The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the work landscape. The job market itself, what jobs are available, and even how people interview for jobs has shifted from where it was pre-2020. One major change has been the increase in jobs and roles that are now performed remotely. Due to lockdowns and safety precautions, many traditionally in-person positions were changed to work-from-home and it was discovered that despite initial hesitations and concerns, productivity and work output was not negatively impacted, and in many cases, was improved by this new format. 

One portion of the population that has seen the positive influence of this shift is those who identify with a disability. According to an article in the Disability Scoop, since the beginning of the pandemic, employment of people with disabilities is up nearly 25%, with more than 7.3 million workers as of November 2022. This seismic shift represents a new equalizer for a traditionally marginalized and underemployed demographic. Those who manage physical limitations and mobility challenges, are finding that the absence of a commute provides opportunities that had previously been unattainable. 

With the recent downturn in the economy, along with the push for many to return to in-person work, there are concerns that this improvement may be short-lived. However, with the evidence gathered over the last three years in support of remote work, plus the common availability of videoconferencing software and accessibility tools, the argument for continuing remote work is stronger than ever.

For cancer patients and survivors, remote work allows not only for a source of income, but also a sense of normalcy that they may miss while navigating some of the challenges of their diagnosis. Looking for remote work can have some nuances. including requesting a current job become remote, or when job searching inquiring whether an in-person position could be considered as a remote role. Check out some of CAC's resources on best practices for looking for, and maintaining, remote work:

• Register and join us for our Balancing Remote Work & Cancer webinar on Wednesday, April 19th for a robust discussion on the challenges associated with working remotely, approaches for requesting remote work, and communication techniques to apply when working from home.
• Understand how to best research employers to inform your job search and assess whether remote work may be a possibility.
• Think through what flexible work, including fully remote or a more hybrid set-up, may work best for you and your specific circumstances.
• Figure out what it means to set yourself up for "remote" success.
• Disclosure and privacy remain considerations whether you are working in an office or working remotely. Make sure to understand the important aspects of privacy and remote work. 

Cancer and Careers is always happy to talk through approaches to finding remote work and/or conversations with an existing employer on how to request remote work as an accommodation. Feel free to reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org to set up a conversation!