Advocacy, Accommodations, and Washroom Breaks. Life with Crohn's Disease - Joshua Peterson
Joshua Peterson - Bio
Joshua is an expert in Workplace Accommodations with extensive experience as a Human Resources Professional and Benefits Specialist. He is dedicated to creating compliant solutions that enhance the employee experience through effective program management, cross-functional collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and coaching.
Joshua has contributed to major companies such as Meta, Boeing, and Air Liquide, showcasing his ability to navigate complex HR landscapes. He holds certifications in Mediation and Professional in Human Resources (PHR), along with a Life Insurance license, highlighting his comprehensive expertise in the field.
As the Head of Accommodations & Client Experience at Disclo, Joshua applies his 25 years of HR Programs experience, focusing on disability accommodations, to advise Disclo’s operations teams and clients. His work ensures the development of inclusive work environments that support individual needs.
Outside of his professional role, Joshua is a committed husband and father to four active children. He enjoys training for challenge runs and engaging in family adventures, demonstrating his passion for a balanced and active lifestyle.
Summary:
In this episode, Tim Reitsma talks with Joshua Peterson about the realities of living with Crohn's disease, spotlighting the crucial role of advocacy and the need for tailored workplace accommodations. They share personal stories that underscore the strength found in building community and the transformative power of speaking out.
Joshua emphasizes the significance of embracing one's story and advocating for oneself. He also highlights the role of employers in creating inclusive and supportive environments for employees with disabilities.
From navigating the challenges of invisible conditions to empowering others to advocate for their needs, this conversation sheds light on the intersection of personal experience and collective action.
Join us as we explore how embracing our stories can lead to meaningful change and support for everyone living with chronic illness, disabilities, and diseases, both apparent and non-apparent.
Takeaways:
Shared Experiences Connect: Tim and Joshua's shared experiences with Crohn's disease form the foundation for a deeply relatable and insightful discussion, emphasizing the importance of connection and support among those with invisible conditions.
Advocacy and Workplace Accommodations: Joshua's work in HR and his advocacy for workplace accommodations highlight the critical need for understanding and support for employees with disabilities, showcasing how technology like Disclo can bridge gaps between employees' needs and employers' capabilities.
The Role of Faith: Both speakers touch on the role of faith in their lives, illustrating how personal beliefs can offer strength and a sense of community, especially when facing life's challenges.
Impact of Invisible Conditions on Life and Work: The conversation sheds light on the profound impact invisible conditions like Crohn's disease can have on every aspect of life, including career development, family dynamics, and personal well-being.
Importance of Self-Advocacy: Joshua's story underscores the importance of self-advocacy, especially in seeking accommodations and understanding rights within the workplace. It serves as a powerful reminder of the individual's role in managing their condition and advocating for their needs.
Empowerment Through Sharing Stories: Both Tim and Joshua advocate for sharing personal stories to empower others, reduce stigma, and foster a supportive community for those living with invisible conditions. Their discussion highlights how storytelling can be a powerful tool for change and connection.
This episode not only provides valuable insights into living and working with Crohn's disease but also offers inspiration and practical advice for those navigating similar paths, emphasizing the power of community, advocacy, and resilience.
Definition, Resources and Example Accommodations:
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract.
Resources:
Community: Crohn's & Colitis Community
Example Accommodations: Restroom access, dietary accommodations, flexible work schedule, work from home, frequent rests.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Common Ground
02:14 Joshua's Background and Work Experience
07:28 Joshua's Diagnosis Story
15:01 Joshua's Journey with Crohn's Disease
25:20 Disclosing and Requesting Accommodations in the Workplace
35:38 Embracing Your Story and Ending Stigma
46:15 Building Solidarity through Shared Stories
47:02 Sharing Your Story and Supporting the Podcast
Transcript
Tim Reitsma
Joshua, we have a lot in common. We share a common condition called Crohn's disease. We share a common faith. We share some advocacy work that we do. And I'm excited to dive into this. I actually haven't recorded a podcast with someone else who has Crohn's. So I'm excited to kind of swap stories and share and hear your journey of living with this disease. So welcome to the Invisible Condition podcast.
Joshua Peterson
Hmm
Joshua Peterson
Thank you, Tim. It's really an honor to be here and I'm truly excited. I've never done an interview with someone else who has Crohn's either. And so I'm excited to see where the conversation goes. And just the fact that the way that we, I even connected with you was that I was in the middle of a treatment at an infusion center, you know, with a pick line in my arm getting an infusion. And then I was on LinkedIn and you had posted about when you were in the workplace at a certain employer and needing to get infusion treatments and then because of your increased time you needed out for your condition that there was some discrimination that was happening. I was sitting there going, wow, I'm here in this treatment. He's posting about this same exact treatment and this seems like a really cool connection that I need to make. And then learned about your podcast. I've listened to several episodes in the last month or so, whenever that was.
