By: Michael Tamsuriyamit ‘23

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1-in-4 adults in the United States live with a disability.

 

Despite this statistic, many people choose to keep conversations about their disability to themselves. When it comes to work, opening up about one’s disability can be extremely rewarding, yet daunting at the same time. In fact, sometimes it’s so daunting that people choose not to go public about their disabilities in fear of being treated differently by their colleagues.

 

Below are just some things to consider for those who are thinking about disclosing their disabilities at work:

 

The American Disabilities Act: What It is and its Importance

 

 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a monumental piece of legislation that champions for people with disabilities. In a nutshell, the federal law protects them from discrimination while participating in everyday activities. In the world of work, the ADA ensures employees with disabilities are guaranteed equal employment opportunities, including work accommodations if necessary.

 

Under the ADA, a person with a disability is someone who:

 

• Has either a physical or mental impairment that significantly impacts their daily activities
• Has a documented history of physical or mental impairments, or
• Is observed by others to be dealing with an impairment

 

To learn more about the ADA and how it can specifically protect those with disabilities, check out the following link: Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act

 

To learn more about possible disabilities covered under the ADA and the potential work accommodations you could receive, check out the following link: A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

When talking about disabilities, the terms “physical” and “mental” are often conflated with “visible” and “invisible,” respectively. It should be noted, however, that not all physical disabilities are visible and not all mental disabilities are invisible. For example, congestive heart failure, which is a physical condition, is considered an invisible disability but not a mental one. For the purposes of this resource guide, disabilities will be referred to as either “visible” or “invisible” in order to promote a more inclusive conversation about people with disabilities.

 

Disclosing a Disability at Work: The Whom, What, When, Where and Why

 

 

One of the most important questions that a person with a disability may ask themselves is: should I disclose my disability to my employer?

 

In hindsight, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Everyone who is protected under the ADA lives their own unique experience as a person with a disability, and it is up to them to decide whether or not disclosing information about their disability will benefit them.

 

If you are contemplating disclosing a disability at work, consider the 5 W’s:

 

1) WHOM should you disclose information regarding a disability to?

 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, you should disclose your disability on a “need-to-know” basis. In other words, you don’t need to disclose anything about your disability if it doesn’t affect your ability to work.

 

If you need work accommodations, however, consider informing your company’s/organization’s human resources department, since they are the ones in charge of managing work personnel. You may also want to inform others such as your coworkers or maybe even your boss.

 

Ultimately, this decision is entirely up to you and how comfortable you are in telling certain people about your disability.

 

2) WHAT should I disclose as a person with a disability?

 

Similar to the previous question, what you end up disclosing about your disability is also entirely up to you. In general, consider giving the following information:

 

• Identify yourself as a person with a disability (NOTE: you may need to give proof of medical documentation if requested later on)
• Give a brief background on the disability itself
• Describe which of your daily work tasks are impacted by your disability
• Politely Request work accommodations (if needed) and describe how they will help you complete your affected tasks

 

3) WHEN should I disclose information about my disability?

 

There is no “right time” to disclose information about a disability. However, depending on the type of disability (i.e. visible or invisible) you have, certain times to disclose would make more sense than others.

 

If you have a visible disability, being transparent with your company/organization about your disability right from the start will ensure that you will have the resources necessary to access your workplace comfortably. For example, if you walk with a cane, see if your company can provide an elevator for you to use instead of taking the stairs to your office every day.

 

On the other hand, if you have an invisible disability, it may not be as visible to job recruiters, but may ultimately affect the way you work. If this is the case, you should consider disclosing information about your disability before or when you start to see it potentially affect your life and productivity at work.

 

4) WHERE/HOW should I disclose information about my disability?

 

Although having a conversation with your employer is always an option when you have work-related concerns, including your disabilities, it may be best to first draft an email to them.

 

Drafting an email allows you to have a written record of your conversation about your disability. It indicates you are willing to go on the record about your condition. With the email, you can also offer to meet with them in-person, if they would like to follow up and discuss your situation in more detail.

 

5) WHY should I go on the record about my disability?

