Invisible Disabilities: Unique Strategies for Workplace Allies

Sabat, Isaac E.; Lindsey, Alex; Membere, Ashley; Anderson, Amanda J.; Ahmad, Afra S.; King, Eden B.; Bolunmez, Balca

doi:10.1111/iops.12145

Cited by 41 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Moreover, we would suggest that without at least some education of the workforce as a whole there is bound to be misunderstanding and potential stigma surrounding accommodations. Education could also activate peer allies to educate each other and confront instances of prejudice (Sabat et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity Management Strategies for Workers with Concealable Disabilities: Antecedents and Consequences

Santuzzi

Keating

Martínez

et al. 2019

Journal of Social Issues

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Twenty-eight currently or recently employed adults with concealable impairments from a community in the United States completed semi-structured interviews to capture workers' perceptions of their internal and social experiences that contribute to their identity management decisions. Disability identity management strategies included effortful behaviors, such as avoiding relevant situations and using specific language to describe impairments. Participants suggested intraindividual factors (disability salience, disability strain) and environmental factors (disability stigma, ineffective social support) as primary reasons for their identity management decisions. The findings align with existing research on stigmatized identity management and consequences for well-being, together informing a proposed theoretical model. Conclusions invite policy change at national and organizational levels to account for intraindividual and environmental factors that may introduce barriers to disability disclosure and effective accommodation practices.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity Management Strategies for Workers with Concealable Disabilities: Antecedents and Consequences

Santuzzi

Keating

Martínez

et al. 2019

Journal of Social Issues

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“…It is also worth noting that accommodations are frequently requested by workers without disabilities (Schur et al, 2014). This is important because the cost to accommodate employees with disabilities is no more than the cost to accommodate those without disabilities (Sabat et al, 2014;Schur et al, 2014). For example, from an organizational perspective, there would be no difference in cost in offering scheduling flexibility to an employee who travels via adapted transportation, to an employee with young children, or to an employee who is training for the Olympics, all of whom may require flexibility in the mornings or afternoons.…”

Section: Concern 5: the Selection Process For Applicants With Disabilmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence

et al. 2019

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Despite legislation on diversity in the workplace, people with disabilities still do not experience the same access to work opportunities as do their counterparts without disabilities. Many employers have been shown to harbor sincere yet ill-founded views about the work-related abilities of people with disabilities; these negative views are often a result of interrelated concerns that permeate the entire employment cycle. In this paper, we provide evidence-based responses to 11 specific concerns that employers have about people with disabilities, from pre-employment and entry experiences to the final dissolution of the employment relationship. At each stage of the employment cycle, we summarize and evaluate the relevant empirical evidence and provide recommendations for organizations committed to creating more effective, equitable, and inclusive workplaces for all individuals. We also suggest avenues for future research.

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“…An invisible identity: Disclosure of a personality disorder in the workplace One area of research that is gaining momentum in the industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology literature is that of invisible stigmatized identities in the workplace (Clair, Beatty, & Maclean, 2005;Ragins, 2008;Sabat et al, 2014). Invisible stigmatized identities are those that are not able to be determined by simply looking at an individual (Clair et al, 2005;Goffman, 1963), such as HIV/AIDS status, sexual orientation, and chronic illness.…”

Section: Work Accommodations and Personality Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personality testing and the Americans With Disabilities Act: An applicant/employee perspective

Smith

Hulett

Maples‐Keller

2019

Ind. Organ. Psychol.

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and Carter (2019) raise an interesting point from a selection perspective: What are the implications for organizations regarding personality testing and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990, 2008) concerning maladaptive personality traits and personality disorders? In this commentary, we draw attention to another relevant perspective-that of applicants and employees with maladaptive personality traits in the form of personality disorders. Indeed, estimates suggest that approximately 15% (∼30.8 million) of adult Americans have at least one personality disorder (Grant et al., 2004). In the current commentary, we discuss three main aspects of personality disorders from an applicant and/or employee perspective: (a) the classification of personality disorders as disabilities, (b) work accommodations for personality disorders, and (c) the disclosure of personality disorders in the workplace, specifically in the context of personality disorders as an invisible identity/disability. The classification of personality disorders as disabilities in the context of work Some of the first questions inspired by the focal article were simply (a) whether or not personality disorders would classify as disabilities under the ADA (1990, 2008), and (b) how this relates specifically to Title I of the ADA (1990, 2008; equal employment opportunity for individuals with disabilities) regarding these individuals' abilities to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations. Our first point presents a potential dilemma, as the ADA (1990, 2008) does not constitute which specific medical conditions should be classified as disabilities but rather lists conditions that must be met to classify one as an individual with a disability. We agree with Melson-Silimon et al. (2019) that personality disorders likely meet the requirements of disability class membership according to the ADA (1990, 2008): personality disorders likely result in some physical or mental impairment that "substantially limits one or more major life activities" (ADA, 1990, 2008). For instance, an individual with borderline personality disorder may exhibit frequent mood changes, impulsivity, hostility toward others, and periods of depressivity (DSM-V). Thus, these symptoms could easily impact major life activities outlined by the ADA (1990, 2008), including caring for oneself, concentrating, and, most relevant to the current commentary, working. Notably, the alternative model of personality disorders (AMPD) included in Section III of the DSM-5 (APA, 2013), reviewed by Melson-Silimon and colleagues, explicitly includes personality functioning/impairment within this diagnostic model. The AMPD includes a requirement for moderate or greater impairment in personality functioning in two of the four areas: identity, self-direction, empathy, and intimacy (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Title I of the ADA (1990, 2008) focuses on equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and applies to both applicants and employees with a d...

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Invisible Disabilities: Unique Strategies for Workplace Allies

Cited by 41 publications

References 28 publications

Identity Management Strategies for Workers with Concealable Disabilities: Antecedents and Consequences

Identity Management Strategies for Workers with Concealable Disabilities: Antecedents and Consequences

The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence

Personality testing and the Americans With Disabilities Act: An applicant/employee perspective

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