Disclosure

Should I disclose my disability to potential employers?

In short, there are valid reasons for and against telling an employer that you have a disability. But ultimately the decision is a matter of personal choice. It is important however, to make the distinction between disclosing a disability to a third level college and disclosing it to an employer. Most third level colleges have dedicated Disability Support Staff who act as mediators, liasing with various departments and faculties in an effort to establish various supports for students with disabilities. Of course, there are many employers who are committed to employing people with disabilities and in some cases, where organisations are keen to develop a diverse work-force, disclosure can work to the persons advantage. However, there are still many employers who cannot see beyond disability, so it is always useful therefore to do some research about the organisation and its diversity policies.

As a result, many people with disabilities worry about whether or not they should disclose their disability to potential employers. Some choose not to disclose, fearing that the employer would not view them objectively or that their application would be rejected automatically. Others simply desire privacy in relation to their disability, particularly in the case of those with hidden disabilities (e.g. mental health difficulties, medical conditions, learning difficulties etc).

On the other hand, some people have no problem disclosing their disability. The benefits of revealing a disability to the employer is that they are obliged to provide reasonable accommodations if deemed necessary to assist the employee in performing their job. FAS have grants available assist employers providing reasonable accommodations.

The following points however, may help inform the decision making process. 'Looking for work: Disclosing Disability' is a comprehensive booklet produced by SKILL (March 2004). Much of the following information has been taken directly from this booklet although, for the purposes of this website, some headings have been altered.


What are the reasons for disclosing my disability?

Many employers have equal opportunities policies:
If an employer has an equal opportunities policy, they have a certain commitment to recruiting and employing without prejudice. You can ask to see the company policy or ask what they do to ensure equal opportunities in their recruitment. You might feel more comfortable disclosing a disability if the company has stated that it will not discriminate against you on that basis. You might also prefer to disclose if you feel that the way they recruit will protect you from being disadvantaged, e.g. they evaluate applicants solely against the person specification. If the organisation has a written policy, this will give you a basis for appeal if you feel you have been discriminated against.

Some employers are keen to employ disabled people. In addition, you can describe your disability in a positive light:
Your experiences may have provided you with skills that are useful in the workplace. For example, having a personal assistant may mean that you have gained additional skills, such as organisational skills, communication skills or managing a budget. If you decide to disclose this information when you are ready to do so, you will be more confident. If you are forced to explain at a later stage, it may be harder to explain the positive aspects of your disability.
Many application forms or medical questionnaires for jobs ask direct questions about disability and health:
If you give false information about this and an employer later discovers the truth later, you could risk losing your job.
You will be in a better position of trust if you give full details of your disability to your employer and line manager:
A working relationship is often better when both people involved feel they can be open about issues that are relevant to the job.

You need to explain aspects of your CV (curriculum vitae):
Your disability might account for aspects of your CV that may otherwise count against your application, eg a gap in your educational history or career may have been due to a rehabilitation period.


What are the reasons against disclosing my disability?

You may be discriminated against or rejected by employers with pre-set ideas about the effects of disability:

You may feel that today’s competitive jobs market means that employers will look no further than your disability and not look at your abilities. You may feel that an employer will automatically see you as a problem and possibly a potential expense. They may assume that you will take lots of time off through ill health or need special employment arrangements.

You may feel that it will give the employer the chance to label you by your disability:

You may feel that an employer will see your disability as the most important thing about you or make assumptions about you on the basis of your disability.

You may not want to discuss your disability with a stranger:

You may feel that the application process does not allow the time or space for someone who does not know you to get an accurate understanding of your disability, or that it is just not his or her business.

Your disability may have no effect on your ability to do the job:

You may feel that your disability is not relevant to the job or the application, and so there is no reason to disclose it to an employer.



At what stage of the process should I disclose my disability?

You may decide you want to tell potential employers that you have a disability. The next important decision is at which stage of the application process you should tell them.

On the application form:
Some application forms ask direct questions about disability, so you can give all the details that you feel are important at this point. You may feel that your disability and your life experiences, due to your disability, increase your ability to do the job. You may wish to include these in the section on the application form that asks about why you feel you are suitable for the job.

On medical questionnaires:
You may be asked direct questions about disability and health on a medical questionnaire. Whether you will need to fill one out, and at what stage you do this, depends on the type of job. You will have to answer honestly. If your disability has any health implications, you will need to put this down on this form.

On equal opportunities monitoring forms:
An employer may have a separate equal opportunities monitoring form which they ask all applicants to fill in. This form is for them to see that the mix of people applying for their jobs matches the mix of people in society. If it does not, they may need to change where they advertise job vacancies.

These equal opportunities forms are not used to judge your application. They are separated from the main application form, usually by the Personnel Manager or the Human Resources Team (in a large organisation), at an early stage. This means that the people who decide who to interview do not see these forms. They should judge the applicants on the basis of their skills and work experience only.

In a covering letter:
If you are applying for a job with a CV (curriculum vitae) and a covering letter, you could mention your disability in the letter. It could also be mentioned in your CV, for example, if you have been to a school or specialist college for disabled people.

