Like with any medical condition it is best to have an open and honest conversation with your employee about what their experience has been and what adjustments may need to be made. Things to consider may be:
- What type of epilepsy do they have?
- Do they have seizures? What are their seizures like, how often do they happen and how do they affect them?
- Do they have any warning before a seizure (sometimes called an aura)?
- Do they lose consciousness, and how does this affect them?
- Do they need an ambulance to be called and is there someone who can do this for them?
- How long do they need to recover from a seizure? Some people can return to work quickly, while others may need more time.
- Are their seizures brought on by anything, such as tiredness or stress?
- Do they take medication to control their seizures and how does this affect them (they may feel tired or find it hard to concentrate)?
Asking these questions will help you to better complete a risk assessment and be able to determine what reasonable adjustments should be put in place to help reduce the likelihood and impact of seizures. It is also important to create a responding to seizure or seizure first aid plan and make sure that there is ready access to it and that those who work most directly with the employee are trained.
Employees Living with Epilepsy
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