• At Work
  • Looking for Work
  • Employers
  • Healthcare Professionals

  • Events
  • Newsfeed
  • Take Action
  • About Us
  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • Where to Start

  • Legal   Financial

  • Working Remotely

  • Back to Work

  • Coworkers

  • Caregivers

  • Early Career

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • Managers

  • Human Resources

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • Job Search & Disclosure
  • Your Online Footprint

  • Networking

  • Resume & Cover Letter

  • Resume Review Service

  • Interviewing

  • Exploring Your Options

  • Early Career

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Upcoming Events

  • National Conference

  • Balancing Work & Cancer Webinars

  • Midwest Conference
  • West Coast Conference
  • In-Service Training

  • Balancing Work & Cancer Workshops

  • Job-Search Intensive

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • News

  • Blog

  • Research

  • Newsletter

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • Donate

  • Sponsorship

  • Advocate/Become an Ambassador

  • Shop for a Cause

  • Beauty Editor's Closet Sale

  • Beauty of Giving Luncheon

  • Beauty with Benefits

  • Young Professionals Committee

  • Other Ways to Help

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

  • Go Back
  • Introduction

  • The Issue

  • Our Impact

  • Supporters

  • History

  • Transparency

  • Board of Governors

  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Staff

  • Contact Us

  1. Login
  2. Donate
  3. Ask a career coach
  4. Collective diary
  5. Resources
  6. Free Publications

    Order or Download

  7. Educational Videos

    View All

ES
Cancer and Careers Logo
  • SEARCH
    • My Favorites (0)
    • Create an Account
    • Sign In
  • En Español
  • Donate

    Menu

    Close

  • At Work
    • Where to Start
    • Legal & Financial
    • Back to Work
    • Working Remotely
    • Coworkers
    • Caregivers
    • Early Career
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • Looking for Work
    • Job Search & Disclosure
    • Your Online Footprint
    • Networking
    • Resume & Cover Letter
    • Resume Review Service
    • Interviewing
    • Exploring Your Options
    • Early Career
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • Employers
    • Managers
    • Human Resources
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • Healthcare Professionals
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • National Conference
    • Balancing Work & Cancer Webinars
    • Midwest Conference
    • West Coast Conference
    • In-Service Training for Healthcare Professionals
    • Balancing Work & Cancer Workshops
    • Job-Search Intensive
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • Newsfeed
    • News
    • Blog
    • Research
    • Newsletter
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • Take Action
    • Donate
    • Sponsorship
    • Advocate/Become an Ambassador
    • Shop for a Cause
    • Beauty Editor's Closet Sale
    • Beauty of Giving Luncheon
    • Beauty with Benefits
    • Young Professionals Committee
    • Other Ways to Help
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All
  • About Us
    • The Issue
    • Our Impact
    • Supporters
    • History
    • Transparency
    • Board of Governors
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Staff
    • Contact Us
    Ask a career coach
    Collective diary
    Resources
    Free Publications Order or Download
    Educational Videos View All

Home > Blog

  • News

  • Research

  • Blog

  • newsletter

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED

SUBSCRIBE

CATEGORIES

At Work

Looking for Work

Events

CAC Reports on Working with Cancer During COVID-19

Brian Morvant on December 16, 2021

tags: At Work, Back to Work, Be the Boss Over Cancer, Re-entering the Workforce, Research, Workforce, Working Through Treatment

Research isn’t just for the data scientists or companies hiring. Research also offers an intimate lens into not only the pervasive conditions in our society, but also the unique experience of individuals and communities within. The numbers can tell us the stress points and highlight imbalances as well as make a case for the necessity of change.

Semi-annually, Cancer and Careers partners with Harris Poll to report on the work-related experiences of cancer patients and survivors who are either employed or unemployed but looking for work.

For many members of our community, the numbers in these surveys may also offer a moment of validation that you are not alone. There are others, across the country, navigating the complexities of a diagnosis and an employment market that too often is balanced unfairly.

This year, our Harris Poll surveyed 876 cancer patients and survivors about their experiences in the workplace during COVID-19. We also commissioned Wakefield Research to survey 100 Black and 100 Hispanic adults diagnosed with cancer, to better understand the issues they’ve faced working after a diagnosis.


Some insights from the Harris Poll report show:

  • Half (50%) of those who worked or are working full or part-time through treatment feel they have no choice in the matter. In fact, the financial incentive is the most common reason, by far, that people diagnosed with cancer want to work (59%). Still, around half say they want to work because they currently feel well enough to do so (49%) and they want things to feel as normal as possible (48%).
  • A strong majority (81%) currently understand the safety protocols being implemented for work, but more than a third (38%) fear contracting COVID-19 while working on site. To safely participate in on-site work, more than threequarters (78%) of individuals diagnosed with cancer say it is important that their company have vaccine requirement policies in place.
  • Key points from the Wakefield Research report include:

  • Feelings of discrimination are a perennial issue for Black and Hispanic employees, with more than half (51%) of patients and survivors saying their race or ethnicity played a negative role in how they were treated at work before diagnosis (56%) and after diagnosis (55%).
  • More than half (55%) of Black and Hispanic cancer survivors who earn less than $50K report being treated differently than their co-workers when they were diagnosed, compared to just 26% of those who earn $50K or more. Those earning less than $50K were also more likely to encounter insensitive comments (31% to 19%). Most (53%) in jobs that earn under $50K worried about getting fired if they shared their diagnosis, compared to just 26% at $50K or more.
  • We hope you will read the full report here.

    Cancer and Careers remains committed to hearing directly from you, our community, about your experiences with work and cancer. Our programs are designed to help address the many challenges you may face including taking time off, managing side effects, your legal rights in the workplace, making a career change and more. Please feel free to reach out to us so we can learn about how to support you!


    NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

    Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information and resources.

    FOLLOW US

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Resources
    • Videos
    eTrust Privacy Certificate logo © 2025 Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation/Cancer and Careers. All Rights Reserved.