Doubly difficult ...

Ha,ha,ha! Don't let the picture deceived you. I just want to show how discriminating some employers could be. And also because I find the picture funny!

Anyway, we all know that in these hard times, a lot of people are trying hard to hold on to their jobs. Whenever a company had to cut down its work force the first to go perhaps are those people with chronic illness. Maybe the company thought they are giving the person the needed rest that their body demand.

But come to think about it, when they finally stopped working and went on disability, they would missed working more than any normal person thought possible. It is because working helped them feel normal, distracted them from their sick body and gave them an income that they valued and needed.

With out a job, they would develop the nagging fear that they would never be able to work again. This same fear could expand into a feeling of being financially vulnerable and unable to support themselves without assistance. Ultimately, it could lead to a sense of feeling trapped.

Yes! It’s not a pretty picture. It’s certainly not an inevitable outcome, but sadly, it’s a common scenario now a days.

The majority of people with a chronic illness want to work, consider themselves able to work, and repeatedly express the need for job training, support and services. For them holding a job is important because almost more than anything else in this culture, work defines an individual and provides them with identity.

And for someone with a chronic illness and is always defined by that illness, an occupational identity is especially important.

Are you aware that there are more people now living with chronic illness than at any time in history? Many of them want to be in the workforce for psycho, social and financial reasons.

For those living with a lifetime disability, a flexible job is their top priority, along with a supportive boss. But alas, these aren't easy to come by!

Folks,we are all individuals and we deal with illness in our own unique way. But this shouldn't be a reason to discriminate them from working or keep them out of the workforce. Companies should not view people on the basis of what they cannot do, rather than looking at what they are able to do.

Chronically ill people's identities are diverse. Therefore we should not assume that disability is the same for everyone.

Employment and equality should be built on the potential with which a person with long term illnesses have to offer. The industry should reflect the fact that sickness is an issue likely to affect every individual at one stage of their lives or another.