Jobs for People with Lupus

Lupus is an immune system disorder in which the body mistakenly attacks healthy parts of itself. It is still a largely misunderstood condition that doctors know quite little about. However, once fatal, lupus is now easier to manage through treatment and medication.

Lupus can cause a variety of symptoms for the person living with it, such as:

• Skin rashes
• Joint pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Inflammation
• Pain
• Damage to internal organs, especially the heart and kidneys

Treatments for lupus generally include anti-inflammatories, the use of steroids and steroid injections, and hydroxychloroquine. There may be further medications and treatments for those dealing with severe lupus.

As lupus is a long-term and chronic condition, it greatly impacts the person’s day-to-day life and routine. Many people with lupus may feel like they cannot work or that they need to take frequent absences from work. This can cause stress and financial complications.

As such, it is important that lupus is treated the right way in work so those with the condition can balance their lives as they need.

The Best Jobs for People with Lupus

The best jobs for those with lupus are jobs with an accessible, disability-friendly approach to employment. Many people living with lupus will need reasonable adjustments to be made to their work so they can continue comfortably and safely. Working for an accessible employer who easily grants these reasonable adjustments and works to promote a safe, accessible environment for all disabled employees can make a big difference.

Some reasonable adjustments that an employer can make that would help someone living and working with lupus include…

• Offering flexible working hours
• Offering remote or hybrid working options
• Decreasing workload or sharing work duties
• Increasing break allocations
• Making changes to the physical working environment to help manage pain
• Making exemptions for external training requirements
• Offering paid transport to and from work via the Access to Work scheme 

All of these modifications will help someone with lupus stay in their job for much longer than they could without the support. They can also help to decrease absences and increase both employee satisfaction and retention.

Overall, reasonable adjustments from an accessible employer are the best way forward.

Where to Find Accessible Jobs as Someone with Lupus

If you have lupus and you are looking for a job opportunity that will allow you to have the same opportunities and experiences as your non-disabled counterparts, you have landed in the right place.

At Careers with Disabilities, we have a range of tools and resources that can help you to find the accessible job of your dreams.

You can check out our guides for disabled job seekers regarding recruitment, rights, and financial help. Then, you can browse through our directory of accessible employers and our live disability-friendly job board. 

Through these resources, you will be able to find a job that truly works for you and your condition.