'It costs more to have a person untreated or on disability than it does for them to be treated and at work,' warns executive director at Migraine Canada
When Migraine Canada launched a campaign encouraging employers and employees alike to use a four-hour “out of office” alert, it wasn’t about time off. It was simply about raising awareness about the “debilitating” condition.
“People would still be working, but it was just bringing that awareness forward. I don’t live with migraine, but I am respectful of people who do. We're really trying to bring visibility to the disease and provide respect to our colleagues who live with migraines,” said Wendy Gerhart, executive director at Migraine Canada.
The idea behind the campaign for Gerhart was simple: if people see an out-of-office message for migraines, even briefly, they might stop and reconsider what it really means to live with this condition.
From Debby Carreau’s perspective, CEO of Inspired HR, the campaign hit on something that’s been long overlooked in many work environments.
“People misunderstand what a migraine is. They just think it's a bad headache. It’s much more than that,” she said. “It truly is debilitating.”
Gerhart agreed, pointing to the deep-rooted misconceptions and stigmas that plague the condition, noting that it’s “not just a headache” and even over the counter medications like Tylenol don’t cure migraines.
“People don’t understand that it’s a neurological disease, it’s not people making up a sickness, so they have time off. People living with migraine, either who take time off or who are on disability, would much rather be in the workplace. For some people, it's a struggle to get through the day, but they want to be there. They want a career and they need to be working to provide for their families,” emphasized Gerhart.
The campaign’s four-hour window, based on medical data that suggests the average length of a migraine, wasn’t meant to imply someone is necessarily away from their desk. Instead, it aimed to represent a moment of solidarity or empathy and Carreau saw the initiative as a valuable icebreaker.
“What I love about this campaign is putting an out-of-office alert on your email for four hours, it opens the conversation,” she said. “It’s a fun way to deal with a serious conversation and to start such an important dialogue around it.”
A migraine-friendly workplace
However, both agree the workplace is still trying to catch-up when it comes to accommodations.
That’s why Gerhart stressed that meaningful workplace support for employees with migraines must start with education. She believes it's essential that managers and supervisors understand migraine as a legitimate neurological disease, not just a recurring inconvenience.
She pointed to small, tangible steps that can make a significant difference, like relocating employees away from high-stimulation areas like photocopiers, offering dimly lit spaces, and implementing scent-free policies to reduce fragrance-related triggers.
Access to proper treatment, she added, is equally crucial, emphasizing that employers should ensure their benefit plans cover effective migraine medications, even if they come at a higher cost, pointing to newer treatments like CGRPs and gepants.
“They’re more expensive than a bottle of Tylenol, but they work and they bring people back into the workplace,” she said. “But we’re still seeing some employer plans and some insurers not covering those medications,” Gerhart said. “It costs more to have a person untreated or on disability than it does for them to be treated and at work.”
For most migraine sufferers, staying productive and employed is the goal, she noted. Employers who invest in appropriate accommodations and coverage will ultimately see the return in employee productivity and reduced disability claims.
Carreau echoed that sentiment from an HR lens, urging employers to be more intentional in their benefits design.
“Have a really good conversation with your broker,” she said. “Tell them, ‘These are the things that are priorities for us as an employer’. Lay it out and compare the plans.”
She also underscored the value of flexibility in time-off policies. Carreau advocates for including flex days in workplace benefits, allowing employees to take time off without having to disclose personal medical information.
“You don't necessarily have to tell me that it's a medical day off. If you want to have some privacy around it, just let people take the time,” she said, arguing that providing that level of trust and discretion fosters a more supportive and productive work environment.
When asked how many days employers should offer, Carreau highlighted a rule of thumb is “it’s great if you can offer five,” she said.
“People don’t do less work, they’re more productive. The work doesn't go away. You just figure out a way to be more productive on the days that you are in office or online and people just value it so much.”
Despite increasing openness around other chronic conditions and mental health, migraine remains under-discussed as Gerhart pointed to a survey that found respondents weren’t comfortable telling their employer they live with migraine for fear of the stigma or the consequences that would come from it.
Both Gerhart and Carreau emphasized that greater visibility is critical, not only to support affected employees but also to improve productivity and reduce costs related to absenteeism and presenteeism.
“It’s kind of like that saying: don’t be judgmental until you walk in someone else’s shoes,” said Gerhart. “This is a neurological disease. It should be treated as any other chronic disease. We need people to be open about living with other chronic diseases like migraines and feel supported and receive empathy from their employer. ‘What can we do to help you be here and be productive and live the life you want to live?’”
