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GlioWise

Work & disability

Work, leave, and accommodations after diagnosis

A starting point for the conversations you’ll have with HR, your team, and (sometimes) a lawyer. We cover what’s federal and stable, point you to state-specific resources where laws vary, and surface brain-tumor-specific accommodation ideas you may not know exist.

This is not legal or HR advice

Employment and disability law involves federal rules, state rules, employer policy, and sometimes union contracts. We help you find the right starting points and ask the right questions. For decisions, talk to HR, your care team, and where needed, an employment lawyer.

Your situation

FMLA (family and medical leave)

Federal. Same rules in every state. Up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Tell us more above

Short-term disability

State law varies. Most STD comes from your employer's plan, not the state.

If your state doesn't mandate STD

Check your employer’s plan

In 45 states, STD is purely an employer benefit; it may exist, or it may not. Ask HR:

Questions for HR

  • Does this employer offer short-term disability? Through what carrier?
  • What is the elimination (waiting) period before benefits start?
  • What percentage of salary is replaced, and for how many weeks?
  • What documentation does my doctor need to submit?
  • Is this taxable income? (Depends on whether premiums were pre- or post-tax.)

Accommodations (the ADA)

Federal. Applies to employers with 15+ employees. Brain tumors are a covered disability.

Reasonable accommodations

What people in brain-tumor care commonly request

  • Flexible hours on chemo cycles or steroid weeks
  • Reduced cognitive-load tasks during periods of brain fog
  • Work-from-home on infusion days and immediately after
  • Extended deadlines for cognitively-demanding deliverables
  • Quiet workspace for patients with headache or light sensitivity
  • Modified break schedule for fatigue
  • Voice-to-text software if word-finding or typing is affected
  • Permission to record meetings for memory support
  • Adjusted travel requirements during active treatment

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) (a free federal service at askjan.org) maintains a brain-injury accommodation library and a free consultant line for both employees and HR. This is the single best resource on accommodations.

Return-to-work planning

Your team and HR have to coordinate. Here's the conversation map.

For your care team

Questions before you return

  • Realistically, what schedule can I sustain right now?
  • Which symptoms should make me stop and call you?
  • Are there activities I should avoid (driving, heights, heavy lifting)?
  • What will my next scan/visit cycle look like, and how do I time work around it?
  • Will you write the work-release letter, and what should it say?

For HR

Questions for your re-entry meeting

  • What does the formal return-to-work paperwork look like?
  • Are accommodations being processed as ADA or as informal flexibility?
  • Who reviews my accommodation requests, and how do I appeal a denial?
  • What's the trigger to revisit accommodations if my situation changes?
  • Are there any company resources (EAP, wellness, etc.) I should plug into?
Download FMLA form (WH-380-E)

Authoritative sources

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