Hi Everyone,
I had a left mx and DIEP reconstruction and I’m recovering well. I am currently on sick leave with my job and waiting for another sick line of 4 weeks. Before diagnosis I had tried to find a new role where I want to use my qualifictions and experience but my boss was less than cooperative and understanding and refused to provide any flexibility with taking time off for interviews, so I was hoping to do this on the back of sick leave. I have a few questions about things I’m encountering though.
The first thing: definition of disability…
I know that in the workplace, as a cancer sufferer/survivor, I am protected in the workplace from any discrimination with regards to appointments, time off for surgery or anything related to the cancer, which is fine. However, applications here in Northern Ireland have a question which asks: “do you consider yourself to have a disability?”. My answer has always been no…but should my answer now be yes?
Is time off for medical appointments now something that is “a measure to be accommodated” that they also ask for by ticking this box?
The second thing: declaration of disability, discrimination and proving it.
I work in recruitment, I know employment law. I have also have seen what lengths employers go to, to avoid taking on someone who is a liability; ie, anyone that needs time off, parents of very young children who need a lot of looking after, people who are regularly sick, people who look like they can’t commit on paper for one reason or another…they simply provide feedback that the candidate “didn’t meet shortlisted criteria” etc, but proving it is another thing, I know this is against the law and employers shouldn’t do it, but unfortunately it happens all the time!!
How can I declare my condition and not have employers push my application to one side like this? I’m finding this a very fine line to walk.
Any advice here would be appreciated.
x