5 ways to make workplaces more accessible for employees with long COVID-19

Since 2020, more than 16 million Americans have developed long COVID-19. The often debilitating condition causes exhaustion, cognitive impairment, sensitivity to light, and susceptibility to infection, among dozens of other symptoms. There is currently no cure, making it hard for many people to return to work without accommodations.



According to an analysis of worker compensation claims in New York state between January 2020 and March 2022, around 71% of long COVID-19 sufferers experienced symptoms that kept them out of work or required treatment for more than six months. And even those who are able to return to work often report stigma and discrimination in the workplace, which may lead them quit their job. However, there are many accommodations that can make the workplace more accessible.



Ask employees what accommodations they need



Linda Batiste, the director of services and publications at the Job Accommodation Network, an organization that provides guidance on disability in the workplace on behalf of the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, says that employees with long COVID-19 are sometimes met with paternalism. The manager may treat the employee like they’re fragile, sidelining them from responsibilities or opportunities. This approach makes assumptions about what a person with long COVID-19 can and can’t do.



Instead, employers should ask workers what accommodations they might require. “We don’t want to make any assumptions about what you need; you tell us and we’ll go from there,” says Batiste. “Let the individual know that they can drive this conversation because they’re the one who knows what they need.”



Offer flexible working options



Flexibility is key, according to Jessica DeMars, a physiotherapist treating people with long COVID-19 at BreatheWell Physio.



“Most employers don’t seem to have work options that fit people with long COVID-19,” says DeMars, who developed workplace accessibility recommendations for the condition. Many people with long COVID-19 require shifts that are shorter than four hours. But according to DeMars, many employers haven’t accommodated this need.



Common long COVID-19 symptoms make work more physically or mentally taxing. An employee with brain fog may need extra time to complete tasks and may need frequent breaks. Others may need to move into a less physical role, as many people with long COVID-19 experience severe fatigue, fainting, and exercise intolerance.



Sometimes flexibility also means reducing work hours and introducing work-from-home options. DeMars also recommends having a quiet break room to help people with long COVID-19 recharge.



“Allowing telework, or flexible schedules, or the use of leave as a policy for all employees not only makes the workplace more accessible in general, but also reduces the amount of accommodations people have to ask for,” says Batiste.



Ensure employees returning part-time keep insurance benefits



For roughly half of all Americans, health insurance is tied to their employment. Employees with long COVID-19 who transition from full-time to part-time may lose these benefits. “The Americans with Disabilities Act does not require maintenance of benefits if the person doesn’t work the requisite hours,” says Batiste.



Leaders should do their best to ensure employees retain these benefits if they transition to part-time work. But when there is no leeway with the insurance policy, the Job Accommodation Network helps employers find the right accommodations to ensure employees can work the requisite amount of hours.



Make it easy for employees to access insurance benefits



Navigating insurance claims is complicated. It doesn’t help that many plans deny employees’ long COVID-19 claims. Some insurers may ask for positive laboratory tests or other medical paperwork. But many people with long COVID-19 test negative on PCR, antibody, or rapid-antigen tests, and have difficulty accessing clinics specialized in providing a diagnosis.



Sometimes insurance companies only cover forms of physiotherapy—graded exercise therapy—that are actually harmful for some patients with long COVID-19. “Insurance companies are still in the mindset that people need to have exercise rehab to get ready to return to work,” says DeMars. “They just don’t understand post-exertional malaise.”



People with long COVID-19 who have post-exertional malaise cannot freely exercise because it causes a subsequent energy crash. In some cases, people with long COVID-19 even experience this crash after everyday tasks like showering.



Leaders can make sure employees know how to navigate their insurance benefits. With symptoms like mental exhaustion or cognitive impairment, this can be a big help.



Improve long COVID-19 awareness in the workplace 



“One of the most important things is to be believed,” says Susie Goulding, a Canadian woman with long COVID-19 who founded COVID-Long Haulers Canada and is a patient collaborator on the Long COVID Web research project.



Many people with long COVID-19 experience discrimination everywhere. Family members, coworkers, and even doctors sometimes assume people with long COVID-19 are “lazy” or that the condition is “all in their head.” Many people also don’t know a lot about the condition.



Long COVID-19 isn’t always obvious either. Goulding explains that some people who join their support group have no idea their symptoms are long COVID-19. In some cases, it took people three years to connect the dots and get a diagnosis.



Since COVID-19 is still circulating and making workers sick, “an awareness campaign in the workplace could help people understand what long COVID-19 is and also provide information about prevention,” Goulding says. It can also help people be transparent about what they’re experiencing. Right now, three in five people hide their disabilities in the workplace because they fear discrimination.