Telling a new potential employer about your MS

[Skinnyninja77]

When looking for a new job or in a job interview what is the best advice about telling a potential new employer about your MS..

1 Do you keep quiet and do not say a word about your MS and hope that it doesn't get any worse?
2 Do you explain that you have MS and you have good days more than bad days in the hope that it doesn't go against you for the new position?

The reason for asking is that my job is going to be redundant in December this year due to my Contract coming to end after 7 great years working on a construction project, and only being diagnosed this year. my company have been great.

And i am concerned that my MS will be a problem in getting another job..
Like most people i have Rent, Bills & Debts to pay and scared this may cause difficulty...

So any advice would be much appreciated... Thanks in advance..

Kerry

[Jacksmom516]

I am going to be in the same boat shortly however my MS is visible I walk with a cane.  I don't miss work for other than annual Dr appts and that is easily enough explained.  Not sure how I am going to handle this!

[Skinnyninja77]

Thanks for the advice guys and yeah i'm with you about not telling them about my MS unless i really have to..

Now to start looking for a new job and hope and pray that something good comes up and have a great employer..


Once again thank you sooooo much

Big hugs to you all

Kerry :O)

[Guitar_grrrl]

I'm with the others, here.  

I have a steady per diem gig with two hospitals, and I applied to a third about a year ago.  I made the mistake of mentioning MS in the interview process.  The upshot?  They hired me, but then put my employment on "hold" while they explored how they could "accomodate" me!  I haven't heard from them since, and that's really OK, now, as I'm working 2-3 days a week pretty steadily.  That's all I can manage, anyway, so it's all for the best, for me.

Don't disclose!  If the time comes, you can be selective about who you tell.  It sounds like you've come to your own decision, though. :-)

[MommyofNatTyZach]

lol I just seen you said you wouldn't say anything after I already posted :) Good luck on your job hunt!

[MommyofNatTyZach]

I don't think I would say anything about it. If it gets worse then you can let them know then, after you have the job. It may never come to that.

[Skinnyninja77]

Hi Guys

Thank you sooooo much for your feed back i really appreciate it..

I'm on the same lines as most of you about telling a new employer about my MS...
As i have only recently been diagnosed with RRMS my current employers have been great as like i said my line manager has MS so they were really understanding about me..

It's bad enough that i will have to find another job and how hard it is to find another one.. so the thought of not being able to get another job because of my MS was very scary..

I'm lucky at the moment that my MS is invisable and i'm starting to get get quiet good at hiding it too... not to say that i do have my bad days..because i do..

So while i'm still able to to work and to the day to day stuff with little problems then i'm going to try and be normal...

Once again thanks for the advice i have taken it all in and decided that i will not let a new employer know about my MS until the time is right..

Big hugs to every one..

Kerry x

[Lulu54]

If I were job hunting, the last thing I would bring up is having MS.  There are so many reason why an employer might immediately discard hiring you - including those listed above of absences, making accomodations and just plain not knowing what MS is.

Most people think of MS as people in wheelchairs and that isn't the case anymore, but you don't know what the interviewer might or might not understand.


So many of us are fortunate to have an open dialogue with employers about MS, but that has happened after we were there for a while and not while we were brand new wanting to be hired.

DV is spot on about that bell ringing.  

good luck, Laura

[doublevision1]

I would definitely not mention it in a job interview. Not sure about the US, but in Canada, human rights laws prohibit a prospective employer from asking about ANY protected ground, which includes medical conditions/disabilities (including visible ones) and make it illegal for them to deny a job based on a protected ground.  That said, as a former HR professional, I've seen some employers deny or try to deny an opportunity in these situations but find another reason to do so.

Once on the job, as a general rule I strongly advise against mentioning one's MS unless you require specific accommodation, which an employer is legally bound to provide to the point of undue hardship to the business.  However even when requesting accommodation, you aren't required to provide specifics about your condition, but if asked, must provide medical documentation stating your limitations (eg: can only stand X amount of time; can only lift X kilograms; require voice activated software; require ergonomic assessment and equipment for workspace; etc)  which require accommodation.  Again, this is the Canadian perspective.

Once you get to know your new boss, colleagues, workplace policies, culture, etc. only then should you consider disclosure. Some employers, like my last one, are fantastic in accepting and respecting the rights of employees with various challenges like MS.  Others will find a way to push you out.  Proceed cautiously, as you can't unring the bell.

[kwarendorf]

I'm leaning more towards TLC's position. If it does not prevent you from doing your job, and you are not taking off more time than allowed, there is no reason they need to know.

Kyle

[TLC_31]

If your MS is so invisible that even you forget you have it, then there is no reason to disclose. Everyone has to visit the doctor once in a while for any number of reasons, and our employers don’t need to know about all the details. And in most cases, at least in the U.S., they don’t have a right to know.

“If I were to get any worse then I would probably have to own up.” Not necessarily. Besides, you may not get any worse, at least not to the degree that others notice. And you could just as easily develop another condition or get in a car accident that would hinder your job performance. You’re certainly not going to caution a prospective employer that such things might happen.

Good luck on the job search!

[Skinnyninja77]

Thanks for the reply Kyle any advice is good..

My MS is not visible.. i do sometimes forget that i have it..

My thoughts are also probably not to say anything but i'm just concerned that if i were to get any worse then i would probably have to own up..

My current work have been really great because 3 years ago my line manager was diagnosed with MS so i have been supporting him and it gave me a good insight to MS too.

Thanks again

Kerry x

[kwarendorf]

Your question is a biggie :-) We all have to find our own way to  deal with MS in the work place.

When I was going through the diagnostic process I was taking days off on short notice, leaving early, arriving late etc. All of these are signs of job hunting while employed. I didn't want my boss to think I was looking for another job so I told him. He has been great, like your current employer.

As to new employers, I'm not sure what I'd do. I think it would depend on whether or not my MS was visible. It would also depend on whether or not my MS required predictable absence from work, i.e. every 4th Friday I have to leave 2 hours early for an infusion.

If my MS was invisible and I had no regularly scheduled MS activities I might not say anything, If this were not the case then I think I'd have to tell them. I' think I'd wait until I was fairly far along in the interview process and I'd only mention it ti the hiring manager.

Just one man's opinion...

Kyle