When should I tell my employer? What will happen? How can I stay at work as long as possible?
These are questions often asked by people in the workforce living with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.
Recent results from large sample surveys of People with MS by the Australian MS Longitudinal Study, ( Rex D. Simmons, Kate L. Tribe, Elizabeth a. McDonald) show some important information with implications for these people, their employers and their health professionals.
People with MS tend to have lower participation in paid employment compared to those with other chronic diseases.
Why? How can these statistics be improved?
This study looked at the employment life of people with MS over a 4 year period. The main reasons reported by people with MS for their loss of employment involved the ineffective management of symptoms of MS in the workplace (such as fatigue), rather than workplace related factors, including insufficient flexibility of employment conditions or being asked to leave or being sacked.
The findings suggest that many employees with MS are leaving their planning for effective symptom management and for appropriate accommodations in the workplace, until such planning is too late to be effective.
The potential advantages of early, supported disclosure of diagnosis to employers before MS symptoms become a problem are discussed in the findings of the study.
For further information contact MSQld Information Line 1800 177 591
