Epilepsy Awareness Thread 🤕

It's terrible that people would toss you out with the trash, just because your health issues happened to make them uncomfortable. You deserve better than that.
You have my sympathies.

Is that even legal where you live? Here in the US, some states have what's called at-will employment which basically means they can fire you for any reason at any time, without warning. However, there are state and federal anti-discrimination laws that protect them from firing you for race, gender, disability, etc. Did they know you had epilepsy before the seizure? Either way, I think you're better off without them if something like a seizure scares them that bad.

Wow. I don't know how else to react. Just... wow. I can't believe such a thing can happen in the 21st century. I can definitely feel your pain.

Half-serious only: are you sure they weren't considering trying to exorcise the devil from you, just in case? I mean, at least the two things would be at home in the same time frame... :)

Anyway, without asking for specifics of your workplace, what kind of job did you do?

And if you don't mind questions on your condition (if you do, by all means feel free to not answer, no pressure): what other symptoms beyond seizures do you experience? Can you tell when a seizure is coming and do something to minimize the damage (like lie down, wrap something around your head to protect it from blunt damage, do something so you don't bite your tongue)? Also, what kind of treatment, if any, are you doing for your epilepsy? Does it help control the seizures (as in, do they happen less often, are they less violent, do they end more quickly) and other symptoms?

sry to hear that hope u get a better workplace/job and better colleagues ❤️
p.s. not a lawyer, but it's not only moronic and immoral to fire u for having seizures(unless they're very freq), I would assume it's illegal, no?

I could understand if you were working somewhere where having a seizure could be dangerous to yourself or others because of machinery or something like that, but if that is not the case then it seems wrong to fire you. The company could have just educated the other employees on what epilepsy is and how to react if it happens.again. People are afraid of what they don't understand.

If the other employees just read something simple like this, they would at least have a basic understanding of what is happening and what to do. Then they wouldn't freak out and not want you to work there. I feel like a simple memo would have been enough to educate the employees and have it not be an issue.

WTF that's illegal!! Leg it to the Arbeitsgericht and sue their asses!

Sorry to hear this ever even happened to you in the first place and hope you'll be feeling better soon but don't let them get away with this so easy! Also in all honesty shame on your ex-coworkers.. don't feel bad for them for a second. If anything they should have gone out of their way to support you throughout all of this and not lobby for your dismissal.

Sorry to hear that :( this is a real injustice :(

Years ago while in college we had a guy with same problem. I was shocked how people reacted when he had seizures and that many people (even professors!) tried to avoid him and not communicate with him in any way. Man was made an outcast for nothing :(

I am sorry, mate. I am not even sure this is legal. No warning, no talk with HR, they straight up just fired you?

What kind of a workplace it was, office or something like that?

I'm sorry to hear that. I only heard about epilepsy and i dont know how severe the seizure is, but does it affect your job? If it isn't, it is weird that they will fire you for something like that. Having an epilepsy isn't a crime.
Anyways, hopefully you will find a better job that will understand your conditions better.

I agree with those who say this is illegal.
That is surely something you can sue them over. Or get job inspection to sort it out at least.

And this comes from european, who believes reasons american sue are stupid. This is legit.

Is that legal?

That's just so bad, I don't know what to say but I do hope that you are able to find a better place next time.

Try for remote work?

I actually find this quite infuriating. Your coworkers demanded you fired because of how they felt? What about how you feel? You have to live with that terrible illness and instead of support you got fired over them being upset? You should sue the company. I'm serious. Being nice while everyone else is being terrible is not a solution.

Its sad. I am sorry. There are selfish people all the time. Just try to keep moving forward for yourself.

Sorry to hear this, this is probably illegal as well!

I wouldn't consider your colleagues and boss as mates after this really, possibly waited for the opportunity to get rid of you by the looks of it. A bit sad that work places are prioritizing people who don't have health issues. Granted, depending on the career and work you need to do, it may be justified, but most of the time I'd consider it not justified, as everyone should have a chance to become something in life while doing the work they like. I wish you the best of luck in this situation, as I can't judge this much from my current position.

I'm pretty shocked to hear that. You have my sympathy, I hope things get better for you soon.

I don't understand the behavior of your colleagues and your boss, so I think their decision is totally unfair, and even illegal (at least in my country)
The only reason that would make this behavior "understandable" would be that your work, and potentially another crisis could put your colleagues directly in danger.
Can you tell us what you do? (no obligation I understand if you want to keep it confidential)

Shit... I don't even know what to say :(

As others mentioned, that's illegal. If your boss is concerned about the feelings of your colleagues, they should receive some education what an epileptic seizure is and how people should react.

I'm sorry to hear that. What they did wasn't ethical and it should be even illegal. Epilepsy is a condition they should learn about, instead they chose to run away which is sad. I hope you find a better workplace where people actually know and care.

If you have some opportunities, don't let them get away with that. Settle in or out of court, their decision, as long as you have a decent case. What's the point of liking the people or the place if that's how they will treat you when it happens rather than try and understand and at least try and accommodate to a position that doesn't put you at risk for a worse injury. It's not a cold or glasses, you can't just help it even if you want to in almost every case. What type of seizures, are they frequent, is there a cause, medicated? I'll listen if you want to talk about it. I've had some myself but have been lucky for a while now.

Sorry to hear, i'd sue them, you surely got legal grounds.

Lots of people that are so not understanding to certain people / situations.

Good luck.

That doesn't sound legal.

That's terrible. I can understand if that's some work where your seizure can endanger other people (but you would probably won't get such work in the first place), but just because they were scared? That's just sad(
Really hope that you will find another job soon, and hopefully colleagues there won't be oversensitive bitches like on your old one. Take care of yourself!