I'm really excited to be here and contribute my story and learn from you as well.
Tim Reitsma
the power of these algorithms that we have no idea how they work, how, yeah. When you reached out and said, hey, I'm sitting here getting an infusion of a medication I'm familiar with, and I heard your story and we need to connect. And I looked you up and saw that the work that you do, which is a lot of workplace accommodation work in what you're doing now, but also in the past at some rather notable companies, and thought this is someone.
Joshua Peterson
Right?
Tim Reitsma
we need to have on the show and just talk about. So I'm excited. And before we get into it, why don't you just tell us a little bit about who you are?
Joshua Peterson
Yeah, great question. So to start off, you know, from a personal standpoint, which I like to start from, you know, I've lived to work, not, you know, rather work to live, you know, put that first. So I'm married and have four kids who range from age 17 to 10, three boys, 17, 12 and 10 and a 15 year old girl quite tough being in the middle of three boys. And work career-wise, I have over 25 years in HR program management experience. I started my career in employee benefits during health and wellness benefits and then pension, foreign K administration. And then from there moved into leave management, which then morphed into ADA and accommodations and all that. And so now I have a good bulk of that 25 years at some point or capacity I've managed a part of or all of accommodations programs and managed somewhere probably close to a thousand individual accommodations cases that are employee-based cases for employers. As you said, some very notable large companies, aerospace, tech companies, oil and gas companies. And now for the little bit over a year, I joined called Disclo, a D-I-S-C-L-O, which is short for disclosure. And we provide the software platform that employers can use to allow their employees to confidentially and safely disclose a disability, make an accommodation request, and it's managed, they can track it, and the employer has the tools they need to track their request, do the things that keep them compliant and with the law and do things right. And so it's been a game changer for our clients. It's truly what I wish I had 10, 20 years ago when I was managing things for an employer. And it's just been super fun getting to use my experience to build a really game-changing thing out in the marketplace.
Tim Reitsma
Yeah, I love what you're doing. I love the software, at least what I've heard about it. A little fun fact that I made a connection a few weeks ago that Disclose founded by this wonderful person, her name is Hannah, who also founded a company called Chronically Capable, which is a great job board for those who have a disability and are looking for employers, but also match up employers to very capable employees. I listened to Hannah on a podcast a little over a year, probably almost a year and a half ago, she was a guest and I was driving, we were driving, my wife was in the car and I remember looking at her saying, this is what I need to do. And so Hannah was, you know, she doesn't know it but she was a huge catalyst and an inspiration behind Invisible Condition. So it's come full circle. This is a lot of fun to make those connections.
Joshua Peterson
That's amazing. That's amazing that you have that connection. You were inspired by Hannah, and now you're getting to interview one of her company's early employees. And so that's really super cool. She's gonna love hearing that. She is very inspirational and herself has a disability story. She survived Lyme's disease that she got shortly after graduating from college in her first real career and had to be on.
IV medications for multiple hours a day. And eventually the employer said, hey, you can't keep bringing that into the workplace. You've got to make a decision. She ultimately left rather than be fired and realized years later, hey, that was really discrimination. They even talked to her about accommodations or how can we make you successful and those things. And so she has a real story there. And then the other co-founder, Kai Kean, he grew up in Japan with a blind aunt and his uncle, the aunt married, the husband being the working at the lighthouse for the blind in Japan, which is one of the largest providers of opportunities and employment and training and services to the blind and visually impaired. So his life has been intertwined with disability as well. And they're just the perfect people intrinsically motivated to be doing what they're doing. And it goes all the way through the company culture. And it's just so cool to be connected with other really motivated folks to help people with disabilities get what they need and help employers to provide services, have inclusive and safe workplaces. It's super excited. And then, myself, which I'm sure we'll get to in a minute, a little more specific, I have a disability experience myself as well with it, invisible condition. So, yeah.
