I’ve just accepted a new job working 4 days a week. Not started yet, only met them at the interview, and as yet i haven’t told them about the MS.
My current employer and colleagues know - was pretty hard not to tell them as I was admitted to hospital them off for 3 months when I was diagnosed, and had 2 further relapses that year (2011) Started on Tysabri in Jan 12 and had no relapses sinces them or any time off work sick.
Not sure whether to tell the new employer as its a fixed term contract for 18 months, and I’ll be able to attend hospital for treatment on a day that I’m not working.
My colleagues and family think I should tell my new employer but … mmm… I’m not sure.#
As long as your ability to work isn’t affected, it seems quite reasonable to not say anything about MS.
However, if you suffer an episode over the next 18 months that affects your ability to work, or causes you to take time off, you’ll probably have to declare your MS. If that - sadly - happens, your employer may well be disappointed/angry that your condition wasn’t declared in the first place !!
(I know I wouldn’t like to have potentially relevant info kept from me …it would be like I wasn’t trusted fully and that would almost certainly colour my judgement from then on.)
Totally up to you, but my conscience wouldn’t let me be anything other than completely open - I tend to treat others the way I’d want to be treated, and …I’m not clever or sharp enough to keep secrets (…and being brought up as a Catholic, I’d feel terribly guilty …probably about everything )
l agree with Dom, you should be upfront. As he said - lf you did have a relapse and needed time off work - what would they think of you knowing you kept it secret. As your MS is not effecting you very much at the moment - and of course may never - which is the way of the disease. Perhaps, you could say you have a ‘mild’ case of MS - that is under control. You have had 1yr and 10months without having to take time off work - which is probably a better record then most employees. This you can point out.
My opinion is always that you should tell them not don’t make a big deal of it. If you have an accident you and your employer may not be covered by insurance even if the accident had nothing to do with the MS. For the same reason I told my gym and the teacher of my dance class. Its always best to be covered. And fingers crossed it will not be a big deal cause your medication will keep it all at bay.
Good luck with the new job. Fingers crossed the MS stays away.
Congratulations on your new job. I think it depends on your employer. You are covered under disability discrimination laws if you do disclose. Are you worried the 18 month contract might not be renewed if you do? Otherwise, as a general rule, honesty is the best policy. Your attendance record speaks for itself and the fact you won’t need time off for apts will be positives. Hopefully after 18 months you’ll be judged solely on your performance. Good luck whatever you decide. xx
You’ve had good replies and it is really up to you. Although I tend to thnk that honesty is the best policy, I don’t think I would mention anything at this stage tbh. It is obviously not noticeable that you have ms and having not declared it at interview (I think you were right not to btw) I’m not sure that I would now spring it on them. I mean what would you say. I’ve got ms, I was off for three months from my last job, I might br off sick at any time and now that I’m here you’ll need to make all sorts of adaptations for me. They might be a bit annoyed that you didn’t mention it before. If it does get to the stage that you are off sick then I would have thought that the main concern would be that you were ok not that you hadn’t mentioned that you had ms. I’m not sure that it would become a question about why you hadn’t mentioned it. After all if a new employee had had a heart attack or cancer in the past would it be the first thing to be mentioned in the first day of a new job. If you are asked to fill in a medical questionnaire then yes I would fill it in honestly but other than that I certainly don’t think I’d spring it on them in the first day of a new job. Cheryl:-)
I had this dilema last year when I changed jobs. I decided to let my new boss know within a few days as I didn’t want to have to explain any time off due to MS as I feel a lot more vulnerable when feeling unwell. On a side issue how do you get on with Tysabri? My consultant wants me to change from rebif but I’m really undecided as I’m a bit nervous of the side effects.
i did tell my boss and i had to change the job first think she asck me " do you want to leave "…everybody start feeling sorry for me but when i had relaps they did not belive me i was not happy with the way they talk to me they did not know what Ms is. My boss sad that she have to tell that i have ms to all staff looks talking behind my back could not stand it-working there was worst then my ms . When i start my new job i did not say about ms… i will keep it secret…
Thanks for all the comments. I think I’m going to tell them but in a matter of fact way - since I’ve been on the tysabri I seem to managing the symptoms ( fatigue is the worst - but am learning to manage that and getting better at it each day) so they won’t have anything to worry about but if I have a relapse then at least I’ve been honest.