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Talking to Your Employer About Migraines

As anyone who has experienced a migraine knows, completing work tasks—or any other tasks—can feel impossible when symptoms appear. Of people who deal with migraine disease, more than 90% say it affects their education, career and social activities.1 And more than 113 million workdays are lost each year in the U.S. due to migraines.2

While you aren’t required to disclose personal medical information to your employer, with migraines it can be a smart decision so they know what you’re experiencing and you can make a plan together.3 These tips can help you prepare for the conversation.

  1. Track your information. Keeping a record of your migraine attacks and triggers can help you explain which tasks or scenarios are important to avoid. Also keep note of how they affect your work performance.2
  2. Understand your rights. There are several laws that may protect you. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may apply if migraine disease “substantially limits one or more major life activities.” If you need to take time off work due to illness, you may qualify for up to 12 weeks unpaid leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).2
  3. Plan your accommodations request. The ADA entitles you to reasonable accommodations at work. Note any steps you’ve taken—or want to take—to make your environment as stress free as possible. This could include an anti-glare computer screen, an ergonomic chair, occasional breaks, sunglasses or therapeutic glasses, a water bottle or a cooling pack for your forehead.3,4 Given that perfume or cologne is a frequent trigger, you may want to ask coworkers not to wear it. Or you may want to change the lighting, which is also a common trigger.2,4
  4. Schedule a meeting. Don’t address the issue casually. Instead, schedule a meeting with your boss or human resources department and talk about the issue in a professional way.2 Consider bringing in a note from your doctor or a migraine fact sheet.3,4
  5. Educate your audience. Not everyone understands what a migraine is or how debilitating it can be, so it’s important to educate people about the symptoms and severity. Create and practice an elevator pitch—a few sentences that cover the key points—so you can comfortably and succinctly share what having a migraine attack feels like for you.4
  6. Plan for missed work. Discuss when and how work will be made up if you need to miss due to a migraine attack. Acknowledge that the situation may affect your coworkers as well. While migraines aren’t your fault, showing empathy for others can help create an open conversation.4

Along with these steps, be sure to make a plan for what happens when a migraine strikes at work. Find an advocate: someone who understands what you’re going through and can help you get home safely.

1. American Migraine Foundation. Living with Migraine. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/living-with-migraine/. Accessed October 22, 2019.

2. American Migraine Foundation. Migraine at Work. Available at: https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2611652/AMF%20-%20PC-%20Migraine%20at%20Work.pdf. Accessed October 23, 2019.

3. American Migraine Foundation. What to Do When a Migraines Comes Out of Nowhere and You Are at Work. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/what-to-do-when-migraine-strikes-at-work/. Accessed October 23, 2019.

4. American Migraine Foundation. Modeling Migraine Conversations. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/modeling-migraine-conversations/. Accessed December 5, 2019.