The workshop focuses on the benefits and concerns of disclosing a disability in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of making an informed choice and understanding key terms like disclosure and accommodation. It outlines the advantages, such as receiving support and legal protection, and disadvantages, like potential discrimination and self-image issues. The document also provides guidance on how to prepare for disclosure, including creating a personal script and selecting appropriate timing and audience.

1. YMCA EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
DISCLOSING YOUR
DISABILITY…
OR NOT
PowerPoint Created by: Carrie Alexander, Employment Placement Consultant

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Material in this workshop is based upon:
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability
“The 411 on Disability Disclosure Workbook”
Washington, DC
Institute for Educational Leadership

3. 2. Outline the benefits and concerns
about disclosure
3. Help you make an informed choice
about disclosing your disability
4. Help you create a script to talk about
your disability and reasonable
accommodations (if you choose to
disclose)
GOALS
1. Define disclosure (within a workplace setting) and key
terms on this topic

4. TERMINOLOGY
• Disclosure
• Accommodation
• Informed choice
• Self-determination

5. DISCLOSURE
“to open up, to reveal or to tell”
• Very personal choice
• Should be an informed choice
• Usually done in order to receive
accommodations
• If you do not require accommodations,
it is generally not necessary to tell
people about your disability

6. ACCOMMODATION
• A strategy that gets rid of or lessens
the effect of a specific barrier
• Any change or modification to an
environment that makes it possible for
an individual with a disability to enjoy
an equal opportunity

7. THREE BASIC TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS
1. Changes to facilities and
equipment (ramps, large print,
assistive technology)
2. Provision of special services (ASL
interpreters, job coach)
3. Creative thinking and problem
solving (flexible schedule, work
from home)

8. INFORMED CHOICE
The process of making a decision
after considering relevant facts and
weighing the pros and cons
(positives and negatives)

9. ACTIVITY:
What do you know about yourself and your disability?

10. SELF-DETERMINATION
The desire, ability and
practice of directing
one’s own life. It is often
referred to as “The BIG
Picture” because it has so
much to with the person
you are and the person
you want to be.

11. SELF-DETERMINATION
A self-determined person can:
• See options
• Solve problems
• Speak for him or herself
• Understand required supports and
• Evaluate outcomes

12. SELF-DETERMINATION
Self-determined people:
• Respect themselves
• Accept themselves
• Value themselves for who
they are and what they have
to offer others
• More easily identify long and
short-term goals

13. A self-determined person:
• Understands their strengths
• Can describe their strengths to others
• Understands their disability and limitations
• Discloses (or doesn’t disclose) their disability
to others
• Knows which accommodations are effective
SELF-DETERMINATION

14. DISADVANTAGES TO DISCLOSING
• May cause you to relive bad past experiences
• Can lead to feeling of exclusion
• Some people may become more curious
about you
• Might get treated differently
than others
• Some people could think that you
are needy or unable to do the
job like everyone else

15. DISADVANTAGES TO DISCLOSING
• People might blame you if
something goes wrong
• Can bring up feelings about
your self-image
• May cause you to be
overlooked for a job or
promotion
• It can be difficult and
embarrassing

16. ADVANTAGES TO DISCLOSING
Allows you to:
• Receive reasonable
accommodations so that you
can work more effectively
• Reduce stress since you are
no longer protecting a
“secret”
• Be legally protected against
discrimination
• Increase your comfort level

17. ADVANTAGES TO DISCLOSING
• Have a clearer impression of what
kinds of expectations people may
have of you and your disability
• Ensures you are getting what you
need to be successful
• Greater freedom to communicate
should you face changes on the job
• Improves self-image though self-
advocacy (being able to stand up
for yourself)

18. ACTIVITY: Disclosure examples (page 7-10)

19. HOW TO DISCLOSE
It is best to disclose:
• How your disability affects
your capacity to learn and
perform effectively
• The environment, supports
and services you’ll need in
order to access, participate
and excel at work

20. GETTING READY TO DISCLOSE
In your own words:
• Start by mentioning some of
your strengths
• Briefly and clearly share your
own disability
• How may your disability affect
your work?
• What accommodations will
help? Share how this will
make you a better employee

21. • Is the person in a supervisory
role and will he/she support
me?
• What experiences does this
person have with similar
disclosure situations
• Do I respect this person and
will they keep my disclosure
confidential?
WHO SHOULD YOU TALK TO
Questions to consider

22. • Does this person have the
power to determine how
reasonable the request is for
the accommodation?
• Can the person provide the
required accommodation(s)?
• Is the person responsible for
hiring, promoting or firing?
WHO SHOULD YOU TALK TO
Questions to consider, continued…

23. TIMING
• Select a private, confidential, comfortable place
to disclose
• Allow enough time to discuss the impact of
your disability
• The person(s) to whom you are disclosing may
have questions, suggestions or concerns that
require more time for discussion
Remember:

24. ACTIVITY: Practice Script (page 7-13)

25. PRACTICE SCRIPT
Having a disclosure “script” and practicing
it with friends, relatives and mentors will
be of great benefit to you when the time
actually comes to discuss your disability
at work
 Most people find it easier to talk about
the effect of their disability than using
clinical terms

26. REMEMBER…
Your decision to disclose your
disability may change based on:
• the particular person
• situation or setting
• need for accommodations
Trust your instincts!

27. FINAL THOUGHT