I personally would explain everything upfront: the disease, how much you need the bathroom, the J-pouch, etc, and it does not hurt to have medical records with you either. Some people like to see hardcore evidence.

If you require regular, daily accommodations of some sort then you may need to describe those accommodations. If you just occasionally have to run to the bathroom then it’s not much different from anyone else - for example, irritable bowel syndrome is extremely common, but no one would typically treat it as an employment issue except in extreme cases. The factors are frequency and degree of disruption or accommodation.

@Former Member posted:

I personally would explain everything upfront: the disease, how much you need the bathroom, the J-pouch, etc, and it does not hurt to have medical records with you either. Some people like to see hardcore evidence.

Thank you. The reason I feel like I need to disclose it because disclosing my UC probably saved my current job. I disclosed my UC when I got my current job just incase. At the time my UC was rarely an issue but occasionally I just needed to be home because of an upset stomach. But my UC went from never being an issue to SAUC out of nowhere one day and resulted in be being in and out of the hospital for 3 months, all the surgeries and additional doc visits/procedures, my boss picking up some slack for me, and me working from home for almost a year.

Obviously my company could have put me on a disability leave (which they chose not to do) but I know if I hadn't disclosed my UC before hiring they might have been able to legally let me go. It also helped nip their attempted ADA violation in the bud when I very nicely laid out the legal facts.

I just want to make sure all of my ducks are in a row when I eventually start applying for new jobs. I hope to not have any more issues but some day I'm in the bathroom a lot more than others. Some days I need to be home because of that. And while I hope it never happens I know I may have to have more surgeries/procedures if anything ever goes wrong.

This is a really good question. How many people need to know your personal medical issues to be able to let you function safely? I made sure my boss and HR knew, for the reasons you mentioned about protecting oneself/making sure you get your accommodations, but it didn’t help when all the other people I had to work with expected me to be ‘normal’—they used to follow me into the bathroom, still talking at me about things that were completely non-urgent, unlike my need to use the restroom! It drove me nuts. And they didn’t stop, even when I told them I had UC—I didn’t want to spell out the details for them all. I think people don’t remember your special needs when you have a hidden disability like this one—hard to forget a wheelchair or a white cane/dark glasses, but nobody sees your scars!

I suspect it also depends on your job, how much you need to share and with whom. If your boss and HR know exactly what you need and why, documented by your doctor’s office, and you don’t work with a lot of other people in any capacity where they can pressure you about anything, they are enough because they have to comply with employment law (though I’ll say those are not well enforced, so… still at own risk).

I was applying to a federal govt job after I didn’t think I could handle what I was doing before anymore. I thought the govt had to comply with ADA and all the rules. Oddly enough, the branch of govt I went for (FDA) couldn’t! They offered me the job (and I had been up front with them about what I’d need and why, when I applied), but when I reminded them about the accommodations I needed, they couldn’t guarantee them, even as part of the federal government. I thought that was pretty nuts for an office job… hopefully your line of work is more forgiving that way. (And I bet they had to revamp their rigid policies for COVID anyway, so maybe I was just a couple of years too early.)

But I think the challenge is always going to be what happens when your co-workers (who aren’t given your private medical history) want more from you than you are able to give. Like if you’re having a bad day and are home, and they keep calling you for stuff anyway that isn’t urgent… it’s painful. I didn’t want to have to share so much detail about my issues with my coworkers, thought saying I had UC should be plenty (even though I had a pouch by then), but it wasn’t—even when working in a hospital! I hope your workplaces are better about all that. Good luck!

Great question, not sure what you want 'people' to know.

I received an official handicapped status in 2009 thanks to a benevolent GP. I went through the hoops to get it, but once I did, I just put the official initials on my resume...(I live in France so they give you initials which means that you have an official disability status).

That status allows me the freedom to tell or not. It also means that HR can ask me what I need but not what is wrong with me (I did disclose). My boss knows (she is a friend and we've traveled together so it is not a problem) so she has set up a handicapped bathroom with a sink in it to make my life easier...but no one else knows...and they do not need to.

If you have a disability status, you can disclose it (here it is an advantage to the company, they get a sort of tax break and business charges reduction when hiring me).

What do you need...make a list. Tell your future HR or boss. Make sure that you have what you need to stay healthy and strong without it bearing prejudice on your employability.

Sharon

@Katbell11 posted:

Thank you. The reason I feel like I need to disclose it because disclosing my UC probably saved my current job. I disclosed my UC when I got my current job just incase. At the time my UC was rarely an issue but occasionally I just needed to be home because of an upset stomach. But my UC went from never being an issue to SAUC out of nowhere one day and resulted in be being in and out of the hospital for 3 months, all the surgeries and additional doc visits/procedures, my boss picking up some slack for me, and me working from home for almost a year.

Obviously my company could have put me on a disability leave (which they chose not to do) but I know if I hadn't disclosed my UC before hiring they might have been able to legally let me go. It also helped nip their attempted ADA violation in the bud when I very nicely laid out the legal facts.

I just want to make sure all of my ducks are in a row when I eventually start applying for new jobs. I hope to not have any more issues but some day I'm in the bathroom a lot more than others. Some days I need to be home because of that. And while I hope it never happens I know I may have to have more surgeries/procedures if anything ever goes wrong.

You are welcome! And from what I read, I think you are doing everything perfectly!! Having everything all laid out definitely makes it easier to have sympathy and Grace.