Hi Amy,

Thanks for writing to us. Revamping your resume is always a positive step so I’m happy to hear that our Resume Review Service was helpful! Sorry to hear that your previous employer’s office closed, but you’re asking a great question as you delve into the job search process.  

Deciding whether to disclose at work is a very personal decision and requires weighing several factors. Generally, there’s no obligation to disclose your diagnosis to your supervisor and/or coworkers. There are some exceptions to that, for instance if you need access to a reasonable accommodation you may need to provide some information about your health issue to show you are eligible—that said it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to discuss every detail of your diagnosis, treatment, etc.  

If you do choose to disclose, it’s important to determine ahead of time how much detail you want to reveal.  You’re in a perfect position to do this since you’re still looking for work and can take the time to reflect on if you want to share, how much to share if you decide to, etc. You also brought up a great point about getting a feel for the culture/vibe at your new workplace before deciding exactly when to share and how to frame various conversations. It can take time to get acclimated to a new environment, but some questions to ask yourself as you evaluate the work culture are:

• Is your company big and or/formal or small, close-knit and friendly? Do people generally keep to themselves?


• How do people react when they hear a coworker is ill or dealing with a serious event? Do they resent ‘picking up the slack’ or do they rally to support them?


• Has someone else at work had cancer (or gone out on maternity leave; or had to care for an aging parent; etc.)? If so, how was it handled?

Additionally, I want to point out that while it’s not recommended to discuss health history during the early stages of interviewing, there’s no hard-and-fast rule about doing so later in the process – and some survivors do choose to share with a potential employer before they’re officially hired. Like with all aspects of disclosure, the decisions you make are personal. Overall, it’s  helpful to think of the interview phase is as a part of a strategy of getting hired, with the ultimate goal of impressing the prospective employer and advancing to the next phrase of the hiring process. While moving through rounds of interviews, if you do choose to disclose, you'll want to pick a moment where you think the company is invested in you and likely to hire you; or wait until the offer comes through and then share this information as part of your discussion of salary, benefits and other related factors. 

I’ve also included some other resources you might find useful:

• Sharing the News: https://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/at-work/where-to-start/sharing-the-news
  


• Webinar on Disclosure, Privacy and Online Brand: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/community/videos/bwc/2016-webinar-online. 

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

Kind regards,

Nicole Franklin

Manager of Programs

Cancer and Careers