Diabetes In The Workplace: Employees Offer Opinions

Filed in archive Views on January 4, 2007

The workplace rights of workers with diabetes has been a hot debate topic the last few weeks. Just what are your rights as a diabetic? Are you protected, or can your employer terminate you without cause?

Several employees--some with diabetes and some without--recently wrote letters in regards to a newspaper article featuring the controversy. Their responses run the gamut, and are interesting to consider.

Our current health system is driven by profit for insurance corporations. It is good business for employers to shun diabetics and other patients with costly chronic diseases and keep their insurance costs lower. Until health care in America becomes a right and not a privilege, the chronically ill will find themselves increasingly marginalized in the workplace.

If you were to write in, what would your letter say?