Job Seeking With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

I did not disclose at my interview. I checked the box “disabled” on the confidential form filed at HR in case accommodations would need to be made. Several years later, I have never specifically disclosed.

Some symptoms have been impossible to hide, but it has been better for me to minimize them and make do rather than to disclose and ask for accommodations, even though it would have make things easier.

Other colleagues who had illnesses that were not as misunderstood “came out” and were not treated fairly or legally. There are also more subtle forms of discrimination. Unfortunately, perception of your abilities is everything.

I wish I could be campaigner on this issue, or raise awareness at the workplace. I respect people who do, or are able to do so. Right now, I’m in an environment where it is not possible, and my continued employment is more important.

Job searching with CFS has been extremely difficult for me. Because of the bad economy and length of my unemployment, I have been interviewing for jobs that pay nearly half of what I was making when I got laid off.

Each time I feel I get very close to landing the job, I never get it. The feedback I often get from the recruiter or employer is I was not enthusiastic enough. I have excellent experience and skills, so its depressing, maybe my fatigue symptoms are showing through.

In my last two jobs, I eventually revealed that I had Fibromyalgia. It was a mistake. They began to look for problems, it seems, and I ended up losing my job at both places. I cannot prove anything, though one did put in writing that my performance was down due to health issues. I now have a new job in the same industry and I do not plan on revealing ANYTHING.

I have lost jobs due to my fibromyalgia. I didnt disclose them to my employer, however it was quiet noticeable on my bad days that it effected my job performance. rigt now, Im on sick leave cause of a bad flare up and Im worried about my future with my employer, I cant continue with my current job position and i hope my employer will be understanding. I dont want to loose another job cause of this illness.

I live with chronic illnesses and have disclosed – even back in the “dark days” even, 30 years ago. I also work with clients frequently on this issue. I’ve come to believe firmly that you should only disclose if your performance is being impacted by illness. No matter what people’s misperceptions about fibromyalgia or cfs, it’s better than that they think you’re a slacker. You can manage their responses, also, if you’re strategic in what you say. And it doesn’t end with “disclosure” – it’s the on-going conversations that can keep people from looking for your problems. It’s a lot to take on. But it’s better than losing your job because they think you’re a bad worker.

I’m unable to work anymore, as I became too ill in the end, but in general I’d advise people against telling an employer or prospective employer about their chronic illness(es). On the two occasions where I did, it led to my being stigmatised and (seconding what Nancy said) people started actively looking for things that might be wrong with me. There was gossip and general unpleasantness, too. In my experience, perhaps honesty isn’t the best policy here.

If I had to start over, I would NEVER disclose. I required accommodations in university for the profession I seek and because it’s a “small world” type profession, I was blocked before I barely started.
I needed accommodations in the form of extra time for assignments/exams for example.
It’s the type of career where the profession ties in closely with the academic world and hence knows every single “business” of the student entering that specific profession. I got comments such as, “well, how can you help others when you are in need yourself?” and, “why not just stay on disability and leave this profession for those in good health to actually do it..” etc…

I would have been better off without the academic accommodations, gotten lower marks…and just let them believe that I wasn’t as intelligent in the grades….unfortunately, I am intelligent and highly academic and have paid the price of having a brain.

If only I had the body to match.

I felt the need to disclose to my employer recently due to the Fibro Fog I experience. She didn’t seem bothered by it. However, it is a low paying part-time job. I am currently attending University in hopes of a real career someday. I make good grades without disclosing, but it is a struggle. Also, have some issues due to the amount of walking and carrying heavy books around campus–but I’m hesitant to request disability parking privileges.

I fully agree with you and i suggest people to keep quit until you cannot do anything at all. When i discolse i was tried badly to an extent that i wanted to resign.I was put on differnt dept with mangers who pretended to understand and blacmailing me. No manager seem to take me under their supervision. What i did was i went to the OT of the company and it was there one who said i must get a alternative position.It took me two years to be place, what suprise me was some guy’s who got sick after me were placed within few months. I was discriminated badly at some stage did psycho test just to have a thing that shows i’m no capable and they fail.They sabotage me but i did not fight back i just kept quit and i keep evidence.They don’t know what to do cause i don’t involve Union i just keep quit.I want them to act and then i will defend myself.Presently it’s been months i don’t speak to my manager and he doesn’t give me anthing to do. i know he is up to something but only God knows, i ask God to intervine and fight for me. i wish not to come to work but i don’t have choice i have bills to pay and medication to take that cost a lot

I recently had a rather horrendous experience with an employer that has adjusted my thinking on this issue. If your employer doesn’t know about chronic health problems and make adverse (to you) h.r. decisions they may claim, if challenged, that they didn’t know about your disability so couldn’t have been discriminating on that basis (vis a vis that U.S. EEOC/ADA laws).

In my case I explicitly told my boss AND her boss on my first day of the job about my potential upcoming spinal surgery (I hadn’t seen the neuro-surgeon yet) AND my fibromyalgia. But, contrary to my assumption, that information did not go in my file and it was NOT trickled up to H.R., so when H.R. made the rather sudden decision to let me go, they made that claim of ignorance of my fibromyalgia and only knew about the more short-term back problem.

My take-away from this is that if you are going to communicate any health-related limitations, you may want to put it in writing and submit it to you h.r. office so that yo know that they know.

There may, of course, be consequences of this as well, but in cases like mine where I thought that my oral disclosure to my boss and her boss would be enough, I was wrong, so as long as I was going to disclose my health conditions, I might as well have gone the whole way any make sure they knew about it higher up the ladder.

I have never disclosed health issues. I remember working at a bank as a teller and being in excruiciating pain. I remember one teller mocking me say “oh im so tired, Im so tired, Oh i have a headache” Well i did have a headache ever single day and i was exhausted.
I wish a doc would give me anti-virals bc I know that is how it all started for me, but they say its not viral – i just want to try.

I told my new boss during my interview for a hospital discharge co-ordinator post about my CFS, but didn’t formally disclose as a disability as such with HR etc. Had been working from home prior to this but thought I was stable enough health wise to take this next career leap. Boss has been great trying to be flexible where possible but the nature of the job is full on, pressurised, intense and unpredicatable and I am always in demand from someone wanting something immediately done. Plus stress from angry relatives etc etc when discharge not straightforward (which it never is these days due to cuts). Sadly, 2.5 months in, I have given my notice in cos fatigue and pains are on the increase and I am terrified of full relapse. Even worried now cos 3 weeks of this pressure left before I can get some rest. Boss knows reason for leaving health related but I don’t want to take sick leave cos don’t want that on record in case of future discrimination. I think perhaps I was foolish to think I could sustain my health in this job, but I suppose you live and learn. Need to work cos of mortgage, bills, but not sure what to do next

I have always made people aware of my CFS, I am currently in my last year at uni and have received so much support from my university and placements, all because i have made them aware of my condition, uni would not have been possible without the support. I am currently applying for jobs and have wondered about whether to disclose or not but I have made people aware on applications because I feel if I am not up to the job than there is no point hiring me, also how can i get the support I need in the work place if i do not make them aware. I would just end up struggling on and making myself ill from the stress.