Know Your Workplace Rights When You Have Ulcerative Colitis
Digestive HealthUlcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis: Know Your Workplace Rights

Ulcerative Colitis: Know Your Workplace Rights
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Published on February 6, 2026
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With ulcerative colitis (UC), a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it's possible to successfully manage the condition for months or even years at a time, only to have a flare crop up. Disruptive symptoms, such as frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, urgent bowel movements, extreme fatigue, and other challenges can make it hard to stick to your normal routine.

 When this happens, you may need to adjust how you do your job, no matter what your profession.
That's why it's important to recognize that you have legal rights to certain adjustments — known as reasonable accommodations — in the workplace that enable you to do your job duties when you’re experiencing symptoms or a flare, as well as the right to medical leave that protects your job if you need to take time off.

 It helps to have some accommodations arranged in advance, says Alreen Haeggquist, managing partner at Haeggquist & Eck, a law firm in San Diego, specializing in employment issues, discrimination, harassment, and disability accommodations.

"Since I have ulcerative colitis myself, I can understand the need for workplace accommodations, especially in the midst of a flare," she says. "At the same time, it's helpful to know the federal and state laws around this issue, as well as what you want in those accommodations, before you talk with your employer."

Protection at your workplace isn't automatic; it requires you to initiate the discussion. Here are some insights on key protections you should know, along with advice on how to start this conversation with your employer to make sure you get what you need to manage both UC and your job duties.

Federal Laws That Protect People With UC in the Workplace

The starting point for requesting accommodations is to know your rights, says Haeggquist. This takes the form of two key pieces of federal legislation that apply to people with disabilities, including chronic conditions like UC.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for people in the United States with disabilities and chronic conditions, which includes UC.

 Under the ADA, employers with more than 15 employees must provide reasonable accommodations — adjustments that allow you to perform the essential functions of your job, such as making policy changes or providing access to facilities or equipment — if UC is affecting your ability to work.

In addition to the ADA, many states and local (city or county) governments have their own employment discrimination laws that cover disability.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides up to 12 weeks annually of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for serious health conditions, which includes UC. You can use this leave for severe flares that cause you to stay home, or for treatments like infusions or surgeries that require taking time off from work.

It’s helpful to know that you can take intermittent FMLA leave, says Haeggquist. That means you can break up the equivalent of 12 weeks into smaller pieces. For example, you can take off two days per month if you’ve run out of sick days and need the time for infusions; those days will count toward your 12-week total. Or you may ask to work part-time until you’re well enough to return to your job full-time.

To qualify for FMLA, an employee must have worked for at least 12 months (and at least 1,250 hours) for an employer, and that employer must have at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius. Also, your employer may require that you use all your paid leave to cover some or all of your FMLA period.

 And if you don’t qualify for FMLA or have employer-sponsored programs like adequate sick time or short-term disability insurance, you can ask for leave as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA for the same reasons as FMLA leave, even if your role involves duties that require you to be there in person.

As with the ADA, a number of states have enacted their own mandated paid and unpaid leave laws, some of which are more expansive than the FMLA, so check to see what your state offers before submitting a formal request for medical leave.

How to Request Workplace Accommodations When You Have UC

When planning a request, it's helpful to understand what type of accommodations you need and to be specific, says Haeggquist. These accommodations will address certain symptoms or issues that you anticipate experiencing, especially during a flare. Keep in mind that you can ask for temporary or permanent accommodations, and you may request different or new adjustments if your condition changes.

If you’re stumped for ideas about what changes might help you work more efficiently when you’re affected by UC symptoms, the U.S. Department of Labor–affiliated Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation both offer suggestions. Other examples include:

UC Symptom/Need
Reasonable Accommodation Request
Urgency/Frequency
Moving a workstation closer to a restroom, or allowing for remote work or a flexible schedule. If you're in a warehouse or factory setting, this may include allowing more breaks or having another employee close by to fill in for you.
Fatigue/Anemia
Allowing more frequent rest breaks, remote work, or having a place to sit down that is not a bathroom, such as an employee lounge.
Infusions/Appointments
Flexible scheduling (adjusting start and end times or days worked), remote work to allow for home or virtual appointments, or the use of intermittent FMLA leave.
Severity/Flares
Permission to work remotely when symptoms are intense.
Post-Flare Recovery
Modification of job tasks if work requires physical labor like lifting or standing for long periods. There may be a gradual return to the previous work schedule, depending on how much recovery time is needed.
Emergencies
A dedicated storage space for emergency supplies (extra clothes, wipes, odor neutralizer) that is easy to access quickly.
An employer may request a letter from your physician as part of the workplace accommodation negotiation, but keep in mind that you do not have to let them provide specific details, and may not even want to disclose your diagnosis, explains Ashkan Farhadi, MD, a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

"In general, if I'm asked to provide this type of letter, I'll likely only say the patient has gastrointestinal issues that would benefit from accommodations," he says. "I don't need to say they have UC [or] Crohn's disease … I prefer to keep it vague because that protects patient medical information. If they want to disclose a diagnosis to the employer, that's up to them."

