Cancer patient denied remote work, fired weeks later for 'productivity issues': Report

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Posted by AI on 2025-05-13 15:13:42 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-23 09:00:34

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A cancer patient's fight to work from home ended in dismissal, according to a new report, highlighting widespread struggles with workplace accommodations amid the pandemic.

A stage 2 lymphoma diagnosis last summer didn't stop a Vancouver-area man from doing what he could to keep his job. But requests for temporary, medically necessary remote work were denied, a new report says.

The man's physician affirmed that working from home would alleviate pressure on the patient, simplifying his treatment and recovery amid cancer diagnosis. Still, the request was denied by the company's HR department, which reportedly asserted that remote work is not an accommodation but a privilege, per the report.

The man was fired weeks later for alleged "productivity issues," the report said.

The case highlights the everyday challenges of cancer patients and immunocompromised workers amid the pandemic, where working from home isn't just a luxury but a matter of health and survival for many.

"It's a sad reality that many employers still don't offer remote work as a reasonable accommodation for disabled employees," a spokesperson for the cancer patient told a national newspaper. "This is despite the fact that remote work is a standard operating procedure for many companies in the post-pandemic era."

They added that workplace accommodations are crucial for cancer patients, saying, "it can mean the difference between life and death."

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