How would a new employer know? They can't ask until they've offered you a job and only if you have to tell them as part of pre-employment health screening. They can't rescind the offer or they'd be in big trouble. I think the bigger problem is getting time off before you're eligible for FMLA which generally takes a year. Maybe part-time would be your best bet.

Hi Mary,

Thanks for writing to us. Figuring out the best professional path forward while in-treatment is an issue that we hear about a lot from survivors. You are thinking about and asking important questions as you consider changing jobs to something that is better aligned with your current needs. 

The first thing to know is that—in general—you are under no legal obligation to disclose your medical condition to your prospective or current employer. That said you may have choose to disclose some information for any number of reasons, including if you want to access a reasonable accommodation under the ADA to show you are entitled to it. (More on that topic below). During the interview process, you may decide to wait until you receive an offer to disclose and/or request any reasonable accommodation, or even wait until you have started the job. CAC has a great deal of information about disclosure, and to start I recommend watching the following video: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/2016-webinar-online

It's also important to note that the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state fair employment laws prohibit most employers from asking a job applicant about a disability before offering the job. And, as I mentioned above, these laws also give qualified individuals the right to reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation can be similar to the flexible work option your employer offered you after your diagnosis in 2012. One thing to note is that the ADA applies to eligible job applicants and employees of a private employer with fifteen or more employees, or a state or local government of any size, so you might want to think about the size of the company when reviewing positions.  Some states’ laws protect individuals working for employers with fewer than 15 employees. Our partner, Triage Cancer, has a Quick Guide to Cancer-Related Laws by State available at http://triagecancer.org/resources/quickguides.  

It might also be helpful to do some individual research on companies to try and gain some insight into what kind of benefits they provide to their employees. Websites like glassdoor.com, linkedin.com, indeed.com, salary.com, simplyhired.com and payscale.com may help you identify what they are offering their employees and/or what other similar companies are offering. 

Since you’re interested in flexible work, I’d recommend checking out FlexJobs (https://www.flexjobs.com/), which is a useful resource to learn more about the kinds of telecommuting jobs that are out there and the companies that hire for them.  They also have a very robust job board that is fully vetted and focused on those tops of roles.  Many are full-time and might provide health insurance and other benefits.  It is membership-based but you can explore everything before you commit, and if you decide to join you can enter the code CANCER when you check out to receive a 50% discount.

Some other resources that I recommend checking out are:

• Blog on gathering information before disclosure: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/blog/gathering-information-before-d
  


• Recording of the 2017 Job Search Webinar: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/job-search
  

• Job Search Toolkit (2^ndEdition): http://www.cancerandcareers.org/publication_orders/new(features advice on improving resumes, cover letters; interview and networking tips and other useful tools to help you during a job search)

• Resume Review (free program where a professional coach will review your resume and provide feedback to help you refine it towards your current work goals: https://www.cancerandcareers.org/resume_reviews/new
  

• Interviewing Information: https://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/interviewing
  

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at cancerandcareers@cew.org or 646-929-8032.

Kind regards,

Nicole Franklin, MPH

Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers