I think you are correct in staying quiet about it until the person themselves approaches you.
I am newly diagnosed and I was open about the diagnosis as I was off work for a while and we have a tight-knit team. However I do kind of see why people might keep it quiet. My co-workers have been fantastic and treat me normally. However, HR now act as though I am made of crystal. It’s so annoying. It’s great that they are supportive but the HR manager can be a bit over the top about it and actually draws attention to me through her concern.
I would be really annoyed if someone outside of my team or management came over to me and said they heard I had MS. I would feel as though I was a topic of gossip as I think my MS is on a need to know basis. I’m ok with certain people knowing but I don’t want it to be the topic of office gossip.
I don’t want people watching me walking to see if I can, or judging me.
So while some might keep their MS quiet for fear of finding themselves a subject of discrimination, I would think many others would just prefer to deal with it themselves and ask for help when and if the time comes.
The phrasing of the sentence may have been incorrect. i meant if anyone outside of my team or outside of management.
Management know as I told them. I was working here when I was began having symptoms and when I was going through diagnosis also. So I didn’t keep it from the team I work on or from my immediate managers or my HR manager.
There are other teams here (not managers) and some people who I haven’t told. I said I wouldn’t like it if one of them said they’d heard I had MS as I’d feel like I’d been the topic of gossip and feel that people knew and were watching me to see how I was.
If it’s illegal for a manager to ask, then it’s illegal for the OP to ask so case closed, he shouldn’t mention it.