Diabetes and Employment
- American Diabetes Association
As of 2007, approximately 23.6 million Americans have diabetes (1), most of whom are or wish to be participating members of
the workforce. Diabetes usually has no impact on an individual's ability to do a particular job, and indeed an employer may
not even know that a given employee has diabetes. In 1984, the American Diabetes Association adopted the following position
on employment:
Any person with diabetes, whether insulin [treated] or non–insulin [treated], should be eligible for any employment for which
he/she is otherwise qualified.
Questions are sometimes raised by employers about the safety and effectiveness of individuals with diabetes in a given job.
When such questions are legitimately raised, a person with diabetes should be individually assessed to determine whether or
not that person can safely and effectively perform the particular duties of the job in question. This document provides a
general set of guidelines for evaluating individuals with diabetes for employment, including how an assessment should be performed
and what changes (accommodations) in the workplace may be needed for an individual with diabetes.
I. EVALUATING INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES FOR EMPLOYMENT—
It was once common practice to restrict individuals with diabetes from certain jobs or classes of employment solely because of the diagnosis of diabetes or the use of insulin, without regard to an individual's abilities or circumstances. Such “blanket bans” are medically inappropriate and ignore the many advancements in diabetes management that range from the types of medications used to the tools used to administer them and to monitor blood glucose levels.
Employment decisions should not be based on generalizations or stereotypes regarding the effects of diabetes. The impact of diabetes and its management varies widely among individuals. Therefore, a proper assessment of individual candidates for employment or current employees must take this variability into account.
In addition, federal and state laws require employers to …
