The longer the time since the end of treatment, the less effect your breast cancer or treatment is likely to have at work. Indications are that breast cancer does not affect a woman’s career long term.

To supervisors and co-workers, like friends, treatment that ended more than six months ago is ancient history. To them, after effects should be long gone.

If you have physical and/or emotional effects that affect your work, educate them about what it is like for you. (Keep in mind that what you tell an employer about your health has to be kept confidential. This is not the case with co-workers).

If you need an accommodation to help you do your job, you may be legally entitled to one. Even if you aren’t protected by the law, the way to get an accommodation is through negotiation. See: How To Request  And Negotiate An Accommodation At Work

Take whatever steps are necessary to continue your health insurance. Also start preparing in case you eventually need to leave work. It won't take that much time now and will be invaluable "if". 

If your life objectives have changed, or if you want to earn more money, consider changing jobs or even careers. You do not have to tell a new employer about your breast cancer history. A new employer cannot ask. Your current health insurance can count as a credit against any waiting period a new employer imposes on new hires for preexisting conditions. You may even want to become self employed or start your own business. What could happen in the future is not a reason to prevent you from pursuing your dream.

"Just in case":

• Keep track of facts that could have any bearing on a discrimination claim in case something happens in the future that makes you think you are being discriminated against because of your health condition. Discrimination is hard to prove. Just because you did not get a raise or a job promotion does not necessarily mean that you were discriminated against. It helps to have a record of things as they happen. This includes good things people say about you as well as statements or actions that could be interpreted as discriminatory.
• Think ahead in case there is a recurrence or something else happens. For instance:
  • Accept credit card offers sent to you because you are employed.  You may need credit to pay for medical or other expenses. Credit life insurance will increase the value of your estate. You don't have to use the cards except as necessary to keep them active.
  • Tell your doctor how after effects from your treatment or any aspect of your health affects your work. Ask that this information be noted in your medical record. (It will come in handy if you ever want to stop work and go onto disability). 
  • Start planning at work in case you eventually have to leave work to go on disability. It doesn't take a lot of time - and will be invaluable "if".

AND:  If you have become the “go to” person when a co-worker or a friend of a co-worker has any type of cancer, let them know what your limits are.

For more information, see:

• Think Ahead "just in case"  
• What to do if your life objectives have changed
  
• If you decide to change jobs or careers
  
• If you run into problems at work because of your health condition  
• Disclosure of your health history 
• If you are unable to work or may be unable to work in the foreseeable future  

NOTES:

• This article includes basic information about work. For additional information about work of interest when there is a history of breast cancer, see: Work: At Work.
• If your breast cancer left you unable to work, see: On Disability.
• If you are a small business owner with 1 or more employees, click here.
• If you are self employed, click here.

Benefits

 If you have a choice of health insurance policies, choose one from the point of view of a person with cancer (Survivorship A to Z shows you how in our Cancer Health Plan Evaluator).

Look at your employer benefits to increase them when possible.

If your employer doesn't offer the benefits you need, consider changing jobs, or even careers. Your health history is not relevant to a job search. Only what you are capable of doing now. (See "To Learn More.")

Discrimination

Discrimination is difficult to prove. Just because you didn't get a raise or a particular job does not necessarily mean you were discriminated against. If you ever do feel as you have been discriminated against, it helps to have a record that was made at the time (a "contemporaneous record.")

• Start keeping a journal of everything that happens at work that could possibly indicate discrimination. 
• Include the good things that happen, such as your boss telling you that you are doing a good job.
• For more information, see the document in "To Lern More."

Increase available cash

While you are employed, you likely receive credit card offers in the mail. Consider taking the cards. Taking the cards is not the same as using them - except to the minimum extent needed to keep them in force. Credit will be valuable if your breast cancer returns or if another type of cancer appears.

Sock as much money as you can into tax deferred savings accounts such as a 401(k) or a Health Savings Plan. Create an Emergency+Fund. The key is to put as much cash aside as you can in case of recurrence.

Prepare in case of disability

Insurers think of disability as something that happens at a defined moment. In reality, you have some control over whether and when you will be considered to be disabled for purposes of an insurer's programs or insurance such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). To prepare "just in case": 

• Each time you see your doctor, tell him or her about how your health condition affects your work. Ask the doctor to include this information in your medical record. This information will serve as a record that bolsters your eventual claim. It will also give your doctor a better understanding of how your life is being affected by your health condition.
• Consider seeing a mental health therapist. In addition to helping during your transition, a diagnosis of a mental condition such as depression can be considered to be a disabling condition in and of itself. 
• To learn more about Social Security Disability Insurance and related programs, see the documents in "To Learn More."