Tim Reitsma
Yeah, it's again, just excited to see the work that you're doing, the work that you have done as someone who has an invisible condition. And so let's talk about that. I'd share as much detail as little detail as you're comfortable. Like I'm curious about your diagnosis story and how you came to realize that you have this, this disease.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah. So it started when I was 20 years old. I graduated, you know, high school, been out of high school a bit. At that time, I didn't go to college. I actually mid high school, my junior year, started a youth ministry at the city Conroe, Texas, to our youth services. And I just felt like I didn't want to leave that and go off to college really felt like to trust the Lord and things would come around. And so I stayed local and I started working. I thought I want to learn some type of trade with my hands. And so some people that I knew had a cabinet shop. And so I started working there part-time my senior year in high school. And they went full-time after I graduated. So I'm in a cabinet shop with a bunch of guys building cabinets cutting wood and all that. And then all of a sudden, man, I'm feeling bad. And I am, you know, you can't avoid the fact that when you're dealing with Crohn's or, you know, an IVD situation, it's frequent restroom breaks that can take up a significant part of your day. And so I'm having to go multiple times. It's awkward, it's weird. I'm in pain, I'm uncomfortable, and I have no idea what's going on.
And that eventually, I had felt that for a number of weeks or maybe a month or more. And I'm like, something's really going on here. So I started going to a doctor, got into care. They did all the typical scopes everywhere and said, hey, you have, it's called ulcerative colitis, what they said at that point. Ulcerative colitis, which means you've got ulcers all throughout your intestinal tract and they're going to cause pain, and inflammation.
I got on a steroid medication and it took care of it in a number of weeks. I had probably lost 10, 15 pounds. I'm six feet tall. I'm healthy, 185-ish now. I was at that time, about that, I was already 20 years old, so pretty much done growing. I lost some weight, felt some pain, was uncomfortable, but it kind of went away and I didn't have any problems and life moved on. I still ate not so great as a 20-year-old single guy living with some roommates, you know, and life went on. And then a couple of years later, life screeched to a hard stop in the reality of the condition that I was living with hit me full on. About three years later, when I was 21 years old, again, started with some discomfort and all these things, but all of a sudden I'm having just buckling pain. A couple of weeks in, you know, from my second floor apartment, if I'm going down the stairs
Joshua Peterson
step too hard, the jiggling just of my intestines just would hurt significantly. I started dropping weight pretty quickly. And so I got into the doctor again, all that stuff, the other intestines said, Oh, you have Crohn's disease, which is you, you know, you've been upgraded to Crohn's disease, you know, which is not like getting upgraded from economy to, you know, business or, or there are no benefits. There are no frequent flyer miles.
It is not an upgrade that you want to have. And for the next months from December of 2021 through June of 2022, that would be completely control and dictate what I could do and how I lived. Just so that I could work, I was having to do liquid foods in the morning for lunch and then trying to eat like some type of semi-solid dinner, ended up with, you know, this as a condition stricture. So, you know, your intestine is scarring tissue, very small. And so when you're trying to digest food, it hits that, and it's incredibly painful as it tries to like, you think like a toothpaste tube, you're trying to squeeze out all this volume, and it's like all that pressure behind there, you feel that inside. And it isn't just it's excruciating pain. And so for months, I experienced that every time I would eat. So I wouldn't, I would eat liquids during the day, just so that I could try to work. I'm over that seven months. I did have to take medical leave a couple of times for a couple of weeks at a time. Um, I was on different medications and really, you know, three or four months in, I'm literally like begging my doctor can like, can surgery take care of this? And they're going, well, you.
It's a section that's really sensitive in the intestine. It's called the terminal ilium. It's near where the small intestine joins the large intestine. And you really don't want to have to do things there. That's a very important part of your body. Um, if devout, the joining there, you know, has a problem. And so they said, we're just going to wait, we're going to wait, we're going to wait, and maybe it'll break, you know, all these medications. Um, and then, um, it was probably, it was around May or so, um, I'm then waking up at night, um, needing to.
Joshua Peterson
use the restroom five, six, seven, eight times a night. And so your body's wiped out, fighting a condition. I've gone from like a healthy 185 to like a 150, 140 something pounds, pale, frail, bony cheeks, all this. And now I'm not sleeping at all because I'm waking up so many times. Go to the doctor and they look, do a scan and say, your intestines are swelling and crowding your bladder. So I couldn't hold volume and I was needing to wake up all the time to go to the restroom. And then it was early June that I was at work. And literally what I would believe it could feel like if I were stabbed with a knife, not to be too graphic, I felt an excruciating pain in my abdomen. I fell on the floor at work under my desk and crawled my way out of there and then figured out something bad's going on. I just texted my manager, I have to leave, called my doctor, went in and it ended up that my intestines had opened up into my bladder. And so there was damage then that had to be repaired through surgery. They put me on a super high dosage of antibiotics for the next week until I'd get into surgery and then I had to have surgery. So that was June of 2002. And they removed about a foot of my small intestine. And I was in the hospital for a week. I entered, I was 135 pounds when I entered surgery from 185, 135, crawling across the floor, all that, and had surgery. And in the hospital week, coming to my post-op a couple weeks later, and I felt so much better. The surgery did kind of break the flare and I was able to like kind of get months later into normalist life. I had to watch what I eat. I had to figure out, you know, what can my body tolerate? That really, you know, woke me up to change my lifestyle to be more healthy from a diet perspective, all those things. But that was my first like major awakening of knowing what I was really dealing with and kind of.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah, needing to get a grasp on things. And it was totally life changing and horrific. The worst, like six months of my life.
