Youthabilities - On The Job

Do your research!

If you decide to disclose, it is important to eliminate all possible reasons with why an employer may not want to hire you.  Thus, it is important to address the employer’s concerns as soon as possible and this essentially can be done at the interview or during the job offer. 

Here are three things that an employer will need to know:

1. How your disability affects or will possibly affect your performance in the workplace?
2. Will your disability lead to poor attendance?
3. What will the cost for accommodation be now and possibly in the future?

In order to address these concerns, you must:

1. Be prepared
2. Be ready
3. Be confident

Some possible ways to address an employer’s concerns are:

1. Describe exactly how you are affected by your disability in terms of the specific job for which you have applied.
2. Clearly identify the job barriers to the employer, and at the same time provide solutions by the way of accommodations.
3. Remember that you are the ‘expert’ in this situation, and the employer cannot possibly know what accommodations will or will not work for you.

An information service and Canada-wide source, JANCANA, deals with issues related to job accommodations for persons with disabilities. 

Contact: 1-800-526-2262 for more information.  

On the Job

Disclosing (when you have a disability)

Disclosing at this stage, can be risky as the employer will likely question why you haven’t disclosed before.  At this point, it is important to be clear about the reasons with why you haven’t disclosed.  Maybe you weren’t comfortable or weren’t as prepared; be open and honest with your employer.  Remember, you haven’t been dishonest in not disclosing your disability.  You don’t need to disclose unless you need the accommodation to do your job. 

Once you have disclosed, get ready to start addressing some of the employer’s concerns (see section Do your research). 

Once they have been addressed, reiterate some of what you may have said at the interview and how your disability will not affect the performance of your job. 

Disclosing (when you acquire a disability on the job)

When you have acquired a disability on the job, and it affects you in how you do your job, it is important to communicate that right away to your employer.  As you prepare to discuss your condition, remember that anyone can develop a disability, invisible or not, at any time.  This is why a note from your doctor is also essential to this process.