Alopecia World
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Alopecia=disability ?
Hello,
I just came across an internet post of a young woman wondering if one can have handicap status due to AA? She acknowledged difficulties of carrying out a full time job.I believe the answer vary in different geographical locations. Could you help me to learn what countries recognize alopecia as a disability? Thanks in advance for enlightenment :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by LilyBell*Murphy'sLawLuvsMe on
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From what I have been able to find out the US does not recognize AA as a disability according to the Americans with Disability Act. However, if AA causes say, depression, that makes one unable to work then the depression would be a covered disability. I think there are a few lawyers on this site so maybe they can be of more help.
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Permalink Reply by Silk on
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Thank you for replies, Ladies
I just checked this site claiming to provide legal consultations
http://www.toplawfirm.com/handicap.html
They actually use alopecia as an example of one of handicap categories that tends to be discriminated: "The third and final category covers people who are not disabled at all, but who are "perceived" to be so. This category includes persons with conditions that do not impair "major life activities," but which tend to stigmatize such people. One example might be a person who suffers from alopecia universalis (complete hair loss). While not a disability in its own right, an employer might discriminate against such an individual on the unfounded belief that the condition indicates cancer."
I would love to have some comment on this, but the website lawyers did not responded on my email.Also, I was wondering how is alopecia perseived in Europe
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Permalink Reply by Milka Stepien on
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There's something to what you say, Silk. I just heard from a friend of mine who has AU that she hasn't been able to find a job in over a year and that during interviews she's been told that they won't hire her because of how she looks! I've never encountered this myself. But I live in Poland where anti-discriminatory laws are in place but it's still wide-spread to discriminate against women or gays in the work-place, so fire or not hire them because they have kids (and have to go on maternity leave) or because someone is homosexual. So I wouldn't be surprised that in some workplaces they would have problems with people looking different. I would have to see how it is for more Polish people with AA and AU to know if it's a real problem here though.
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Hi Milka,
I really appreciate your impute! You are absolutely right in pointing to other social groups traditionally discriminated at the labour market. There is absolutely nothing special about alopecia sufferers in this sense. Though, it is sad that anti-discrimination regulation seems to fail in many cases. When it comes to disability status, do you know if people with AA or AU or AT or other alopecias in Poland receive public subsidies for wigs, etc?
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I have no idea :) I'll look into it though. At least so far no one's informed me that I could :D But that doesn't mean it's not possible...
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Right, This kind of information is good to have. If so, they should posses consult you about it. I know that in some countries (England, Germany, Sweden) AU/AT patients and (old) ladies with AGA/aging hair can have refunding for at least one wig/year (synthetic mostly).
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Wow... yes, we do actually have the right to public subsidies for wigs in Poland... it's only a small amount in comparison to what a really good one costs... but still! Thanks for pointing that out to me, Silk. I don't wear wigs myself, but I just set up a facebook site for Poles with Alopecia and it might help someone to have that information :) By the way, do you know the character Silk from David Eddings "Belgaraid"? That used to be favourite character from the saga - from one of my favourite books when I was growing up :) For that reason, I absolutely love your nickname here!
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Permalink Reply by Cindie on
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I wouldn't try that "defense" in the United States. There are such things as wigs....at least that is what I have been told.
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Hi Cindie,
I really appreciate you posting her.Would you elaborate a bit what you mean, please. Do you doubt that antidiscrimination framework can be sufficient enough or there is something else?
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All I am saying is that in the United States it is very, very, very difficult to be awarded disability for conditions much more serious than alopecia. There are wigs to "improve one's looks", there are anti-depressants and therapy for clinical depression....I'm a paralegal with 23 years of experience, and the mother of a 36 year old daughter with two life threatening medical conditions....and I know how long it took her to be awarded disability....and she must still go to school and work part time with an eye to getting off disability permanently, if possible. I can only speak to my country -- no one else's. There are people in my country with cancer who don't qualify for disability because they don't have the "right" kind of cancer...and that is OUTRAGEOUS!
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Permalink Reply by Renée on
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Hi
first of all you have a very beatiful profile foto.
I haven't heard of any doc in Sweden acknowliging AA as a disability ever. My doc said this was a "thing" that just happend, not very funny but no very serious either. I thougt that its easy to say, I had to go trough a number of feelings for myself obout the hairloss.
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