Records
indicate that the following people had various forms
of challenging conditions. Albert Einstein had
dyslexia, General George Patton had a learning disability,
James Earl Jones stutters, Cher has dyslexia, and Tom
Cruise has a learning disability. All of these
successful people learned to balance life demands with
their disabilities.
The
Career Development Center at the University of North
Florida (UNF) operates in collaboration with the Disabled
Student Services Program. Any person with a disability
recognized by staff at the Career Development Center
either through screening assessment, disclosure, or
observation is referred to the Disabled Student Services
Program. Certain legal rights may be available
to students who have a documented disability.
AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
The
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives federal
civil rights protection to persons with various disabilities.
The following is designed to give you BASIC information
on the ADA. For additional information on the
ADA please use the resource list at the end of this
brief review.
Under
the Americans with Disabilities Act it is illegal for
employers to discriminate on the basis of disability
against qualified individuals. This includes every
step in the employment process including recruiting.
Three categories of persons with disabilities are covered
by the ADA:
1)
Persons with physical or mental impairments that substantially
limit one or more major life activities.
2)
Persons with a record or history of such impairment.
3)
Persons who appear to have such an impairment (either
the impairment is wrongly seen as limiting or is limiting
as the result of others attitudes towards the impairment
or when a person has no impairment but impairment is
believed to exist)
Regarding
employment, the ADA defines qualified individuals with
disabilities as applicants who satisfy job- related
requirements of the position. The ADA is designed
to provide protection against employers who may screen
out qualified individuals only because they have a disability.
According to the ADA, reasonable accommodations are
required to enable qualified employees with disabilities
to meet the requirements of the job. "Reasonable
Accommodation" is defined as any accommodation which
does not produce undue hardship on the employer.
KNOW
YOUR RIGHTS
When
applying for a job or interviewing for a position, it
is best to know your rights. Here are a few guidelines
to help assist you. For more specific information,
check with one of the many supporting agencies listed
in this report. The more you know about the ADA
before you start your job search the more prepared you
will be.
Under
the ADA, questions about whether an applicant is a person
with a disability, or as to the nature or severity of
the disability are prohibited. Questions seeking
information on prior or current illnesses, medication,
medical treatment, substance abuse, disabilities, injuries,
worker's compensation claims and/or family medical history
are all prohibited. In addition, questions closely
related to disability are also prohibited. For
example, "Do you have any kind of disability?" or "Have
you had any recent or past operations?" Legal
questions regard your ability to do the job or do the
job with some level of accommodation.
If
an applicant chooses to disclose a disability or the
disability is a visible disability, the employer may
ask the applicant to describe or demonstrate how she/he
may carry out the job duties with or without accommodation.
The applicant may have to demonstrate the ability to
do the job.
The
ADA prohibits discrimination by all private employers
with 15 or more employees as well as all public entities
regardless of size. Federal tax incentives are
available to help meet the cost of ADA compliance.
For
more information on the ADA and other services for persons
with disabilities, please see the Disabled Services
Center at UNF.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
While
the career development process is similar for everyone,
there are special things to think about at each step
in the process. This section will go through the
process step-by-step and discuss some of these considerations.
Step
One: Assessment
Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses which they
bring to a career setting. Many people forget
this and seek a career because of financial considerations
or prestige considerations only to find out that in
some instances they are unhappy with the job because
it does not suit them. It is realistic to find
a career that fits you. Formal assessment is available
through the Career Center at UNF and many books about
self-assessment are also available.
Step
Two: Degree Selection and completion
Please see the handout available in the Career Development
Center called, Assessment , Career Exploration, Degree
Selection and Career Implementation. for information
on the college four year plan.
Step
Three: Career Exploration
In looking for a career, focus on the job requirements.
Do you feel comfortable and competent to meet the demands
of the career? Think about any difficulties you
may encounter. What compromises are you prepared
to make? Have a backup plan! In reality,
many people cannot find the perfect job or career field
on their first try. Ask yourself what your second
or third choice would be. Is there a related career
which fits you better? Finally, make a list of
requirements you have for your career. Will you
need special accommodations within this field?
What will you need to be successful?
Step
Four: Acquire Experience
You can test a career choice and gain experience by
working in your field while you continue your studies.
Finding an educational experience position incorporates
many challenges of the job search. Please refer
to the handout "Assessment, Researching Careers, The
College Experience and Occupational Selection for many
tips on work experience opportunities.
Step
five: Job Search
In applying for any position, knowing the company or
organization you would be working for is very important.
In addition to background information, find out about
their attitude toward employees with disabilities.
Although programs like the ADA protect applicants under
the law, some employers are more open to employees with
special needs. Talking with existing employees
can be very helpful. The corporate or business
culture will become very apparent to you. If you
are researching many employers, make a note as to whether
they are most likely to hire a person with a disability
or not.
