I assume you mean for income tax and handicap license plate purposes? I don't think so. However, if you continue to have high blood pressure, you may qualify for disability perks sooner rather than later in life.
Mark
Can your high BP not be controlled by medicine? If you are talking about disability in regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or SSI payments, it would probably be near impossible. There are people with severe heart disease, that have a real problem getting social security disability payments.
If you work for an employer, who has >100 employees, and your BP cannot be controlled by medicine, then your employer may have to make job accommodations for you , such as a less stressful position. This falls within the ADA, and the meaning of disability defined by the act.
Last edited by Jack51; 12-01-2004 at 08:09 AM.
Reason: clarification
I am in the UK and got fired because on the day of the medical I had high blood pressure (described by my doc as slightly high). I knew I had high blood pressure, it first appeared in September of this year and was being monitored/treated.
I had only been working for the company two weeks, had it been a month I would have some rights, however if high blood pressure is a disability or is caused by a disability I can claim unfair dismissal.
Very sad event Mark. I would pursue this with a good lawyer (if there is such a thing). Did the company put this in writing as to why they fired you? Was it a job requirement that you maintain perfect health? (I don't see as how that could be required)
Best of luck and I hope you get some equity! (the person that fired you created a lot of bad karma for theirself, anyway)
Atleast here in the US, I believe firing someone for a medical condition would be illegal, unless your job has some sort of high fitness requirement, like if you were part of a SWAT team, police officer, ambulence driver, etc where the employer really can't change the job to reduce stress for instance. Even here though I would imagine that it would have to have been cleary stated in your contract that you had to maintain certain fitness measurements in order to maintain employment.
I would ask the employer that fired you for grounds for termination in writing. In some states in America employers can terminate you without reasonable cause, but still if you feel that a medical condition was the real underlying cause you can press charges, as this is illegal.
If a person's high blood pressure is interferring with their ability to perform their job then they are eligible to put in for the Family Medical Leave Act which entitles them to 12 weeks of paid or unpaid sick leave for a chronic condition such as High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Migraine Headaches, Asthma etc. You do not have to take the entire 12 weeks allat once. It can be used intermittently during the course of the year and most companies like for it be started in Jan. That way it will be good for the entire calendar year. If you put in for it in June then it's only good for 6 months.
I work for the State of NY and I put in for it every year because I get Migraine headaches. High Blood Pressure is not a reason for Disability. It's very hard to get on Disability. My brother had terminal Colon Cancer and had to wait 5 months before he got it. By the time it was approved he collected one check before he passed away.
I would definitely check into it if your blood pressure is causing you to miss work. They cannot fire you if you have the Leave Act and you take off for that reason.
Last edited by dianne12315; 12-03-2004 at 02:45 AM.
I have friends that collect ssd due to hbp. I guess it depends on how severe your disease is affecting your work ability. For example, my friend draws ssd bcuz she has side effects from her bp meds that interfer with her job performance. She works in customer service at a bank. Of course, i was approved for ssd bcuz of my many illnesses including hbp.
Good point. And I hope you didn't think I was shouting at you and jtu. I just think that when a thread gets this long, it is easy for people to miss things like that, so I put it in big type so others who come along and might offer additional advice would be sure to notice.
I did not think you were yelling or anything. I know that some people use the bold print in order to make sure that everyone sees it. At least I saw your message without my glasses.
Good point. And I hope you didn't think I was shouting at you and jtu. 
I just think that when a thread gets this long, it is easy for people to miss things like that, so I put it in big type so others who come along and might offer additional advice would be sure to notice.
