|  | You will almost certainly need time off work while you are being treated for a blood cancer. As a cancer patient you are protected under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999. The details of these can be found at www.disability.gov.uk . These laws also protect you against discrimination by prospective employers in the future. Improved knowledge and education about blood cancers mean that discrimination is much less common but it is still something to be aware of.
It might be possible to claim a disability living allowance so it is worth speaking to a social worker.
Your employer is obliged to make reasonable allowances for you while you are receiving your treatment so that you can either take some time off or have a more flexible working pattern. It can be very helpful to talk about your disease and treatment with your colleagues and boss; explaining how long you think it will last and what tasks you think you’ll be able to do. If you have important projects or deadlines you could choose a ‘work-partner’ for each of them so that if you have to take time off, the work still gets done. A system like this also takes a lot of pressure off you.
Try keeping in touch with friends and colleagues from work to let them know how you are. A quick e-mail or phone call can help reassure everyone that you are coping and have every intention of coming back to work. |
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| | Details of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999 can be found at www.disability.gov.uk.
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