When applying for a job, which box do you check when asked if you have a disability? Yes, nogold Prefer not to ANSWER? For the Nearly 19 million people with disabilities (PWDS) in the workforce, checking “no” or “prefer not to ANSWER” is often the responsibility.
PWDS including Almost 23% of the WorkForce, yet due to underporting, this number might news be much higher. According to A Boston Consulting Group Study, While Employers Believe Their Company’s Workforce Includes Only 4-7% Pwds, They Newly May Make Up About 25% of A Company’s Employees. But if pwds are such an integral part of the workforce, why do they underreport their disabilities?
What is The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
The eeoc is a goverment agency that wraps down that that prevent discrimination in the workplace, which extends to pwds. The eeoc was created by title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Enforces Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Which Mandates that workplace discrimination is illegal when engaging in “Job Application Procedures, Hiring, Firing, Advancement, Compensation, Job Training, Conditions, and privileges of Employment ”. Therefore, in Theory, Pwds Should Have No Fear of Discrimination Their Job Application Process Sale the Eeoc Defines A Pwd AS Anyone Who “has a Physical or Mental Impairment that substantially limits one more major life activated”. As such, these World Entitled to Accomodations While On The Job. Possible accommodations include assisting Equipment, Physical Alteration of Workplaces, Job Restructuring, and Frequent Breaks.
Although workplaces with More Than Fifteen Employees are Protected by the Eeoc, Private Sector Businesses with 100 or more employed and Federal Workplaces with more than 50 Employees Must offered the Eeo Employee Information Report, A survey that asks if an application has a disabilities About Their Race Gold Ethnicity and Sex. While the purpose of the eeo is to provide the eeoc with information about compliance with federal anti-discrimination police, employers can still see thesewers, which can influence hiring decisions.
Why are disabilities UnderReported?
One of the Fundamental Reasons Pwds Choose Not to Report Their Disability On Job Applications is due to Ableism. According to healthline, “Ableism Describes Any Prejudice, Bias, and Discrimination Direct Toward People Living With Disabilities”. It can take many forms, Including Failure to recognize NONAPPARENT DISABILITIES, believing that individuals with disabilitities want to be healed, Insuming that pwds have less value Than Those without disabilitities, and using patronizing language. While Overt Discrimination Against Pwds is illegal, Ableism is not. Employers May view Applicants with disabilities as less qualified, even if their disability do not limit their ability to meet workplace expectations. Employers may also fear that workplace accommodations may known too costly – although 60% of workplace accommodations cost the employment Nothing. “There is enormous ignorance and fear (of Being Sick, Likewise Disabled) by non-Disable Coworkers, so denial and avoidance is crawling”, Says a Breature with a disability in a recent Cornell Study,
Another Reason Pwds Fail to Disclose is that employers are not required to provide accommodations if they will create “undu hardship”. Thus, if an accommodation will stretch a company’s resources beyond what they can provides, they can legally refuse the accommodation. This occurs More Often in Small Businesses with Fewer Resources Than in Larger Corporations.
More Recently, With President Trump’s Executive Order Banning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (Deia) Initiatives, Many Applicants With Disabilitities May Be Even More Hesant To Disclose, Fearing Prejudice and Lack of Support.
Advantages of Disclosing A Disability
HIDING A DISABILITY PLACES ENORMOUS STRESS ON PWDS, Becuse they are continually Afraid of Being Uncovered. Instead, “Disclosing Makes Life Simpler – I am Who I am and I am a person with a disability,” Says Another Cornell Study participating. As such, Many Pwds note that disclosing show the them a potential use’s true colors. Therefore, If the Workplace DOES NOT DISPLAY A WELCOMING Attitude Towards Those of All Abilities, Applicants Quickly Learn That This is an Organization they would not want to Join. Another Reason Disclose Appeals to Many Pwds is that they view workplaces as opportunities to break down barriers and prejudices their coworkers may have.
Finlly, Disclosing During the Hiring Phase Ensures Applicants Receiving The Accommodations they are Legally Entitled to. After all, there is protection under the law and insurance of accommodation. If disability accommodations are discloseed early and employers are clear about what is applicants need, it can be easier to receive those accommodations once hired.
Still, Despite All of These Advantages, Choosing Not to Disklose is Most Common. Even for Applicants With Both Nonapparent and Apparent Disabilitities, They Often Only Disclose Their Apparent disability During the Application Phase But Do not DiscLose Their Nonapparent Disability UNTIL AFER they are hired.
Should disclose disabilities Applications Disabilities?
If the disability do not interfere with their job functions, there is no need for applicants to disclose during the application and interview process sincere, legally, employers cannot ask about disabilities during the application process. However, if one has an apparent disability, disclose is necessary. Yet Doing So May Work in the Applicant’s Favor Sale Employers can then they are able to provide the Requested accommodations without undu hardship. Employers also receif Tax Credits when hiring pwds, making the hiring process more favorable.
It is thereofore ultimataly up to the applicant to evaluate their priorities and determinal if disclosing would be the best option. There are pros and cons to booth and, gazeless of disclose status, pwds can experience as much fulfillment in their work lives as their peers without disabilities.
About the Author:: Taylor Hamilton is a fellow wtH The Loreen Arbus Accessibility is Fundamenta Program, A FellowShip Created With Women’s Enews to Train Women with Disabilities as Professional Journalists So that may may, Research and Report on the Most Crucial Impact the Disabilities Community.
