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When You Should Disclose
The only good reason for disclosure is when your efforts at getting accommodations have failed. If you fear that you without an accommodating change or service, disclosure may be necessary.
One thing you should know: A ADHD diagnosis alone, does not entitle an employee to services and/or accommodations. You must disclose your documented diagnosis, and show that ADHD "substantially limits a major life activity"—in this case, your job. Formal requests for an accommodation must be made in writing, and the accommodation(s) you ask for shouldn't place an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business. In order to seek protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you need to show that you are otherwise qualified to perform the job, and the company you work for must have at least 15 employees.
Disclosure under these circumstances should be carefully thought through. What if you disclose your condition and the accommodations you seek are considered unreasonable and are not granted? The law states that an employer must try to make "reasonable accommodations," but employer and employee often disagree about what "reasonable" is.
One way to increase the odds of your getting an accommodation is to avoid the "perceived threat," which puts a company's executives and human resources on the defensive. If a boss hears the words "disability" and the "American Disabilities Act" in the same sentence, he or she will suspect that you'll be filing a lawsuit. To succeed on the job, you want your company working with you, not against you.
Let the boss or human resources know, nicely, that you need XYZ because you have ADD (a disability)—and that you would work more efficiently if you got XYZ. At this point, don't mention the ADA.
Next: Preventive Disclosure...
This article comes from the Summer 2009 issue of ADDitude.
To read this issue of ADDitude in full, SUBSCRIBE NOW!
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