Returning to work is a significant milestone, but there is no “set in stone” timeline. Your journey is unique, and while financial pressures can be real, it is vital to ensure you are physically and mentally ready for the transition.
Your Rights: Reasonable Accommodation
In Ireland, the law requires employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate your needs following an illness. This is known as ‘Reasonable Accommodation.’
Examples of Accommodations:
- Flexible Hours: Working part-time or flexi-hours to manage fatigue.
- Phased Return: Gradually increasing your workload over several weeks.
- Task Modification: Moving to less physically demanding or lower-stress duties temporarily.
- Structural Changes: Ensuring easy access to bathroom facilities or allowing extra breaks.
Planning Your Return
To ensure a smooth transition, consider the following steps at least two weeks before your planned start date:
Communication
- Discuss what your colleagues will be told. You decide your own privacy level.
- Ask your employer to update the team so you don’t return to a “mountain of work.”
- Involve your Union Representative if you need help with sick leave arrangements.
Self-Assessment
- Be honest about your energy levels; fatigue can hit unexpectedly.
- Schedule your medical follow-ups in advance so your employer is aware of the time needed.
Survivor Story: Jim Ferris
Jim Ferris, a self-employed financial adviser, underwent radical surgery for bowel cancer. Though he didn’t need chemo, the physical recovery took longer than expected.
On Recovery Time
Jim returned to work three days a week about seven months after his final surgery, but in hindsight, he feels he went back a little too soon. “The surgeries combined took nearly three years to fully settle,” he notes.
On Mindset & Support
Jim used visualization and daily walks to aid his recovery. He even bought a scooter as a positive distraction. His advice? Surround yourself with positivity. He famously kept a note on his hospital door: ‘If you’re not smiling coming in, don’t come in.’
“I regarded my ileostomy bag as my best friend. My attitude was, ‘I’m alive, without this, I wouldn’t be’.”
