I’m an Employee

Facts

• When not well controlled, arthritis can prevent us from working and is one of the top causes of long-term disability in Canada.Source: Life with Arthritis in Canada – Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010
• Working-aged Canadians with arthritis are twice as likely to report not being in the workforce compared to those without arthritis (52% vs. 25%), highlighting an increased need for support for starting and staying in work.

Those who are working report significant challenges:

• 41 per cent of employed Canadians with arthritis indicate that arthritis makes it difficult to carry out their work responsibilities
• Over one-third report that arthritis makes it difficult to travel to and from work
• Over one-third believe that their condition has affected their career development

Source: The Arthritis Society “Fit for Work” Study: Findings, Challenges for the Future and Implications for Action, 2013

According to a 2011 survey of osteoarthritis patients:

• 35 per cent of working Canadians with osteoarthritis have taken sick days because of pain
• 19 per cent have reduced their work hours
• 14 per cent have taken a short-term disability leave from work
• 80 per cent have indicated that osteoarthritis affects their ability to perform their job

Whether or not your condition currently has a significant impact on your employment, taking steps to protect your joints at work and to seek the support you need can help you stay healthy and productive.

Beyond physical symptoms, people with arthritis may also experience additional challenges that can make it more difficult for them to cope with and discuss arthritis at work.  Here are some common interpersonal and emotional challenges that people with arthritis may face in the workplace:

• Feelings of isolation, stress, guilt, despair and helplessness
• Feeling that nothing can be done to improve the situation
• Not wanting to be thought of as a poor worker especially when the job is physical
• Pushing themselves too hard because they want to be a team player
• Fearing people will think they lack motivation or interest when they are unable to do a task
• Feeling that chances for advancement might disappear because of the limitations others think they have
• Fearing arthritis might be seen as too costly to the organization or their department
• Feeling that irritability resulting from pain may hurt relationships with co-workers
• Fearing that because symptoms are episodic and they can sometimes do tasks that they can’t during a flare-up, co-workers might think they’re faking it
• Wanting to wait until their symptoms are severe before seeking help for fear of looking sick
• Fear that necessary accommodations like flexible work hours might be resented as “special treatment”
• Using all their energy for work and having nothing left for family and friends
• Worrying that their health information won’t be kept private
• Fearing they might be discriminated against or lose their job

Dr Diane Lacaille et al. – “Problems faced at work due to inflammatory arthritis”
Robert D Wilton, Disability Disclosure in the Workplace. Just Labour, 2014

Driving

Lifting

Work Stations

Taking Care of your body at work [PDF]

Top 10 Exercises [PDF]

• Employee checklist [PDF]
• Resources from the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance

Getting the Help you need at Work 

As we’ve seen, many people are reluctant to disclose their health issues to their boss or co-workers. The Arthritis Society’s Fit for Work study found that fewer than one in five workers with arthritis had discussed options to better manage working with arthritis.

“Employers and co-workers are often unaware that the person has a condition that causes them chronic discomfort. They might see that a particular employee seems moody and withdrawn, and they won’t attribute that to the pain or fatigue of arthritis. They may think that this is not a good worker.”

- Dr. Monique Gignac, The Institute for Work and Health 

While disclosing carries risk, so does keeping your arthritis secret. 

"Over time…costs such as physical pain, exhaustion and anxiety about being discovered can take their toll. The benefits of non-disclosure have to be set alongside the costs, which include both the extra work of hiding an impairment and the worker’s inability to request needed accommodations.” 

- Robert D. Wilton, Disability Disclosure in the Workplace 

The Benefits of Disclosure 

Every workplace is different. You are the only person who can determine whether you should disclose your health issues, but when you have arthritis, small adjustments can make a big difference in the quality of your work life. Even if you aren’t asking for major accommodations, giving people some context for your behaviour can make a big difference. Explain to your co-workers how your arthritis or persistent joint pain affects you to help them understand the times when you need some flexibility or support when you can't do something. It will also make asking for help when you need it easier if they are already aware of the situation. 

"When I told my team why I was often late — when my body really hurts in the morning I need to take some time to get moving and let the meds kick in — they realized I wasn’t just being lazy. I assured them that I always make up for the time later, and this has made it far less stressful for me to take the time and do what I need to do to have a productive work day.”  

- Alison, working full time with osteoarthritis and chronic pain 

"When it went really well for employees at work, people often told us it was because of their co-workers. People with good support from others at work reported less stress and were less likely to have changed jobs."

- Dr. Monique Gignac, The Institute for Work and Health 

The Fit for Work study found that almost half of respondents who hadn’t discussed their health issues at work did so because they felt their symptoms were currently under control. Another study found that three-quarters of study participants reported intermittent arthritis symptoms at work, but individuals tended to make changes only when symptoms were consistently high. However, potential issues can arise from the “wait and see“ approach, so researchers suggest a proactive approach. Let your workplace know before there are significant challenges like high absenteeism or conflict with co-workers over incomplete work. 

There is a possibility that, by waiting until arthritis creates problems at work, the impact of the disease on poorer productivity will increase and that it may be too late to find ways to help individuals remain employed.”  

Fit for Work Study 

Sources: The Arthritis Society “Fit for Work” Study: Findings, Challenges for the Future and Implications for Action, 2013 

Ninety per cent of workers in Canada are protected by the employment laws of their province or territory. The remaining 10 per cent are in jobs covered by federal laws. These include jobs working for the federal government, a bank, a company that transports goods between provinces, a telecommunications company, and most businesses owned and run by the federal government. 

What to ask for:

• Workplace Accommodations: Possible Options
• Workplace Accommodations for People With Arthritis

How to ask:

• Requesting accommodations at work

Under the Canadian Human Rights Act and provincial/territorial human rights legislation, employers have an obligation to ensure that people who are able to work aren’t unfairly excluded from employment based on prohibited grounds of discrimination, such as disability. 

This is called the duty to accommodate, which means that your employer is expected to remove barriers to your participation in employment where conditions can be adjusted without undue hardship.  This may require that alternative arrangements be made to ensure your full participation. 

Sometimes accommodation is not possible because it would cause your organization undue hardship.  Before refusing to provide accommodation, your employer would first need to demonstrate that the cost would be so great as to change the nature of the organization or to threaten its viability, or that the accommodation would pose significant health or safety risks.  There is no precise legal definition of undue hardship, so each situation should be assessed individually.  Considerations such as inconvenience, moderate costs, or the perceptions and preferences of other employees are not valid reasons for refusing to accommodate.  Studies have shown that accommodations often cost nothing or very little and can save organizations money by retaining skilled employees and reducing the need for recruitment and training of new staff.   

While you have a right to accommodation to the point of undue hardship, you are not guaranteed your preferred method of accommodation if another option is available that meets your needs.  For example, you might experience arthritis-related fatigue and you may ask to work from 12pm-8pm everyday instead of 9am-5pm. If this isn’t possible, you might be permitted to work from home in the mornings on days when your symptoms are bad.