When real estate consultant Melanie Krepp had a seizure in her office earlier this year, the last thing she wanted was for her boss to call the ambulance.
Although Canadian Krepp, 35, was lucid, she could not tell her boss to leave her alone because she had lost control of her muscles. All she needed was for her colleagues to clear the space around her.
Now, epileptic employees such as Krepp can educate colleagues with a paper published last month on the rights of employees with epilepsy in the workplace and employers' obligations to them.
The paper, on sale for HK$500, was produced by non-profit organisation Enlighten - Action for Epilepsy and law firm DLA Piper, with funding from last year's Operation Santa Claus fundraising drive organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK.
Epilepsy is caused when the brain releases excessive electrical signals, disturbing brain activity and leading to seizures.
It is the first such report in Hong Kong, where more than 65,000 people suffer from epilepsy, and addressing the concerns of employees who fear a seizure in the workplace might lead to discrimination, the loss of their job or social exclusion.