Looking to recruit a ‘stronger’ and ‘more committed’ workforce? Consider cancer survivors

Verna Boyd, a post-surgical and cardiac nurse for over 25 years, was devastated when she learned she had breast cancer in March 2021. Due to the aggressive nature of the treatment, she had to take time away from her career.

By March 2023, Boyd was told that she was free from cancer, and she was ready to return to work. That was easier said than done.

“Because there was such a space in time that I did not work, they questioned why and I told them what was going on,” Boyd said. “I’m thinking [returning to work] is going to be no problem, but it really was a problem.”

Boyd said prospective employers would ask about the gap in her résumé, and after she explained it was for cancer treatment, Boyd felt she had to explain that she was still capable of doing the job and had kept up with her certifications. After three failed interviews, Boyd felt she needed assistance, so she sought out resources designed to help those who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time due to a sickness or disability. In May 2023, she landed a nursing position at an East Carolina University medical center.

Those who have been out of the workforce for an extended period due to cancer often face challenges returning. Concerns such as those expressed by Boyd, as well as “fear of the unknown,” often prevent hiring managers from tapping this talent, said Diane Winiarski, director at Allsup Employment Services, a Social Security authorized employment network that represents the federal Ticket To Work program, which assists Social Security Disability Insurance recipients who are ready to return to work.

Indeed, cancer survivors are 1.4 times more likely to be unemployed than those who’ve never had cancer, according to research published in 2023. And 25% of cancer survivors will not have returned to the workforce within two years of their diagnosis.

As HR pros contend with skills shortages, they may want to consider how they can recruit and retain cancer survivors, who, Winiarski said, are often “stronger” and “more committed” workers.

Finding new recruits. There are plenty of ways HR professionals can recruit cancer survivors and others who have been out of the workforce for health and disability reasons.

One way is to enlist the help of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Ticket to Work Program. It was through this program, via a connection with Allsup Employment Services, that Boyd was able to return to work as a nurse.

Ticket to Work is a free service that helps unemployed adults receiving Social Security Disability Insurance restart their careers. It connects them with a case worker who helps them write résumés, find and apply to jobs, and prepare for interviews.

HR leaders can learn more about Ticket to Work through the program’s helpline, Winiarski said, or the SSA’s free monthly webinars. They can also tap talent through Ticket to Work, Winiarski said, by searching and reaching out to candidates in its local employment networks

Attention on retention. While more employers are requiring in-office attendance, flexibility can help retain employees who are going through cancer treatments or supporting family members dealing with cancer.

“When it comes to working with cancer—personally or as a caregiver—we heard directly from employees that having flexibility in both when and where they work is one of the most helpful ways employees found support,” Lesli Marasco, VP of global benefits and well-being at AbbVie, told HR Morning. 

Stay-at-work/return-to-work (SAW/RTW) programs can manage their employees’ fast and safe return to work following an illness, disability, or injury.

Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and the NY State Workers’ Compensation Board have suggestions for how HR can structure SAW/RTW programs, including ensuring communication between the employee and a designated SAW/RTW leader, as well as consulting with the organization’s insurance provider to identify services the employee can use in their return-to-work journey.

Correction 06/24/2024: This article has been updated since it was first published to clarify the role of Allsup Employment Services and to distinguish it from Allsup; we have also clarified the services offered by Ticket to Work.