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# JAN’S ACCOMMODATION FACT SHEET SERIES

**Job Accommodations for People**

**with Chronic Pain**

Chronic pain is any frequent or continuous pain that has lasted for more than a few months. It may be generally described as any persisting pain that occurs beyond the usual course of a disease or beyond the reasonable time for an injury to heal. Chronic pain is different than the kind of acute pain that is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert an individual to possible injury; chronic pain persists for weeks, months, and even years. Symptoms of chronic pain are loss of appetite, depression, and exhaustion. The pain usually overwhelms all other symptoms and often individuals cannot work without some type of accommodation.

The following is a quick overview of some of the job accommodations that might be useful for people with chronic pain. For a more in depth discussion, access JAN's publications at http://askjan.org/media/atoz.htm.  To discuss an accommodation situation with a consultant, contact JAN directly.

**Activities of Daily Living:**

· Allow use of a personal attendant and/or service animal at work

· Make sure the facility is accessible

· Move workstation closer to the restroom

· Allow longer breaks

· Refer to appropriate community services

· Provide access to a refrigerator

# Depression and Anxiety: 

# · Develop strategies to deal with work problems before they arise 

# · Provide sensitivity training to coworkers 

# · Allow telephone calls during work hours to doctors and others for support 

# · Provide information on counseling and employee assistance programs

· Allow time off for medical treatment

# Fatigue/Weakness:

· Reduce or eliminate physical exertion and workplace stress

· Schedule periodic rest breaks away from the workstation

· Allow a flexible work schedule and flexible use of leave time

· Allow a self-paced workload

· Provide parking close to the work-site and an accessible entrance 

· Install automatic door openers

· Provide an accessible route of travel to other work areas used by the employee 

· Move workstation close to other work areas, office equipment, and break rooms

**Muscle Pain and Stiffness:**

· Implement ergonomic workstation design, i.e., ergonomic chair and adjustable workstation to alternate between sitting and standing

· Reduce repetitive tasks or interrupt the tasks with other duties

· Provide carts and lifting aids

· Modify work-site temperature and/or dress code 

· Use fan/air-conditioner or heater at the workstation

· Allow work from home during extremely hot or cold weather 

**Resources Specifically for People with Chronic Pain**

**American Academy of Pain Management**

13947 Mono Way #A 

Sonora, CA 95370

Fax: (209)533-9750

Phone: (209)533-9744

aapm@aapainmanage.org

http://www.aapainmanage.org 

**American Pain Foundation**

201 N. Charles Street, Suite 710

Baltimore, MD 21201-4111

Toll Free: (888)615-PAIN(7246)

info@painfoundation.org

http://www.painfoundation.org 

**International Association for the Study of Pain**

111 Queen Anne Ave North

Seattle, WA 98109-4955

Phone: (206)283-0311

Fax(206)283-9403

iaspdesk@iasp-pain.org

http://www.iasp-pain.org

**National Organization for Rare Disorders**

55 Kenosia Avenue

PO Box 1968

Danbury, CT 06813-1968

Toll Free: (800)999-6673

TTY: (203)797-9590

Fax: (203)798-2291

Phone: (203)744-0100

orphan@rarediseases.org

http://www.rarediseases.org/

Updated 3/23/10. 

This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Fact Sheet Series

Job Accommodations for People with Chronic Pain