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To Disclose or Not to Disclose a Disability in the Workplace
By Daniel Lawton For job seekers with a disability, one of the most difficult decisions is when or whether to disclose their circumstance. The reality is that there’s no across-the-board right or wrong answer. In fact, whether or not to disclose a disability hinges on a variety of variables, according to Disaboom, the largest online community for people with disabilities. When deciding, it’s wise to consider the nature of the disability, the job duties of the position being applied for, and the personality of the hiring manager. Disclosing on Your Resume
Most experts suggest that people not disclose their disability on a resume, because the reality is that it may hurt chances of getting an interview. An exception would be if the disclosure of the disability might help, for example if the company in question was actively recruiting employees with disabilities or if the person was applying for disability-related work. Disclosing Prior to the Interview
If the person has a disability that will require special accommodations during an interview, it’s important to provide that information to the hiring manager before arriving. This way the potential employer can make the necessary arrangements, ensuring that accessibility issues don’t inhibit the interview and hurt the person’s chance of getting the job.
Disclosing During the Interview
Some disabilities, for example being in a wheelchair, are easily observed. However, other disabilities such as cognitive or physical impairments are “invisible,” and can be disclosed or not during the interview. Because negative stereotypes still exist, experts suggest caution when disclosing disabilities such as mental illness, dyslexia, HIV, and hepatitis C. A good rule of thumb is that if there’s no vital need for the employer to know, there’s no need for the applicant to tell him or her. Also, remember that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) deems it illegal for employers to ask whether or not the applicant has a disability during the hiring process. If asked, the applicant may want to diplomatically remind the hiring manager of this. How to Talk About Your Disability with a Potential Employer
If the applicant decides to disclose their disability, it’s likely that the potential employer will ask questions about it. When asked, don’t dwell on the disability or make unnecessary excuses about it. Instead, be proactive: be prepared to answer any questions concerning dealing with the negative effects of the disability in the workplace setting, and be confident when doing so. If the person is nervous about speaking about their disability, they should practice their answers with a friend or loved one. Keep in mind that persons who are forthright and confident should be able to mitigate any negative perceptions a potential employer might have about their disability. This will then give the applicant the opportunity to explain just how valuable your skills, enthusiasm, work ethic, and reliability will be to the new company. For more information on when to disclose a disability to employers, as well as other career advice, log onto Disaboom’s employment section, located at http://www.disaboomjobs.com/. Launched in 2007, Disaboom is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities and offers advice, resources and online communities for people touched by disabilities, as well as their friends, family and caregivers.
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The copyright for this content entitled "To Disclose or Not to Disclose a Disability in the Workplace" has been specified by the contributor as:
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This content may not be copied, distributed or adapted by anyone under any circumstances.
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This intel was contributed by eskcsg
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May, 2012
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