Disclosing Your Disability
There are no laws requiring the disclosure of a disability. If your disability does not require accommodations, you can decidewhether you want to disclose. If you need to disclose your disability because you require accommodations that make your disability apparent to others, you should be comfortable discussing your disability and informing your managers and co-workers regarding how your disability may affect your ability to perform your job. You do not need to give them the personal details of your disability. Try practicing what you will say beforehand so you feel more confident explaining what accommodations you might need. Also use phrases that stress your ability, not your limitation. For example, if you have a back injury, instead of saying “I cannot stand for more than an hour.” Say “I can stand for up to an hour.”
Reasonable Accommodation
A reasonable accommodation is any change or adjustment to a job or the interview process that enables you to still perform all essential functions of the job or be fairly evaluated.
If you need reasonable accommodations, as allowed by the ADA, for an interview or on the job, it is important that you are proactive and work with human resources and your manager to meet your needs. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to problem solve and work as part of a team.
Inappropriate Interview Questions
Not all hiring staff are familiar with what is and is not legal to ask during an interview. As a result, you may come across illegal questions during your interview regarding your disability. For more information, review the ADA Enforcement Guidance document.
Remember to avoid getting angry or frustrated with your interviewer, as not everyone is aware of the legal implications to some questions. Use this as an opportunity to show how you can remain composed under pressure or how you can handle difficult questions. If you choose not to go into specifics, the following response will suffice: “Under the ADA, I do not have to answer that question.” If you do choose to answer the question, focus on your strengths and be positive in your response.
A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment provides quick information on the Americans with Disabilities Act such as, if you are protected by the ADA, what qualifies as a ‘reasonable accommodation’ and how you can request on.
Student Accommodations
USG's Career & Internship Services Center staff want to ensure that all students in our campus community are able to engage in our wide range of activities. We ask that any student in need accommodations to attend and/or participate in a USG Career Services event, contact our team at usgcareerservices@umd.edu or 301-738-6338. Student accommodations are at no cost to the student, but we ask for at least 10 days notice in order to make all necessary arrangements. Additional information regarding Disability Support Services provided at the USG campus may be found by linking to USG's Center for Academic Success.
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