FOR Jane Filmer, being up front with her employer is vital in being able to get her job done.
Ms Filmer is one of 61,000 Australians with Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis, both of which cause severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue.
A survey by Crohn’s and Colitis Australia suggested that many people with the conditions, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease, experienced a lack of understanding from their employees and co-workers.
In the survey up to 20 per cent of respondents reported having changed jobs because of their condition and up to 67 per cent reported being prevented from taking a job or ruling out a career option.
Ms Filmer said she was lucky in that she had been working for the State Government since she was diagnosed and in her current position, as an environmental scientist with the Department of Environment and Conservation, her manager had taken the time to find out about her condition.
She said being able to explain that she was often sick in the morning, forcing her to be late for work, or that she wouldn’t be able to take a trip away, meant her employers understood her requirements.
To promote an understanding of IBD in the workplace, CCA today also launched a nation-wide competition, Live the Dream, for people with Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis.
The competition offers people with IBD the opportunity to win one of three dream job experiences – spending a week working with either Australia Zoo, The Australian Ballet or behind the scenes with SBS.
People wishing to enter should visit www.livethedreamcompetition.com.au to view the competition terms and conditions and submit their entry on why they should win a dream job for the week.