Employment & Legal

In Australia, employees with Parkinson’s are protected under disability rights laws. This means you have the right to request reasonable accommodations from your employer to help you perform your job. These accommodations might include flexible working hours, ergonomic adjustments, or modifications to your work environment.

Disclosing your diagnosis

Legally, you are not obligated to disclose your Parkinson’s diagnosis to your employer unless it poses an Occupational Health and Safety issue or if your symptoms affect your ability to perform your main job tasks. Also be sure to talk to your HR officer and check the conditions of your contract. ach situation is different and it’s important to consider how, when or even if you should tell your employer.

Each situation is unique, and it’s important to consider how, when, or even if you should tell your employer. Some people choose to disclose their diagnosis to their employer to explain visible symptoms, reduce the stress of hiding their condition, and enable workplace adjustments. This disclosure can lead to a more supportive and understanding work environment.

Workplace accommodations

Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to support employees with disabilities and they may be eligible for government funding to provide workplace modifications at no extra cost. This could involve:

• Allowing for job-sharing, part-time work or adjusted hours to accommodate medical appointments and fluctuating energy levels.
• Providing ergonomic furniture or equipment to reduce physical strain.
• Allowing you to work from home when necessary as open plan office may be too overwhelming at times.
• Allowing you to park closer to your place of work and improving accessibility with handrails and automatic doors.
• Adjusting duties or removing tasks that are physically demanding or require fine motor skills.
• Purchasing assistive technologies such as speech recognition software that can help with impacts of Parkinson’s on handwriting, typing and using a mouse.

If your current workplace cannot accommodate your symptoms, you may even consider changing your career entirely!

There are several supports available to help you maintain employment:

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): If you are under 64 and an Australian resident, you may be eligible for NDIS support. This may provide funding for equipment, home modifications, and other supports. Learn more about NDIS & work and study supports.
• Disability Employment Services (DES): These services offer tailored support to help you find and keep a job. Seek https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/
• If you risk losing your job due to illness, injury or disability, you can get help from Work Assist.

Infosheet under review

References:

(1) Gupta, Parul, Neha Jain, and S. K. Meena. “Enhancing Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review of Occupational Therapy Interventions on Balance and Reaction Time.” Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research 23, no. 4 (2023): 24-32.

(2) Sturkenboom, I. H., M. J. Graff, J. C. Hendriks, Y. Veenhuizen, M. Munneke, and B. R. Bloem. “Occupational Therapy for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease.” 50 Studies Every Occupational Therapist Should Know (2023): 59.

(3) ParkinsonNet Occupational therapy guidelines www.parkinsonnet.com/guidelines