I’m an Employee

 

Depending on the severity of symptoms, some people with arthritis can manage well at work with little or no additional support, while others may require accommodations to help them thrive. The Arthritis and Work web portal provides strategies to self-manage your symptoms at work and beyond, as well as information about your rights in the workplace, factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to disclose your condition, as well as possible accommodation options to address your specific needs.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a term used to describe a group of over 100 diseases characterized by inflammation in the joints or other areas of the body. If you have arthritis, you may experience symptoms such as pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints, as well as other effects such as fatigue or altered mood. Symptoms can change day to day or month to month, meaning that you may feel better some days or weeks than others. Because of the shifting nature of arthritis symptoms, you might not require the same supports all the time. This portal is designed to help you identify your workplace needs, take action to manage your symptoms, as well as identify strategies to help maximize your abilities at work.

In this section, learn more about different types of arthritis, their symptoms and possible treatment options.

Not sure if you have arthritis? Try our Risk Assessment or Symptom Checker:

Want to learn more about arthritis?

Strategies for the Workplace

Pain and fatigue can affect your work, and your work can affect your joints and energy levels. Taking care of your joints can help you manage your arthritis in the workplace, wherever you work. Learn more about tips and techniques to set yourself up for success.

Disclosing Your Condition

Every workplace is different. You are the only person who can determine whether or not you should disclose your arthritis at work. However, small accommodations can make a big difference in the quality of your work life. Learn more about the potential benefits and risks of disclosure, the process involved, and types of accommodations available.

Managing Your Arthritis Beyond the Workplace

Taking care of your arthritis is important in all aspects of your life. The online resources featured here can help you to better understand your pain, manage fatigue, stay active, eat well, and advocate for yourself.

Your Rights in the Workplace

Every worker in Canada is protected by provincial, territorial and/or federal labour and human rights laws.  This means you have rights and responsibilities, and those rights can include legislation around workplace accommodation. In Canada, employers have a duty to accommodate people with disabilities to the point of undue hardship.

To learn more about your rights, visit the resources in this section.

Medical Cannabis

Since 2001, medical cannabis has been a legal treatment option in Canada for certain health conditions, including chronic pain from arthritis. The resources found here can help you learn more about medical cannabis and the difference with the now-legal recreational cannabis

Medical Cannabis: What people with arthritis need to know 

ACED Job Accommodation and Communication Tools

For many people with arthritis, their disease is an episodic and often invisible disability, and learning how to accommodate this at work can be a challenge. They want to know if, how and when they should communicate their need for workplace supports, without fear of being stigmatized, losing their privacy, or jeopardizing their job. 

ACED logoThe Accommodating and Communicating about Episodic Disabilities (ACED) project is a collaborative initiative that brings together researchers and community partners to co-develop and test evidence-based workplace tools and resources to support the sustained employment of people with episodic disabilities.

Arthritis Society Canada is proud to partner with the ACED team and ensure that the ACED toolkit reflects the experience and perspectives of our arthritis community. We will link here to ACED toolkit resources as they become available. 

Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT) 

The JDAPT is an easy-to-use, interactive tool to identify strategies and accommodations that can help workers with chronic and episodic conditions manage the specific difficulties that they may be having with their job demands due to their health. 

JDAPT for workers 

This version of the JDAPT is for workers with chronic conditions who are looking for practical supports and accommodation ideas tailored to their specific job demands.

Learn more about versions for workers or for the workplace parties who support them  

 

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