Destigmatizing Disability At Work: Should I Self-Identify?

By Moon Harper

Dec 28, 2023 02:42 AM EST

Even if you want to present your best self, applying for a job can be difficult if you have a disability.

Mia Ives-Rublee, Director of the Center for American Progress's Disability Justice Initiative, notes that a Pew Research Center survey indicates 13% of Americans live with a disability, a ratio she believes to be underestimated because of the stigma attached to the latter.

Candidates with disabilities frequently struggle with deciding which of the three optional questions about their disability status to answer.

Yes, I have a disability or have had one in the past.
No, I do not have a disability and have not had one in the past.
I do not want to answer.

Is It Necessary To Be Asked By Employers?

Disability status is restricted to be asked during job interviews. Still, it can be included as voluntary questions along with information on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and veteran status, confidentially collected by federal contractors as mandated by the updated Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for Statistics Recording. The U.S. Department of Labor ensures the secure storage of this data separately from other personnel information for confidentiality, with access limited to those responsible for enforcing compliance regulations.

Should I Self-Identify?

Revealing your disability allows you to request the necessary accommodations, ensuring you legally receive them. You may face challenges in the hiring process and on the job without those accommodations if you choose not to disclose such when you might feel exhausted after work or struggle to keep up with colleagues, as mentioned by Ives-Rublee.

Deciding to disclose depends on whether it benefits you. If you don't reveal, are you ready to work without the accommodations you need and deserve? Ives-Rublee generally recommends disclosure for three reasons:

To secure needed accommodations
To have legal recourse under the Americans with Disabilities Act if discrimination occurs; and
To assess early on if the workplace is disability-friendly.

Should I Disclose My Disability Employers?

You are not legally required to mention your disability during job applications or interviews, but it is your decision whether to disclose it. Enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects your rights. It prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, which applies to state, private, and local government employers with 15 or more employees.

What Qualifies as an ADA Disability?

A disability is recognized if someone has, has a record of having, or is perceived to have a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." under the ADA definition. If you fit into any of these categories, you are safeguarded against disability discrimination.

Some examples of disabilities include: