How your employer can help and support you

Information about your rights

Your employer or human resources manager will be able to give you information about your organisation’s sickness policy and how much paid and unpaid time off you are entitled to.

Flexible working

Most employers are willing to make changes to duties and working hours to enable employees with cancer to continue working if they want to. They usually understand that this is a very stressful time and do their best to be supportive. However, some employers who have not had experience of supporting an employee with cancer may find it difficult to understand what is needed.

Privacy and confidentiality

If you tell your manager that you have cancer, but you don’t want any of your colleagues to know, then your manager should respect your wish for privacy. They should only discuss this information with other people if you give them permission.

Union representatives and human resources managers should also respect your wish for privacy and should not tell other people about your cancer unless you want them to. Occupational health staff are bound by the confidentiality of all health professionals and won’t tell anyone about your illness without your written permission.

If you want your colleagues to know about your cancer, but don’t feel able to tell them yourself, then your employer or human resources manager may be able to do this for you in a sensitive way.

Buddy system

Some people may find it hard to talk to their manager about cancer and the problems or concerns its causing for them at work. You may feel it would help to ask someone at your workplace to be your ‘buddy’ or mentor.

Choose someone you are comfortable with or perhaps someone who has had cancer themselves. This arrangement would need to be agreed between you and your mentor and both your managers.