Extended Employment program helps client with Long COVID get workplace support she needs

By Annie Berg • Lead Employment Counselor, Vocational Rehabilitation

Long COVID is real.

These four words may seem obvious to most; but to the population that is living with Long COVID, this statement is validating. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over 200 symptoms of Long COVID have been identified. Sufferers report symptoms from extreme fatigue to emotional illness to other mental health conditions. Seemingly once-healthy individuals now face barriers to employment as they navigate symptoms and diagnoses that are often invisible.

“I sure didn’t ask for this. I sure didn’t want it, but I’m stuck with it,” said Casey, a client of JFCS’ Extended Employment program.

Casey has been living with extreme fatigue and colitis since having COVID in 2022. When she returned to work, she found she needed to take additional breaks to manage symptoms. Her supervisor noticed this and advised her to clock out for these additional breaks.

“I have disclosed my Long COVID diagnosis, but it was not accepted (by my employer),” Casey said. “Long COVID is a known disability and I tried to challenge it, but it went nowhere.”

Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act was updated on July 26, 2021, to include Long COVID as a disability, which established federal protections for employees. Despite this designation, many employers are unaware of the change or even knowingly do not comply. Employees must manage symptoms while having limited support or inadequate working environments. This often leads to burnout or leaving their jobs altogether.

The goal of JFCS’ Extended Employment (EE) program is to help people with disabilities maintain their employment. By customizing the way we support clients, our employment counselors help them build a strong skillset they can use to overcome obstacles that hinder their full potential at work.

An employment counselor may determine that a client could benefit from having formal workplace accommodations. Together, the client and employment counselor can explore which accommodations are reasonable to request and how to submit a formal request with the employer. Familiarizing individuals with protections such as the Americans with Disabilities Act is a tool used to keep naive or malicious employers in check.

“This is so important to me to be a part of this program,” Casey said. “I feel supported and loved. When I returned from having COVID [my employment counselor] went above and beyond to help me get back to work. I was told that I could be strong, that I could keep fighting, and this helped me hang in there. I kept persevering and was resilient.”

Unfortunately, Casey’s story is all too common. She continues to struggle with symptom flares from time to time and still has an overly watchful supervisor – but she remains a committed employee who can contribute to the workplace and society. Her determination to overcome the barriers that she faces at work is a testament to her character and her commitment to growth with the help of the Extended Employment program.

Advocacy is at the heart of what our employment counselors do, and the best way to advocate for an individual with a disability is to empower them with skills they need so they can thrive. Most importantly, our counselors believe clients. We believe that individuals with disabilities deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

If you or someone you know could use support from the Extended Employment counselors, contact Cindy Uran Woodruff, Vocational Rehabilitation Program Manager, at 952-417-2104, or curan@jfcsmpls.org