Getting support for migraine at work

Telling people at work about migraine

Migraine can have a huge impact on working life for many people. But a supportive employer and some adjustments where needed can make all the difference.

It’s your choice whether to tell your manager, employer or colleagues about your migraine. It can feel daunting, especially as there is often misunderstanding and stigma about the condition. But letting them know how migraine affects you may mean they are better able to support you.

It’s important that your manager understands if your migraine is seriously impacting on your work. They may have certain legal obligations if your migraine is considered a disability, including making reasonable adjustments to support you.

Even if you don’t get migraine attacks very often or they don’t usually interfere with your work, it can still be worthwhile telling your manager. Migraine symptoms often change over time, so it can still be helpful for your manager to know you have migraine.

We have a checklist and factsheet to help with talking to people at work about migraine. You can find these on our Resources page, or in the How we can help section below. We also have more information and advice on managing your migraine at work.

Arvind talks about his experience of navigating the workplace with migraine

Abbvie provided arm’s length full funding for this film and had no influence over its content.

Declaring migraine as a disability at work

Migraine may sometimes be classed as a disability under law. This may be the case if it has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal day-to-day activities. We have more information on the law around migraine and disability.

It may feel unclear whether your migraine could be classed as a disability. It’s worth talking to your employer about exactly how your migraine affects your normal, day-to-day activities. Keeping a record or diary of your migraine symptoms may help. Sometimes your employer may want to see evidence that shows you have a disability. You don’t need to show evidence of a medical diagnosis. But you may need to show evidence of how it affects you.

You can ask for a report or letter from your GP or consultant to support with this. This may explain:

• how long you have had migraine and how long it’s expected to last
• what would happen if you stopped any medication you’re taking
• the effect your migraine has on your everyday activities.

Your employer may also ask you to have an occupational health assessment. Occupational health is a type of medical service that provides impartial and confidential advice and support in workplaces. Your employer might have their own occupational health service, or they may use an outside agency.

Reasonable adjustments for migraine in the workplace

If your migraine is classed as a disability, the law protects you from discrimination at work. Under law, your employer must make reasonable adjustments to help meet your needs.

Examples can include:

• allowing flexible working patterns
• giving regular, flexible breaks
• working from home, if this helps and is possible
• changes to your working environment, such as fixing lighting, noise and ventilation issues
• providing equipment that may help, such as a comfortable desk, chair and anti-glare screens
• providing access to drinking water
• allowing time off for medical appointments
• making allowances for migraine-related sickness absence
• having access to a quiet, dark space if needed during a migraine attack.

Your employer must know or could ‘reasonably be expected to know’ you have a disability in order for them to make reasonable adjustments. Many people feel this is a good reason to tell their employer about their migraine. You can make a request for a reasonable adjustment in various ways, such as via email or in a meeting with your manager or employer. Your company may have their own written policies about requesting reasonable adjustments.

Before talking to your manager, think carefully about what support you need. It may help to make some notes or keep a diary to help identify potential triggers beforehand. You can also use our checklist as a guide. It’s important to keep a written record of your request for a reasonable adjustment.

If a reasonable adjustment is refused

What counts as ‘reasonable’ can depend on the organisation, the situation and your own individual circumstances. It might not be feasible for an employer to make every change. Your employer might not be able to make changes due to cost or resources. They may also not make the change if it’s not practical or if it changes the basic nature of your job. The Access to Work grant can help organisations with the costs of making reasonable adjustments.

Occupational health advisers can help with advising on reasonable adjustments, taking into account both your needs and those of your employer.

If your employer refuses a request you have made, they should be able to explain why. They have a legal obligation to find other ways to support you. Talk to your manager about alternative adjustments that may be possible instead. It’s a good idea to follow up in writing after any meetings or discussions so you have a record of what has been said and agreed.

If you don’t feel like you are being treated fairly, you may want to raise it with someone else. This could be another manager in your workplace, or your Human Resources (HR) department or representative. If you are still not happy with the outcome, you may want to consider making a formal complaint.

Job security and migraine

You may worry that your job is at risk due to migraine. Legally, employers are not allowed to do the following, just because of a person’s disability:

• discipline someone
• dismiss someone
• make someone redundant
• force someone to retire or resign.

However, you may feel that you are unable to perform your job to expected standards due to your migraine. If this is the case, it’s important to first talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments they can make to support you in your role.

If your employer has any concerns, they must carry out a capability or performance procedure. This involves talking to you about your migraine and gathering any evidence of reasonable adjustments they have made. They will also look at any medical or occupational health reports.

Formal performance management or dismissal should be a last resort. This should only happen if you are still unable to carry out your job effectively after any support has been put in place. If you think you have been unfairly dismissed, you can consider making an employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. It’s a good idea to seek specialist legal advice before doing this.

Further help and support

The following organisations offer help and support for people with a disability in the workplace.

• Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) – offers free, impartial advice and assistance on workplace rights and employment legislation.
• Citizens Advice – provides practical information and advice relating to disability and discrimination in England, Scotland and Wales.
• Labour Relations Agency – provides free, impartial advice and services relating to employment practice in Northern Ireland.

About our information

This information has been written by The Migraine Trust Information and Support Services team. It has been reviewed by our panel of expert health professionals and people affected by migraine.

Our information has been awarded the PIF TICK quality mark for trustworthy health information.

If you have feedback on our information, please get in touch at: feedback@migrainetrust.org

References for our information are available on request.

Last reviewed: May 2025 | Next review due: May 2028