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Advice for self-employers in treatment?

Page last modified on: October 10, 2008

Question from JStephenson: I don't have the luxury of a weekly paycheck. I am a real estate broker working on commission only. How do other self-employed folks keep themselves out there in the market, looking for business and keeping proactive while being treated for breast cancer?: Answers —Barbara Hoffman, J.D.: For the most part, individuals who are self-employed are not covered by job discrimination laws such as the federal Americans with Disabilities Act or FML Act, and are not covered by most state anti-discrimination laws that are similar to the Americans with Disabilities and FML acts. A few state laws cover employees regardless of the size of the company they work for. But if you are an independent contractor and self-employed, then your goal is to try to work as efficiently as possible to maximize your income while balancing your healthcare needs. I don't think there's a single answer to that, because it depends on your diagnosis, physical health, and resources. One thing that we have been talking about is how important it is to work with your healthcare team to try to manage that balance so you don't work so much that you compromise your healthcare.; Irene Card, insurance expert: Inasmuch as you are paid by earning a commission, which can vary dramatically from month to month, it is important that you establish a budget and only draw X number of dollars each month to meet your budget, keeping the balance in an interest-bearing account that you may need to draw from for next month's budget. Of utmost importance is paying your health insurance premium on time. Do not be late and risk lapsing your coverage.

On Wednesday, September 19, 2007, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Working During Treatment. Barbara Hoffman, J.D., Irene Card, and moderator Ruth Oratz, M.D., F.A.C.P. answered your questions about the legal, financial, physical, and emotional aspects of working during breast cancer treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Barbara Hoffman, J.D. is a member of the Legal Research and Writing faculty of Rutgers Law School B in Newark and is the founding chair of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

Irene Card is president of Medical Insurance Claims, Inc., a health insurance services company in New Jersey, which she founded in 1980. Ms. Card is the former insurance advisor to the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and Memorial Sloan Kettering Post Treatment Resource Program.

Ruth Oratz, M.D., F.A.C.P. is associate professor of clinical medicine at New York University School of Medicine. She is the founder of The Women's Oncology & Wellness Practice in New York City where she specializes in treating women with breast cancer and other malignancies, as well as women at risk for cancer.