Disclosure ·
When you are living with HIV, it is often difficult to mention your status. You are not obliged to tell anyone but there are many situations when you may feel obliged, especially in the workplace. Remember, you don’t have to tell anyone if you don’t want to, so think very carefully, explore your options and seek advice before making any decisions.
“One clever way to tell work is to say you have a blood disorder as opposed to HIV.”
Remember, you are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act from point of HIV diagnosis and if you experience any negative reactions, seek professional advice.
Reasonable adjustments
You are not obliged to tell your employer about your HIV status but a possible advantage of disclosure is the Disability Discrimination Act. This has a provision for ‘reasonable adjustments’, such as time off for appointments or possible flexible hours.
Careers that involve long shifts in stressful environment can adversely affect your health. Adjustments to your shift patterns or changing to a less stressful job can help. But these adjustments can only be made if you disclose your status. It could benefit your long-term health and wellbeing to disclose, but be cautious and seek advice before taking any action.
Double disclosure
“Being diagnosed with HIV also brought my sexuality into question at work.” – Pedro
It’s not always just about disclosing HIV, it can also be about your sexuality. This is where many gay men have a problem in the workplace.
There is legal protection provided by the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations, which ban discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of employment or vocational training.
Comment
Previous article: Confidentiality Next article: Disclosure for Healthcare Workers
