Audience guide
Chronic illness and fluctuating conditions
Conditions such as long COVID, MS, diabetes, epilepsy, chronic pain or cancer can mean good days and bad days. What people need most is flexibility and trust, so they can manage their energy and keep working.
Adjustments are about what helps, not about labels. Never ask for a diagnosis, and let each person decide what they share.
What to do
- Plan for good days and bad days together
- Offer flexible hours and home working where possible
- Allow time for medical appointments
- Review how absence rules affect people with long-term conditions
What to avoid
- Rigid absence triggers that punish fluctuating conditions
- Judging by how well someone looks
- Asking repeatedly about health details
Typical adjustments
- Flexible start and finish times
- Rest breaks and a place to rest
- A phased return after treatment
- Adjusted workload during flare-ups
Extra steps in your plan
Agree how flexibility will work
Discuss how the person will let you know about a bad day, what can move and what cover exists. Clear agreements reduce stress for both sides.
Offer and prepare · Essential · About 1 hour
Plan work around energy, not just hours
Put demanding tasks at the person's best time of day and allow short breaks. Output often goes up.
Onboard · Recommended · 15 min
Review how your absence rules affect fluctuating conditions
Automatic warnings after a set number of sick days can hit people with long-term conditions unfairly. Adjust the triggers as a reasonable adjustment.
Retain and grow · Essential · About 1 hour
Turn this into your own plan
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This toolkit is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules on recruitment, adjustments and support schemes differ between countries, so check with your local employment service or an adviser.