Do Employers Give You A Hard Time When They See You Have A Seizure? | MyEpilepsyTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up Log in
Resources
About MyEpilepsyTeam
Powered By
Real members of MyEpilepsyTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.
Do Employers Give You A Hard Time When They See You Have A Seizure?
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭

So, I just had a seizure & now I gotta get a dr's note to get back to work. I made a mistake, was in a hurry & forgot to take my medicine. People act crazy & treat me differently after I have a seizure. IDK what's gonna happen if I get an office job. If I have a seizure in the office, what's gonna happen? Will I lose that job too? It would be horrible to work hard for a position just to lose it after having a seizure (something I can't control btw). To make it worse, I've been having seizures… read more

posted May 14, 2020 (edited)
•
View reactions
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

I think it's mostly going to depend on which sort of job you have and who your boss is. I was a blackjack dealer. I have tonic-clonic seizures and complex-partials. The tonic-clonics are more-or-less locked down, but I continue to struggle with the complex-partial seizures and will just "zone out" and wander away from my table at any given moment. I get lost, thinking I'm supposed to be on break and I can never find my cigarettes, even though they're in the same pocket they always are. By the time I find them and find the break area, I'm conscious enough to realize I just had a seizure, so I put the cigarette out and run back to the pit, where I'm greeted by my boss, who wants to know what happened and why I abandoned my table, leaving the bank open for anyone to reach into it and help themselves to the chips.

You can imagine how this is problematic. I went from one casino to another over the course of several years because it's the only thing I know how to do where I can realistically make a reasonable amount of money without having to go to college first. After being let go from several casinos, enough was enough and now I'm just on Disability. I'm taking classes to be a Public Speaker and Script Reader/Script Editor/Consultant and am trying to push past my own fears to get up on stage and try stand-up. The bottom line is that you're going to have to acknowledge your limitations. For example, you're not going to get a job as an airline pilot any time soon. Forget the police or fire department. For that matter, a job in fast food may not be the best idea, either. I know that if, in my postictal phase, I can mistake an ant-covered bush for a comfortable place to sit (which I HAVE done) and have a smoke, I can easily mistake a french-fry fryer as a hand-washing bin. OUCH!

posted May 21, 2020
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

in my job, i work with kids at a daycare center. by bosses actually encourage the teaching of epilepsy. and the workers know and react to my triggers. i am just lucky to have a great bosses and staff.

posted May 14, 2020
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

I was lucky that my last job was working at Treadwell Library at Massachusetts General Hospital, so that even though my immediate superior did not understand my seizures (especially the variations of complex partial seizures), I was never at a risk of losing my job. This was especially useful in 2003 when the seizures reached a seizure state after the pharmacist's error. And the one time that my supervisor was seeking to hold the what my subconscious mind said to my co-workers while I was in a complex partial seizure, I refused to sign the annual review. She said we would continue the review at another time. And then I am sure that she got an earful from human resources when she addressed the subject with them (and thoughts of lawsuit and negative media for the hospital was probably in the head of who ever at HR she talked to). A week later, we continued the annual review and any reference to the incident with my subconscious speaking to others during a complex seizure (put under the category of trouble getting along with co-workers) was gone.

Yes, unfortunately, the only way in most cases to be hired is to omit any mention to epilepsy and even possibly lie during the interview. Experts actually advised me to not tell my employer about the epilepsy until after I was hired and had completed the 90 day trial period. It is sad that this an area of discrimination, but it is a bitter reality because the vast majority of people do not want to listen and learn more about the realities of epilepsy and the variety of seizures.

posted May 16, 2020
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Yes what a problem. I've lied to get a simple job but once a attack happened it was over even now when jobs check past jobs they are all told about my condition, I am then turned down because I'm then a liability to their other employees, the company and to myself. Ha then what jobless, homeless and a leech to family and friends, o he just don't want to work. This is mad. Can't even pay for a doctor. Have to wait to end up at the hospital just to get more meds, this is sick!

posted May 14, 2020
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Imagine being a dog groomer and telling your co workers that you're feeling dizzy. Working with shears and clippers on someone's pet can be so scary, especially when I have to take several breaks because my hand starts to tremble

posted May 24, 2020

Related content

View All
Trouble Working
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Does Anyone Know Of An Employer That Would Hire Someone With Epilepsy I'm Really Trying To Get On My Feet
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
How Many People With Epilepsy Have Been Medically Laid Off From Work Due To Epilepsy?
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Google
Your privacy is our priority. By continuing, you accept our Terms of use and Privacy policy.
Already a Member? Log in