Legally, your employer can ask for medical documentation of your disability, or the name of a diagnosis if it pertains to a specific accommodation request. But you’re never required to disclose your entire medical history, or even any information beyond what’s required to explain that specific request. Often, you can give them enough information to make a decision by mentioning only the nature of your illness, such as saying that you have a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that causes periods of remission and relapse (flares).

In terms of specific accommodations that could be useful in UC, that could also be in a letter, he says. For example, a physician may suggest that a work station or desk be moved closer to a bathroom.

Keep in mind that you may have to help guide your doctor when it comes to the accommodations process — one survey found that 35.8 percent of physicians said they had little to no knowledge of their own responsibility to patients under the ADA, so some may not be well-versed on the law.

If your doctor suggests sharing information you’re not comfortable disclosing, for example, you can show them guidelines from sources like the JAN or the ADA National Network.

 You or your doctor can reach out to both organizations for free, personalized help when drafting your accommodation request.

Avoiding Missteps With Accommodations

There can be challenges when it comes to making sure your accommodations are considered at a workplace, Haeggquist says. Common difficulties that you might encounter include:

  • Asking for accommodations after UC has already negatively affected your work performance. It's better to ask for accommodations in advance.
  • Talking only to a direct supervisor or manager about the issue rather than human resources. Even if your boss offers accommodations, you may not have the full legal protection you deserve if your HR department is unaware of the issue.
  • Only making a request verbally, such as in a meeting with HR. Even if the initial conversation is verbal, it's important to follow up with a request in writing so you have a paper trail for legal reasons.
  • Taking a denial as the final answer. If your request is rejected, you can ask for another meeting with HR to get details on the reason and discuss alternatives. An employer must engage in good-faith conversation throughout the process, even after a denial, to determine if there's an effective accommodation available.
Keep in mind that an employer doesn't have to provide an accommodation just because it's requested, and can claim that there would be significant difficulty or expense in meeting your needs, says Haeggquist. But the burden of proof would be on the employer.

If you feel that your accommodation requests are reasonable, but they're denied and you're not offered alternatives or additional discussion to find solutions, you may have the right to appeal with your employer, if they have such a policy. Asking for written documentation of why your request was denied can be helpful in formulating an appeal. If it’s unsuccessful, you can reach out to your state’s protection and advocacy agency for help; the JAN website has a list for each state.

If an appeal is unsuccessful, or if you face retaliation or discrimination, the next step you might choose to pursue is to file a legal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You also have the right to seek legal counsel, Haeggquist says.

 If you can't work effectively without accommodation and you're fired as a result, it's possible you may have a wrongful termination suit.

"Simply talking to an employment lawyer about what's going on doesn't mean you're suing the company, although that can happen in some instances," says Haeggquist. "Many times, you can gain clarity through understanding the company's legal obligations. Also, having an intermediary like an attorney send a letter to emphasize that they should be following the law can be helpful for them to take your requests seriously."

It's crucial to have protections in place sooner rather than later, as flares can come on suddenly and there may be little time for the accommodations process. Even if you're not experiencing UC symptoms now, and haven't had a flare in some time, thinking about — and asking for — what you need in advance can be useful, says Dr. Farhadi.

"[Many] people with UC have one or two flares per year, and those can last a couple weeks," he says. "Having a plan in place that includes work accommodations can make managing those easier."

The Takeaway

  • Ulcerative colitis symptoms that affect your ability to do your job can crop up suddenly, but legal protections give you the right to ask to modify certain aspects of how you work when you’re feeling ill, so that you can still carry out your duties, or take leave if needed.
  • Arranging in advance for reasonable accommodations at work can help ease any disruption, no matter what your profession.
  • When considering what accommodations you need, there are online resources that can help you come up with ideas.
  • If your employer denies your request and says their decision is final, you still have legal recourse.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  3. Fact Sheet #28: The Family and Medical Leave Act. U.S. Department of Labor. March 2025.
  4. Disability Evaluation Under Social Security: Digestive Disorders - Adult. Social Security Administration.
  5. Marvin S et al. Workplace Nondiscrimination Protections. Economic Policy Institute. September 29, 2025.
  6. Whaley BA et al. The Americans With Disabilities Act and Equal Access to Public Spaces. Laws. January 24, 2024.
  7. Family and Medical Leave (FMLA). U.S. Department of Labor.
  8. Leave. Job Accommodation Network.
  9. Rodgers JP. Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation Continues to Vex Employers. National Law Review. April 13, 2022.
  10. Paid Leave: State Family and Medical Leave Laws. National Conference of State Legislatures. November 7, 2025.
  11. FAQ: Basic ADA and Accommodation Process Questions. Job Accommodation Network.
  12. Frequently Asked Questions. Job Accommodation Network.
  13. Gastrointestinal Disorders. Job Accommodation Network.
  14. Iezzoni LI et al. US Physicians’ Knowledge About The Americans With Disabilities Act And Accommodation Of Patients With Disability. Health Affairs. January 2022.
  15. Your Employment Rights as a Person With a Disability and the ADA. ADA National Network.
  16. What Does "Reasonable" Mean? – A Deconstructive Series for ADA Terminology. Job Accommodation Network.
  17. Your Accommodation Request Was Denied. What Now? Job Accommodation Network.
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Yuying Luo, MD

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Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

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