Possible mono -- what are my obligations to my employer?

October 11, 2015 3:09 AM

I'm getting tested for mono in the coming week. If I test positive, what are my next steps with my employer? (And am I required to stay home until I get the result?)

Let's assume the test comes back positive.

I've read that if I'm diligent and don't share food / utensils that I'm not particularly contagious. For this reason, I'd don't think it's necessary to tell my employer that it's mono. Related to that, I've read some of the other mono threads, and it sounds like I could be extremely tired and need to work from home. I'd like to get a note that says, "She might need to work from home on and off over the next couple of months."

What are my obligations to my employer, both from a public health perspective and as someone who might need flexibility to work from home?

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

Were I you I would discuss it with your doctor, but generally wait until you actually know how you feel. Mono affects different people really differently -- you could easily be one of the people who doesn't need to wok from home, for example. If it turns out that you are, you could also easily be one of the people who was diagnosed late because they didn't recognize the early signs, and no employer could fault you for that.

Anecdotally, when I had mono I had a flu-like illness for about a week when I couldn't do anything, but once it was over I was back at work full time. I needed to sleep about 10 hours per night and for the next couple of months I wasn't really doing much besides working and sleeping, but I had no problem getting through the day.
posted by telegraph at 5:23 AM on October 11, 2015

I don't really see the downside of telling your employer it is mono, especially if you want some additional flexibility to work from home over the next couple of months. When I got it a few years ago in my younger 40s I had a full time telecommute job, and the best way I can describe it is that I felt "blah" for about 2 months. I could do everything I needed to do in day to day life, but I wanted a nap immediately afterwards.
posted by COD at 6:42 AM on October 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

By the time we reach adulthood, we have all been exposed to mono. From a public health perspective, unless you work with small children, it isn't an issue.

There isn't any way of knowing how long you will feel tired or how severe your case will be. For some people, it's like having a cold or sinus infection that they can't shake for a few weeks. For others, it's not being able to leave the bed for months or more. Keep it to yourself as long as you can. Have a note from your doctor on hand in case you fall asleep at your desk or have to go home early. But, telling your boss that you may or may not be sick for possibly a week to a year isn't going to go well for you. All you can really do is assure your boss that you will do everything that you can to keep your work up to your usual high standard and then hope that you can do that.
posted by myselfasme at 8:35 PM on October 11, 2015