Job discrimination

[vilnix]

Just to seek the opinions of members. I am a military officer. Recently I went for a medical check-up to qualify to join United Nation mission. I failed because the military doctor I had TC.

I had TC way back in 2000 and I now doing well, only having yearly checkup at the Cancer clinic. The military doctor said since I had TC I would not forever be able to join any overseas military mission. I have another 15 years more to serve before I retire and this statement really frustrated me.

I do not feel anymore side effect from my TC problem as I can run up to 30 minutes non-stop nowadays. My wife even had 2 children after my TC. I really feel discriminated. What do you all think?

[dadmo]

Absolutely 100% discrimination. Follow this link to an earlier post. In civil court you are protected under the Americans with disabilities act.

[Eric]

Something i never said on this forum.

When i came back to work after my chemo my boss has fired me. It was a big surprise for me. I had a very stimulating job (us project manager) and travelling a lot in the northeast of united state. One week after the lost of my job i found another but i really don't like it. I have an old office in the factory full of dust and a 1940's computer. I have to walk 1 mile each time i need to send a fax. My new boss smile 1 time every month and every body in the factory hate him because he manage his shop very badly. I am searching intensively for something else but everytime i have an interview they ask me what happened with my last job. And i have to talk a little bit about my last year. I have to say that i think my cancer has something to do with it because i don't know what else to say.
I really have the feeling that people don't what to hire someone who had chemo. Every day i say that my profesional life is miserable since my rellapse. But also i know that i am lucky to be alive and i am lucky to have a job that bring me enough to live well.

[johnseed]

absurd

Hello Eric and vilnix,

It is just absurd to me that you have had career trouble after TC.

I think that those who discriminate you are very naive about this disease, and don't realize that you are going to have normal, productive lives after chemo.

A good comment to people like this would be "So, you wouldn't station Lance Armstrong overseas, right?"

I have not faced any problems. As a teacher, I was able to take a semester leave and was welcomed back by people who were glad I was OK. Hearning your stories makes me reflect on how fortunate I was, although I should mention that my wife left me during chemo, so that was another form of extreme and foolish reaction to cancer.

JS

[dadmo]

The address was changed on that older link. It's fixed now so you can go to the gov web site.

[tlh]

Vilnix,

Just out of curiosity, what branch are you in? See, I'm an SFC in the Army and was also concerned about this. After talking with my chain of command I was assured that this would not affect my worldwide mobilization status at the conclusion of treatment. Also, the staff at the VA Hospital where I'm being treated have told me they have treated AD personnel before and have never seen it affect their careers. Have they made you go before a Med Review Board? I asked about that but was told that this particular disease, once treated, usually (most times) doesn't affect your physical condition to the point where you can no longer perform your duties. My treatment (Rad therapy) ends on August 25. I have an APFT scheduled for November and you can guarantee they expect me to take it. Hopefully you've just run into a military doc that is misinformed. Good Luck.

[keysi]

100 % discrimination!!! Totally unfair to me.. You should do something about it...You are not a person with a dissability., you are the opposite, a peron with more strenght than many others because you survived CANCER!!

[Individuation]

although I should mention that my wife left me during chemo, so that was another form of extreme and foolish reaction to cancer.

JS

Oh my god - you poor thing. I am so so sorry for you. I can't imagine ever leaving a loved one when they're in a time of great need. I hope you've found somone who loves you deeply and truely.

[Eric]

Update

The end of 2006 has been good for me. After almost 1 year of research i have finally quit the company i was working for. I am back in project managing now. I had to talk about my disease at my interview but i got the job anyway. This is a new beginning for me and i hope this time i will reach my professionnal goals.

[Scott]

Congratulations and best of luck in the new job, Eric! I'm curious what you mean by you "had to" talk about your disease. Were you asked questions, or did you feel compelled to mention it?

[Eric]

Scott

When people ask me why i have quit the job that i had in 2005 i don't know what to say because when i came back from my chemo they fired me so i had to find another rapidly. That's why i prefer to tell the truth. Another embarassing question i have from a lot of people is "why have you change your job so many times in the last 2 years?". I don't really know if i have to hide the fact that i had cancer or if i have to talk about it. When nobody ask i don't mention it but if i have too i do it because i don't know what else to say. I can't say that i have quit my job in 2005 because i did'nt like it(it's not true) and i can't say that i was no good at this job.

[Rob2time]

Moving on

During my first round with TC in 1973 I had an offer from a company which was withdrawn because I failed the physical. That was 1973 and at the time legal.

Now in 2006 as a TC survivor and an employer, I have to tell you that what happened to you in your job wasn't legal unless you were terminated along with others as part of a layoff. There are some gray areas such as whether you were on disability or not, and what terms you worked out with your supervisor prior to your treatment. In general however, you cannot be terminated solely for having chemo or cancer.

However, at this point, what happened to you was wrong, but you need to move on.

You do not have to disclose any medical information whatsoever in most job applications.

It is always difficult to discuss your past medical history with employers. In practice it is best not to volunteer, and if the subject comes up as to "Why you left" it is best to downplay the possible discrimination. It might be good to have a recruiter call your old company for a reference on you and find out what they say. That way you can say the same thing (assuming it is positive, which it probably will be), and if the chemo or TC has come up, you can simply add that after the treatment you didn't feel you would be able to take the full time workload as quickly as they needed you to, so as a result reluctantly both you and the company agreed to part ways.

Regardless of you feelings, it is important to be truthful, but position Cancer for what it is, it made you stronger, gave you more self confidence, and a positive attitude. You are stronger now and you are looking for an organization where you can contribute and be recognized for those contributions.

[Eric]

Rob

Thank you for your advise. It's really great to have long time survivors like you on the forum, it shows that we can expect to live a lot of years without problems after radiation. By the way what kind of company you manage?

[Rob2time]

Eric,

I am CIO for QVC, the Televised Shopping Channel, I've been there since the first year, 19 years!

How have things worked out for you since the post?

Rob

[Eric]

Rob

Everything is going well with my new job. If my health allow me to do so i will work there until i will be 65 at least

By the way can you send me a few can of spray to help men having hairs ?
I see often this kind of advertise in shopping channel
And since my chemo it's easier to see the light shining on my head