MS and the workplace

MS-UK helpline team have put together a resource pack to help everyone with MS in the workplace

Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) can have a profound impact on every part of your life, with employment being no exception. We dedicate a huge percentage of our time towards our working lives, and whether you ‘live to work’ or ‘work to live’, as a working person with MS, it is important to be aware of your employment rights and of the support which is available to you. Getting the right work-life balance, and the right support, is so important.

A good place to start piecing together your employment future, as a person with MS, is our recently revised ‘MS and Work’ website resource. Within this guidance you will find a wide range of information including how you are protected from discrimination at work by employment law, how to find support when looking for new employment, speaking to your employer about MS, accessing reasonable adjustments and much more. We also include information for people with MS who are self-employed or freelancing and signpost to specific support that they may find helpful.

Early retirement

We also realise that MS may lead some people to consider taking early retirement due to ill health. This is a hugely emotional, significant life-changing decision to make, which requires careful planning and consideration. Having the right information can really help people to stay in employment for longer, rather than feeling like retiring early is the only option. Therefore, we provide a summary of these considerations and how to find appropriate support to help you make the ultimate decision.

To help you navigate the information and focus on what is relevant to you, our revised MS and Work website resource has been broken down into carefully chosen sections, each with its own dedicated page.

We hope that you find our MS and Work resource informative and welcome your feedback and suggestions on additional content which you feel would be useful to the wider MS community.