Colleagues and Employers ·
It’s a fact of life that a lot of stigma, fear and misinformation still surrounds HIV. Many positive men choose not to tell their employers or workmates in case they find themselves discriminated against, isolated or bullied. Unless you work in a health-related profession, you are under absolutely no obligation to tell anyone at work.
However, there may be advantages to letting at least one person know at work, for instance, to explain why you need to attend your clinic periodically. This doesn’t have to be your line manager; it could be someone in human resources or occupational health. Some companies have very sound policies on employees with HIV and AIDS, reflecting the reality that day-to-day social contact poses no risk to others. In bigger organisations these can often be checked anonymously on the Intranet. If you feel anxious about asking your management or human resources department personally, you could ask a pal or a local support group to make a general enquiry and report back to you.
Of course, there are instances when colleagues and/or bosses are also genuine friends or supporters. If this is the case, you may find it beneficial to have someone at work who knows about your status, especially if you’re feeling a bit low. As with family, you are the best judge of your life and your circumstances.