 

There are many reasons you may want to go on the record about your disability. Some reasons could include:

 

• You may receive reasonable work accommodations because of your disclosure
• If you do receive work accommodations, certain work tasks may become easier for you to do
• Your disclosure can help clarify an unusual changes in terms of your work quality and productivity
• Your disclosure can also possibly enhance the relationship between you and your employer because you were being fully transparent with them

 

For additional information and resources regarding how to support those working with a disability, check out the following links:

 

• CUNY Office of Career Planning and Professional Development: Disclosing Disability in the Workplace
• The Muse: 5 Steps to Disclosing an Invisible Disability at Work
• The Balance Careers: Should You Disclose Your Disability During a Job Search?
• Indeed: When and How To Tell Your Employer About a Disability
• CUNY: CUNY LEADS (academic and career program for students with disabilities)

 

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Interested in writing a blog for the Career Development blog? It’s open to Macaulay students and alums. If you would like to contribute or have any questions, feel free to email gianina.chrisman@mhc.cuny.edu.

By: Samantha Fang ‘23

 

“Creating purposeful dialogue on race helps us to be better equipped in fighting injustices. Systematic change is necessary in creating the equality that marginalized communities deserve, and educated conversations can be the first steps to making that change.”  — Dwight Smith, Net Impact

 

While conversations about race and privilege can be challenging, they are not only necessary in your daily life, but also in the workplace. These difficult conversations are stepping stones to creating a more inclusive and welcoming work environment and puts pressure on companies to seriously address the internal structures and culture which may be perpetuating racial bias. You can find our blog post on ways to tell if a potential employer values diversity and inclusion here! 

 

Why is it so difficult to discuss race and privilege?

“The reason why these conversations are so difficult is because they are deeply emotional. Deep inside everybody, there’s an internal scale of justice. Everybody has a deep belief of what’s right and wrong. When that’s out of balance, it hurts us deeply.” —  Kwame Christian as quoted on CNBC Make it

 

Conversations about racial injustice often involve bringing up experiences and events that may be very traumatic and painful. Differences in viewpoints and experiences can also add tension. For some, it can be hard to face what they need to unlearn or to confront their own privilege. For others, these conversations can be intimidating. Many fear they will say the wrong thing or aren’t educated enough to speak out or engage in conversation about these topics and as a result, choose not to. However, these conversations are crucial steps to understanding and addressing the injustices faced by our colleagues. They help us figure out how we can work together to create change. 

 

See below for tips on how to make these conversations thoughtful, productive, and respectful. You will also find resources for further reading at the very end!

 

6 Tips for Engaging In Productive Conversations About Race And Privilege At Work

 

Do your research and prepare beforehand

“In order for a white person or non-black person of color to be an ally and thoughtfully engage in discussions about race, it’s crucial they do their own work to understand the privilege that shapes their world view, and educate themselves on the things they need to personally learn and unlearn in order to be a better advocate.” — Jennifer Liu, CNBC Make it

 

Before engaging in these conversations, put in the work to educate yourself first! While education is an ongoing process, it is helpful to go into these conversations with at least some knowledge and understanding. There are so many great resources being shared online through social media and other outlets. If you are feeling overwhelmed, this list from Paradigm is a good starting point. 

 

“It’s easy to feel disconnected from this history when you feel as though it has no direct tie to your reality. It’s interesting that even for me – as an Ethiopian – there was a time when I didn’t truly connect with this history of slavery and racism. I’ve realized that, at the end of the day, a love for humanity means a respect and honor for all pain and a oneness of purpose toward dismantling ignorance and pursuing justice. The moment you are here in the U.S., your reality is connected to a racial construct.”

— Yodit Kifle as quoted on Net Impact

 

Acknowledge your own preconceptions, biases, and privilege. Recognize the ways in which you have consciously and unconsciously benefited from systems that are hurting others. Learn about how historical events and movements are connected to and still shaping society today. 

 

State your intentions and goals for the conversation

“It’s easy to look outward instead of inward and talk about racial injustice in a broad way and not about challenges the organization has had about hiring, promotion, and culture.” — Sarah Todd, Quartz at Work

 

Setting a clear goal and intention for conversations about race and privilege at work is key in figuring out the size of the conversation, who should be taking part in them, and what you are trying to accomplish. For example, according to Quartz at Work, “the goal might be … to invite employees to share their personal experiences and anecdotes about how bias manifests at their organization, or to revisit hiring procedures in order to weed out practices that invite or perpetuate bias.” It is important to direct these conversations back to company practices and culture. Possible questions to address include: 

• Are there diversity & inclusion programs and diversity hiring initiatives at the company right now? 
• Have they been effective? 
• Does the company actively work to create an inclusive work environment? 
• What needs to change? 

 

Closely and honestly examine together how the company can do better going forward. 