In
the application and interview process, many people struggle
with the question of whether or not to tell the employer
about a disability (disclosure) or not to tell.
The first decision you must make is whether or not disclosure
is in your interest. Witt (1992) recommends asking
yourself the following question: "will disclosure of
my disability at this time, in any way, support my objective
of getting hired?" If you are applying with a
company that you have selected as most likely to hire
a person with a disability you may choose to disclose.
If there is any chance that the employer will view the
disability negatively, do not disclose. Unless
your disability helps you meet a responsibility of the
job, do not disclose. Overall, if you have a disability
which will not affect any job-related function or does
not need any accommodations, you may choose not to disclose.
Federal regulations state that you need not disclose
your disability to prospective employers unless it affects
your ability to perform the job functions.
If
you prefer to disclose or feel that the job requires
a function that you may not be able to do as a result
of the disability, or you need special accommodations
you may choose to disclose.
A
visible disability is a different story. You may
want to disclose this type of disability in a cover
letter or in phone communications so as not to surprise
the interviewer. If your disability requires an
accommodation it should be discussed before any offer
is made or accepted. If you wait until an offer
is made to disclose, either because you need an accommodation
or simply waited, it may backfire and seem dishonest
to the employer. At anytime you disclose, remember
to emphasize your strengths and how overcoming your
disability has made you a stronger person and therefore
a stronger employee.
No
matter when you disclose, it will probably fall upon
you to educate the employer on your disability.
Whether you need an accommodation or not the employer
may need some background information on your disability.
You may be required to provide documentation to support
your claim of a disability (e.g., medical verification,
psychological documentation, etc.).
Know
your rights! The ADA spells out specific guidelines
for employers on interviewing and hiring practices.
The more you know about these guidelines the more you
will be able to protect yourself against discrimination.
RESOURCES
- The following agencies are also available to provide
information and services for persons with disabilities:
Department
of Justice - Office on the Americans with Disabilities
Act
P.O. Box 66118
Washington, DC 20035
Hotline: 202-514-0301
TT: 202-514-0383
Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission
1801 L. Street NW
Washington, DC 20507
1-800-669-3362
Florida
Governor's Alliance for Citizens
Magnolia Office Park
345 South Magnolia Drive #11
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
ADA
Regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance
Center
Hotline: 1-800-949-4232
American
Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations
815 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Association
for Persons in Supported Employment
5001 West Broad Street #34
Richmond, VA 23230
Direct
Link for the Disabled
P. O. Box 1036
Dole
Foundation for the Employment of People with Disabilities
1819 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Foundation
on Employment and Disability
3820 Del Amo Blvd. #201
Torrence, Ca 90503
Just
One Break
373 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
National
Center for Disability Services
201 I.U. Willetts Road
Albertson, NY 11507
National
Organization on Disability
910 16th Street NW # 600
Washington D.C. 20006
State of Florida Department of Labor & Employment
Security
A State supported organization designed to assist individuals
with their job searches. The Job Service has several
locations but the main location is 215 Main Street,
Room 200. The phone number is 798-4780.
The
Vet Center
A counseling and job related service in the Jacksonville
area. This center serves military veterans.
It is located at 300 East State Street in Jacksonville.
The phone number is 232-3621.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
A service offered to individuals who meet some criteria
of disability according to the Americans with Disability
act and the determination by a VR counselor that the
VR can provide a helpful service to that individual.
VR can assist with medical costs, psychological and
vocational evaluations, education, job placement, and
other areas. VR is located at 2050 Art Museum
Drive in Jacksonville. The phone number is 348-2770.
Center for Independent Living
An organization that works with people who have documented
disabilities. This center assists in the job search
process and in other areas for their clients.
The Center for Independent Living is located at 5243
Beach Blvd in Jacksonville. Their phone number
is 399-8484.
Jacksonville Urban League
Provides services including employment counseling primarily
to minority clients. The Jacksonville Urban League
is located at 233 West Duval Street, 14th Floor in Jacksonville.
Their phone number is 356-8336 and their fax number
is 356-8369.Senior Community Service Employment Program
A center primarily for the assistance of senior citizens.
This center is mainly involved in career and job counseling.
Their center is located at 134 East Church Street.
Their phone number is 353-2301.
Goodwill Industries of Florida
A vocational training center primarily working with
disabled individuals in an employment capacity.
Their phone number is 384-1361.
Division of Blind Services
1809 Art Museum Dr. Suite 201
Jacksonville, Fl 32207
PN: 348-2730
The division of Blind Services Aids those who are blind
or have visual impairment to help them achieve realistic
adjustment. Services to qualified clients include counseling/
guidance, vocational training, job search assistance,
and medical restoration
Florida
Career Link
A Florida job bank listing over 1,000 job
listings, a customized employer profile and
online applicant response.
