Page 61 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

meals, you may need to make arrangements so that there is something safe for you to eat. Remember, having a job is all about earning your livelihood, not risking it!
When things go right
Inform Others Early - Your Stomach Will Thank You Later, by Nick
Last fall, I was lucky enough to land an internship with a start-up company in the city where my
university is. The job itself was wonderful. It had many perks, including a free lunch every Friday. In my
first week at the job, I wasn’t too concerned about my food allergy. I was too busy fighting with my
computer to install the correct software. However, on the Thursday before this lunch, I decided to ask
our secretary what was for lunch that Friday. Chinese food with a lot of cashews and peanuts was her
reply. Immediately I told her about my allergy and how serious it was. Luckily she understood and
actually ordered pizza instead! For the rest of my internship, she consulted with me when picking food
to make sure that I was safe in the work place.
Bending over Backwards, by Dylan
Last year, I worked at a physiotherapy and sports injuries clinic. Being a new person at a big job that I
had worked so hard to get, I was a little nervous to bring up my severe nut allergy. After a few weeks, I
finally told one of my co-workers about my allergy. Word spread like wildfire to the remaining seven
employees. Before long, I had the owner asking me about the severity of my allergy and what kinds of
foods she should avoid eating or bringing to the clinic! She even asked where I kept my auto-injector
and made note of it in her little notebook. The administrative assistant at the clinic didn't understand
the allergy at first. But she usually questioned everything she didn’t understand. So I was soon
confronted with hundreds of questions about my life! It was refreshing to see co-workers care as much
as they all did. In fact, they even went so far as to declare the clinic "peanut/nut free" with a sign in the
window to let patients know too. This was by far the best experience I have ever had at a workplace and
I strongly suggest speaking up to every co-worker about the severity of your allergy. Educate those
around you and you may be surprised by how positive the outcome will be!"
Quick Tip -
When things go wrong
Some workplaces may have never had an employee with your allergies before. Be sure to
inform them and offer helpful suggestions about how they can make an allergy-safe workplace.