Vasculitis - workplace challenges
Vasculitis - workplace challenges
Like most people I had never heard of vasculitis until it knocked me sideways and life changed forever.
As someone who has represented countless clients in employment law and equality cases over many years this is a topic that is of particular interest to me from the workplace perspective, not just because of the substantive issues arising but also from the point of view of access to justice.
Taking the employment law issue first, sufferers in employment face several challenges immediately after diagnosis. They have to accept that life has changed forever and that they will be unable to function as before. They have to explain their position to an employer who is highly unlikely to have heard of the disease. The fact that generally speaking they look normal despite experiencing severe pain and fatigue can understandably make the employer cynical about the impact of the disease. Even if they achieve remission there is no certainty about the long term prognosis because vasculitis is for life and can flare up again at any time.
Apart from providing income keeping a job is particularly important from the point of view of retaining a sense of purpose. Working relationships take on heightened importance from the social point of view. It’s not much fun to be sitting alone at home.
Examples of the implications that I have come across have included a lorry driver who was no longer able to lift tyres, a manager who was no longer able to function normally because of fatigue, and a nurse who was unable to climb stairs without becoming exhausted. Sometimes the solution can be simple, sometimes not. But a dialogue with the employer is essential as a first step.
Access to justice, a subject close to my heart, is another challenge in this area. Several people I have dealt with recently have said the same thing - they felt that they were not being treated fairly at work so they contacted a lawyer who quoted hourly billing rates that were out of reach. This has always been an issue in employment law and still needs to be addressed. If you have lost your job particularly in such difficult circumstances then you are most in need of proper legal support.
I pay tribute to the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation with whom I work closely in helping sufferers deal with these issues.
In a short post at the end of the month I will focus on the many positive aspects of experiencing and surviving such illnesses. One of those includes the people you meet - other sufferers who are nothing short of inspirational and members of the medical profession.
#vasculitisatwork #vasculitis #disabilityatwork #ukemplaw #disablingbarriers #employmentlaw #employmentlawyers
