Migraines and interviews?

May 8, 2006 11:45 AM

When to mention migraines, if at all, during job interview?

I get migraines fairly regularly, at least 2-4 each month. I deal with them fairly well by taking Imitrex, but even with that, sometimes they interfere with life. Most often, they come on during the night/in the morning, so even if I take Imitrex right away, I'm out of it for a few hours.

I'm finishing up with grad school soon and will be entering the "real world" of jobs. Migraines were a major hassle in the past, when I was working retail and people don't like their shifts screwed up because I can't lift my head. Should I be mentioning a need for flexibility due to migraines in job interviews? Essentially, I'm hoping that I can find a job that will allow me to come in a little later when necessary and then I can make that time up. But should I even broach the topic? Will it hurt my chances or will it be more suspect to have not mentioned it and then want "special treatment" after starting the job?

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (17 comments total)

Where you live might make some difference to the answer. In some places this could be considered a disability and they would be obligated to accomodate it. In other places you might not be so lucky.

Maybe you can e-mail Jessamyn and have her add this info to the thread.
posted by raedyn at 11:59 AM on May 8, 2006

The type of work will dictate whether this matters or not. For instance, in software development my experience has shown that managers are quite flexible on start/end times. These jobs seem to be more accomplishment oriented, and less interested in time-cards. Periodically adjusting your hours isn't an issue.

Other positions that are based around you being at work during certain times would be a problem. I would be wary of discussing personal health issues with employers though. There is a whole list of things that employers avoid asking during an interview. If you start discussing your health issues, it might make them uncomfortable.
posted by jsonic at 12:11 PM on May 8, 2006

IANAL. However, my understanding is that the Americans with Disabilities Act gives you substantial protection. Even if you don't mention it at all during the hiring process, if you explain later to your manger/supervisor that migranes could affect your job performance, they are required to give you all reasonable accomodation (your "special treatment") by law.
posted by NucleophilicAttack at 12:29 PM on May 8, 2006

In my experience corporate labs are particularly lenient about when people are in the office. I knew people who worked from home two days a week, some who had 11a-9p schedules, and others who were around 7a-3p. No one really bats an eye-lid at weird schedules. So if there's corporate research going on in your area of expertise, that might be a nice place to be where you wouldn't ever feel like your migraines inconvenienced other people much.
posted by heresiarch at 1:04 PM on May 8, 2006

I think the general understaning of the law is that any sort of disability needs to be accomidated. I wouldn't bother mentioning it in an interview, if I were you.
posted by delmoi at 1:10 PM on May 8, 2006

Do not mention them. Don't give them an opportunity to not hire you because of health problems. "Special treatment" is not what you are looking for. Hopefully the company which you get hired by will offer the same treatment to all employees that are ill. It is not your fault that you have a health issue, or are ill more often than others. However, you don't want that to consciously or unconsciously affect the judgement of the interviewers. Ideally you should be hired based on the quality of your experience and how you present yourself.
posted by Roger Dodger at 1:12 PM on May 8, 2006

Re migraines in particular, I wouldn't mention them. There is still a perception among many people that migraines are "just headaches" (which they aren't) and that people who get migraines are high-strung/neurotic/overly sensitive (which we sometimes are).

My own experience has been that once people can see how badly one truly suffers with a migraine, they are much more understanding about it. (I'd also suggest seeing a neurologist about them, if you haven't already, as doing so has completely changed my life.)
posted by SashaPT at 1:36 PM on May 8, 2006

after you receive an offer of employment
posted by caddis at 1:46 PM on May 8, 2006

I've never volunteered the information. Will migraines interfere with your work? No more than cigs for those who take a smoke break every hour, or allergies for those that suffer with them. We who are plagued with them rightfully perceive them as life-alteringly severe, but others aren't as disturbed as we are.
posted by kc0dxh at 1:51 PM on May 8, 2006

The ADA absolutely does not require the accomodation of all disabilities. It requires employers of more than 15 people to make reasonable accomodations of disabilities, so long as the accomodations don't cause the employer undue hardship and, as reasonably accomodated, the employee can perform the essential duties of the job.

I'll confess that I don't know the caselaw when the accomodation is -- as you seek -- permitting ad hoc make-ups for unscheduled lateness. I suspect that the focus would have to be on the essential character of being available at the beginning of your shift and the viability of staying late to do your work.

Depending on where you live, your city or county government may have a quite robust advisory program for people with disabilities, who can give you some good free advice on the specific legal ramifications of your position.
posted by MattD at 1:55 PM on May 8, 2006

It's like "I have kids." Don't mention it in the interview.

I've always had migranes, and before Imitrex, I would miss at least two days of work out of every month and sleep under my desk quite often.

What you do do, however, is look for work that can be done in fits and spurts. Do your work early. If you procrastinate, chances are good that a headache will get in the way of your deadlines. On those days you're functional, get more than your fair share done.

That way, on the days that you're useless, there's sympathy and concern, not resentment.

At every place I've worked, there's been someone else with migranes and no one's ever given me a hard time about having to leave. On the other hand, I work my butt off when I'm capable so they're still better off with me than with someone without headaches.
posted by Gucky at 3:22 PM on May 8, 2006

What Gucky said -- great answer, and almost exactly what I was going to say. (No migranes, but my allergies were similarly disabling before I went on meds.)
posted by desuetude at 3:56 PM on May 8, 2006

Your health is not pertinent to your ability to do your job, most days, so you should not mention your migraines - and you are under no obligation to do so. You should also be aware that, in some studies at least, 1 in 6 Americans have migraines at least as disabling as yours, or worse, so you're really not even that much of an outlier in the workforce.

Does your new employer offer healthcare? If so, sign up for the option that lets you go to a neurologist - migraines can be licked in most cases.
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:56 PM on May 8, 2006

No need to mention it, but I wouldn't lie if they asked you directly.

My migraines are all food related, so I can chose not to get them now. Sometimes it's hard to behave :)
posted by lundman at 8:07 PM on May 8, 2006

I have epilepsy and have to miss several days per month because of it. Do I tell my employers this during the interview? Absolutely not.

Employers are looking for reasons NOT to hire you and you don't want to give them an easy out. While it's illegal to fire someone for a disability, it is perfectly legal to NOT hire them. Tell people on a need to know basis - if you have to miss work, your direct boss needs to know. Everyone else? Not so much.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 8:08 PM on May 8, 2006

After you get the job, get to the doctor and see about getting an FMLA form filled out. This way, you cannot be penalized for migraine related absences. Assuming of course that you are in the US.
posted by Apoch at 10:54 PM on May 8, 2006

Since you get migraines that often, have you considered other means of therapy besides Imitrex? I take Topamax and it's helped a lot... it's a preventative medication so you don't get the migraine in the first place. It's got some goofy side effects though, so it's not for everyone.
posted by miltoncat at 3:27 PM on May 9, 2006