Disclosing a disability

Choosing to disclose

You control how your disability is discussed. By stressing the positive aspects of your disability you can confront any negative perceptions at the earliest stage possible.

Many employers are committed to employing disabled people. Find employers who have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme. Also, look for employers' equality and diversity policies online.

Your employer will be able to make reasonable adjustments. Under the 2010 Act, employers must consider making 'reasonable adjustments' to enable you to work for them. For example, if your disability makes travel difficult at certain times, then an employer could make a reasonable adjustment by allowing you to work different hours.

Financial support is available via the Access to Work scheme to help employers provide specialist equipment, so there is no extra cost to them.

You are protected by the Equality Act 2010. It is unlawful for employers to discriminate against disabled people in their recruitment and selection procedures.

You may be asked to complete a medical questionnaire. Omitting details or giving false information may prejudice your application adversely. It may also result in dismissal if your disability comes to light after you start the job.

Choosing not to disclose 

• You may be worried that an employer will reject your application immediately.
• You may feel that your application will not be considered on its merits.

• You may consider your disability or health condition to have no effect your ability to do the job. As such there is no need to draw attention to it. The Equality Act 2010 states that an employer cannot ask you things about your health that are nothing to do with the job.

Before you decide 

Before applying for any job and making a decision regarding disclosure, consider the following:

• The nature of your disability and the work involved in the role; do they impact on one another?
• The terms and conditions of the job; are there any health and safety issues that need to be addressed? Disclosure will help your employer deal effectively with these.

• The culture of the employer: Does their website refer to ways in which they help people with disabilities?
• If your employer is not aware of your disability, they cannot make adjustments to help you succeed in your job, and they may be less flexible in allowing time off for medical appointments.
• The consequences of not disclosing your disability. Could your disability come to light in some way in the future? If that happened how would you deal with it?

Application stage 

• Some application forms ask direct questions about health and disability, or include a medical questionnaire. This is your opportunity to provide information in a clear, structured form.
• Certain job applications (e.g. teaching or health professions) might ask these questions as part of an assessment called Fitness to Practise. You will have to answer these questions fully and honestly.

• You may choose to disclose via an answer to a question, or when providing a supporting statement. For example, could a situation in which your disability posed a challenge demonstrate the way you have handled something effectively? This also applies to disclosure via a CV or covering letter.

Interview stage 

Prior to an interview

• If you require support to travel to and/or take part in an interview, it is much easier for an employer to make arrangements if they are notified in advance.
• This demonstrates to an employer that you are proactive in managing your circumstances well, and will help you feel more relaxed in the interview.

During an interview

• If you have not disclosed your disability prior to interview, you may encounter surprise on the part of the interviewer. How might you react in this situation?
• You may feel you can better address questions about your disability in person, rather in writing. This should not present a problem, but it could mean the interview focuses on your disability rather than what you can bring to the job.
• If the interview is conducted properly and fairly this should not occur, but you should ensure that in answering questions the focus remains on your ability to do the job.

After you start work 

• ou might want to assess how you cope in the job before deciding whether you need support. Will you feel more comfortable about disclosure once you are established?
• Think also about how you will broach the issue with your manager and work colleagues.

• You may encounter colleagues who are unsure how engage with your disability. How might this affect your working environment? If you feel confident to address this and put them at their ease then do so. However do not feel obliged to engage them to a degree that encroaches on your privacy.
• Offensive or inappropriate behaviour regarding your disability is a breach of the law. You should speak to your line manager in this situation.

'Selling' your disability to an employer 

Keep control of the situation

Focus on your strengths, transferable skills and what you have learnt from your disability. Acknowledging any difficulties that you have had and stressing the ways that you have overcome them demonstrates your maturity and determination to succeed.

Some examples:

• Because of my hearing loss I have developed excellent levels of concentration. This is demonstrated in my ability to analyse spreadsheets and make performance related forecasts.

• I have cerebral palsy which affects my walking and my speech. My communication has a few problems which I have learnt to work around by using different words or by just writing them down. Over time people do get tuned it to the way that I speak. I also use an electric wheelchair for long distances. I am very aware of problems that other people face and can usually think of ways to overcome or help to alleviate these.
• Because of my dyslexia I have developed a range of strategies in the collection and processing of information and in structuring my work. In addition I make full use of a range of computer software to assist my written work.