Managing work and cancer treatment

Cancer treatment can affect your work life in different ways. It can impact your ability to do your job and treatment appointments are often scheduled during working hours.

It’s important to remember that each person’s situation is different. Whether you are able to continue working during your cancer treatment or need to take time off will depend on several things:

• The type and stage of cancer you have

• The treatment you have and any side effects

• How you feel after your treatment

It’s important to discuss the demands of your job with your care team, to ensure you make an informed decision about managing your cancer treatment and work demands.

Telling your employer

Telling your employer that you have cancer is a personal decision. While there is no law that requires you to share the diagnosis with your employer, you do have some obligations. You must tell your employer about anything that will affect your ability to perform the essential requirements of your job or could reasonably cause a health and safety risk for you or other people.

Before telling your employer, talk to your doctor first. Your doctor can explain what to expect during cancer treatment, and how it may affect your work.

You may provide the following information to your employer:

• If you will be able to continue working

• If you need to take time off work for treatment

• If you will require flexible working arrangements

• If you want other people in your workplace to know

• If you take time off, when you are likely to return to work

Flexible ways of working

The National Employment Standards (NES) give you the right to ask for flexible working arrangements if you have at least 12 months of continuous service with your employer. These arrangements may include:

• Working from home

• Working from another office/worksite

• Changes to start, finish or break times

• Varying hours, working part-time or job-sharing

An occupational therapist can identify flexible ways of working for you to suggest to your employer, and help you liaise with them. You should make a request in writing, detailing the changes needed and why. Changes should be reasonable and workable for you and your employer.

Leave entitlements

There are several types of leave options available to help you balance work and cancer treatment. These include:

• Personal/carer’s leave

• Annual leave

• Long service leave

• Unpaid leave

The National Employment Standards (NES) outline the rules for leave under most awards or enterprise agreements.

Entitlements offered under awards or agreements may be different from those provided by the NES but can’t be less. You should check the terms of your agreement.

For more information about your entitlements under the National Employment Standards (NES), see the Fair Work Ombudsman website or check your employment contract.

Check your insurance

If you have income protection insurance, this can pay a portion of your income if you can’t work. You may have a policy, or it may be part of your superannuation. Find out from your employer or superannuation fund.

Some people have insurance on their mortgage or credit card that makes repayments if you can’t. Ask your bank/creditor if this applies to you.

If you are thinking of resigning from your job, check any insurance coverage first, because leaving work may affect your entitlements.

Returning to work

Depending on your personal situation, you may have taken time off from work during part or all of your cancer treatment. Once treatment has ended, returning to work can be an important step for you in the process of getting back to your normal life. Below are some physical and emotional challenges that you may experience and can prepare for.

Social adjustments

Returning to work can be a great distraction to keep your mind off cancer treatment and helps some people by getting back into a routine and sense of normality.

While being back at work and reconnecting with colleagues can be a happy experience for some people, the idea of seeing co-workers for the first time after treatment can be a stressful one for others.

Before your first day back, you might like to think about how you will answer questions from concerned colleagues and how much you would like to share about your cancer journey.

Physical fatigue

There are many different types of cancer treatments and people are affected in different ways, so you might experience anything from feeling a little tired to feeling exhausted when you return to work.

Some people find that a gradual return to work helps them to deal with fatigue. You may like to consider working part-time and gradually increasing your hours to help you adjust to being back at work.

Depending on the type of work you do, there might be modified responsibilities or reduced physical activities that could also help reduce the demands of your job.

Chemo brain

Chemo brain, or chemo fog, is the term used to describe used to describe thinking and memory problems which may occur during or after chemotherapy treatment. It affects many people and can continue for some time, in some cases up to a year after your chemotherapy treatment has finished. The good news is that there are useful strategies to help you improve the symptoms of chemo brain.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for transitioning back to normal life once your cancer treatment ends. We encourage you to speak with your healthcare team about your situation and what strategies may suit your needs.

The content on the Icon Cancer Centre website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. It is not a substitute for consultation with a qualified medical practitioner. For personalised medical guidance, please consult with your GP or another qualified healthcare provider.