Accommodating and Communicating about Episodic Disabilities (ACED): A partnership to deliver workplace resources to sustain employment of people with chronic, episodic conditions
NOW RECRUITING
Do you provide workplace supports to workers with chronic health conditions?
A new IWH study is investigating whether changes in Canadian workplaces are changing support requests from workers with disabilities or chronic health conditions, as well as impacting the ways that workplaces provide supports and accommodations. If you work with employees in your organization to plan, provide or negotiate workplace supports and accommodations, the study team wants to hear from you. This includes supervisors or managers, human resources professionals, disability managers, union representatives, OHS professionals and others.
Reasons for the study
Episodic conditions, including arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's and colitis, depression and anxiety, are often unpredictable and invisible to others, with symptoms that fluctuate from one period in time to another. As such, they create unique challenges in managing workplace disabilities, particularly in implementing privacy and duty-to-accommodate policies. This study aims to enhance the work sustainability and support provided to Canadians with episodic mental and physical health conditions through the development of easily accessed, evidence-based tools, resources and training that protects privacy and facilitates communication and accommodation planning among workers, supervisors and other workplace parties.
Objectives of the study
- Consolidate and enhance existing evidence for toolkit development
- Develop new evidence-informed resources, including a communication decision-making tool; interactive job analysis and accommodation planning tool; and skills training workshops for supervisors and HR/disability managers
- Pilot test and evaluate the toolkit in diverse workplaces, including conducting cost analyses
- Expand the evidence base to include greater attention to sex/gender, age/life course, diverse employment contexts and episodic conditions
- Develop new researcher capacity in disability studies
- Build new workplace partners for testing and dissemination
Target audience
This research is relevant to workers with chronic, episodic conditions, employers, human resources professionals, disability managers, occupational health professionals, insurers, government bodies, and community organizations focused on aging, employment, disability and/or caregiving. Its findings will be relevant to programs aimed at reducing at-work disability, improving work productivity and ensuring the employment sustainability of Canadian workers with episodic disabilities.
Related research summaries
- Examining four types of job disruptions due to a health condition, and the differences expected when workplace support needs are met. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, March 2025.
- A new tool to help workers make health disclosure decision. At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, December 2024.
- Employer perspectives on communication challenges when supporting episodic disabilities. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, September 2020.
Related scientific publications
- Jessiman-Perreault G, Smith PM, Thompson A, Gignac MA. The relationship between meeting workplace accommodation needs and job disruptions among Canadians working with disabilities: a cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2025;67(1):e54-e60. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000003262. (Open access)
- Woticky G, Jetha A, Tompa E, Gignac MA. Disclosure decisions of workers living with a chronic health condition causing disability at work: are decisions to disclose to co-workers and supervisors different?. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2024 epub ahead of print. doi:10.1007/s10926-024-10235-6. (Open access)
- Gignac MA, Bowring J, Navaratnerajah L, Saunders R, Jetha A, Thompson A, Shaw WS, Franche RL, Van Eerd D, Irvin E, Tompa E, MacDermid JC, Smith PM. The Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT): a nine-month evaluation of use, changes in self-efficacy, presenteeism, and absenteeism in workers with chronic and episodic disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2024 epub ahead of print. doi:10.1007/s10926-024-10231-w. (Open access)
- Gignac MA, Bowring J, Tonima S, Franche RL, Thompson A, Jetha A, Smith PM, MacDermid JC, Shaw WS, Van Eerd D, Beaton DE, Irvin E, Tompa E, Saunders R. A sensibility assessment of the Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT): a tool to help workers with an episodic disability plan workplace support. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. 2023;33(1):145-159. doi:10.1007/s10926-022-10057-4. (Open access)
- Gignac MA, Shahidi FV, Jetha A, Kristman VL, Bowring J, Cameron JI, Tonima S, Ibrahim S. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health, financial worries, and perceived organizational support among people living with disabilities in Canada. Disability and Health Journal. 2021;14(4):101161. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101161. (Open access)
Related interviews and articles
- Thriving while sick: mentorship platform helps chronically ill workers navigate workplace issues. The Globe and Mail. April 26, 2024. Available from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-thriving-while-sick-mentorship-platform-helps-chronically-ill-workers/
- Employer versions of job accommodation tool help organizations think about worker needs. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 114, Fall 2023.
- Supporting workers with chronic conditions. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety. May 19, 2023. Available from: https://www.ccohs.ca/newsletters/hsreport/issues/2023/05/ezine.html#hsreport-ontopic
- Workplace health conversations are awkward: A new tool is here to help.. OHS Canada. April 20, 2023. Available from: https://www.ohscanada.com/features/workplace-chronic-health-conversations-are-awkward-a-new-tool-is-here-to-help/
- IWH launches tool to help workers with chronic conditions find job-tailored accommodations. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 112, Spring 2023.
- Accommodation tools aims to bridge gaps between workers and employers. Canadian Occupation Safety. March 17, 2023. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/news/general/accommodation-tools-aims-to-bridge-gaps-between-workers-and-employers/439950
- Tool to help workers with chronic and episodic health conditions. Canadian Occupation Safety. March 8, 2023. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/technology/tool-to-help-workers-with-chronic-and-episodic-health-conditions/438794
- How workplaces can support staff with MS. Canadian Occupational Safety. September 27, 2021. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/occupational-hygiene/how-workplaces-can-support-staff-with-ms/311283
- Lack of support at work makes COVID worse for people with disabilities. Canadian HR Reporter. August 9, 2021. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/compensation-and-benefits/lack-of-support-at-work-makes-covid-worse-for-people-with-disabilities/358771
- Episodic health conditions. Rehab & Community Care. April 23, 2021. Available from: https://www.rehabmagazine.ca/top-stories/episodic-health-conditions/
IWH Speaker Series presentations
- Deciding whether to share health information at work: A new evidence-based tool for workers with chronic conditions. IWH Speaker Series. November 19, 2024.
- Unveiling the JDAPT: A new interactive tool to identify work-related support strategies for workers with chronic conditions and disability. IWH Speaker Series. March 21, 2023.
- Does it matter what workers’ reasons are for disclosing or not disclosing a disability at work? Why and how?. IWH Speaker Series. November 24, 2020.
- Lancaster House audio conference: Accommodating episodic disabilities—the latest law and research. Other events. May 14, 2020.
- Challenges in accommodating mental and physical health conditions: What workplace parties are saying. IWH Speaker Series. June 12, 2018.
Project status
Ongoing
Project website
Research team
Collaborators and partners
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Crohn's & Colitis Canada
- Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace
- Mindful Employer Canada
- Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
- Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
- Realize Canada
- The Arthritis Society
- University of Toronto
Funded by
Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada Signature Initiative