Talking to Your Employer About an Invisible Disability
Mitratech DiversityJobs
DiversityJobs is now part of Circa. We believe diverse teams have the power to transform business.
The American Disabilities Act defines disability as any physical or mental impairment that significantly affects any significant lifestyle activity, such as performing manual skills, standing, and speaking. People with invisible disabilities have chronic illnesses, including autoimmune diseases, digestive problems, mental health issues, and cancer or epilepsy. Disabled people are sometimes accused of fabricating their conditions, especially those with chronic pain or sleep disorders.
Disability and Discrimination
Many people avoid disclosing their disability for fear of being discriminated against in their workplaces. They do not want to appear less competent than their peers, seen differently, or have different expectations from the rest of the world. Disclosing a disability could result in poor treatment at work or being perceived as making excuses. More than a third of persons with disabilities face prejudice in the workplace once they have a job. Workplace discrimination claims involving persons with disabilities accounted for the highest number of all EEOC complaints in 2021- over 37%.
Discrimination against persons with impairments, both visible and invisible, is prohibited by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At no point in the job process may an employer discriminate against you because of your disability.
领英推荐
The Benefits of Disclosure
The National Institute on Disability advocates for disclosing your disability before a potential problem develops at work. It’s preferable to reveal your condition in good faith, with the company’s best interests in mind. This will help your employer facilitate any changes that may help you better manage your disability during the workday and thus perform better at your job.
If you wish to request an accommodation, you are not obligated by law to disclose your disability to an employer under the ADA. However, if you need to explain exceptional circumstances or ask for reasonable accommodations, you’ll most likely want to tell your employer about your disability. If you don’t ask for reasonable accommodations (provided that the request does not cause the employer undue hardship), your employer isn’t obligated to fulfill them under the ADA.