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As
a person with a disability, one of the issues that you
will face during your job search is whether or not to
disclose your disability to potential employers. The first
step in this decision is to know your rights under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA makes it illegal
for employers to ask whether or not a person has a disability.
However, if you need an accommodation either on the job,
or during the interview process, you must disclose your
disability in order to receive it.
Therefore,
it is necessary to decide whether you will need an accommodation
to perform the job to which you are applying. The best
way to accomplish this is to find out what duties are
required, and consider how you can fulfill them with or
without an accommodation. This will allow you to confidently
decide whether or not to disclose the disability. You
have several options if you wish to disclose:
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| Disclosing
on the Resume/Application |
| It
is not necessary to disclose a disability on your resume.
Disclosing on the resume may or may not hinder your chances
of being called for an interview. If you are a member of
any organization related to people with disabilities you
may choose to include this information on your resume, especially
if you have held any leadership positions within the organizations.
Some employers may require candidates to complete a job
application. It is illegal for employers to ask if you have
a disability on an application form. If an application form
asks about disabilities it is advisable to leave it blank.
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| Disclosing
Before the Interview |
| If
you have a disability that requires an accommodation for
the interview, you will need to disclose when you are called
to schedule the interview. This will allow the employer
to make any necessary arrangements for your interview. For
example, if you use a wheelchair, you should make sure the
site of the interview is accessible. Also, if you require
the use of a sign language interpreter, you need to make
arrangements with the employer prior to the interview.
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| Disclosing
During the Interview |
| This
allows you to educate the employer concerning your disability
and to discuss how you will be able to perform the job duties.
The downside is if you do not get the job offer, you will
not know if you were rejected because of your qualifications
or because of your disability. If you have a hidden disability
that requires an accommodation, it is appropriate to disclose
at the point of a job offer. An example of this would be
an individual with attention deficit disorder who requires
a flexible work schedule. |
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| Not
Disclosing |
| If
you do not require any accommodations to perform the job
there is no reason to inform an employer that you have a
disability. For example, if you have a hidden disability
such as a learning disability, which does not affect your
ability to perform the job you need not volunteer this information.
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