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This is a gold mine Linda, WOW! Kudos to you.... Mario ----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda J Herman" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2001 3:21 AM Subject: Re: cutting hours at work > This article seems to fit in with the discussiiions on employment. It's > promising to read that a businesss community is addressing some of these > issues. > Also for good information on workplace accomodations , see > Job Accommodation Network, > U.S. DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy > http://www.jan.wvu.edu > and specifically on Accommodating People With Parkinson's Disease > http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/PD.html > > ARTICLE: > Coping with chronic illness in the workplace - The Business Journal of > Tampa Bay - > October 15, 2001 > http://tampabay.bcentral.com/tampabay/stories/2001/10/15/editorial3.html > > > Opinion > From the October 12, 2001 print edition > Guest Column > Coping with chronic illness in the workplace > Kim Scheeler > > "Chronic illness lies at the heart of our nation's health care crisis. > People with chronic illness are America's most costly and fastest growing > group > of patients. As a consequence, long-term chronic medical conditions such > as > asthma, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and many others have > increased. > This affects virtually every family, workplace and community in America. > It > causes stress, economic distress, loss of productivity and other > hardships. > > The Tampa business community has increasing numbers of employees with > chronic > health conditions and employees who are caring for family members with > chronic > health conditions. The combined impact of those affected by chronic > illness > takes its toll on business and strains relationships between employees, > managers > and human resources professionals. > > Most people with chronic illness want to be as independent and productive > as > possible but may need support from their government, their employer and > their > community to achieve that goal. > How should the Tampa business community accommodate working chronically > ill > employees and working caregivers? > > While we may know how to manage most chronic illness through > preventative, > medical and behavioral measures, how should we manage workers who must > make the > choice between caring for a loved one, addressing their own health care > needs as > a result of chronic illness and fulfilling their professional > obligations? > On Oct. 18, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and WEDU Channel 3 will > host > the first-ever business round-table event to discuss the impact of > chronic > illness and caregiving on the workplace. > > This program is supported by WEDU Channel 3 and Elsie Garner, its senior > vice > president and chief operating officer. > > Using the upcoming Fred Friendly Seminars program Who Cares: Chronic > Illness in > America, airing on WEDU at 9 p.m. on Oct. 25 as a catalyst, members of > the > Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce will consider the current and potential > impact > of chronic illness on the workplace and explore ways to better support > working > people with chronic conditions and those who care for and about them. > We urge you to help us continue this dialogue. > > The private sector must work together to tackle issues relating to > chronic > illness in the workplace. The time has come to find new solutions. > During the next 20 years, the number of Americans with chronic conditions > is > expected to increase from 125 million to 157 million. > Direct medical costs from chronic care will double to more than $1 > trillion -- > 80 percent of our nation's health-care spending. > > Businesses and communities must act now. > We need to educate our managers and human resources professionals about > how to > create policies and practices that allow employees to balance their own > chronic > health care management and caregiving responsibilities with work and > other > important aspects of their lives." > Kim Scheeler is president and chief executive officer of the Greater > Tampa > Chamber of Commerce. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn