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Unfortunately, in spite of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), I think that most employers would probably find a way to release you of your job rather than find ways to accommodate you. It's strictly business.

I took a chance on someone who told me up front that she had a chronic illness, assuring me that it never affected her job performance. Her references were good; but, there are also restrictions and limitations upon what information you can ask about a prospective employee. I had to terminate her within the first two weeks because she either called in sick or left early too many times.

One of my sisters in law has a chronic illness that her employer was very understanding about for several years. She has reached the point at which she had to quit or be terminated, however, as she has been in hospital too often the past year.

I've kept my chronic illness to myself on the job. It already cost me a good career in a field I loved when I was diagnosed in 1990. Fortunately, since changing careers, I've been able to telecommute or, as a consultant, choose which contracts I want to work on. Only my closest colleagues who have known me for years know about my illness and that I've not allowed it to affect my job performance.

It's such a tough call whether to tell or not. Personally, I wouldn't until, or unless, I needed to.

February 21, 2008 - 6:11pm

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