Work problems, confidential health info being leaked

[Louisea]

Hi,after complete new management my employer recently audited the personal files and noticed that I had epilepsy they have since done a risk assessment and told me that all managers and junior managers have to be informed of my condition, this made me really angry as none of these idiots can keep anything to themselves and Im concerned about it being common knowledge and suffering the stupid prejudice that I've had before does anyone know how I can prevent this from happening

 

[Chaz1]

Hello Louisea,

I can imagine you feel betrayed...sorry you have felt prejudice in past

Your seizure's are fully controlled?

You already there doing the job and sounds like you have proven good track record so would like to think your Managment will take the responsibility seriously and ensure no prejudice, you could mention this to them?

Our laws say you don’t have to mention in the hiring process but if hired you need to inform management because they need to be able to help. My Son is 26 and has E and he informs upfront, says he not ashamed of it. Has caused hesitation by hiring managers but so far managed to break down barriers and get hired/keep jobs.

So, proactively he is always (so far) the one who not only tells Management but he tells the on the job crew he has E and he brings seizure information on how to handle if he has one and always has a Diazepam pump at work. He has had 2 T/C at work; they need to know how to look after him.

 

[Louisea]

Yeah I'm very controlled and have Had no problem at work in the 13 years I've worked there.
The manager who told me this seemed terrified of me like he was expecting me to seize any second I don't want this reaction at work from other colleagues as well, in one job I had people refused to work with me or be alone for any length of time
I'm so annoyed

 

[RunningGirl85]

I'm sorry to hear that, and I hope people don't treat you too differently. I would think if you've been there for thirteen years that it shouldn't be an issue. I haven't had any actual job discrimination yet, but I'm in the military, so they can't really do that (though they can kick me out... for good reason. Still working on that one). I'm afraid for when I go to apply for civilian job what will happen, though I usually have to explain to people that I rarely drop into convulsions. Still, if I look funny for whatever reason, I have had people say "you're not going to have a seizure are you?"

 

[Cint]

Yeah I'm very controlled and have Had no problem at work in the 13 years I've worked there.
The manager who told me this seemed terrified of me like he was expecting me to seize any second I don't want this reaction at work from other colleagues as well, in one job I had people refused to work with me or be alone for any length of time
I'm so annoyed

:agree: People are sooo annoying when it comes to E and their ignorance of it. In your case, it does seem like discrimination. Could you take some kind of pamphlets about epilepsy in to them to educate them about the type you have and what to do/not to do, just to calm their nerves?

 

[Ravensong]

Hi,after complete new management my employer recently audited the personal files and noticed that I had epilepsy they have since done a risk assessment and told me that all managers and junior managers have to be informed of my condition, this made me really angry as none of these idiots can keep anything to themselves and Im concerned about it being common knowledge and suffering the stupid prejudice that I've had before does anyone know how I can prevent this from happening

I understand your concern. I have another condition that I try to keep very private and it was disclosed against my wishes at my last job. I lost that job -not because that condition affected my job in any way, but because of the ignorance of the folks there.

With my epilepsy, I always inform upfront. I have complex partial seizures, which often resemble confusion and disorientation, or sometimes anger and severe moodiness, so I want the people I'm working with to understand that I have a medical condition that is causing me to behave in a way they might misunderstand otherwise. I've never run into a problem when I've been open and honest about it; it's only during those times that I haven't informed about my epilepsy that I've had some issues.

Best of luck to you!

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

Hmm, seems to me that's not right. When I go to a doctors appointment, every once in awhile give me a form to sign if I want them to release records to somewhere in the event they want to do research and even when I go to a new doctor, I have to give my permission for them to get my records & to treat me.

However at work, I don't care if they know about my conditions & in fact it better prepares them in case I pass out or have a seizure at work. I feel it's better to tell them than have it happen and they not know what to do, however, that should be totally up to you, not them.

