If arthritis forces you to reduce the hours you work or to change jobs, your earning level may go down. While it's hard to watch your earnings decrease, you have to focus on finding the help you need. You may feel like your options are spent, but there may be other options you have not yet considered.

If you feel concessions at work aren't enough to keep you at your current job and you haven't found any other job which you feel you can do, it may be the right time to apply for disability.

Here are some of the services that are available to help you if your current job will no longer work for your present situation:

• Government-sponsored vocational rehabilitation services

• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

• Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs)

• Small Business Self-Employment Service (SBSES)

Government-Sponsored Vocational Rehabilitation Services

The majority of people who have rheumatoid arthritis are eligible for vocational rehabilitation services that include counseling, testing, placement, resume preparation, interview skill enhancement, and financial assistance for education, training, and travel in connection with job placement. You can find more information on local government listings or Web sites. Also check for information at the U.S. Department of Labor (www.dol.gov).

Job Accommodation Network

The Job Accommodation Network is a free consulting service whose purpose is to increase the employability of people with disabilities. The service offers solutions regarding worksite accommodations, provides information regarding the ADA and other pertinent disability-related legislation, and provides information about self-employment options. For more information, you can call 800-526 7234 or visit their Web site (www.jan.wvu.edu).

Disability and Business Technical-Assistance Centers

There are ten regional centers, associated with the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, which provide information, training, and technical assistance to people with disabilities, employers, and others with responsibilities under the ADA. Each center works closely with local business, disability, government, rehabilitation, and other professional networks. More contact information can be found at their Web site (www.adata.org/centers.aspx).

Small Business Self-Employment Service

The Small Business Self-Employment Service, a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, offers information, counseling, and referrals about self-employment and the opportunity to start a small business. They can be contacted through the Job Accommodation Network at 800-526 7234 or at their Web site (www.jan.wvu.edu/sbses).

Check All of Your Options

There is likely much more help available than you knew about, and it's important to explore all avenues. In the United States, the Work Site (www.ssa.gov/work/) has information about the Ticket to Work Program, which helps people on Social Security disability go back to work and achieve their goals for employment. In the United Kingdom, similar help is available through WORKSTEP (www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAnd Programmes/DG_4001973). In Canada, WORKink is Canada's largest virtual employment resource center for job seekers with disabilities (www.workink.com).

Don't make decisions about quitting work before you are fully informed. Some people stay on the job longer than they should because they fear losing insurance benefits or fear never being able to work again. Money dilemmas can dictate and force decisions that are not necessarily the best for your health. On the contrary, some people quit work before they should because they feel unsure of various gradual step-down measures, such as reducing hours or taking a more sedentary position. They fear losing benefits because their value is diminishing as an employee and they fear being phased out by their employer. That's why it is so important to know your rights and your options.