 

Acknowledge the difficulty and weight of these conversations

A good way to begin these difficult conversations is acknowledging the weight of them. This also helps to create a safer and more respectful space for colleagues to share their emotions and thoughts on these topics. As Kwame Christian shares with CNBC Make It, “a good place to start a difficult conversation is to acknowledge its difficulty and validate the other person’s feelings, whether it’s shock, sadness, anger, confusion or shared discomfort.” Even after you begin asking questions and learning about your colleagues’ viewpoints and experiences, continue to be mindful of how you are conversing with them. 

 

Check out the following infographics from Catalyst which offer insight on how to engage respectfully in tough conversations and connect in a meaningful way:

 

• Flip the Script: Create Connections, Not Conflict, in Tough Conversations
• Flip the Script: Respond With Heart, Not Harm, in Tough Conversations
• Overcoming Conversation Roadblocks

 

Engage in dialogue not debate

CREDIT: @holidayphillips on Instagram

 

Approach conversations about race and privilege with compassion, empathy, and an open mind. 

 

“Personal experience can’t possibly give the complete view of such complex issues. The history of racism extends far beyond individuals; it encompasses years and years of both individual and community experience. It is important to recognize and acknowledge the validity and reality of other experiences.”  — Dwight Smith, Net Impact

 

A key aspect of productive dialogue is the acknowledgement and respect for different viewpoints and experiences as well as the willingness to critique our own views and beliefs. The goal is to find common ground and understanding as well as to broaden our own perspectives. You can find a helpful breakdown of the differences between discussion, debate, and dialogue here!

 

Another important aspect of having an open and productive dialogue about racial injustice is confronting your privilege. As described in this post from the University of Michigan, “Privilege, simply put, is societally granted, unearned advantages accorded to some people and not others.” Hence, privilege is directly connected to and impacts many aspects of our lives, such as the accessibility of education and professional opportunities. Acknowledging one’s privilege can come with feelings of discomfort, guilt, and even shame. It can also cause people to get defensive. These are some of the main reasons why conversations about privilege can be so difficult. 

 

It is important to remember that privilege and oppression are not mutually exclusive and that conversations about privilege are not meant to be attacks on your character nor are they meant to belittle or invalidate your experiences. Instead, these conversations are opportunities for you to confront your privilege, recognize how it has given you advantages and/or access to opportunities throughout your life that you had not thought about before, and learn about the ways in which you can use this privilege to help others and make a difference.

 

“This acknowledgement of privilege should invoke a willingness to listen, to be educated, and to understand how you can use this privilege for the betterment of others.” — Dwight Smith, Net Impact

 

Be willing to admit you do not have all the answers

“It is not enough to recognize and remain complacent in this state of unknowing; allow this to be a catalyst for an active effort to become informed. … It is important to seek out answers to questions that you don’t know, and be willing to be educated on topics that you are uninformed about.” — Dwight Smith, Net Impact

 

The fear of being wrong or not knowing enough can prevent us from taking part in conversations about race and privilege, but it shouldn’t. You should absolutely do your part in educating yourself before and after these conversations, but the point is that you should come into conversations like these willing to embrace the discomfort of not knowing and of being wrong. True growth lies outside your comfort zone. Be open to learning something new and to understanding a concept, experience, or event from another perspective. Actively listen and ask questions.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou 

Reflect and commit to change

“It is not enough to merely hear or read about race; it is important to make an effort to apply these changes to your mindset and actions.” — Dwight Smith, Net Impact

After the conversation, be sure to take some time to reflect. 

Sample Questions To Think About: 

• What are you taking away from this conversation?
• How do your thoughts and experiences compare with your colleagues’ thoughts and experiences? 
• What race-based biases have you discovered you unconsciously hold that you’d like to work on deconstructing? 
• How can you do better going forward? What are your next steps? 

Change doesn’t come easily, and active work must be done in order to make a lasting positive impact. Keep yourself accountable, and continue learning about how you can contribute and make a difference at work and in your everyday life. 

“The best things in life are on the other side of a difficult conversation. If we can have the conversation in a better way, we can make meaningful change in the world around us.” —  Kwame Christian as quoted on CNBC Make it

 

Don’t know where to start? This Race and Privilege Conversation Pack from We’re Not Really Strangers can act as a great starting point for approaching conversations about race and privilege at work and in your daily life. Feel free to share this blog post as a way to spark conversations as well! 

 

Additional Resources To Check Out:

• Conversation Ground Rules 
• Yes, You Must Talk About Race At Work: 3 Ways To Get Started
• The 10 R’s of Talking About Race: How to Have Meaningful Conversations
• How To Have More Productive Conversations About Race In The Workplace
• Working While Black In Corporate America Stories from Fortune

 

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Interested in writing a blog for the Career Development blog? It’s open to Macaulay students and alums. If you would like to contribute or have any questions, feel free to email Jamie.Ruden@mhc.cuny.edu.

