Disclosing medical condition at work - possible discrimination

[epilepticloner]

I currently am interning for an amazing company that I love - I love the work I do, the environment I do it in, and the people I do it with. I have been really excited about it because it's a hire-from-within company and they often offer full time positions to their employees. So far my projects have gone fairly well and things have been looking good.

The only problem is my epilepsy...except that it's not really a problem. There is no reason for it to be a problem. I have absence seizures where I sort of zone out unlike grand mals that come with convulsing. Because of this it is difficult to determine with 100% certainty if I have been having any, but my EEGs have been clear for the past 4 years. My epilepsy doesn't interfere with my work (I have a desk job), especially since I'm not having any seizures right now. I really don't even think of myself as a person who has epilepsy anymore.

Nonetheless, I know that I have the potential to have a seizures so I try to avoid things like driving, not because my doctor says I can't or because I cannot legally drive, but because I feel that it is the responsible choice to make given my circumstances. Normally this isn't really a problem, but recently it sort of came up with my boss at work. I was told that I was going to have to drive to another city about an hour or so away. So far I've tried to use the "I don't have a car" excuse, but the company is willing to provide a rental car. With that I knew I had to say more, so I mentioned that I don't drive on highways, but I didn't elaborate any further.

My boss seemed really confused and caught off guard (admittedly, a fair response), but I know how complicated disclosing medical conditions - especially those with the amount of stigma epilepsy has - can be. I'm concerned that now my boss thinks I have a DUI or a suspended license or something - basically that I'm irresponsible or did something bad that I'm trying to hide. I considered talking to him further to explain that I have a medical condition which has the potential of making it unsafe for me to drive, but I'm concerned that if I say that I won't get a chance to interview for a full time position or even return for my internship next semester because the company doesn't want to be in a position where they would have to cover a pre-existing condition under insurance.

I realize that if I disclose that I have a medical condition - even if I don't say what it is - that legally the company cannot use it as a reason to not hire me, but I think we can all admit that people and companies still do all the time; they just officially list another reason. I really don't want to lose my job but at this point I'm not sure if it's better to disclose that I have a medical condition to clarify the driving thing or if I should just keep my mouth shut and hope my boss doesn't think I'm irresponsible and have gotten into some legal issue or something for inappropriate reasons (such as drinking or reckless driving).

Do any of you have any suggestions for me? I know I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I just need some third party opinions from people who might have dealt with similar situations before.

 

[resaebiunne]

Everyone has the potential to have a seizure, for any number of reasons. If you don't have a license, just say that. There are plenty of other ways to get around, take a train or a bus. If they're willing to rent you a car, surely that money could be spent on alternative transport as well. If you're concerned and you don't trust your supervisor, have a discussion with HR instead; if HR is staffed properly, they will keep your case confidential. Unfortunately, some jobs require travel as part of the job description and if you can't meet that requirement you should look elsewhere. I wouldn't be paranoid about it because that will just make you anxious and stressed out (which could trigger a seizure?). I don't think you have much to worry about, just my opinion.