Job Loss because of Cancer

I have heard that it is common for people to lose their jobs over having cancer, but have not seen anyone talk about that here. Has anyone experienced that?

I was let go for my diagnosis because they said that they could not work with the chemo schedule and such. They did let me continue to work until they hired someone new. I have another freelance - contract job, but I work at home and stop in every couple of days to drop off files. I am trying to go "incognito" at this job. No one knows about my cancer. I just want that situation to be about work - not cancer, not anything that gives them a reason to doubt that I can do the job. 

You are right. I did not qualify. They did tell me that they might give me some freelance work as it is available, but I have been too busy getting settled with the new work to check in with them. (It's a little hard to want to as well.)

That is great that you were able to transfer. That is probably one of the best decisions that you could have made for your health. I think that this economy lends itself to the employers being more brutal about caring for their employees. Everyone is running scared trying to prove themselves and maintain their tight budgets. 

I think that they are within their legal boundaries to do this because I was a 1099 self-employed freelance designer for them. I worked on-site at their corporation 40 hours a week, but not as their employee. 

The case that I would have loved to go after was when I was let go in July 2010 for "restructuring". State Farm had been questioning us extensively in regard to a fire at our home in MI that we were working on moving out of and trying to get listed. We had just shown it to a realtor the day of the fire. Eventually, they got the police to question us and I made a stupid statement about not knowing how this could be possible when my husband was 2.5 hours away when the fire was called in and that I had done a lot of research online trying to figure this out. The police came in a few days later and seized all of our computers, including my workplace laptop that I happened to have at home that day. I was let go for "restructuring" a few days later. This is discrimination, illegal and easily a disputable case according to our attorney. We had so much going on trying to keep our heads above water, I chose to not pursue it. I didn't want that much anger brewing in me while I was trying to find new work. I have been doing various freelance work ever since. Now with a breast cancer diagnosis and doing chemo, it adds another layer of difficulty in trying to present myself for permanent placement.

There was also the time my daughter had open heart surgery and the surgeon cut a chord loose, causing some extensive complications. We were so busy being concerned about her health and dealing with her at 9 months and our son who was just two at the time that we could not take that on. Our son was later diagnosed with Asperger's, OCD, Sensory Integration Disorder, ADHD, and an unspecified mood disorder, which explained to us why life was so difficult raising him. We spent his entire childhood (he is now 15) taking him to four different specialists, trying to help him expand his skills in his deficit areas. Fortunately, now he has improved immensely and our daughter is doing well too.

So I have had numerous opportunities for lawsuits. They are so extremely expensive. They take so much out of you and and your family and with all that we have been through in the time since we have had our children, I am just focused on healing right now. 

It has been pouring for some time now. I am pretty exhausted from it all, but thank you for the support.

Laurie08: that's too bad. What a disappointment when you put so much energy into being successful in helping him with his business. I know I was in so much pain this week trying to work through the night to meet deadlines like a "normal" person. It would be a huge disappointment to have someone say they didn't think that was enough after all that effort. 

As you are able to take on more, I would look for local business networking events that you can begin to connect with more working professionals to get more work. In this area, I attend several "Meetup" groups. There is a website where you can search for ones in your area at: http://www.meetup.com/. I go to ones for graphic design and web design, but there are others that are just local working professionals meeting to share ideas.

Also, do you have a profile set up on linkedin.com? I keep all my business contacts going through that site and connect with some of them when I am looking for work or offering to help them with a project.

Thank you for your response! 

http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en 

This is an excellent resource! Thank you for sharing.