Are Breast Cancer Diagnoses Costing Women Their Jobs?

Earlier this year, PBS featured a report revealing that poor women diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to lose their jobs during cancer treatment.

Why Are Poor Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer Losing Their Jobs?

In addition to telling the personal stories of women who were diagnosed with breast cancer and lost their jobs during cancer treatment, the PBS report provides statistics from a study published in Monday in Health Affairs, which backs up their report’s claim. According to the data from the study, poor women diagnosed with breast cancer are four times as likely to lose their jobs while undergoing cancer treatment as women who are more financially well off under the same circumstances. However, even women who are not poor are losing their jobs during breast cancer treatment. According to the study, 20 to 30 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer lose their jobs.

The reason that poor women with breast cancer are losing their jobs more frequently is that poor women’s workplaces tend to be less accommodating regarding the time off they will need during cancer treatment. In fact, data from a research study conducted by a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center that included 267 women undergoing breast cancer treatment, women with lower incomes were half as likely to have employers who let them keep their jobs during cancer treatment.

Our Law Firm Believes Victims Deserve Justice No Matter Their Financial Status

In the video below, personal injury lawyer Kenneth Rothweiler discusses a case he handled involving a client who died after a hospital failed to provide her with the necessary medical treatment, because she was on welfare.

As founder and senior shareholder of the firm, personal injury lawyer Stewart J. Eisenberg has represented victims of catastrophic injury and wrongful death for more than 35 years. He is one of the region’s most accomplished trial lawyers, with a long list of awards and recognition.