Callum Buchanan, Careers Lead for Creative Careers and Disability Careers Support at Oxford University, offers advice for sharing information about neurological differences with an employer. While this advice is sound and useful for employees in many countries, it is important to verify that this information applies to your personal situation before acting on it.
Considering sharing information about neurological differences with an employer:
- Remember that whether or not to share information about neurological differences is completely up to you. Some people are happy to do this, and others do not choose to.
- It’s generally illegal for an employer to ask you about your health or any disability when you are interviewing, so sharing this information is your decision.
How can sharing information about neurological differences provide benefit?
Why might you share information about neurological differences? It is possible that sharing this information may benefit you in one or more of the following ways:
- In sharing, you may be able to showcase a particular strength that may be leveraged in the job you wish to attain, or the job you already have.
- Sharing information can be helpful in terms of explaining gaps (if applicable) in your resume or curriculum vita.
- Sharing information about yourself may allow you to ask for reasonable adjustments (accommodations and/ or modifications) during the recruitment process, or in your role once you are already hired.
I’ve chosen to share information about my neurological differences. When and how should I do this?
- The choice to share information about neurological differences can occur at any stage in a career, from during the recruitment process, to well after you are hired.
- If you choose to share at the start of recruitment process, you can put it on your application or speak to a hiring manager about it. Whether or not to include information such as a diagnosis of Autism at this stage is a very personal decision, any may not be recommended unless it is directly relevant to the job, or if accommodations are needed from the outset of the application process.
- Autism Speaks offers an employment toolkit, with additional information about deciding when to disclose or not to disclose. They recommend discussing this decision with a family member, friend, or support person, though the decision is ultimately up to you. Autism Speaks recommends considering disclosing when you need to ask for a reasonable accommodation. For some this occurs prior to the interview, and for some it may be months or years after they have been working on the job.
- Callum Buchanan notes that after you are hired, it is recommended that when disclosing information about neurological differences, it is recommended that you speak either to your direct manager or to your Human Resources team.
- Buchanan further recommends that when disclosing, you keep the information you share relevant, and explain how it will have an impact on you during the recruitment process or in you role. This will allow the employer to make reasonable adjustments and accommodations for you without being burdened by irrelevant details in the process.
- For additional information about if, when, and how to disclose information about neurological differences to a prospective or current employer, please see A to Z: Disability Disclosure and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), from the Job Accommodation Network.
If you feel you may have neurological differences that are not yet diagnosed; you have a known diagnosis and you are in need of updated recommendations for accommodations, modifications, and other personal or work-related needs; or you would like to learn more about the assessment process, you can find more information on my pages, Autism Assessment for Adults, and ADHD Assessment for Adults, or if you prefer, please feel free to reach out to me by email at amy@amyblackmonphd.com.