Even when applying for a job, chronically ill people may encounter discrimination. Thus, an employer who believes in the stigma that obese people are lazy and undisciplined, will probably not employ an obese candidate.

Discrimination on the basis of a chronic disease is possible if the contract employer knows that the candidate is chronically ill. People with chronic diseases are confronted with the prejudice that they are not as efficient and operational as healthy people, although due to modern treatments, a lot of chronic diseases cause no restrictions. Nevertheless employers fear deficits and suppose additional costs. 

Normally chronically ill people are protected from discrimination in access to work. The employee is not allowed to ask questions about their health status, and thus also about chronic diseases. Since questions about chronic diseases are not allowed, the candidate may lie if the employer exceeds the limit of acceptable questioning. Exceptionally the employee may ask questions about chronic diseases when there may be a risk for the colleges or the clients, or if the activity cannot be carried out because of the chronic disease.