It is not unusual for women who have gone through treatment for breast cancer to reevaluate what is important, including wanting a different kind of satisfaction at work or a different balance between work and play.

An underpinning common to long term survivors is the attitude of living each day until you can't. Applied to the work situation, this means: do what you can to find the work that is most satisfying to you and that fits into your work/personal time balance - while doing whatever is necessary to keep or obtain good health insurance coverage.

Thanks to the Americans With Disabilities Act and a federal law known as HIPAA, your health history no longer prevents you from changing jobs. A possible employer cannot ask about your health history.  If a new employer's health insurance includes a waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered, it is likely that the amount of time you had your current coverage will be counted against the waiting period.

Ask yourself:

If you so desire, your history of breast cancer does not prevent you from changing jobs or even careers.

NOTE:

• Another valid reason for changing jobs is to get better benefits.
• This may be a time to consider becoming self employed or starting your own business. See the documents in “To Learn More.”

Your health history is no longer a block preventing you from changing jobs or even careers.

Becauuse of the Americans With Disabilities Act and similar laws, a prospective employer cannot ask about your health history. You can write your resume to avoid calling attention to missed time.

Before moving to a new employer, check the employer's benefits. In addition to health insurance, particularly look for disability income insurance and life insurance. Even if you don't need life insurance for a beneficiary, it can become an asset that you can sell if you become sick.

It is advisable to tell a new employer about your breast cancer history after the job offer but before starting work so you can take necessary time for doctor appointments and follow-up tests. Of course, emphasize that you are now in good health and expect to stay that way.

Consider becoming self employed or starting your own business. What could happen in the future is not a reason to hold you back from pursuing a dream.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar laws provide protection against discrimination because of a serious health condition, and also provide a right to a reasonable accommodation if needed to permit a person with a serious health condition to do their job. The law speaks of a "disability" but defines the "disability" in such a way that you do not need to be wheel chair bound. For a person with a life changing condition, the key is whether it affects daily living.

Whether you are protected by the law or not, the key is to negotiate for what you need. A lawsuit is a last resort.

Whether you need an accommodation or feel you are being discriminated against, it is advisable to take the posture that you are protected and negotiate for what you need. To learn how to negotiate for the accommodation you need, click here.

If necessary, let your employer know that you believe you are being discriminated against because of your health history and that you are aware that people with breast cancer have rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act. While not asserting that you are covered legally, the reminder of the existence of the law may encourage your employer to do the right thing. (Note that we are not suggesting you say you are covered by the law if you are not.)

There is no legal obligation to disclose your health condition and/or treatments to your employer or co-workers unless you could be harmful to co-workers.

You will need to disclose your health condition if you need an accommodation to help you do your work because of it. An employer must keep your health information confidential. Co-workers do not have a similar obligation.

If you have kept your condition and treatment a secret until now, weigh the pros and cons of telling now.

If you may need to stop work:

• Learn how to maximize time off without pay. See: Work: Time Off Because Of Health
• Learn about the disability income sources to which you may be entitled.
  • Check benefits at work.
  • Look at the requirements for obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). You paid premiums for SSDI coverage from withholding.
  • Check to see whether you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• If you are going to apply for SSDI or SSI: Only one third of applicants for SSDI are awarded an income. We provide easy-to-use information for applying as an educated consumer that makes it more likely to get a "yes" when applying for SSDI and/or SSI. Click here for tips about applying for SSDI and here for SSI.
• If you already have an income from either SSDI or SSI: we provide information about keeping your income, including what to do if an investigator shows up. We also provide tips to make the transition to disability easier and explain your ongoing rights, such as keeping Medicare. Click here.
• If you have health insurance through work and will continue coverage through a COBRA type law, start thinking about how to pay for the premium. Health insurance is critical to good health care. (Check to see if you can get less expensive health insurance individually in your state. See: www.healthcare.gov )
• See:
  • Work: Preparing For Disability -- Short Term
  • Preparing In Case Of Disability: Long Term

Home health care is available for many situations that used to require hospitalization. Home health care is generally covered by health insurance.

Get your legal affairs in order. (We call the subject "Planning Ahead"). Please do not assume from this that we are suggesting you are going to die sometime soon. Your prognosis depends on many factors, including the type of cancer, your physical condition and your access to the best cancer care. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. What we are suggesting is what we suggest to everyone. Life is fragile.