• At Work
  • Looking for Work
  • 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

  • Managers

  • Human Resources

  • Caregivers

  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

  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
    • Managers
    • Human Resources
    • Caregivers

    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

    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

Concerns About Returning to Work After Sheltering in Place

Rachel Becker, LMSW on April 25, 2020

tags: At Work, Back to Work, Balancing Work & Cancer, Be the Boss Over Cancer, CAC Resource, Dislosure, In the News, Job Re-entry, Managing Stress

This past Thursday, Cancer and Careers hosted our first Ask the Experts session as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This moderated discussion featured career coach Kathy Flora (who is also a cancer survivor) fielding questions from members of our community about looking for work and continuing on the job during our current public health crisis.

One of the questions Kathy addressed live is something we’re hearing about frequently within the cancer community right now. It came from a survivor who identified themselves as being at higher risk of getting the virus, who said they have been experiencing some anxiety about returning to their workplace once stay-at-home orders are lifted, and was curious about how to have a conversation with their employer about these concerns. If you can relate, below are three key points to consider which may find helpful:

  1. Your concern is understandable – and common. Given how much is still unknown about the novel coronavirus, many people across the U.S. and around the world are feeling similar concerns and anxieties about the risks that may come once communities start opening back up again for a variety of different reasons. In other words, you’re not having these experiences alone. Be kind to yourself, and let yourself have the time and space to process whatever it is that you’re feeling.
  2. Don’t jump to conclusions before doing some homework. The fact is, no one is entirely sure right now what the process of “returning to normal” is going to look like. It’s also true that many employers have already started thinking about how to ensure their employees stay as safe as possible while transitioning back from staying at/working from home. A good first step is reach out to your boss or supervisor to find out what (if any) strategies are currently being discussed. Asking good questions and listening carefully to the responses can help you get a sense specific concerns are already being thought through and planned for, or whether it may be necessary to have additional conversations, such as making a request for a reasonable accommodation.
  3. Prepare for conversations with your employer before you have them. Having your specific thoughts and questions written out before approaching your employer can be very helpful. Not only does having a “script” or outline of the conversation ensure that you hit all the major points you want to cover, it may also help you avoid getting too emotional during the conversation or accidentally sharing information about yourself that you’d prefer stay private. It may also be a good idea to actually rehearse your side of the conversation with a friend, family member, or even a co-worker whom you trust to so you feel as confident as possible when the time comes.

To read more about balancing work and cancer during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, check out our ongoing blog series by clicking here.


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 © 2023 Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation/Cancer and Careers. All Rights Reserved.