Finding a Job That Meets Your Health Needs

Editor’s Note: This article originally was written by Kerri MacKay and shared by our partner site Asthma.net.

For people living with a chronic illness like allergies, it can be hard to navigate a traditional work environment. While you can do pretty much anything you put your mind to, some work environments just might not, well, work for you.

How to work from home with a chronic illness

While we all want to contribute to our own (or our family's) finances and to the world, it can sometimes be tough. The good news is there are legitimate work-from-home opportunities. The less good news? It's not as easy as searching the web for "work from home" or "remote" work opportunities. Deceptive marketing tactics make it hard to tell the difference between sources of stable work and scams.

Here's how, in my somewhat accidental primarily work-from-home life, I've figured out how to identify a legitimate work-from-home opportunity. Using these tips, you may be able to find a job that is compatible with your health needs.

Identifying an honest work-from-home opportunity

For 4 years, I made 90+ percent of my income doing freelance/contract work. I'm no expert on this – I lucked out. Every freelancing or remote opportunity sort of came to me. So, depending on your background, there could be a fair amount of luck involved.

However, there are a few things that honest work-from-home opportunities have in common. They should give you all of the following.

A comprehensive job description

Job postings are often on job recruiting websites or on a specific company's website. If you can't find a complete job description, you'll be able to get one by contacting the employer. For freelance work, this may take the form of a contract.

What you need to start working

The posting (or employer) will tell you up-front what you need to start, such as an internet connection and computer. If they don't, ask. Make sure you get a clear answer.

If this is full-time employment (versus contract or freelance work), you should get a stipend to cover any expenses directly related to your job. The employer may provide you with a computer or cell phone for work purposes. At minimum, they will provide any software you need to do the job without cost to you. I recently found out, for example, that I could have downloaded the Microsoft Office package via the Office365 account of the nonprofit I'm working with.

When you have to work

I can do work for the nonprofit I work with at any time of day. We schedule the occasional meeting, but they don't tell me when or where to work. In my previous employment situation, I chose my hours, but my boss knew when I'd be in my office. And I definitely reported to him. In freelance or contract work, you usually produce work for a deadline, but nobody is checking up on you regularly. They just expect you to get it done.

Of course, legitimate work-from-home jobs have a boss you will report to. As opposed to freelance work, remote employment may dictate when and where you have to work. Your boss may call you or expect you to be logged in to the server and actively working at predefined times.

Depending on the industry, there may be more features that indicate a legitimate work-from-home opportunity. If you feel uncertain, check with friends, colleagues, and online message boards (even Reddit and Quora) to get a wide variety of opinions. Checking Glassdoor or the Better Business Bureau may also help.

However, be mindful to seek out only information on the actual operations of the job. An overwhelming bias online is that people usually post reviews when they have had a bad experience!

Clarity on how you'll be paid

Will you be paid hourly, salaried, or on commission? Do you know how to submit your hours, and how you will be paid and when? This should be clearly outlined before you get started.

Exercising caution: Potential red flags

It's important to be cautious and mindful that some "work-from-home" companies target potentially vulnerable people to fulfill their needs. This most often includes people with disabilities or illnesses, stay-at-home moms, and recently unemployed people. These "jobs" operate in a way that no other jobs do.

These are often "direct sales," "network marketing," or "multi-level marketing" roles that promise if you work hard, you will do well. However, often people put in a lot more than they get out. In my opinion, they may put in even more energy than they would going to an office every day! Not a good thing if you are trying to conserve energy or decrease stress!

There are several red flags of a multi-level marketing (MLM) company.

Paying your own startup costs

While starting your own business may have some startup costs (such as inventory if starting a restaurant), you should rarely have to pay them if you are being employed by someone else. Being asked to purchase inventory from a specific online retailer, unless you are a franchisee, is a red flag.

Having to recruit others

MLM operations often have you move "up the ladder" by recruiting friends to sell the product, from which you earn a commission. This is a red flag. There is a difference between a friend "helping you get a job" by connecting you with their boss for an interview, and being recruited by a non-discerning signup process to sell a product.¹

"Pay-to-play" requirements

According to the Federal Trade Commission, MLM organizations often have monthly requirements for purchases, so they offer rewards for meeting these targets. However, very often the seller ends up purchasing the inventory themselves to meet these requirements. This is the exact type of "paying for your own startup costs" I warned against above.¹

Of course, if you are starting a retail store, for example, you will have startup costs. But in this case, there is no requirement to buy more stock until you run out. You do not have to meet a spending requirement to remain in good standing with the company, as happens in MLMs. The large majority of people who join MLMs lose money. I can tell ya, I've never lost money at work!¹

Leveling up

A promotion in a traditional job leads to more money and, yes, more responsibilities. But it does not mean you have to recruit your friends and family to join you. This is a main component of leveling up in a MLM organization, and it is a big red flag.²

This process creates what is known as an "upline" and a "downline." The upline is the person who "sponsored" you in joining, and the "downline" is the people who signed up under you. If you’ve been in any sort of employment situation, whether a McDonald's or a law firm, you know that's not how seniority works!²

MLM companies use deceptive tactics and wording to recruit people to these types of jobs. So if you're confused about a job and nobody can answer your questions, it may be time to reconsider your choice. Another red flag is when you get answers that sound scripted or like they came from a bot.

Finding the right fit

MLM opportunities can seem appealing because of their flexibility and sense of community involvement. But it is best to avoid taking the "easy route" when trying to find a job that works for you and your health needs. That route can cost you a lot financially and result in undue stress and hardship. Both finances and friends may be lost in the process. Those are the last things you need when trying to manage your allergies!

These are some considerations you should have when figuring out how to work from home with allergies. Hopefully, these tips help you to identify a job that will treat you well, help you grow, and of course help you pay the bills at the end of the month. Do your research, and be careful out there!