Home → Day-to-Day Matters → Ask-The-Expert Conferences: Day-to-Day Matters → September 2007: Working During Treatment → Employment discrimination common?

Employment discrimination common?

Page last modified on: October 10, 2008

Question from PW: Every time I leave for a chemo treatment, my employer docks my pay. Has anyone else been subjected to such horrible treatment by an employer during this stressful time?: Answer —Barbara Hoffman, J.D.: That probably is employment discrimination, because if you work for an employer that's covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, you may also be covered by state anti-discrimination laws. That's an unfortunate situation, but the good news is that it's becoming increasingly uncommon. Employment discrimination against cancer survivors has decreased. Most survivors are treated fairly at work, according to recent studies. Laws such as the ADA and the FMLA are working. Also, attitudes about cancer exemplified by the use of terms such as cancer survivor and cancer survivorship have also helped to decrease workplace discrimination.

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.