Employment
For most, adolescence is a time to find and start your first job. Having seizures does not mean that you shouldn't look for employment.
Studies show that people with epilepsy are often more productive on the job and are absent less often than their peers. Talk to your school guidance counsellor about setting career goals that incorporate your interests, as well as your medical situation.
There are also training and employment programs which can help you. Contact your local agency or Epilepsy Ontario for more information about what's available in your region.
Epilepsy Ontario also offers an Employment & Training kit on this site.
Disclosure
It may be difficult to decide to tell your employers about your epilepsy. It will probably make you feel better knowing that you are not keeping anything from them. Consider how often you have seizures and whether your employer will likely find out even if you don't disclose.
If you decide to disclose your epilepsy, be confident! Most employers will not know a lot about epilepsy, and may be fearful. To ensure your employers that your medical condition will not affect your ability to work, you should tell them how many minutes your seizures last, how often they occur, if you need any first aid, and how long before you are fully recovered. Be prepared to offer more information or to tell them where they can get it. Come across as knowledgeable and positive. If you are unsure of yourself, your employer may be unsure about you as well.
When filling out application forms for a job, you may want to leave medical questions blank to prevent you from being labelled. After being accepted, you may want to inform your employer of your medical situation, as discussed above. Be aware that under the Ontario Human Rights Code, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against you because you have a disability.
For more information contact:
Ontario Human Rights Commission
180 Dundas Street West, 8th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9
800-387-9080 (toll free)
http://www.ohrc.on.ca
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