Multiple sclerosis support at work

There is a lot you can do to support employees who have multiple sclerosis (MS). MS can affect a person in many different ways, so it’s important to be flexible. You can get funding to help with workplace changes, equipment and support services.

Understanding multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system. It can affect the way the nerves of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves send signals to muscles. The experience of MS varies from person to person. People may have times when their symptoms improve, get worse or they have no symptoms at all. Symptoms can include:

• problems with control of the body - muscle spasms and problems with weakness, coordination, balance and movement
• tiredness and being sensitive to heat
• other neurological symptoms - including dizziness, pins and needles, speech changes, nerve pain and vision problems
• neuropsychological symptoms - including depression and problems with concentration and memory
• changed bladder and bowel control.

Heat, cold and stress can also affect some symptoms.

Making workplace adjustments to support your staff

Symptoms are unique to each person with MS, the key is to be flexible and provide a supportive workplace. You may need to review an employee’s job duties and needs over time, to help them stay independent at work. Following are adjustments you can make to support your employee based on their needs.

Supporting daily living

To help employees with activities of daily living, you can:

• let them have a support worker as needed
• let them use a service animal at work
• make sure the toilets and kitchen are accessible for mobility aids and wheelchairs
• make sure their workstation is close to the toilets
• let them take longer breaks or more frequent short breaks
• consider whether they can work from home
• provide access to a fridge - some people with MS may need to use cooling products to keep their body temperature stable.

Supporting focus and memory

To help employees who have trouble with focus and memory, you can:

• give instructions in writing where possible
• prioritise their job assignments
• allow the employee flexible working hours
• allow the employee regular rest periods
• provide the employee memory aids like schedulers and organisers
• allow the employee to work at their own pace
• reduce job stress.

See also our guide supporting problem solving, concentration, and memory at work.

Helping with tiredness or weakness

To help employees who experience fatigue or weakness, you can:

• reduce or remove physical effort needed to do the job and workplace stress
• schedule regular rest breaks for the employee away from their workstation
• allow the employee a flexible work schedule and flexible use of leave
• let the employee work from home
• provide ergonomic workstations – that is, workstations that are designed to be comfortable and easy to use
• support the employee to use a scooter or other mobility aid if they need to walk as part of their job.

Supporting fine hand coordination

To help employees who need support with fine motor skills such as writing, you can provide:

• an ergonomic workstation
• assistive technology, such as voice recognition software, so the employee doesn’t need to type and use a mouse
• forearm supports for computer use
• pen grips for writing
• a page turner.

See also our guide to supporting employees with conditions that affect the upper and lower limbs.

Supporting movement around the workplace

To help employees who need support with moving around, you can make changes to make your workplace wheelchair accessible. For example, make sure hallways are clear and that the employee’s desk is high enough to fit their legs under. The employee should be able to access all areas in the workplace they need to use.

You can also provide:

• accessible parking close to the workplace entrance
• an accessible entrance such as an automatic opening door
• an accessible bathroom – consider access, door widths, use of rails, and location of the hand basin, soap dispenser and dryer or towels
• an accessible kitchen – Provide an urn or use a kettle tipper for the kettle. Also ensure the microwave and items are at the right height.

Supporting temperature control

To help employees who experience heat sensitivity, you can:

• adjust the workplace temperature such as by blocking direct sunlight coming though windows
• set up air conditioners and fans at their workstation
• let the employee take leave as it suits them
• let the employee to work from home during hot weather.

Helping with speech problems

To help employees with speech difficulties, you can:

• provide them with speech amplification, speech enhancement or other assistive devices
• share information in writing, for example using email or a tablet 
• make changes to the employee’s role so that it doesn’t require a lot of talking
• let the employee to take regular rest breaks.

Supporting vision conditions

To help employees who have problems with vision, you can:

• provide the employee with devices to magnify written material
• provide the employee with large print material
• control screen glare by adding a screen filter to the employee’s computer
• make sure office lighting meets Australian standards and use extra task lighting where required
• let the employee take regular rest breaks.

See also our guide to supporting employees who are blind or have low vision.

Financial support for workplace changes

The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) helps fund work-related changes, equipment and services to help people with disability to get and keep a job. To work out if your employees are eligible, see the full guidelines.