[nabs-l] Job seekers- disclosing disability

[Len Burns]

My own experience is that there is the law, and then the strategic 
choices you need to make to maximize your chances of being hired.  If 
somebody does not want to hire you, there are dozens of ways to justify 
this without overtly mentioning blindness.

I neither emphasize nor de-emphasize my blindness.  It is simply an 
aspect of who I am in life.  I deal with this with potential employers 
in exactly the same manner.  I am matter of fact, and practical.  If I 
need an accommodation in the hiring process, I might choose to discuss 
my blindness in that context.  If not, I manage it in the interview 
itself.  I often ask outright of any concerns held by the interviewers 
so that I may dispell them in the open.  I know that what is not asked 
is a lot more dangerous to me than what is out on the table.

-Len

Bill wrote:
> I was under the impression that employers were required to provide
> 'reasonable' accomidations.  This article seems to imply that they are not
> obligated if they did not know about your disability when they hired you.
> the law does not allow for employers to use your disibility at all in their
> selection process.  In OR i believe that employers aren't even allowed to
> ask about disabilities.  I imagine that one can extend the law to not allow
> for preference to be given to disabled applicants either since you would be
> choosing on non-relevant baseies.  Unfortunatly those of us with physical
> disabilities have less choice about disclosure then other potentionally
> disabled applicants.  Joseph has said to me that employers will be more
> likely to hire you if they can see how you would be able to forfill the
> position.  Convincing the employer of this can be hard.  It would seem that
> an interview would be a good place to discuss this, but you would much
> prefer that the interview focused on your own skills and not details that
> should not effect their desision.
> Just my two cents,
> Bill VP
> Oregon Association of Blind Students
> 503-768-8982
> cassonw at gmail.com
> 
> On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 1:24 PM, Jim Reed <jim275_2 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hey all,
>>
>> As the summer-job seeking season is upon us, and as the economy forces
>> others out of work, I thought the following would be useful to some of
>> you. It deals with how/when to disclose your blindness to an employer.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_jsdisc.hcsp
>>
>> I Hope some find it useful. I have an interview tomarrow with Montana Fish,
>> Wildlife, and Parks. I guess I will see how it works then.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>> "Ignorance killed the cat; curiosity was framed."
>>
>>
>>
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