Ask CancerCare

A. Many Human Resource Departments are proactive in helping their employees cope with cancer in the workplace. They demonstrate compassion by developing educational programs to help employees with their concerns and to maintain a productive workplace.

Companies address cancer in the workplace with education and information. Some employers offer annual company-wide health fairs. Smaller companies may not be able to offer a broad-based health fair for their employees, but they might be able to work with their benefits provider to host smaller events and workshops during the year.

Another way to provide low-cost employee education is to partner with community outreach programs, cancer centers and nonprofit organizations that can provide educational materials and lunchtime seminars.

Examples of “lunch and learn” workshop topics include Cancer Treatment Updates, Early Detection of Cancer, Communicating with Your Doctor, Coping with a Co-worker’s Cancer, and Review of Employer Sponsored Health Plans, just to name a few. 

CancerCare offers many resources that can assist Human Resource Departments to develop educational programs and services for their employees, including:

• A directory of resources for a comprehensive overview of all the services that CancerCare offers.
• Our Inform^® fact sheets on prevention and early detection to distribute at workplace seminars and health fairs.
• CancerCare’s staff of oncology social workers, who are available to assist you and your employees with cancer-related concerns.

Contact us at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673) to learn more about how we can help.

A. Many people are not sure what to say when their co-worker is diagnosed and treated for cancer. Our work relationships and friendships are an integral part of the fabric of our work lives. Many of us spend more waking hours at work than at home. Many families are scattered geographically and so for some people, the workplace is "family." The extent of your involvement depends upon the nature of your relationship prior to the cancer diagnosis. Here are some suggestions that may help you communicate with your co-worker:

• Ask your co-worker with cancer if she wants to talk about her cancer diagnosis and treatment
• Be willing to listen
• Ask how you can help
• Tell her that you care about how she is feeling
• Keep your conversations confidential
• Try to maintain a normal office relationship with her
• Send a card, telephone her outside of work or pay a visit if she is in the hospital
• Offer to help her find resources

CancerCare also has a number of publications you may find helpful that can be ordered online or downloaded directly from our website:

• Coping with Cancer: Tools to Help You Live
• What Can I Say to a Newly Diagnosed Loved One
• Caring Advice for Caregivers
• Finding Resources in Your Community

You may also want to speak with a CancerCare oncology social worker to discuss your concerns. CancerCare’s free counseling services are available to co-workers of people with cancer.

A. The most important things you can do are to listen to the employee who discloses his or her cancer diagnosis and to offer workplace support.  It is critical to let the employee who is living with cancer know about the ability of your workplace to make accommodations for their needs. The key message you as an employer can offer an employee is your willingness to work with them, if at all possible, to help them continue working as long as their doctor supports their decision to work and they are able to do the job.  

The following are some tips that many employers find useful:

• Know the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act and make that information available to supervisors and employees.
• Create a workplace culture that allows flextime or other accommodations for cancer patients who can and want to continue working.
• Educate managers to deal sensitively with employees who have cancer so that they do not make assumptions about their ability to perform job duties.  
• Teach managers to maintain a dialogue with employees being treated for cancer so that adjustments in workload or work schedules can be anticipated.
• Allow employees to decide if or how they would like coworkers to be informed of their illness and honor requests for confidentiality.
• Work closely with your Human Resource Department regarding employee benefits and resources.

For additional information, listen to CancerCare’s podcast, Creating a Supportive Work Environment.

CancerCare’s Helping Hand Resource Guide is one of many CancerCare publications that can help managers and employees find useful resources. You may also find other CancerCare publications, covering a broad range of cancer-related topics, to be helpful.

CancerCare’s oncology social workers can also assist employees with cancer, their coworkers and managers. Visit CancerCare’s Consult Our Staff  to learn more about our free counseling and consultation services available to employers and their employees.

A. We see many people who continue to work productively despite their cancer diagnosis. Continuing to work can be vital to your sense of well being. Work is a source of income and, often, health insurance. Each workplace has its own unique culture. Whether or not to tell your employer about your cancer is both a personal and practical decision.

Many myths about cancer exist in our society, including in the workplace.  For instance, employers and coworkers may assume that a person with cancer or their caregivers are not able to perform job responsibilities as well as before cancer. Sometimes, these misconceptions can lead to subtle or blatant discrimination.

It is important for you to become familiar with the laws protecting you before you decide whether or not to disclose your cancer diagnosis.

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requires that organizations with 15 or more employees comply with ADA guidelines. These are the criteria to take advantage of ADA protection: meet the ADA definition of "disabled person," qualify for the job and be able to perform its essential functions, and not pose a risk to your own or others' health and safety. The ADA recommends that any accommodation that you need does not cause "undue hardship" to your employer.

Flexible work hours to meet treatment schedules and doctors appointments is the most frequent workplace accommodation required by people living with cancer. If you require flextime, it is important to disclose your cancer diagnosis to your supervisor or Human Resources to be protected under the ADA. If no reason is given for frequent requests of flextime, you could risk jeopardizing your job security. For more information, call 800-514-0301 or visit the ADA website.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enables the person with cancer and family members to take unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks within one calendar year. The FMLA applies to organizations with 50 or more employees. The employee must have worked with his or her employer for at least one year, and employers must continue health benefits during the leave. Leave does not have to be taken all at once, but can be taken in blocks of time. To learn more, visit the FMLA website.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that enforces the provisions of the ADA and FMLA and assists citizens who feel they have been discriminated against in the workplace. If you feel you are being treated unfairly, contact the EEOC at 800-669-4000 or visit www.eeoc.gov

CancerCare’s oncology social workers provide practical resources and help with your workplace concerns. Call 800-813-4673 or visit our website. For further information, participate in our free Telephone Education Workshop, Creating a Plan to Continue Working, on June 20.