Intensive Support • Early Career • Goal 4:
Build Self-Advocacy Skills
Action step 1.
Learn about your workplace rights under the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a federal law protecting the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. The ADA says that employers cannot discriminate against people with disabilities and must provide reasonable accommodations to help you do your job. Your rights under the ADA start with the application process. Learning about your rights can help you self-advocate for your needs.
Resources
Words to know
Action step 2.
Prepare and practice a script for disclosure.
Disclosure is a key part of self-advocacy in the workplace. This means making the choice whether or not to tell your employer and coworkers about your diagnosis.
Disclosure is your choice. You can decide if you want to disclose, how much to disclose and who you disclose to. You can choose to disclose when you’re interviewing or you can wait until after you’re hired.
Talk to a support person to help you make a plan for disclosure. You can work together to write a script and practice so you feel confident. Once you disclose, you can ask for accommodations to meet your needs.
Resources
Words to know
Action step 3.
Identify workplace accommodations.
Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. An accommodation is an adjustment to your job duties or environment that makes it possible for you to do your job. Some examples include:
- Physical accommodations, like changes in lighting or noise reduction devices.
- Communication accommodations, like using prepared scripts or asking for instructions in writing.
- Executive function-related accommodations, like using visual cues or asking to audio record meetings.
It is important to determine what sensory, communication, organization and social accommodations are needed for you to do your job effectively. You can make some accommodations on your own, while others might require special permission from your employer.
Resources
Words to know
Action step 4.
Increase self-advocacy through communication.
If you are an emerging communicator, saying “no” and asking for help are key steps for self-advocacy. It's important that you communicate your needs and boundaries to your managers and coworkers so that you don't become overwhelmed at work. To help support you, more and more employers are training staff to use alternative methods of communication and supports like visual prompts and sensory breaks.
If you are an experienced communicator, you can work with a support person to develop a self-advocacy plan to plan for support needs, accommodations and disclosure.
