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Students with Disabilities

Students and alumni with disabilities have unique considerations as they search for an inclusive, affirming, and supportive place to work. The search can be even more challenging if you are a person living with a disability. Questions may come up for you that another potential job seeker may not have to consider or ask. 

CCDAE Commitment

  • Create a safe and welcoming environment for students with disabilities, both in our physical space and interpersonally 
  • Provide a welcoming, affirming, and flexible career services support model
  • Encourage students with disabilities to discover and explore their individual strengths and skills, and to help you make a more informed choice about internship opportunities and employer selection
  • Challenge barriers and stereotypes within our day-to-day interactions with University of Tennessee, Knoxville students, faculty, and staff
  • Increase awareness of resources and services available to support students with disabilities in making informed career decisions.

Support on Campus 

All About ADA 

The American Disabilities Act (ADA) has a broad definition of disability. Anything related to your physical and/or mental health that impacts your day-to-day life activities may be protected under the ADA. The ADA was established to protect those with a disability or those perceived as having a disability from discrimination in the workplace. If you want to read more on the full definition of disability, follow the link to the U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination) It is important to note that having general knowledge of ADA and your rights is vital, should you need to request an accommodation at your workplace. An individual’s mental and/or physical health may or may not change over time, so this is important information to consider as you are entering the workplace.

What the ADA means for your Job Search 

  • It is illegal for employers covered under the ADA to discriminate against a qualified applicant with a disability.
    • An applicant with a disability must still meet all requirements for the position including education, training, and skills.
    • An applicant with a disability must be able to perform all “essential duties” of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • An employer must make reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability during the interview process. 
    • It is important for you to consider in advance any accommodation that you might need in order to access the interview process. You might want to consider asking about the format and modality of the interview ahead of time to help determine whether an accommodation may be necessary.
    • It is important to request accommodations for an interview well in advance so that the employer and hiring team can make the necessary arrangements.
  • An employer may not ask questions regarding disability prior to making a job offer
    • An employer may not inquire about disability at any point prior to extending a job offer, including during an application or interview.
    • An employer may ask about the ability to complete essential job functions as long as the questions are not phrased to elicit the presence of a disability.
    • Questions that an employer cannot ask include: 
      • Do you have a disability that would affect your performance on the job? 
      • Have you ever been treated for mental health problems? 
      • Are you currently taking prescription drugs?
      • If an employer asks a question regarding a disability, you need to decide how you would like to respond. You may decline to answer, as it is against the law for them to ask.
  • An employer must make reasonable accommodations for a person with a disability during employment.
    • Private, non-profit, and charity organizations with fewer than 15 employees are not always required to be in compliance with the ADA, so it is important to do research on any organization/company that you are applying to in order to better understand what, if any, processes they have in place to support employees with disabilities.
    • If you have questions about any organization’s ADA-related processes, it is best to contact their HR department.
    • Employers are required to have an interactive process with you about your accommodations and decisions cannot be made unilaterally.
    • Employers are able to choose among effective options for accommodation.
    • Employers do not have to make accommodations that cause an “undue hardship”. However, there should be an interactive discussion about this part of your accommodation process.
    • Employers do not have to remove essential functions or alter the job requirements due to a disability.

Considerations Regarding Disability Disclosure and Disability

  • It is essential to carefully consider what information you are disclosing and to whom you are disclosing information to when you enter the working world. While people have different comfort levels in terms of information-sharing, it’s important to make a well-informed decision as it relates to your personal information.
  • During the accommodation process, you may be required to share documentation of your disability. However, you do not have to disclose information about your disability outside of an organization’s designated accommodation process. To ensure confidentiality and privacy of your personal information, individuals can focus on accommodation requests vs. disability disclosures up-front, and ask to be directed to the appropriate organizational process before getting too in-depth.
  • Pro Tip: Familiarize yourself early on with an employer’s Benefits and/or ADA Human Resources point of contact, so you can have a confidential resource should you need to request accommodation. If an individual discloses a disability/diagnosis to anyone who does not manage the formal accommodation request process (i.e. a colleague or even a supervisor in the workplace), the individual’s information is no longer private.
  • Pro Tip: Reach out to an employer of interest and ask if they can get you in touch with a Human Resources professional who can serve as your point of contact when requesting accommodation. Once you request an accommodation, this should lead to an interactive process where you are directed to what you are required to disclose.
  • Many people with disabilities never disclose this information to employers as they feel that this is unimportant in the context of their work. While you may not feel like you have to hide a disability, you should not feel that you have to share it outside of the designated accommodation process. However, not disclosing through an organization’s formal process could likely jeopardize your ability to receive accommodations.

Evaluating Potential Employers and Resources Beyond Campus

  • DiversityInc – Top 50 Companies – An annual list of the top companies that are considered to be the most inclusive for employees.
  • DiversityInc – Top 10 Companies – An annual list of the top 10 companies for people with disabilities.
  • GettingHired – Online job board that bridges the gap between job seekers with disabilities and employers looking to hire.
  • Workforce Recruitment Program – A recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers with college students and recent graduates with disabilities.
  • Schedule A Hiring Authority – An exception to the traditional federal hiring process, streamlining the hiring process for people with disabilities and in some cases allowing for non-competitive hiring.
  • AskJan – An accommodation database that provides lists of common workplace accommodations by disability.

 

GettingHired.com is a free employment resource for individuals with disabilities