Many childhood cancer survivors experience long-term physical or cognitive late effects that could lead to challenges in the workplace. These challenges often require accommodations and resources to help survivors navigate professional boundaries and avoid discrimination.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that protects qualified individuals with disabilities, including cancer survivors, from discrimination. This law prohibits employers from using unfair hiring or firing practices and requires them to provide reasonable accommodations when needed.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency that administers and enforces laws against discrimination. They enforce the employment provisions set by the ADA by investigating complaints, mediating and settling discrimination investigations, filing civil lawsuits against employers, and providing education and outreach on discrimination laws.
Reasonable accommodations under the ADA may include:
- Flexible or adjusted work schedules
- Time off for medical appointments or recovery
- Modified training materials or policies
- Specialized equipment or assistive technology
- Breaks or private spaces for rest or medication
- Job reassignment when appropriate
- Improved workplace accessibility
Meet Ashley
Ashley feared she might have attained what once seemed her impossible dream, only to be forced to let it go, but her refusal to give up is what got her through a leukemia diagnosis at the end of her junior year in high school, three years of chemotherapy that left her with long-term physical, neuropathic and cognitive problems, and a grueling college program without taking advantage of any help offered by her university’s office of disability services.
Determined to perform and be treated like any other nurse on the unit, Ashley figured out ways to adapt to the challenges she faced at work. She carries a penlight to illuminate the hallways and into patients’ rooms. She utilizes dimmer switches and the glow from the in-room computers, turning them away from the patients enough to protect them while still allowing her to move easily. She arranged her schedule to avoid two night shifts in a row, allowing her body time to recover from the physical demands of her shift.
Ashley is just one of an estimated 600,000 childhood cancer survivors in the United States, many whom are now adults wanting to work and needing to work to pay for their long-term health care needs. The number of childhood cancer survivors is expected to continue growing in the coming decade as the survival rate continues to improve, according to the National Cancer Institute. As the number of survivors continues to increase, the need for support around survivorship issues, such as working during and after treatment, is becoming increasingly important and requires attention.
The NCCS supports survivors by helping them learn about late effects from their cancer and treatment and finding resources to help with employment issues. To learn more about entering the workforce and additional resources, click here.