Epilepsy in the Workplace

People with epilepsy can work and have the right to hold a job. Many questions arise about what employers need to do or what people with epilepsy should ask for at their workplace to make sure they can be successful. 

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 ("Amendments Act" or "ADAAA"), is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities.

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Below are a variety of links to help both people with epilepsy and employers better understand the rights of a person with epilepsy in the workplace.

 

Job Accommodation Network  - JAN – Accommodation suggestions for people with epilepsy in the workplace.​

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Questions and Answers about Epilepsy in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the employment provisions of the ADA. This document, which is one of a series of question-and-answer documents addressing particular disabilities in the workplace,3 explains how the ADA applies to job applicants and employees with epilepsy.

 

This is a helpful article to explain the following things:

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• Epilepsy and the Americans with Disabilities Act

• General Information about epilepsy.

• Obtaining, using and disclosing medical information

•  What may an employer do when it learns that an applicant has epilepsy after he has been offered a job but before he starts working?

• Keeping medical information confidential

• Accommodating employees with epilepsy

• Concerns about safety

• Harassment

• Retaliation

• How to file a charge of employment discrimination

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Epilepsy at Work – Designed for HR Professionals, this toolkit will provide training and information on how to support co-workers, clients and customers with epilepsy in the workplace.

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Study confirms vocational rehabilitation improves employment outcomes for people with epilepsy. Employment is a significant determinate of overall quality of life for the person with epilepsy. However, people with epilepsy often have difficulty finding and maintaining employment and have higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than the general population (Smeets et al 2007).

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