Negative Effects Of Disclosing A Disability

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Disclosing a disability to an employer can have both negative and positive effects. The possible positive effects being that accommodations can be implemented for the person’s disability, people in the area are aware in case of an emergency, and there is an honest relationship built at the beginning of the job. Negative aspects of disclosing the information could be that people might treat the person differently, expectations of work might be changed, they could receive pity, or it could put the employer in an uncomfortable position. However, if the information is delivered correctly and the employer is considerate, the positive should outweigh the negative. This decision is a personal choice and should be made with many different considerations …show more content…

For those with disabilities, as long as they have the skillset and meet the qualifications, there is no reason they should not be considered for the position; the ADA protects them in that way. The tricky part comes in when the interviewer knows there is a disability, which might cause them to worry about coming off as discriminatory if they do not offer the person the job. However, if the interviewee would disclose the information after obtaining the position, this would not be a problem. First earning the position and then disclosing the disability seems like a reasonable compromise, so long as the disability will not present itself to be a problem in the workplace. This way, the person applying for the position knows that they meet the qualifications and that the interviewer believes they will be able to perform the tasks to their standards. The employer might also appreciate their honesty and then both people can have an open conversation about accommodations and considerations that need to be thought …show more content…

Disclosing the information upfront and with much detail would most likely be to the applicant’s benefit. “Employment discrimination during hiring seems to stem from a lack of information about the applicant’s disability which in turn perpetuates negative stereotypes” (Dalgin, 2005, p.3). An employer might assume the worst if there is an obvious impairment, but if the impairment or disability is discussed up front, the person with the disability is more in control of how the employer views their

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