There are more people with a medical condition or a history of a medical condition in the workplace today than ever before, yet deciding whether or not to disclose your diagnosis to a current or prospective employer can still be a difficult decision to make. While more and more companies are enlightened and welcome people with a health condition into the workforce, there are still some instances in which ignorance and fear still remain.

Whether or not to disclose your health condition to your employer is a decision that is yours and yours alone. There is no legal obligation to disclose your health status unless you are in a situation where your health condition is a risk to the people with whom you work or with whom you come into contact. On the other hand, if you do disclose, in most circumstances, your employer must keep information about your medical condition confidential. (The information must even be kept  in a separate file.)

We encourage disclosure, but there may be reasons not to disclose which should be considered. For instance, you may not want to tell your employer if it has not been sympathetic to people with a condition like yours. 

Fight any urge you may have to make a hasty decision. Once you disclose your condition, there is no turning back. Human Resource personnel indicate that disclosure often occurs as a result of an office crisis. Careful planning can help prevent this.

When considering whether to disclose, keep in mind that, in most situations, if you disclose your situation to your boss and to the people who handle Human Resources:

• Your condition must be kept confidential.
• You cannot be discriminated against.
• You can be eligible for up to 12 weeks off work under the Family and Medical Leave Act and similar laws.
• You can obtain a reasonable accommodation to fit your needs if you can perform the essential functions of your job.
• On a human level, your supervisor or employer may be influenced by an anger at not having been told about your health condition..

Laws do not change the basic fact that employers will generally do what is good for business, not necessarily what is good for you. Even if you have a right within the law, you do not want to have to sue.

Find out what you can about your new boss's attitude. Is your boss sensitive to health problems?

Until you are ready to disclose your medical condition:

• Do not keep your medical appointments on your work calendar.
• Do not send or receive e-mails with any reference to your health condition on your work account.
• Create a credible story for the times you are away from work for medical appointments or treatments.
• Consider tips we have accumulated to help keep your diagnosis confidential while obtaining health insurance information, asking for a reasonable accommodation or leave or absence, or applying for disability income.

NOTE: Whether you tell or not, it is advisable to start keeping a work journal about events at work that either show how well you are doing your job or that could seem to be discrimination or harassment. Keeping a journal does not take much time.

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