Can I Get And Keep A Job If I Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

There are many IBD sufferers who have successfully completed their education and gone on to a variety of successful careers as teachers, executives, entrepreneurs, lawyers, professors, engineers, police officers, farmers, doctors, nurses, authors, artists, and professional athletes. IBD does not necessarily mean that you will be limited in your choice of careers or that you cannot excel at your job.

 

 

Employers may feel deceived if the condition is not disclosed to them during the interview process and the applicant then becomes ill or incapacitated shortly after hiring. You can take this opportunity to educate your employers about your condition, though you don't need to give the details of all of your symptoms. In the end, you have to decide for yourself how much to disclose to the employer during the job interview process.

 

Keep in mind the perspective of your employers. They may not know much about the condition and may wonder if it will affect your work performance, if the disease is likely to progress, if the job will impact upon your condition, and if any modification in schedule or duties is required. Be prepared to answer these questions honestly. In addition to developing a more trusting relationship with the employer, disclosure may result in a more flexible work schedule or work conditions. Alternatively, you can make it clear that you don't expect any special treatment.

 

 

Although the majority of IBD sufferers are able to get and keep good jobs, there is a small proportion who have flares so frequently or who have some degree of symptoms almost continuously that they are not able to work. Eventually, they may need to go on short-term or long-term disability. Sometimes they are able to resume working on a limited basis if the disease can be controlled through medical or surgical management. Some people with severe symptoms gravitate to jobs where the employer is more sympathetic to their special needs or to jobs where there may be more flexibility in work hours. Many large companies have disability counselors who help people make the transition back into the workplace on a gradual basis by finding appropriate positions and work schedules that fit with their chronic symptoms.

 

Fortunately, most people with IBD are able to continue working in their usual job. Surveys have shown that more than 80% are ultimately able to carry on with their usual activities. There does appear to be an increase in time missed from school or work in the first year or two after the first diagnosis of IBD, but after that, the number of days missed from work is, on average, not much different from those people who do not have IBD. However, it may take several years after diagnosis for someone to get back on track.

 

 

Most IBD sufferers are able to lead happy and productive lives, pursuing a career that appeals to them and fits with their abilities. These people are usually able to succeed because they see their disease as just another challenge to overcome in achieving their career goals, the same way that they need to pass a school exam, develop an innovative ad campaign, or perfect a new surgical technique. Fortunately, it is only the very rare individual who is not able to pursue their chosen career path solely because of their IBD.