Moderate Support • Mid-Career • Goal 3:
Review 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.
Review decisions about disclosure.
Part of self-advocacy in the workplace is making decisions about disclosure. This means making the choice whether or not to tell your employer and coworkers about your diagnosis.
Disclosure is your choice:
- You don’t have to disclose your disability when you’re interviewing.
- After you’re hired, you decide if you want to disclose, how much to disclose and who you disclose to.
- You might make different decisions about disclosure at different jobs depending on your job duties, work environment and company policies.
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.
Reevaluate 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. Consider your social communication, sensory regulation, executive function and movement differences and what would help you do your job effectively. Now that you have some work experience, you may already have an idea of your accommodation needs.
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.
Resources
Words to know
Action step 4.
Plan to advocate for yourself.
Once you have an understanding of your unique challenges in the workplace, you can make a self-advocacy plan. Consider which accommodations you can implement on your own and which might require permission from your employer. Make sure you consider all of your needs — social communication, sensory regulation, executive functions, and movement. Make a plan for who you will disclose to, what method of communication you will use and what you will say.
Workplace Inclusion Now™ (WIN) is a virtual Autism Speaks program designed by an autistic-led team to help you research, find and keep employment in a competitive labor market. You can apply for a scholarship to the online course, which will help you navigate the workplace and better advocate for yourself.
