To Disclose a Disability, Employees Need to Feel Safe at Work

Ed note: Posts published on From the Workplace are written by outside contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SHRM.

For many people with disabilities, seeking work can come with additional fears of negative perception, worries about lack of acceptance, and deep needs for support. Whether their disabilities are visible or non-visible, job seekers with disabilities must determine when or if to disclose their disability to potential employers. The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes that the decision to disclose will look different depending on the type of disability but ultimately the choice is up to the individual.

One in four of Americans identify as disabled which means that workplaces are filled with workers with disabilities and are charged to provide inclusive and safe environments for them.

Workers with disabilities may need to disclose to their workplace when specific accommodations are needed or they’re planning on taking medical leave. Workplaces are then required by law to provide work-related accommodations after someone discloses their disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 protect workers from discrimination due to their disabilities and provide access to reasonable accommodations. In order to benefit from these laws, however, a certain level of disclosure is required. 

I asked job seekers and professionals with disabilities—all of whom are members of the Diversability Leadership Collective—to share how they determine when and how to disclose their disabilities. All four respondents prefer to disclose their disability early in the job seeking process, such as during their interview, after they receive an offer of employment, or in their first week of employment. They also prefer to disclose not only to human resources and their supervisors but also to fellow team members.  

When asked to recall their experiences with disclosure, opinions varied from feeling extremely welcomed to being treated unfairly. For Neil Hughes, who has autism and outsized cognitive abilities, disclosure has led to employers’ bias surfacing and onboarding delays. He said, “Disclosing cognitive differences has an inherent risk of damaging the employer's esteem or ability to value my contributions.”

Nicole “Nix” Demos, who lives with cerebral palsy, a visible disability. She notices the immediate reactions when people see her for the first time — their facial expressions shift, their eye contact is limited, and the tone of their voices change. In her experience, her disability’s visibility has led to missed opportunities. She often receives feedback that she has immense experience and qualifications but would not be a good fit for the role. Unfortunately, limited feedback like this often leaves professionals with disabilities like Nicole with little to no legal recourse to fight hiring discrimination.

“Disclosure is personal, it would be so empowering if my disability is seen as a strength and not the only aspect of me," Demos said. "It is okay to be disabled, to use the word and addressed.”

Once an employee discloses a disability, workplaces have the opportunity to show up as an ally or potentially lose a great asset. The most meaningful actions are when workplaces go above and beyond to help meet the needs of their workforce. Providing the accommodations without hassle makes employees feel safe, protected, and included.

Dennis Tran is partially blind and has ADHD. He shared that he only chooses to disclose when he’s in “a psychologically safe and neuroaffirming space ... If I don’t get the sense of safety or if I feel like the environment isn’t there yet, I would not [disclose].” 

The ideal workplace for employees with disabilities is one where their needs are met, they feel included and not judged, and disability accommodations are integrated in the workplace culture. Jodi Hausen, who has ADHD and dyslexia, believes that, “In an ideal world, neurodiversity and disability would be accepted as just another way of being… [It would help if] the world would be built with universal design concepts in mind, so everyplace would be accessible to everyone and asking for accommodation wouldn't be necessary.” 

To accomplish this goal, we suggest to hiring managers or human resource workers: release any bias or assumptions about someone strictly based on their disability, learn more about your company’s process for requesting accommodations and support, and consider how you can create a safe environment for current and potential employees to feel comfortable disclosing their disabilities. This will set you on a path to make your workplace culture one of inclusivity, equity, accessibility, belonging, and growth.

Arielle Dance, Ph.D. is a writer at Diversability and other online platforms and the author of a children’s book, Dearest One, that focuses on mindfulness and grief.