Tim Reitsma
That sounds like an incredible journey. And thank you for sharing. I can resonate with a lot of what you're saying. A lot of memories are coming up for me as well. And, you know, until I think, until you experience that pain of a blockage where your intestines just aren't, nothing's moving.
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Joshua Peterson
Hmm.
Tim Reitsma
I, mean, that's painful. And here you are today. You've come through, you had to have surgery. I mean, it was a forced surgery. And how are you doing now?
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah, so, you know, you asked me when we first met, like, have you ever told your story and, you know, why now? And I said, I never have. Like, my whole story, of course, I've told it in, you know, private circles many times as when it's been necessary. But it's interesting, I do this work in accommodations and advocating for people with disabilities telling a company, yeah, no, this is actually reasonable. I think, you know, you can't deny this. You do need to consider this employee's request, even if it means, you know, happen to do a little bit of work and actually accommodate some things, right? I haven't really shared my own story because I said to you that my condition has not been for the last 22 years since surgery, has not been an active issue that's affected my life too much. I feel like so many people are so much worse off than I am and all that.
But I love what your response was to that. If you wanna share that perspective just for your audience.
Tim Reitsma
Let's see if I can remember. And I think it's, you know, for, regardless of if it's been in remission or not, we all have a story and it's your story. And for me, sharing openly and honestly and vulnerably gives others permission. And I've had so many guests who also have used that phrase. It feels like it unlocks something, it gives permission. And there's power in our story.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Tim Reitsma
and it drives that deeper connection. And for me, if I never shared on LinkedIn, we would never be here right now. I would never know a guy named Joshua Peterson, never. Maybe you would come across, right? I would never have recorded a podcast earlier this week with this wonderful person, her name is Deanna. We talked about grief after, never would have met her. She's so wonderful. I could see friendships flourishing out of-
Joshua Peterson
It's a great point.
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Tim Reitsma
sharing what makes us our version of normal. So not sure if that's exactly what I said, but
Joshua Peterson
Pretty much, you just said it's personal. And so your story is your story and how pain and hardship affected me is different. And I love that perspective. And so it is incredibly important to share a story. And I've encouraged so many people to share their own stories. And I host LinkedIn lives and webinars with people sharing their stories. And so it's just, it's interesting. And so I'm really grateful for the opportunity.
So, you know, 20-ish years, other than kind of some, you know, speed bumps of condition, just kind of like, oh, this, I don't feel so great. I need to kind of, you know, take a break, be less active, you know, whatever, take a break on coffee, you know, kind of things like that. I hadn't had a significant issue until mid-2021 when, I'm sorry, mid-2022.
Joshua Peterson
I started not feeling so great around March, April, told my wife about it, which itself is a choice. I'm like, I don't want to worry. Hurry. It's kind of this thing of I don't want to burden people. Just get the help you need. Talk, talk, and be open. Welcome. Invite people in, especially my wife who I so just trust with my life, everything. So let her know after a couple of weeks how I was feeling.
We now live in the Austin area, nowhere near my previous doctors. And so took some time to find the right specialist to go see. And started getting checked up and realized that, yeah, there's some activity and symptoms going on in my intestines. And had been for some time, obviously, from where things are at.
Again, some stricturing happening, not to the point of like I'm feeling it, but if we don't do something about it, I will be feeling it. Ulceration happening that is going to, you know, could bring on the kind of flare like I had previously, if not, you know, treated or, you know, taken care of. So Amelia made a decision of, well, we took some time to, you know, kind of investigate, but eventually got made a decision on an infusion, you know, medication to get on.
I started that in September of 2022, which is the same month that I left an employer that I was with, had been with for three years, and went kind of a few months on my own, looking at doing some consulting and various things, and then found the opportunity for Disco in January of 2023. Started with them, which has been just life changing in itself from a just work value standpoint, but started getting in those treatments September, October. And so it's been about, you know, coming up on a year and a half ish. And after being on it for a year, had another, you know, regimen test of things, learned that the stricturing had opened up. So that's a good thing. But due to other things, we've increased the, you know, managing condition or managing symptoms when I feel them actively, uh, under treatment for, for Crohn's again. And, uh, you know, something that now has to take thought and, um, and attention. So we're doing, you know, what we can now to prevent something further.
