Diabetes is a difficult disease to deal with, and if you are diagnosed with type 1, you may need special accommodations at work or school to help ensure that you can successfully treat and manage your blood sugar. Below are some resources and useful links that can help you learn how to advocate for yourself and others while managing diabetes.
There are many laws, regulations, and legal codes that dictate how people with disabilities are to be accommodated in schools and in the workplace, and while we could spend hours discussing them all in detail, the most important core principle that they uphold is ensuring equal access and opportunity for all. A person with diabetes (or any disability) should be allowed the same opportunities and experiences as a person without type 1.
This video provides a concise introduction (about 8 minutes) to discussing accommodations and rights for people with type 1 diabetes in both schools and the workplace, and is a great place to get started before continuing with the rest of these articles.
Depending on whether you are a student or an employee, you are entitled to different rights and are protected by different laws. While there are many (often very nuanced) rights that you have, the lists below briefly summarize those that are most important in each situation.
Click the links below for a more detailed look into your rights as either a student or an employee.
You have the right to attend any school for which you are academically qualified.
You have the right to participate in any classes, programs, opportunities, or extracurriculars for which you are qualified.
You must be allowed to treat your diabetes in any way necessary that does not substantially interfere with the learning environment, or special accommodations must be made in order to allow you to do so.
You have the right to obtain any job for which you are qualified and can complete the necessary tasks safely, with or without accommodations.
You have the right to receive the same pay, benefits, and promotions for which you are qualified.
You must be allowed to treat your diabetes in any way necessary that does not substantially interfere with your duties, or special accommodations must be made in order to allow you to do so.