Before going for an interview:
If you are short-listed for an interview and need practical support, such as a sign language interpreter or help getting to the interview, you could contact the employer to arrange this. In a large organisation you would probably contact the Personnel Department. It is much easier for employers to respond to your needs if they can prepare in advance. It will also show how you can manage matters relating to your disability and may also improve how well you do at an interview. You will feel more relaxed if you know the right support will be in place.

At the interview:
You may have a disability that you cannot hide from an employer. It may surprise them if you have come this far in the application process and not revealed that you have a disability (even if it has no effect on your ability to do the job). They may end up asking irrelevant questions about your disability that you could have simply explained in the application form. This time should be spent explaining how you are suitable for the job, rather than focusing on any disability.

Talking about your disability at an interview may be difficult. This is true if you do not find it easy to discuss personal matters in such an environment. It may be easier to put any relevant information down on paper when you first apply, rather than having to deal with it in a face-to-face situation where you may be nervous. You will also have the time to prepare what to say, rather than having to come up with what to say at the interview. But you may feel happy to tackle this kind of question in an interview. You may be better at explaining your disability or learning difficulty by talking about it as opposed to putting it in writing.

What are the key points when applying for jobs and disclosing disability?

Do not assume that an employer will view your disability in a negative way.

Do not restrict your applications only to employers who are involved in positive activities. Always make your application on the basis of what you want to do. Then you can start thinking about the support you might need, if any.
If you time the disclosure of your disability, you have control over the way it is viewed by an employer. You can describe your disability in a positive way as well as any positive effects it has had on your life. For example, if you have a hearing impairment your listening skills may be strong, such as attention and use of eye contact or body language. If you will be working with the public, your awareness of disability may improve your service to disabled people.

Do not allow the interview to dwell on your disability, especially negative aspects of your disability. Job seeking is a frustrating business and it is sometimes tempting to use the interview as a chance to air past grievances. Employers will want you to be positive and enthusiastic.

Think about what your disability has taught you. What skills can be transferred into the workplace? Some application forms ask questions about your strengths and weaknesses and your most important achievements. These can form the basis of a declaration, for example:
Because of my hearing loss, I have developed a good level of concentration. This is demonstrated in my ability to analyse spreadsheets and make performance-related forecasts.’
Having restricted mobility means that I developed an interest in Information Technology at an early age and have worked with a range of software. I am keen to make this personal interest my career’

Admitting the difficulties you have had and stressing the ways you have overcome them shows maturity and determination to an employer.

CHECK OUT the following, when considering which employers to target.
Does the company recruitment literature include a policy statement on equal opportunity for disabled people
Is the company an employer who is Positive to Disability?
Do not limit your applications simply to just those who publicise their commitment to employing people with disabilities. Always make your applications on the basis of opportunities available.


What types of questions might arise about my disability once in post?

Once in work, your colleagues may show some prejudices, especially if they have had limited contact with disabled people or knowledge of disability. This could be the case even in a company that is genuinely committed to equal opportunities and the employment of disabled people, even where the staff have attended all the relevant courses! Of course this is daunting for anybody with a disability, but especially if this is your first job or your first job since becoming disabled.

People may ask lots of questions about your disability. Often this is relevant if it concerns how you will do the job and how you may best be helped, for example:
'Is this print large enough?'
'Is this lighting OK?'
'Are the shelves at the right height?'

However, you may have to deal with irrelevant personal questions about your disability, such as:
'How much can you see?'
'What is wrong with your legs?'
'How much can you hear?'
'When did it happen?'

Also, people may not be aware of subtle things that you may have to explain to them, for example:

• your condition may vary,
• you may manage small print but trip over a chair,
• you may be able to hear one type of sound better than another (such as men's voices as opposed to women's and vice versa),
• your speech may be clearer one day and not so clear the next.

It may help if your team is given some awareness-raising before you start your job and you are involved in this as much as possible.

Some people can be awkward and embarrassed, preventing you from bonding with colleagues. They may have negative expectations about what you are able to do and see only the disability and not other things about you. Being good-humoured and helping people to be relaxed about your disability can go a long way to breaking down barriers. Of course, there is no excuse for people making offensive comments, either through ignorance or prejudice. Your line manager or personnel officer may be able to help with this. A chat with colleagues at the team meeting or an informal drink after work may help. If not, you should have recourse to the internal grievance procedures.


Where can I find our more information?

Case Studies are available on this site here


Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities is a UK charity that promotes opportunities for people with any kind of disability in learning and employment. The full booklet “Looking for work: disclosing disability” can be found here
http://www.skill.org.uk/info/infosheets/emp_disclose.doc∞


These books cost £2.50 for individual students or jobseekers and £6.50 for professionals and organisations. Click here for a direct link to the Skill website http://www.skill.org.uk∞


The National Multiple Sclerosis Society promotes information on critical issues relating to Multiple Sclerosis. It has a list of questions and answers on disclosure and some interesting case studies. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/employment.asp∞


Workway is an IBEC/ ICTU led initiative designed to raise awareness around the employment opportunities for people with disabilities. For more information on disclosure in the workplace. http://www.workway.ie/article/index.php?cat_id=669&item_id=19205∞

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