Evaluating disability disclosure in the workplace at Concordia workshop

Concordia University’s Alumni Association hosted “Disclosing in the Workplace: Is it Worth it?” on October 5, an online workshop exploring the experiences encountered by working-age Canadians with a disability. While the presenters discussed how disclosing one’s disability can lead to potential accommodations, they also noted reasons for hesitation such as concerns about lost opportunities and different treatment.

Speakers included staff from Concordia’s Access Centre for Students with Disabilities and the Equity Office of the Provost and Vice-President, sharing their insights and experiences with disclosure in the workplace. Periodical polls were launched in order to asses audience demographics and perspectives.

Anna Barrafato, Accessibility Change Lead at the university’s Equity Office, defined disclosure as “the process in which an employee...reveals their disabilities to employers and subsequently may ask for workplace accommodation.” Although it can lead to needed adaptations, she acknowledged this can be taxing on the individual.

In the past, employees with challenges had to justify the need for workplace accommodation, however Barrafato noted the Quebec Charter of Rights now stipulates it is the employer’s duty to accommodate, barring undue hardship such as financial cost.

How much information should be shared? “Low disclosure can be as effective as high disclosure for low-cost accommodations,” said Charles Altman, advisor at Concordia’s Access Centre.

An example of a low-cost accommodation is assistive technology features from Microsoft Office Suite and Windows, such as options to change contrast, font type or size, activate closed captioning and voice- to-text, many of which are already embedded by default or available for a nominal fee.

Employees can also apply for periodic breaks, remote offices or adapted schedules. “Requesting an accommodation is an iterative and interactive process,” observed Moire Stevenson, Access Centre Lead for Disability Accommodations.

While physical accommodations, such as specialized equipment or a ramp, can be complicated, Stevenson stated that employers may consider such requests as this can enhance their inclusion ratings on work- place sites such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor.

Though there has been more openness in recent years, disclosure is still challenging for many. When polled, 21 percent of the Concordia participants in the October 5 talk responded they would not reveal their situation.

In 2017, visually-impaired CBC Radio producer Sheyfali Saujani hosted “The Disclosure Dilemma,” reflecting on how situations have changed over the past few decades. She opened with, “in the past, everyone with a disability knew that getting a job meant downplaying your disability, not asking for special treatment - [it] was my problem and not something my boss had to worry about.”

As an example, a social worker with cerebral palsy on Saujani’s show stated she never mentions her condition in job applications for fear it might disqualify her. Even established employees may hesitate asking for accommodations due to the stigma of needing help or being treated differently.

Yet the decision to share about one’s situation can also be a teaching opportunity. In Disability Alliance BC’s “Disclosing Your Disability” legal guide, a hard-of-hearing employee shared, “if we’re willing to educate the general public, they become more sensitive, and it improves all our working relationships.”

Disclosure is a complex, situationally-specific undertaking. “Your disability is part of who you are,” said an advocate on Saujani’s show. “[It does] not take the focus away from what you can actually do.”