4.2 People with ME/CFS: Access to Employment
These study findings suggest that people with ME/CFS are less able to continue employment after disease onset than PWMS, which may reflect the poorer physical functioning of people with ME/CFS and a lack of appropriate and effective treatments, and which could result from having a disease that is underrecognised and undersupported by employers [41]. Some people with ME/CFS who are able to continue working do so by sacrificing all or much of the social life they would otherwise enjoy [42]. Employers have been shown to be less accommodating to people without a visible disease or infirmity, such as occurs with back pain or depression [43, 44], and their behaviours towards people with ME/CFS are not always positive [41], despite the requirements of the UK Equality Act 2010 [45]. Public health authorities could play a major role in raising awareness of ME/CFS and educating employers around workplace support and modifications. Simple measures such as facilitating rest periods and adjusting light and sound exposure have been shown to be effective [46].
