Be Up-Front About Health Condition

Not sure if this is the right place for this question, but here goes. I am having minor surgery in a couple of weeks. There is a small but non-zero chance that this surgery won't fix what is wrong with me, and if that happens, I'll have to have another surgery that will have catastrophic side effects. I'm naturally a worrier and this has been on my mind 24 hours a day and is noticeably impacting my work performance. My question is: Should I say anything to my boss about this? I had performance issues the first half of this year, but I had been improving a lot lately, and now it looks like I'm backsliding to my old ways. I don't know what to say but I do want to get across the point that as soon as the test results come back good, I'll be right back on track. I like my job and really want to do well at it. Do you have any advice?

If your anxiety about your upcoming surgery is so great that your work is suffering, it would be wise for you to tell your supervisor. Especially if you had other performance issues earlier this year, you should not wait for your boss to notice that you have regressed.

Even if your performance was not declining, it would nevertheless be a good idea to let your supervisor know that you have a health condition that might affect your ability to do your job in the future. Depending on your condition, you might be entitled to an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which could include a flexible work arrangement and help with managing your workload for minimal stress. You might also be eligible to take time off for treatment and recovery under a combination of laws and policies, including short-term disability, sick leave, and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under the FMLA, your leave can even be taken intermittently as needed. One thing is for certain: You will not be able to access any of these privileges unless you speak up.

I am also left to wonder whether all of this worrying might not suggest a condition of its own. It would be natural for anyone to worry about the outcome of a medical procedure. However, if your stress level is overwhelming your ability to do your job, then it might be time to seek the advice of a mental health professional. It also would not be such a bad idea to seek an emotional outlet as you confront the possibility of living with a debilitating condition.

Meanwhile, you should open a dialogue with your supervisor regarding your deep desire to do well and succeed despite the formidable potential challenges of your personal life.

Join Lily Garcia on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m. ET for How to Deal Live.

Lily Garcia has offered employment law and human resources advice to companies of all sizes for more than 10 years. To submit a question, e-mail HRadvice@washingtonpost.com. We reserve the right to edit submitted questions for length and clarity and cannot guarantee that all questions will be answered.