Do you have a health condition that could affect your work?

Many workers age 50+ have chronic conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, or back pain.

Changes in vision or hearing are common. Some workers suddenly discover a heart condition or diabetes.

Others have had a disabling condition for a longer time. Aging can make a disability worse or harder to work with.

Continuing to work is important to many workers with health conditions or disabilities.

They want their work to remain a big part of their lives. Job accommodations can help them stay on the job.

A job accommodation is something that lets you do your job when you have a health condition or a disability.

You change how you do your work or make a change in your work area.

Many, but not all, such changes involve using an assistive device. This is a piece of equipment to help you offset your health condition so you can work.

If you have a health condition, learn about job accommodations and your job rights.

You&8217;ll have a better chance to maintain your skills to keep your job, get hired at a new job, or get help to start your own small business.

Many employers want to provide job accommodations for their workers who need them.

Employers report that more than 80 percent of the accommodations they make for their workers are effective.

On average, for every dollar spent to make an accommodation, a company gets nearly $35 in benefits.

Employers most often report these benefits of making job accommodations for workers with health or disabling conditions:

– They can keep or hire a qualified employee.

– They avoid the cost of training someone new.

– They save on worker&8217;s compensation or other insurance.

– Productivity goes up.

Dr. Marvin Copes is Education/Community Service Volunteer for AARP Alabama in Maylene. He can be reached by e-mail at mailto:mlcopes@charter.net