7. Know your rights regarding your job—and your student loans.
The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with cancer from discrimination and requires employers to offer them “reasonable accommodations,” such as flexible working hours and rest breaks. The Family Medical Leave Act often allows cancer patients and their caregivers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. Speak with your employer’s human resources department—or, if necessary, an attorney specializing in labor law. If you have student loans, you may be able to defer payment for the duration of treatment plus six months; contact lenders to make this request.
