WSJ article on disclosing a disability in the workplace

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Finding the Right Way

To Disclose a Disability

By SUZANNE ROBITAILLE

Disclosing a disability is a personal decision but can be beneficial if done

right. Only you can decide whether -- and when -- to tell your new employer

about your disability. Disclosing a condition can help protect your legal rights

but can also leave you open to discrimination. Still, experts say you're better

off giving management a heads-up. Here are a few different approaches to

disclosure:

Know the company. Before you even apply for a job, you can scope out a firm and

its culture. Some companies have disability-friendly reputations, which can help

qualm fears about revealing your condition. Check out NBDC

(business-disability.com1) and the National Organization on Disability's

(nod.org2) membership lists, or ask the company for a list of employee networks

and scan for one related to disabilities. Those networks and groups can be

critical. KPMG LLP's disabilities network, for example, offers employees

resources, tools, advice and counsel for living with a disability or caring for

someone who has one. You also can ask colleagues and friends or search Internet

groups for insights into corporate culture.

Choose the time. Don't reveal your disability on your resume or in a cover

letter unless there is a direct relevance to the job. The best time to disclose

to a hiring manger is during the first or second interview, once you have had a

chance to demonstrate your skills and competency, says Lana Smart, director of

corporate services

for the National Business and Disability Council, a network of more than 100

U.S. companies that seeks to integrate people with disabilities into the

workplace. At that point, you will be able to respond positively to specific

disability issues that may be raised. " Discrimination is less likely

face-to-face, " Ms. Smart says.

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Tell someone you trust. If you've waited until you've had a chance to prove

yourself before disclosing your condition, you should seek out a trusted

colleague, mentor or boss you get along well with to make the revelation. Dana

Foote, an audit partner at KPMG's O

maha, Neb., office, who has multiple sclerosis, says she put off disclosure for

three months until she started having symptoms. " At that point I trusted my

boss, and he knew I was a good worker so it wasn't a big deal, " says Ms. Foote.

Get accommodated. Your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act to

" reasonable accommodations " to perform your job aren't protected until you've

disclosed your disability, says Judy Young, a vice president for Abilities Inc.

" As soon as you realize you need an accommodation, you should tell someone, "

says Ms. Young, who has counseled Fortune 500 companies on hiring people with

disabilities.

Join a network. Participating in a disability employee group lets you reap the

benefits of a company's disability resources. This is a good option if you don't

want to reveal the scope of a disability, but want to know your options and make

connections, says Barbara Wankoff, KPMG's national director of workplace

relations. A support network can help you find others facing similar situations

and gain the courage to speak up -- a move that may help your career in the long

run, Ms. Wankoff says.

 

URL for this article:

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Hyperlinks in this Article:

(1) http://business-disability.com

(2) http://nod.org

(3) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121087066702395781.html

(4) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121848943205331137.html

(5) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121450293562107717.html

(6) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121729620214292085.html

(7) http://o

nline.wsj.com/article/SB121425124881097625.html

(8) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120915034726745461.html

(9) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121053739094883369.html

(10) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120041328572991563.html

(11) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121365519372878991.html

(12) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120610875887954827.html

(13) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120550970085036879.html

(14) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120430513855303309.html

(15) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120369362609685909.html

(16) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120069280250501277.html

(17) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120240378838051083.html

(18) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120041453201091595.html

(19) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120060619174998649.html

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