disabilities | Robin's Resumes (r)

Resume Q&A: Should I Mention Workplace Safety and Health Concerns on My Resume?

Jun 13 2021

Q. The pandemic has made me nervous about the companies I apply to. I want to make sure they are concerned about workplace safety and health and will not force me into a position where I am worried about catching COVID-19. If I mention my health concerns on my resume or at my interview, will employers reject me? I want to keep myself and my family safe without going through our entire health history.

A. You are not alone in worrying about workplace safety and health. A recent survey by KPMG showed 91% of 140 chief executives plan to ask employees whether they are vaccinated. Another survey by Ambius discovered that workers would take a lower-paying job in return for a healthier work environment, and 70% plan to ask future employers about health and hygiene practices.

So the good news is that nearly everyone has workplace safety and health on their minds, from executives to employees. When is the best time to raise the issue of company protections for employees?

Your resume has never been the place to offer information about your health or your health concerns. Legally, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are not required to disclose even a chronic illness or disability, as long as you can perform the job’s tasks with reasonable accommodation. For example, if a job requires you to lift 50 pounds, you must be able to lift 50 pounds. If the job does not require you to lift anything heavier than a pencil, you need not reveal your inability to lift weights.

Employers, by law, cannot reject you for an illness or impairment unless it affects your ability to do your job. Therefore, they cannot legally reject you for expressing concerns about workplace safety and health.

However, the time to ask about workplace safety and health is later in the interview process, when you have already established rapport, and you are well on the way to a job offer. You do not want to undermine your chances by raising any issue too soon.

Robin’s Resumes® works with many people who have both visible and hidden physical and mental challenges and helps them develop a resume that gives them the best possible interview chance. Questions about COVID-19 precautions do not belong on your resume, but we offer coaching and resume writing services that help you target companies that care about your health as much as you do.

Your Resume: Do You Have a Disability or Inability?

Jul 15 2018

There is no single legal definition of “disability.” The legal definition of a disability varies from country to country, and even within different United States laws.

ADA & Social Security

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. A condition does not have to be severe or permanent to be a disability. On the other hand, Social Security disability defines a disabled individual as someone with an impairment, either medical, psychological, or psychiatric in nature, that keeps them from being able to do a substantial amount of work for at least 12 months.

One thing that all definitions agree upon is that “disability” is different from “inability.” For example, if you are able to run but not able to run a marathon, you have an inability to run marathons, not a disability. You can still perform major life activities without running a marathon and can hold a job, though maybe not in the field of long-distance running.

Accommodations by Employer

If one of the requirements for a job is that someone flies internationally, and you are terrified of airplanes, you should probably look for a position that does not require international travel. Although fear of flying could rise to a psychiatric condition and companies are required by the ADA to make reasonable accommodations, there is no reasonable way to travel across oceans without flying: ships are just too slow and infrequent.

On the other hand, if you have a temporary or permanent disability that prevents you from walking up and down stairs, a company might easily make reasonable accommodations. For example, if the building does not have elevators, they could ensure that your office is on the ground floor; or they could allow you to telecommute from home or another accessible location.

Conclusion

That is where I come in. When you are applying for a position with a company, honesty in your resumes and your job search—about your skills, education, accomplishments, and abilities—is very important.

At Robin’s Resumes®, we monitor the current regulations related to employment so that we can craft a resume that makes the most of all your abilities.

Your Resume: Health Issues and Disabilities

Nov 13 2016

Your private medical history, disabilities or health issues are just that: private. As long as you are physically capable of performing the job you are applying for, you should not bring up disabilities or health issues on your resume or cover letter.

You can usually judge your physical capability by reading the job application or posting. Does the job require lifting a certain weight, flying or driving regularly, or climbing a certain distance? If you are not able to perform functions that are clearly required by the job, then your employee has every right to know that. In fact, if you cannot perform the functions of a job, you should probably change your job search.

I have worked with clients who have obvious disabilities and have helped them to find a job that not only matches their abilities but furthers their careers.

For example, I worked with a deaf computer programmer who had held a series of jobs in which he had to interact verbally with a team. Unfortunately, he had not been successful in keeping the jobs. In corresponding with him, I found out that he had volunteered for an organization to make their webpages disability compliant. I encouraged him to apply for jobs using his knowledge of what was required to make websites disability compliant, jobs which celebrated his skills. He became excited about this opportunity. Using this new focus, I created a resume which he used to successfully obtain his next position.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require job applicants to reveal a disability on a resume. If the disability will be obvious in an interview, try to get the interview first. That is the time when you can prove to an employer that you are differently abled, not disabled, and that your different abilities will not interfere with your performance and productivity.

Employees are required to accommodate disabilities in the workplace; it pays for you to research what accommodations you would need and to have sources and costs ready to quote at the interview. The average cost for an accommodation is about $500—and it could be zero if the employer already has technology and other resources in place.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17.5% of people with disabilities were employed in 2015. This is still well below the figure for people without disabilities. The largest portion of people with disabilities work in manufacturing, education and health services, then finances and retail.

Illnesses that require frequent absences for doctor appointments or treatments should be discussed with the employer, just as the need for any other accommodation. But again, this information does not belong on a resume or cover level. In fact, the ADA does not require you to reveal an illness at any specific time; you can wait until the interview, until you require accommodation or until you are ready.

Please contact me if you need help with your resume or career focus. I can help write a resume that is honest and that will also give you the best opportunity for that first interview.