 

By: Samantha Fang ‘23

 

We all want to feel like we belong at our workplaces. We want to feel appreciated and valued by our employers. Whether you are looking for an internship or a job, you want to make sure that the company you end up working for is dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace. Studies have found that diverse workplaces are conducive to higher creativity, productivity, and profitability just to name a few! Nowadays, many companies will promote on their site and job postings that they are committed to diversity and inclusion, but how can we tell that a potential employer truly values this and are actively taking steps to improve their company in this respect?

 

 

Benefits of Diversity & Inclusion In The Workplace

There are countless reasons why diversity and inclusion are beneficial in the workforce. Diverse workplaces are conducive to greater creativity and innovation. It is also helpful for improving employee retention rates, building community at work, and increasing employee engagement. Having a range of viewpoints and opinions is invaluable when it comes to informing company decisions as a whole. Afterall, having a diverse staff gives companies a better understanding of their customers and/or clients as their team will be more representative of the audience they serve everyday.

Be sure to check out the following articles, which include associated statistics on this topic:

• The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce
• Delivering Through Diversity

 

 

5 Ways To Tell If A Potential Employer Values Diversity And Inclusion

 

 

Company Website 

One of the first places you can check is the company website. Who do they choose to advertise and feature on their site? While this typically does not provide the full picture, it is a good place to start and offers a more general sense of the company’s sensitivity to representation on their site and for their brand. You should also look at the company’s Core Values page if they have one as well as their Careers page. Lastly, be sure to check if they have a designated Diversity and Inclusion page. Do they have any diversity hiring initiatives or designated D&I programs? Do they offer any statistics that illustrate their commitment to these initiatives or that these programs have been effective in the company? Do they have any posts that outline ways they work to create an inclusive environment for their employees?

 

Company Board/Leadership Team and Employee Demographics

Is the company transparent about their workforce data? Do they provide any demographics on their site? Do they disclose any statistics? Look at their board and leadership team pages. How many underrepresented groups are on these teams and in the company as a whole? This again might not give the full picture, especially if the company discloses very limited information in regards to this, but it will give you a general sense of the environment at the company in terms of diversity.

 

Job Posting Language

When applying for jobs, always scrutinize the posting description. The wording itself can reveal a lot about how the company views potential employees and what they value when looking for new additions to their team. Examine the language used. Is it gender-neutral? Is there terminology that is off-putting or that convey stereotypes? Does the posting seem to appeal to one particular demographic? Are there any inclusive benefits that are highlighted? Does the company emphasize their commitment to diversity and inclusion in the job posting? 

 

Employee Review Sites

Another way you can gauge the environment at a company is by learning about past or current employees’ experiences. Read about and listen to what they have to say about working at the company. You can check on review sites such as Glassdoor & Indeed, but keep in mind that you should always take these reviews with a grain of salt. Some companies might offer incentives to employees who write good reviews or find ways to manipulate the ratings. You can check out this post on LinkedIn that outlines some reasons why you can’t always trust Glassdoor reviews. That being said, it may be even more helpful if you already know someone working at the company. Use this opportunity to reach out to your connections to learn about their experiences.

 

Interview Process

 

Diversity and inclusion can also play a role in the interview process! According to Muse,“start by considering your interview panel and the range of people with whom you interact during the process. While it’s tough for any company to evenly support diversity within every function, if every single interviewer looks, thinks, and talks the same, it doesn’t bode well for the organization’s self-awareness around diversity and inclusion.”

 

Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer directly about diversity and inclusion if this is something that is important to you. 

 

Sample Questions adapted from The Balance Careers: 

• I see diversity is listed in the company’s values. Can you share some examples of how you promote it? 
• How is diversity shown to be an important value at this company?
• Does the company offer managers training on diversity, equity, and inclusion?
• What does the company do to help ensure inclusion? 

You can also ask about success stories from underrepresented groups. Here is a great sample question from Muse: “What type of people at your company get promoted and how are they celebrated?”

Additional Resources to Check Out:

• Company Diversity Rankings from Vault
• Learn about the types of workplace discrimination.

 

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Interested in writing a blog for the Career Development blog? It’s open to Macaulay students and alums. If you would like to contribute or have any questions, feel free to email Jamie.Ruden@mhc.cuny.edu.