Tim Reitsma
You said something that kind of broke my heart, which was you took a break from coffee. And I, I've told my doctor, I'm like anything, but giving up coffee. I just can't give up coffee, please. So yeah. Are you, are you still a coffee drinker? Or are you, have you given it up? Are you, uh,
Joshua Peterson
For the video, here's some cold brew right here in my tumbler, right on the side of my desk. So, I haven't given it out, but I have reduced. I did see a nutritionist around that September of 22 time again, and she said, two cups a day. I was like, you mean, can I choose my cup size and sip on it throughout the day? So I try to stick pretty close to that on most days. My white helps a lot as well.
It's just something you got to make choices. And then my wife again is like, hey, let's do an allergy test and just make sure there's nothing, any unknowns that are causing inflammation. And I thought centrally in my surgery that I was lactose intolerant. It turns out I have a dairy allergy. So I have to completely avoid all dairy. So I've learned to be dairy free. I'm very glad to be living in the modern time where you can get a lot of alternatives that are plant-based that actually tastes good.
It's supposed to be a, you know, butter, but it tastes like alfalfa sprouts or something, you know, but it actually tastes like butter. So, uh, yeah, that's exciting. But, uh, yeah, a lot of things just happen to manage that we're continuing to learn and really, really pay attention to. You know, it's, it's a thing of, I mean, I have four active kids. We love to be outdoors. You love to do things. We can, we've got a, all bikes, skateboards. And so, um, and of course, you know, my wife and while we're, you know, so youngish and just that, um, I would do anything to.
Tim Reitsma
Hahaha
Tim Reitsma
Yeah.
Joshua Peterson
nearly anything to keep a healthy level of activity. And so it's something to be taken seriously. So, I mean, I would say for anybody that, you know, has a condition and you learn that you have, there's something to go on, just listen to your doctors, do your research, take it seriously. The quality of life part is, you know, just so incredibly valuable to me.
Tim Reitsma
It is, and I think that's an important thing to communicate to your health practitioners. You know, it's, in the past, I've got a great doctor now, big shout out to Dr. Rosenfeld, he's phenomenal, and his care team is just wonderful. And I've been very clear saying, I miss going hiking with my kids or snowshoeing in the winter or biking or camping.
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Tim Reitsma
And it's always in the back of my mind that I will likely have an accident. And we need to get past that because I can't go on for the next, you know, kind of midway through my life. I can't, you know, I can't imagine another 40 years of, of not, um, not wandering too far away from a washroom. So what are we going to do? And, you know, I've, I wrote an article on self-advocacy and, and asked a few people to weigh in on that as well. Because.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah, yeah.
Tim Reitsma
It's so, so important to learn how to advocate for yourself and not just take necessarily face value. It's, we know how we're feeling. So for medications, we don't feel that it's working. We need to talk to our doctors about that. We need to say, what is going on? What's next?
Joshua Peterson
Absolutely. I agree.
Tim Reitsma
So you've worked with thousands of people to get accommodations in the workplace. And you're working for a software company who works with organizations to say, hey, this accommodation process doesn't have to be arduous and terrible. And now you're saying, hey, you're telling us your story for the first time in a public forum.
What would you say to someone who is maybe even in the workplace saying, Hey, I'm, I need to disclose because it's now affecting my work. How, how should somebody go ahead and, and have that conversation with their employer?
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah, so I'm going to talk to the employee and then to the employer as well. So to the employee, my hope is that you work for an organization where you feel like you'll be heard, where you feel like it's not a company that just, you know, wants to check the legal box and say we had the conversation, but actually cares about their employees, about inclusion and about, you know, really making a difference for each individual employee who might be struggling.
