1. Job Searching with a Disability - Disability Rights and Your Job Search
Knowing your disability rights in the job search will help you feel more confident as you search. Knowing your disability rights will help you:
- Assess potential employers and determine whether you actually want to work for them;
- Determine how informed your potential employer is about disability rights;
- Assess the job's disability-friendliness and determine whether to search elsewhere; and
- Know what to do if you feel your rights are violated during the job search.
2. Job Searching with a Disability - Know What Employers Are Required to Do
While it is important for you to know your rights during the job search, it is also important to know the limitations of your disability rights. Learn what you can reasonably expect from an employer in terms of accommodations for your disability.
3. Before You Search for a Job - Know Your Disability Status
Are you sure you are protected by disability rights laws? Having a physical, intellectual, or psychological condition alone may not be sufficient to trigger protections in your job search. How do you know? Learn how to determine if you are protected.
4. Job Searching with a Disability - Presenting Your Skills
Preparing for your job search, it can be helpful to assemble a portfolio of your skills. A portfolio is a sample of your best work from previous employment. Job searching with a portfolio helps potential employers evaluate your work and may help them begin to think about how your skills apply in their company. Don't have a portfolio? Start working on developing skills valuable to employers. Tap into local libraries and adult education programs for classes and training materials on computer skills, business writing, software skills, searching for information, presentation skills, and more. Create a portfolio of your work, and have instructors evaluate it for use in future job interviews.
5. Dress Appropriately for a Job Search with a Disability
As a person with a disability, dressing appropriately for the interview helps shift the focus off the disability and onto your skills. It literally helps employers see you as a person on their staff.
Dress like employees already in the work environment in the position you want, but don't underdress for the interview. Applying as a cook? You may not want to interview in an apron and chef's hat, but you should dress neatly in casual business clothing.
If you're not sure how to dress for an interview, if possible, visit the business before your interview and notice the atmosphere. Evaluate the kinds of tasks envolved with the job. Dressing for a business or retail interview? Check out these tips.
6. Filing a Charge Against an Employer for Disability Discrimination
While searching for a job with a disability, if a potential employer violates your rights, you may consider filing a formal charge of disability discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Typically, if an employer is found guilty of violating disability regulations, the following corrective actions may be applied by the EEOC:
- Revisions of policies, procedures and practices in interviewing and hiring within the company to prevent future violations;
- Training employees and administrators to ensure compliance with disability laws; or
- Fines.
Consider contacting an attorney to learn about your individual right to any form of compensation.
