Work and Your Diagnosis and Treatment

Before approaching your colleagues, it can be helpful to speak with your healthcare team about how your specific illness and treatment may impact your ability to do your job. Here are a few helpful tips you can use to help guide that conversation:

• Make sure everyone on your team knows exactly what your job is and any unique circumstances you’ll be coping with, including any environmental factors you may be concerned about. Let your them know that it’s important to you to make decisions that are good for your health and your job whenever possible.
• Ask for general ideas of how your treatment may impact you. For example, how long will it take you to recover from surgery? How long after receiving chemotherapy will effects likely to kick in? Is it possible/safe to schedule treatments at times during the week that accommodate your work priorities?
• Know the specific details on how any medication might impact you. What are common reactions, and what can you do to manage them? Can medications be taken either early or late in the day so any side effects are less disruptive to your work schedule?
• Find out if they have any recommendations of job modifications or reasonable accommodations that have worked for others in circumstances similar to yours. Not every accommodation/modification will work for every person. However, it can help you to think through what might be applicable for your circumstances.
• Ask your doctor if there is any patient education material (i.e., written documents, videos, etc.) about your specific diagnosis and/or treatment that might help you make informed decisions about work.

Working Through It

If you plan to continue working while undergoing treatment, you can make the process easier for yourself — as well as your employer and coworkers — by planning, preparation and communication.

Communication

Clear and ongoing communications are essential in any work environment, and even more so when balancing your job with a life altering circumstance such as cancer treatment. They help ensure you, your employer and your coworkers are on the same page able to keep everything moving smoothly. Remember, whether or not to disclose a cancer diagnosis and/or treatment details at work is a personal decision and, generally, there is no obligation to do so (although there are some exceptions. However, if you do chose to disclose, the suggestions below can help ensure you continue to communicate effectively while working during all or part of treatment

• When disclosing your diagnosis, discussing details of ongoing treatment, etc. make sure to communicate that any information you are sharing today is true today and things may be different in a week, a month, six months, etc. so there may be a need for additional conversations later. Assuring your employer that you will continue to keep them updated and work with them to identify any adjustments that need to be made to your work schedule, workload, etc.
• Initiate regular meetings with supervisors to go over your to-do list, identify priorities and expectations, etc. Be sure to ask about their needs and/or the company's needs as well to show you are taking them into account as you continue to evaluate what works best for both you and them.
• Ask for help when you need it. It's not uncommon for people to struggle with seeking out assistance. But can make a big difference in elevating stress while also showing that you’re invested in ensuring the best outcome for any given project.
• If coworkers handled some of your responsibilities during your absence or while you transition back to work, let them know that you truly appreciate their support.
• If you think you are eligible for a reasonable accommodation, talk to your supervisor.

Keep a Work Diary

Use It To:

Map Out Your Workweek

Keeping careful notes about the way you feel throughout each day and week can reveal important patterns about the effects of your treatments and medications. If your hours are flexible, work during as many of your peak-performance hours as possible. You can also schedule important meetings and presentations for the mornings or afternoons when you know you’re likely to feel your best.

Find Optimal Times for Treatments

Your work diary can help you determine whether it makes sense to schedule doctor appointments before work, during your lunch hour or at the end of the day. If you feel exhausted three or four hours after treatments, for example, schedule 2:00 PM appointments, so you’ll be off work when that fatigue hits. Or if your body needs a few days to recover from treatment, try to schedule sessions for Friday afternoons.

Document Your Work Schedule

By tracking your hours and reactions to treatment, your notes could prove valuable if problems arise at work. What if your worst-case scenario presents itself and you suspect that your rights are being violated? You’ll already have a detailed first-person account, describing your daily and weekly schedules.

Updated 2024