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Disclosure - Who should I tell at work?

When you start a new job or are diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, you may find you have to think about telling others in your workplace. In most cases, whether or not to tell is entirely up to you.
 
Telling your employer could be a good move and is something to consider for your particular situation. For example, it may help explain any difficulties you are having at work, or why you need time off and may result in changes to your job which will mean you can continue to work as a productive member of a team.
 
However, before you go ahead and tell, it’s important to think about what response you think your employer will have. You could consider getting the help of your doctor, union or the Social Worker or Counsellor or other health professionals at your Haemophilia Treatment Centre to get some pointers.
 
If your bleeding disorder is not going to impact on your work, you may prefer to take your time and think carefully before you tell your employer or work mates. Remember – once you have told people, you can’t take it back and will have little control over who they tell.
 
If your bleeding disorder is relevant to your work, or medical questions are asked on your employment application, it may be worthwhile to look more closely at what the job entails and consider why the questions are being asked. It might be that your bleeding disorder is an occupational health and safety risk for the particular job you are applying for. It is important to note that if you don’t mention your bleeding disorder when asked on an application form and an accident occurs, you may not be entitled to legal protection.
 
If you do tell people at your work, you may consider doing a presentation to your work mates explaining what a bleeding disorder is and how it affects you. You could even host a Red Cake Day event!


Date last reviewed: 30 January 2023