Um, and I, I also know that if you're at the point where you feel like you might need to disclose and, and request some accommodation or support that you've probably been working, uh, like in addition to your full-time paid job, a part-time unpaid job of managing your condition on the side and hidden at work and masking and all those things. And it's, it's just exhausting and the employer should hear that as well. It's exhausting for your employees. So the way that you should start with the conversation is, you know, you can, if your company doesn't have resources or have a process, I would, number one, I would go to your human resources person and, you know, let them know that, you know, you have a disability and condition and that you need to request, you know, an accommodation or support within the workplace. And I'll say that you take your, keep your own notes and document everything, have a conversation and send an email to recap it just for your own protection. Documentation is important. And then hopefully they can direct you to the process. If the company doesn't have forms, you can, at disclo.com, we are putting out resources for employee request forms, approval forms that employers can use and those things. You can get that from us and just fill that out and give that to your employer that requests the type of support you need. From there, what we do about really knowing your and the responsibilities that your employer must have under the law, which again, not to plug the company all the time, but on our blog, on our resources, we have a great article about a reasonable accommodation process and the rights and responsibilities for the employee and employer. And that's a great resource for you. But your employer is required to consider your request and have what's called an interactive dialogue or interactive process where you literally interact. It's meant to be a collaborative process between employee and employer.
Joshua Peterson
where they hear your request, they decide if it's something that they would find reasonable, that it's practical to be able to be implemented, it doesn't cause an undue hardship. If they think it's not, then they need to have some alternatives to discuss with you and you can go back and forth and try to find a solution that meets your need and doesn't impact the employer's productivity and those types of things and really helps you to do your essential functions of your job as a term under the law what the job is meant for, the key features or key functions. And so if you can find an accommodation that does those things, then the employer likely under the law is required to give you that accommodation and at least trial it and document if it's effective in supporting you to do your job and for the employer to remain productive, et cetera. So to recap, talk to whoever is your point person, HR person.
Ask them for the company's policy and resources. If they don't have it, use our website to get a form to submit your request, document things, and then engage in that interactive process with your employer until you can find a solution.
Tim Reitsma
I love that. I learned so much in less than 10 minutes right there. So I know there's gonna be people listening to this who have struggled to bring this to their employer who don't necessarily feel comfortable sharing that they need some accommodation and know that you don't have to share. You don't have to go into all the details of what's going on.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Tim Reitsma
If your employer asks, you don't need to share those details.
Joshua Peterson
Yep, absolutely. And, you know, what I was going to just mention, you know, to say to the employer, but that's it, and it would come up, but, you know, the note to the employee is you are not required to disclose your specific disability or medical condition. Um, under the law, you just have to be certified that you have a disability that, um, significantly impacts one of your major life activities is what the term is under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar laws globally. And they have a global audience 10 year in Canada.
So all the laws use some type of similar language, but if it significantly impacts your life or a major life activity, then you have a disability. And so you really just need your doctor or physician to certify that you do, in fact, have a disability and it does impact these major life activities. And this is how it interferes with your job responsibilities. And therefore, this is the accommodation the doctor supports you getting in the workplace.
They do not need to know your specific disability. And so to the employer, in order to have a really safe and inclusive environment where your employees feel like they can get support, because you really do want your employees to feel like they can request support. I know you just had Miles on a few weeks ago, or at least you released a couple weeks ago. I just listened to his podcast a couple days ago. He supports disability employment.
I love his article and I was like, some of his stats and data is exactly what I always have on the top of my mind. He mentioned the Department of Labor, I believe, but also the Job Accommodation Network, AskJan.org. They've done a multi-year study with employers on what's the cost of an accommodation. Over 50% say that there is zero cost to an accommodation the majority that do have a cost, it's $300 or less. Now to hire and replace an employee, it can be 10 to $14,000 depending on the survey you look at. The ripple effect that it has on the team that has to shoulder someone's job load or the manager who's already like overburdened and managing and all the administrative stuff that the company puts on them. And then they've got to take on workload of an employee who's no longer there because they didn't feel like they could request support because the company doesn't care, isn't inclusive, or might discriminate and push them out. It's actually not just best for your employees, it's best for the company that they be inclusive, they create a safe environment where employees feel like they can request support and be taken seriously, treated with dignity, and to be understood that, hey.
A lot of people over their lifetime are going to experience disability or a serious, um, limiting medical condition, whether that's permanent or long, you know, long-term, temporary or somewhere in the middle, or it's episodic. Oh, you know, most people, a full one fourth of people will have a disability over their lifetime. And that doesn't, you know, regardless of, you know, race, religion, sexual orientation, identity, all those things.
You know, that's disability touches all. And so having a environment that's safe for your employee disability disclose is best for the employer as well. You retain an employee, employees who feel included are more productive. They work harder, they're more dedicated to the company and that's gonna pay in dividends to the employer over time. So listen, care, publish your policies, make it easy to understand talk about examples of where the company has included folks and accommodated employees, let your employees know that they can trust you.
Tim Reitsma
Again, so much wisdom right there. And I'm going to have to take this podcast and convert it into an article as well, because there's so much rich insights there, Joshua. Thank you for sharing. And I see your passion. I feel your passion as you're talking about this and saying like employers, some employers are doing really well. That's great. Some employers, it's time to, it's time. It's time to...