 

[LW6279]

I feel better if I tell my co workers and employee's so they know what to do and that I'm not drunk or something. They will see you are the same and try not to worry about it. They should not have told anyone without speaking to you first to see if you minded them knowing. Just give it some time and everyone with see you are the same person and nothing has changed.

 

[AlliOz]

I don't know about the UK but in Australia direct workplace discrimination occurs if you have been dismissed, demoted, disadvantaged or treated badly at work because of a bunch of things such as race, age, sex (and others) or disability or impairment. I'm sure there are some exceptions (such as commercial pilot) but not many.
I have just started a short-term contract at a local government and I told my manager and her deputy about my E out of courtesy, for my own safety, and explained that if I ever look out of it or disinterested in a meeting, I may be having a partial seizure. They have been v nice and had also found out who was the first aid officer on that floor.
The other thing I've considered is actually 'using' my epilepsy to have the advantage as many government/community jobs point out they are keen to hear from people with a 'disability' . As much as I hate that word, it's worth taking advantage of if we can!!!
Good luck in working out your situation. Perhaps ring the UK epilepsy foundation/association for advice?

 

[Soniag]

i was also told i needed to have a risk assessment done when i was diagnosed and have to have them done about every four months. i was also told by my doctor that i also shouldn't do certain tasks at work, which my manager ignored until i got a doctors note. its annoying because it shouldn't take a note from the doctor for them to do something i have already told them

 

[Fedup]

Louisea

Sorry to hear about your situation, I am not sure about the UK, but the same thing applys in Ireland, you have to declare you have epilepsy but there is very little you can do about it, at lest in Ireland, unless it is a company with a H&R department. Tell you the truth I did not declare it for much the same reason you say

 

[Loopy Lou]

If your epilepsy is controlled then there's no reason for the managers to be telling anyone.

Everyone in my workplace knows about my epilepsy and it's made my job a living hell. I have to have risk assessments done too, and my manager requested letters from my neurologist etc to state what i should and should not be doing at work. Which they promptly ignored.

Mind you, i work with adults with learning disabilities so i suppose their safety comes first.

By law you don't have to disclose that you have Epilepsy.

 

[Ravensong]

I don't know about the UK but in Australia direct workplace discrimination occurs if you have been dismissed, demoted, disadvantaged or treated badly at work because of a bunch of things such as race, age, sex (and others) or disability or impairment. I'm sure there are some exceptions (such as commercial pilot) but not many.

We have a similar thing in the US, but employers get around it by being "at will," meaning they can let you go at any time without a reason and giving you a kind of generic reason - "we've decided to terminate your position" - even if it's not really true. This happens in my company all the time. Several people have recently been "fired" from their positions - one, supposedly for performance issues - but all of us gathered enough evidence to show that it was clearly because she was old and had nothing to do with her performance.

On another note, is the "risk assessment" others have been talking about here primarily a European thing? I don't think I've heard of that in the US.

 

[Loopy Lou]

The risk assessment is basically something companies use to cover their backs to stop us from suing them if we have a seizure at work, or if we injure someone else. It's a health and safety thing.

For example i work with the disabled and my risk assessment lays out the risks of me using hoists and wheelchairs, supporting people out in the community, working alone, that sort of stuff. They basically add up all the risks on a table thing and come out with a number that tells them how dangerous we are.

 

[Louisea]

Thank you for all your replies, they helped me see it from their point of view.. A bit
I have had another meeting at work in which I argued as the seizures if I have them come between sleep and waking up and since I don't tend to sleep at work the chance of me seizing at work is extremely slim but they still said they have to tell management and I'm not allowed to work on my own that's annoying! As I'm very independent .. But I have to have extra breaks..dunno why maybe so I don't get tired and fall asleep

 

[Loopy Lou]

What do you work as?

 

[Louisea]

I work in hospitality in a casino so I work at night. They were definatly worried that I'd seize and throw hot drinks over a customer.