Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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identifying your disability on affirmative action forms in job applications (self.Blind)
submitted by Altie-McAltface
My usual strategy is to not reveal my disability until they see me walk into the interview wit the dog. Applications get you interviews, and interviews get you jobs. If all they know about me can fit on a piece of paper, and that piece of paper says I'm blind, they will immediately assume I'm not up to the job and discard it.
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Every time I bring this up with sighted people, the reaction is always "but it's illegal to discriminate based on disability". I feel like it would be next to impossible to prove that I wasn't hired because I was blind, as opposed to not being hired for the myriad other reasons applicants are refused.
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But what do you think?
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Every time I bring this up with sighted people, the reaction is always "but it's illegal to discriminate based on disability". I feel like it would be next to impossible to prove that I wasn't hired because I was blind, as opposed to not being hired for the myriad other reasons applicants are refused.
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But what do you think?
blind_devotion08 8 points 4y ago
When someone tries to pull the "But discrimination is illegal!" I go "So is sexist or racist discrimination but it still happens."
jrs12 6 points 4y ago
I think a wise choice. Getting an interview is getting your foot in the door and that's the first step to giving yourself half a chance against prejudice.
bennetfoxy 5 points 4y ago
Welcome to the double fuck you that is our life.
aaronespinozaca 1 points 4y ago
That's a good idea don't tell them until you walk in and they see you. Do you bring a tech device or something to show them as an example of how you do something or would do something?
paris0022 0 points 4y ago
I agree. It’s basically damn if you do, damn if you don’t. When I put, I have a “disability” on a job applications, I never hear back. Also once you hired, you then put down you have a disability.
You’ll have better odds applying for governments jobs. Private sectors job just don’t want to deal with special accommodation. Plus they fear lawsuits. If you live in the US, I think the ADA laws actually made things a bit worst for people with disabilities to get jobs. Lots of lawsuits.
You’ll have better odds applying for governments jobs. Private sectors job just don’t want to deal with special accommodation. Plus they fear lawsuits. If you live in the US, I think the ADA laws actually made things a bit worst for people with disabilities to get jobs. Lots of lawsuits.
blind_devotion08 5 points 4y ago
\> You’ll have better odds applying for governments jobs. Private sectors job just don’t want to deal with special accommodation. Plus they fear lawsuits. If you live in the US, I think the ADA laws actually made things a bit worst for people with disabilities to get jobs. Lots of lawsuits.
In a way, I kinda see what you mean, but I feel like the only way it made it "worse" is just make the discrimination you face more silent and harder to prove. It's just like any other discrimination. Rather than say the illegal thing of "I won't hire/promote you because you're a minority." They just go the route of just not hiring you and not saying why like for every protected class that still gets screwed over despite laws trying to protect them.
Also, there's the perception that a person with a disability is more of a liability or will cost more to train or get acclimated to the job. Or the perception that if they have to make a reasonable accommodation for things someone can't do, they're not getting their "money's worth" by hiring someone who can't do 100% of the tasks they want them for, or who is limited in what other responsibilities they might be able to take on later when the company pulls the "promotion and extra work with no raise" crap. It's not that employers afraid of being sued, it's just that they don't like the loss of control or perceived value of an investment in a human resource.
In a way, I kinda see what you mean, but I feel like the only way it made it "worse" is just make the discrimination you face more silent and harder to prove. It's just like any other discrimination. Rather than say the illegal thing of "I won't hire/promote you because you're a minority." They just go the route of just not hiring you and not saying why like for every protected class that still gets screwed over despite laws trying to protect them.
Also, there's the perception that a person with a disability is more of a liability or will cost more to train or get acclimated to the job. Or the perception that if they have to make a reasonable accommodation for things someone can't do, they're not getting their "money's worth" by hiring someone who can't do 100% of the tasks they want them for, or who is limited in what other responsibilities they might be able to take on later when the company pulls the "promotion and extra work with no raise" crap. It's not that employers afraid of being sued, it's just that they don't like the loss of control or perceived value of an investment in a human resource.
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