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Tim Reitsma
ensure that you are including those with disability in your organization. And so, you know, as somebody, you're like yourself who lives with a disability, lives with Crohn's disease. Um, you've said you've shared with friends you've shared in, in your circle and, but not necessarily very publicly. And for someone who might be listening to this and is saying, yeah, I, I want to put my voice to my condition because my condition has maybe had power over me and now it's my turn to take that power back. What would you say to someone who is thinking about embracing their story?
Joshua Peterson
Well, it can be certainly hard sometimes to embrace.
Joshua Peterson
I think there is, obviously, I think in today's culture, a lot of emphasis put on being positive, looking polished, collected, the social media highlights reels that everyone's always sharing, the glowing pictures of the family that you and I know took like 30 minutes to get that one picture in like 75 and you had to bribe your kids with ice cream if they'll just smile one more time kind of thing. But that's how life is, right? It's messy and it's hard sometimes. And so just, I think, going through the process of accepting is really difficult for a lot of people. And so if you can first just fully embrace and accept your situation.
And know that really a lot of people are struggling and just not talking about it. You are not alone, you're not the only one. Hopefully you know somebody you can really honestly open up with and share with, who can show care and compassion and understanding. But I'd say first the process of embracing, which might go through a little bit of grief and loss, like realizing that you're losing some functioning, losing some ability to be active.
You know, losing some ability to produce work like you used to be able to without missing a beat. And just embrace that and then advocate for yourself. And like I said, Tim, earlier, I want to find that article you wrote on self-advocacy. And I understand you have a guest coming out. They've written a book on self-advocacy. I'm looking forward to that too. But advocate for yourself. So know your rights and responsibilities under the law. And just become comfortable just integrating your full self and your condition into life. And so, you know, it doesn't have to be like, I have Crohn's disease and it causes this kind of pain and that kind of pain just to say I have a serious health condition and it will work best for me if we can plan for blank and okay, yeah, you know, I'll be able to fully be involved in this event if we can.
Joshua Peterson
You know, have such and such. And most people will make room for that.
Tim Reitsma
Yeah, in the workplace as well as our friend groups, right? If how many, how many people in our friend groups, for me, uh, last year when my Crohn's came out of remission with vengeance, a lot of people didn't know that I lived with Crohn's and now they all do because we needed support. We had to lean on some people for help. And when we started telling people, people were. Grateful and wanted to help and said,
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm. Yep.
Tim Reitsma
didn't just say, what can I do? They said, what time are you home so I could bring home over a meal? Hey, I'll take the kids today because I'm sure you need a break. Or, hey, do you need a ride to your appointment? People want to help, people are willing to help. And often what I found is if we wait for that help, it might not come. So finding our voice.
Joshua Peterson
Yes.
Joshua Peterson
True.
Tim Reitsma
You could be public on a podcast or on social media or just with your friends. You don't need to go to the tallest mountain and shout. It could be as simple as, I'm gonna talk to a couple of my friends about what I need. And there's power to that. And you're taking the power of your life back. And so I love that, right? I love that insight. So Joshua, as we look to wind down.
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Joshua Peterson
Absolutely.
Joshua Peterson
That's great.
Tim Reitsma
I ask all my guests this, there's so much stigma that surrounds invisible conditions. And I'm thinking selfishly even for my kids, if they live with something and as they enter school and with the workforce in the future, I don't want them to live with the stigma that surrounds us. How can we end? Aside from, hey, we've got to tell more stories. I'm just curious, like, is there anything on top of mind and how are we going to end the stigma that surrounds invisible conditions?
Joshua Peterson
Well, you know, the area that I think about that the most is from the employer-employee relationship perspective. That is where a lot of individuals find a pain point, stress, and anxiety because, you know, most of us need to work, earn some cash to pay for life, pay for our bills cover family members who rely on us, or just the things we need to be comfortable. And so feeling threatened, feeling that your livelihood is going to be threatened if you talk about your medical condition or advocate for yourself and ask for support is a big, big problem. And so that's, you know, but part of my kind of life work is to help employers embrace some of the things we're saying that just by showing care and supporting an employee and probably spending 300 or less or zero, you're gonna retain somebody who's gonna be really grateful and stay because they may be worried if they leave, but the next employer support them. You show them support, they're probably yours for a good, they consider a bound of time. So realizing to give the support, if you're whether you're HR, manager, company, that you start to have these discussions inside of your company and say that, we're gonna be public and open about that. We're gonna be inclusive. We're gonna be open. We're gonna go get consulting help from like Disco or talk to us about the support of our software package to manage things the right way for your employees and start to make a difference. And then I would say, for individuals, you do have to have some self advocacy.
