If you want to work during treatment or return to work after treatment, you may consider flexible ways of working or using leave entitlements.
Learn more about:
- Flexible ways of working
- Tips for flexible work arrangements
- Leave entitlements
- Am I entitled to workers compensation?
Flexible ways of working
If you have been with your employer continuously for 12 months and have a disability such as cancer, you have the right to ask for flexible working arrangements under the National Employment Standards.
Long-term casual employees may also ask for flexible working arrangements. For more detailed information, visit fairwork.gov.au.
Some examples of flexible ways of working include:
- working from home some or all days
- reducing your hours, or changing your start, finish or break times
- working from another office or suitable location
- varying your hours, split shifts, working part-time or job sharing
- asking not to work certain days or times if you are a casual worker
- working alternative duties, or avoiding certain aspects of your role.
How to request flexible work
An occupational therapist can identify flexible ways of working for you to suggest to your employer, and help you liaise with them.
To request flexible work:
- make your request in writing
- detail the changes needed and why
- ensure the changes are reasonable and workable for both you and your employer.
Your employer must accept or refuse your request in writing within 21 days. They can refuse all or part of your request on reasonable business grounds
Before refusing your request, your employer must discuss it with you and genuinely try to reach an agreement about changes that would meet your needs. They must also consider how it will impact you if they refuse your request. If your employer refuses your request, they must explain their reasons.
If you don’t think their explanation is reasonable, or they did not respond within 21 days, you may be able to get help from the Fair Work Commission, Australian Human Rights Comission or anti-discrimination agency in your state or territory
Reviewing flexible arrangements
After a few weeks of the new schedule, talk to your manager or HR officer to see if the flexible arrangements are working for you both. You might want to change things if treatment is affecting you more than you thought, or as you feel better and can take on more work.
Tips for flexible work arrangements
- If possible, take a few hours off instead of the whole day.
- Try to schedule treatment sessions so you have more recovery time (e.g. late in the day or before your days off).
- If possible, try working from home. No commute may help you feel less tired.
- Write down the plan you and your employer have agreed on, and then both sign it.
- Let co-workers know about changes to your work hours.
- If you feel overwhelmed, don’t let your performance suffer too much before reassessing your work arrangements.
- Look for tools to help you work remotely. You could use a smartphone to get your emails, copy files to the cloud, or use a laptop.
With the support of my family and workplace, I was able to schedule the radiation therapy appointments before work.
Christine
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Emma Foley, Chair, QPiLOT OT Cancer Collaborative QLD and Senior Cancer Care Occupational Therapist, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Jackie Hamilton, Partner, Dentons Australia, QLD. This edition is based on the previous edition, which was reviewed by the following panel: Brooke Russell, Principal Occupational Therapist, WA Cancer Occupational Therapy, WA; Bianca Alessi, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Prunella Blinman, Medical Oncologist, Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, NSW; James Chirgwin, Physiotherapist, The Wesley Hospital, QLD; Danielle Curnoe, Consumer; Simon Gates, Barrister, Tasmanian Bar, TAS; Justin Hargreaves, Medical Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Bendigo Health Cancer Centre, VIC; Kaylene Jacques, Director, People and Communications, Cancer Council NSW; Alex Kelly, Senior People Attraction Advisor, Human Resources, Allianz Australia Insurance, NSW; Legal reviewer; Georgina Lohse, Social Worker, GV Health, VIC; Lesley McQuire, Consumer, Cancer Voices NSW.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
