Disability: Disclosure vs. Privacy

Workforce Management
As workers with 'invisible disabilities' struggle over whether to reveal their conditions to their employers, some companies seek to promote a culture of understanding. By Todd Henneman
September 2010


She has fragile skin. Bruises and scars, hidden by clothing, cover her legs. And she suffers from chronic joint pain. “To meet me, you’d have no idea that I have any physical challenge,” says the Ernst & Young human resources coordinator who suffers from a connective tissue disorder. “The truth is that every day I am in pain—every day—and I just live through it.”
She is one of the scores of Americans with “invisible disabilities,” chronic health conditions that are not immediately obvious, such as diabetes and cancer, sensory impairments such as reduced vision, mental illness such as bipolar disorder and depression, and learning disabilities. The accounting and consulting firm asked that her name not be used to avoid discrimination by insurance companies or others. Those concerns underscore the challenges that employees with non-visible disabilities face when balancing privacy with disclosure.

Full Story: http://www.workforce.com/section/legal/feature/disability-disclosure-vs-privacy/index.html