Cancer patients require extra workplace support | NOLA.com

Lisa Tighe was sitting in her law firm office when her doctor called with test results. She insisted he give her the information over the phone. "You have breast cancer," he said. Before absorbing what he said, she marched over to her supervisor's office and told him the news. He responded just how she expected: "You have our total support."

"From that minute on," Tighe said, "He has given me whatever I wanted or needed."

With more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States and about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer a year, employer reaction to a diagnosis has been mixed. Some respond like Tighe's firm, Greenspoon Marder, helping their employees balance work and medical treatment; Greenspoon Marder even gave Tighe's daughter, who works at the firm, paid time off to help her mother. Others, though, talk their employees into leaving, dock pay during treatment, refuse to give flexibility or move the women into more menial positions.

Those diagnosed say employer response can make all the difference in their health. "The support you get from management and from co-workers can actually get you in a better frame of mind so you can come back faster from treatments," said Tighe, 52.

Cancer and the workplace

• Check the amount of leave you're entitled to in your personnel policy. Employers are not obligated to provide unlimited leave.
• Consider the timing of your treatment. Plan your work and your days off around treatment days.
• Talk to co-workers who might be affected by your taking time off.
• Speak directly to your supervisor about time off for medical treatments and tasks you can do from home.
• Talk with your employer about reasonable accommodations in work hours if you're fatigued upon return.
• Pay your health insurance premium on time. Do not risk losing coverage.
• Disability coverage varies by insurer. Read your policy very carefully.

Those women whose workplaces respond in a less supportive manner say they feel like they are blown a double whammy. Jan Elledge, a 50-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Fla., day-care worker, lost her job, her insurance and her outlet for mental distraction when she learned breast cancer returned after a two-year remission. Elledge realized it would be difficult to keep her job. She explained to her boss she wouldn't be able to come in after surgery because she couldn't lift the children or be exposed to germs. "They said they had to replace me because they couldn't go without a (caregiver) in the classroom."

A difficult part of healing, Elledge said, is the feeling of being unproductive. "It's frustrating sitting around not being able to work." With no income or health insurance, Elledge has relied on government assistance and American Cancer Society programs to keep her afloat.

Some women who feel they lost their jobs over their disease have taken their cases to court.

Earlier this month, law firm Proskauer Rose LLP was hit with a $10 million gender discrimination suit by its former chief financial officer, Elly Rosenthal. She claims the firm demoted her after her medical leave for breast cancer treatment, denied her pay increases and eventually fired her. The firm says the case, filed in Manhattan, is meritless and that it has steadfastly supported colleagues who have suffered illnesses.

And then there's Pamela Fink, who rushed to have a genetic test after discovering her two sisters had breast cancer. When she learned she did have a predisposition, she decided to have a preventative double mastectomy. She said when she returned to work, the Connecticut-based company began giving her fewer responsibilities, then demoted her and ultimately fired her. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, one of the first claiming illegal dismissal under a new federal law that prohibits employers from considering someone's genetic background in firings or promotions.

As the country celebrates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, breast cancer patients battling the disease face an emotional tidal wave that often carries into their workplace. Some patients want to focus their energy on their treatment program and take time off work. But others want or need their jobs for income and health insurance. Their days are about fighting fatigue and difficulty concentrating, trying to do their jobs and stay part of the team.

In this economic climate, businesses often find themselves torn on how to handle an employee who needs treatment. Many want to support their workers who need time off, but they are operating with bare-bones staff and need to keep their companies on track. Some situations may only need a temporary patch ? letting other employees fill in while someone gets treatment.

Other situations may require a longer-term solution, hiring a temporary worker or consultant to fill in. Most women say what they need most at work is flexibility and what they cherish most is co-worker and management support.

"The ones who do get support are the ones who are less stressed," said Bobbi Meyers, executive director for the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "You never want to put your health in jeopardy because of the stress of how to manage everything."

As CFO of Greenspoon Marder, Kathryn Bass, 56, understands the challenges for an employer. But she knows firsthand that balancing work and cancer treatment demands workplace support. Bass learned she had breast cancer only two months after she divorced and moved closer to her office. Some days, she would lie on her couch, feeling too nauseous or weak to drive three miles to work. Other days, she would go in for a few hours, leave and finish up at night.

"The staff was incredible what they took on for me," she said. Not only would they pitch in with work needs, her co-workers went grocery shopping for her, drove her to medical appointments and always made the extra effort to keep her in the loop.

Both Bass and Tighe are back at work full time and say they feel fortunate and even more dedicated to their employer and co-workers.

They believe their experiences have helped with firm recruiting and retention: "It showed everyone else who work here how well they treat employees," Tighe said.

Source: http://www.nola.com/breast-cancer/index.ssf/2011/10/cancer_patients_require_extra.html

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