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As mentioned in the introduction, many very successful people have hidden disabilities. For a number of individuals, the disability goes unnoticed and unaccommodated by their employers and other people around them. During the course of their lives they have developed strategies that help them compensate, and have developed a number of positive qualities along the way.
Alumni/Students While there are many examples of success in the media and on the web, there are also many closer to home. When asked to discuss their disabilities, how they impact the workplace, and what accommodations they required, the following responses were given by Muhlenberg alumni and students. “At times I have to work harder to keep up with my colleagues and to grasp the full concept of what my team is working on … I have not disclosed my learning difference because I feel I am able to compensate … I work extra hours and read industry news to stay on top of trends.” - 2000 Muhlenberg graduate with dyslexia and auditory processing difficulties “I think that employees with hidden disabilities need to be upfront with key people at their workplace regarding their disability … I told my employer about my disability at the end of my first interview. I wanted Human Resources to watch me answer all of their questions without any problems so that they could see that this would not interfere with my performance on my job. I have since told several people at my company. My assistant especially, as I would never want her to think I was ignoring her!” - 2000 Muhlenberg graduate with a sensory neural hearing impairment “Being a teacher is good because I am always on the move. It would be more difficult if I was in a cubicle or in conferences all day ... In cases when I have hard times paying attention I take a break and try to refocus … Hidden disabilities are not a problem if the person with the disabilities has strategies to deal with them … People need to realize that people with disabilities will not be a lesser employee. They have their own strategies to deal with the problem.” - 1999 Muhlenberg graduate with a learning disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder “I have not yet needed to disclose to an employer, but deciding to do so in the future would depend on how open I perceive my supervisor and co-workers to be and if I believe they would hold the information in confidence. I would prefer to compensate for my disability without having to disclose by letting my supervisor know how I best work … Past experiences with fellow students who didn’t understand my disability, and felt I was given advantages, have left me feeling reluctant to ask for accommodations in the workplace.” - Recent Muhlenberg graduate (class of 2003) with a neurological impairment Employers Employers also have stories to share and are interested in discussing the issue of disabilities in the workplace. While they obviously have a legal obligation to accommodate employees with disabilities, some actually took it a step farther. One employer said, “Accommodation is very common. The culture here is to create a nice work environment. We make accommodations all the time, and not just for employees with disabilities.” This employer also stressed the importance of training first-line supervisors in diversity issues since that is where the majority of accommodations are handled. This training includes both everyday and extreme examples with a heavy emphasis on role-playing. Another employer stressed that open communication is the key when accommodating employees with disabilities, along with a little common sense. She remembered a client from years ago who used a wheelchair and took a position with an organization that was more than willing to meet his needs. While this employee was on vacation, the employer spent a great deal of effort, and money, to lower the drinking fountain to a level he could reach from his chair. They were very proud of themselves, and while the employee appreciated being able to reach the fountain, he also shared that had they discussed it with him first, he would have told them that all he really needed was a cup dispenser next to the fountain. The point here is that even the best intentions can produce poor results. Employers need to be having conversations with their employees regarding accommodations, and not make any assumptions. Here are some additional stories that demonstrate how a particular employer (a financial services company) has handled different types of disabilities and requests for accommodation: “An employee with less than one year of service (and, therefore, not eligible for time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act) was about to be put on corrective action for absenteeism. She then explained that she had a chronic medical condition that required her to receive weekly treatments on Tuesday evenings. She further explained she is sometimes disabled by the treatment and unable to come to work on the following day, Wednesday. The employee asked whether she could work a compressed workweek that would enable her to have every Wednesday off. After our Health Services Department reviewed the employee's medical certification, it was determined that she did have an ADA-protected disability. Her request to work a compressed workweek was granted. When other employees in her work area asked why she was able to work this type of schedule, they were not told that the employee needed to work this schedule because of a medical condition; they were simply told that the employee's request to work this schedule was granted and that if any other employee wanted to make a request to work an alternative work schedule, their situation would be reviewed.” “An employee whose position was eliminated was offered another position on a trial basis. The arrangement was that either the manager or the employee could determine that the arrangement was not working within 90 days and that if either felt that the arrangement was not working, the employee would be released with severance. This is a standard guideline to encourage managers to consider employees whose positions have been eliminated for internal opportunities. During the 90-day period, the employee exhibited several inappropriate behaviors in meetings with colleagues, e.g., outbursts, expressions of frustration, shouting, etc. The manager decided to end the employee's assignment. In response to learning that he would be released, the employee revealed that he had manic depression and was consulting with his doctor about different medical treatments. His erratic behavior was a result of inappropriate medication. In light of this, we decided to extend his trial period for another 90 days.” “An employee who was hired into our Management Training Program revealed that he had a learning disability and asked whether he could have more time to take exams, a private area to study and written step-by-step instructions. These accommodations were provided for him.” “An employee who had diabetes was provided with a private self-treatment room so that he could administer his insulin. He was also provided with periodic breaks so that he could eat light snacks, whenever necessary, to keep his blood sugar balanced.” “An employee who has severe asthma is allowed to be absent more often than the attendance standards allow so that she could stay home when the weather conditions are such that she is unable to travel outside.” (Thanks to various members of COSD for these examples.) Final Words As you can see, whether the employee has a health problem, cognitive impairment, or psychological disorder, accommodations can be relatively easy and inexpensive. All it takes is understanding, creativity, and flexibility on the part of the employer, supervisor, and co-workers. As a result, the employee is more productive, and the employer retains a good employee. Everyone wins. |