Work, Sick Days, and Disability - My Story and Resources

Ten years ago, I worked a full-time job, plus a part-time job tending bar, AND attended college part-time. I had dreams of a career in healthcare marketing, and gained tons of experience with three different hospital employers, over a period of about 15 years. I held various positions and learned the ins and outs of the healthcare industry, while attending school with hopes of getting a degree under my belt to assure my own future. It was a career I really loved, and became fiercely loyal to.

Today, I am struggling to maintain just a part-time job, outside my field of expertise. My Crohn's has made daily life impossibly difficult, often with feeling so sick I can't leave the bathroom. I was missing so much work due to being sick, I really had no choice but to decrease my hours to part-time, to avoid being fired. When my employer couldn't offer me part-time hours, I had to find a regular part-time job. This meant I lost my employer-paid health insurance, all paid vacation and sick days, and my career status.

This also meant a devastatingly HUGE cut to my income. I now struggle every day with money issues on top of the already dreadful health issues. My doctor has suggested that I try to apply for disability, but I'm not ready to give up just yet. I have a lot of fight left in me!

The point of this post is not to depress you with my sob story - IT GETS BETTER!!

While working at my last full-time job, I was able to take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA is a Federal statute in the U.S. which protects employees' jobs in cases of serious illness of self or direct family members. This allowed me to avoid losing my job for all of the times I was too sick to work, and protected my healthcare insurance benefits. With the help of my human resources representative as well as my doctor, we were able to devise a plan of action to ensure that I would be protected throughout my illness.

I also learned that coming clean about your illness to your employer is extremely important. You're not doing anyone a favor by trying to keep your illness a secret - your coworkers and your boss can see how uncomfortable you are; they can see you picking over your food; and they definitely see all of the sick days you take. Once I opened up to my boss and some trustworthy coworkers about my illness, I found the atmosphere at work to be much more friendly and understanding. I was no longer constantly being judged or gossiped about, because there was no more question about what was going on with me. Trust me when I say you can tell your employer about your disease AND still keep your dignity. If you don't want to do it, send them a link to my blog! *wink*

Once I decided to find a regular part-time job instead of struggling to work 40-plus hours per week, I was extremely lucky to find an employer who was looking for an office assistant. This job was located just blocks from my home, and only required me to work 4 hours per day, rather than 8 (or more). However, the field of work was something I had never worked with before - the insurance industry - so I had to start over from scratch in learning new skills. Honestly, I am so glad I did - I now have more than just one type of job skill, and this is the type of career that I can see myself staying in for a long time. It's interesting and challenging, which are important qualities to me.

Unfortunately, shortly after I started my job, my boss, Tom, decided to retire. He had been in the industry for 30 successful years, and was ready to throw in the towel. When the company assigned a new agent to Tom's position, he made sure that the new agent would keep me as the assistant. This gesture was so kind and I am forever grateful that Tom valued me enough to push for my success.

My job is now more interesting and rewarding than ever, and my new boss, Melissa, is wonderful! She's extremely smart and knowledgeable about insurance, and helps me learn even more new skills all the time. She is also very understanding of my health issues, and works with me on a daily basis to make sure I'm doing okay. She has become a friend to me, as well as an employer, and I am happy to help her succeed in her career. This may sound like I'm brown-nosing or ass-kissing, but I assure you, it's not. (I don't even think she knows about my blog.) I'm saying all of this to help others know that it IS possible to find cooperative, understanding employers! If your employer is not helping you or seems un-supportive of your life and health, please consider finding a new employer!

As I mentioned before, I do struggle financially because of my decision to work part-time. But I don't feel you can put a price tag on your health. In my current job, I do not qualify for any type of paid vacation or sick days, and certainly no employer-paid health benefits. So, I did my "homework," and was able to find lots of other help out there.

The biggest source of assistance I found was the Department of Health and Family Services for my state. While benefits and requirements vary from state to state, I was relieved to find that I qualify for state health benefits (a.k.a. Medicaid) and even nutritional assistance (Food Stamps). These benefits have relieved me of the stress of paying for the exorbitant costs of my healthcare and putting food on my plate.

I have also been extremely fortunate to have a loving, caring family, who helps me stay afloat - I'll never have to worry about being homeless, thanks to my family and my boyfriend of 3 years. I'm never alone in my struggles, and as I've said over and over, the support of others who have Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis has been the most valuable!

A quick recap and some resources for you:

• If you feel you are unable to work or have been fired from your job due to constantly being sick, start monitoring your symptoms. Take your medications regularly, and always tell your doctor what is going on. 
• Come clean with your employer about your condition, so they have a better understanding of why you're struggling. 
• Find work and an employer that suits you and provides you with rewarding productivity and peace of mind.
• Research the different types of benefits that may be available to you through your employer, government, or even local charities. Google is your friend!
• Talk to your employer and doctor about FMLA (if you live in the U.S.) and get a plan in place for your times of illness.
• Find a career and work schedule that works best for you. Keep the money aspect on the back burner - you can't buy your health!
• Know your rights: in the U.S., read up on the Family Medical Leave Act and the American's with Disabilities Act. In the United Kingdom, learn about your Disability Rights. In Australia, the NDA has gobs of information. Again, Google is your friend! 
• If you are simply unable to work, apply for Social Security Disability (in the U.S.), the Personal Independence Payment system, PIP (in the U.K.), or your local disability bureau. Please remember that these benefits can be very difficult to obtain, so it's highly recommended that you have an attorney or qualified advocate to represent your case. These can be found at low to no cost.
• Take advantage of any health or nutritional assistance that might be available to you. In the U.S. you can find your state's Medicaid outline here.

Please share any other tips you have for Crohn's / UC sufferers who are struggling to work!