Employment, Driving, and Epilepsy
The law and epilepsy
Employment and epilepsy
Driving and epilepsy
The Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, activities of state and local governments, public and private transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. The purpose of the law is to provide uniform protection against discrimination throughout the United States.
Many people with epilepsy work and have successful careers. However, you should understand that there are a few jobs that are not open to people with epilepsy, because they pose particular dangers (e.g. working at heights, near water or chemicals, with unguarded machinery, or with valuable, fragile objects). When you are considering a career, think about the type and frequency of your seizures, how well they are controlled, and what impact they would have on any particular job.
Some jobs require you to be able to drive. Be aware that there are laws concerning driving for people with epilepsy. Find out about the situation where you live. If you need medical care after a seizure, don't drive yourself.
When you are applying for a job, you may be required to inform a prospective employer about your epilepsy. If not, you must decide whether to tell employers and colleagues once you are working in a job. If your seizures occur only very occasionally or only when you are asleep, you may prefer not to tell others. However, if you are likely to have a seizure at work, it may be better if your co-workers know what to expect.
Today people with epilepsy are working at hundreds of different kinds of jobs from one end of the country to the other. Many of these people have excellent seizure control, but not all of them do. Having occasional (or even fairly frequent) seizures may make your job hunt more difficult, but not impossible.
In fact, there are certain things you can do to increase your chances of getting a job. If you are just entering the job market, decide what sort of job you want and take a long look at the qualifications you'll need to reach that goal. The better qualified you are, the better your chances of success.
If your seizure control is not yet good enough for you to get a driver's license, avoid occupations that would require you to drive as part of the job, or that would place you in hazardous situations. Think about jobs that allow you to work at home, at your own pace. Keep in mind that the growth of the Internet economy has created many non-traditional job opportunities for people with computer skills.
If your seizure control is reliable, almost all jobs should be open to you. In fact, the only thing you may want to do that other job applicants don't is to learn how to talk comfortably about epilepsy with other people so that, if you discuss your epilepsy with an employer, you can explain how much or how little impact it has on your ability to perform your job well.
To find out information on how to help employers, family, and friends understand your condition, click here.
You can also get information on epilepsy and legal rights from the Epilepsy Foundation.
In many communities, the local Epilepsy Foundation offers programs that help people with epilepsy to find jobs.
Driving and epilepsy
There are state laws concerning driving for people with epilepsy. Find out what the situation is where you live.
To find information on the law concerning driving with epilepsy in your area, click here.
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