The world isn't in a place where everybody can just, you know, put their hands up and, you know, the road is paved for us, you know, unfortunately. We do have to advocate for ourselves and make a place. So learn to do that, learn to be comfortable. And my hope is that we get to a place where people are just okay with the fact that life changes, that surprises happen, medical conditions happen, disabilities happen.
Joshua Peterson
And it is different for each one of us. And so understanding an individual's needs, caring and making space so that they can be the best that they can be is just going to eventually kind of evolve as the right thing to do.
Tim Reitsma
It's so good. It's, there's a two-prong approach to this from an individual and the institution, whether it's work or school, as well as it's, you said something earlier, it's about embracing your condition. And yet it might come with some grief and some loss, but how do we turn that into power and take back the power that in some cases, our conditions have taken from us?
Tim Reitsma
just like you're doing, you're sharing your story publicly. I thought maybe in the future we can swap colonoscopy stories. I'm working on a draft of a book, as people have asked me to, and I just kind of want to write a book about colonoscopy, how to prep for a colonoscopy. And working on a title, it's called A Peak Inside. So, you know, playing around with that. So, yeah. And so...
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Joshua Peterson
No! I love that, I love the pun there. Oh man, that's amazing.
Tim Reitsma
And I've talked to so many people. I actually had an encounter at my dentist and it's like, yeah, with Crohn's, they have a lot of scopes and this and that. And the hygienist was like, can I ask you a very personal question? I'm like, yeah, she's like, how do you prep for a colonoscopy? And I was like, oh, here's my tips and tricks. I don't know. This is what's worked for me. And it's not enjoyable, but here you go. And so I've helped others now. And so, you know, even that it's like.
Joshua Peterson
Wow. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yep.
Tim Reitsma
most of us in our lives, whether you're healthy, you probably have to go for a scope. And so, you know, it's a scary thing. For me personally, I love watching the camera. Maybe it's like I'm sick in that way, but I'd like to see what's going on. But anyways, maybe that's a conversation for another day. But...
Joshua Peterson
If you can turn it into entertainment or it's a natural thing like watching TV that's actually enjoyable then I'm sure it helps.
Tim Reitsma
Yeah, exactly. It's, yeah. I had a friend recently who was like, are you fully sedated? I'm like, well, for mine, I'm not, but I know others are. And I'm in a happy place. And I ask a lot of questions that I'd never remember what they were when I wake up, but I think I was telling jokes. And anyways, yeah.
Joshua Peterson
Uh huh.
Joshua Peterson
Right, exactly. That's amazing. I will buy your book or ebook or whatever, however you do it. If you do a white paper, a PDF download, you know, I will check it out and see what you have there. Yeah.
Tim Reitsma
Thanks for watching!
Tim Reitsma
Oh, it's going to be fun. Yeah. Just so many, so many ideas on how we can, you know, it's serious topics and how we can bring just some light and light and humor and just some hope into this world and, and Joshua, you, you're bringing a lot of hope just by the work you're doing and by kind of saying, putting your flag out and your foot down and saying, I live with Crohn's and there's many others that do.
Joshua Peterson
Mm-hmm.
Tim Reitsma
And my condition is different than yours, but yet there's solidarity in sharing our story. So thank you so much for, for coming on and sharing.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Joshua Peterson
Absolutely, Tim. Thanks for the opportunity. Thanks for doing what you're doing. It made a way for me to consider, you know, being more open and public about my situation. I really hope that it's something that can help some people. I'm grateful for our friendship. I want that to continue and we'll continue to work together and do things and look forward to supporting, you know, what you're doing.
Tim Reitsma
And for those who are listening, if you're feeling called to share your story, reach out, go to invisible condition and you'll find the form there to fill out to submit to maybe a potential podcast and your story. And also if you have the means, the way we keep this going is through donations. And so again, I don't like asking for support, but we need the support. So if you head to invisible condition you'll see the donate button there.
Joshua Peterson
Yeah.
Tim Reitsma
and every little bit helps. And then my third ask is, please subscribe, please rate and leave a rating for the podcast because that also helps others discover what we're up to. So with that, Joshua, I hope you have an amazing day and I hope your next scope, whenever that is goes fast and it's smooth.
Joshua Peterson
Thank you so much. That's a great thing to end with, and I wish the same for you as well. I hope it's a great day. We'll talk soon.
Tim Reitsma
All right. Talk soon.
