Perspectives of People with Psychiatric Disabilities on Employment Disclosure

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 protects people with disabilities from employment discrimination. Under the ADA, employers must accommodate the known disabilities of a qualified employee or applicant. For persons with psychiatric disabilities, which are often invisible, the individual is required to make a conscious decision regarding disclosing their disability to an employer. The decision to disclose is very complex because the person needs to consider the possibility of confronting stigma and negative stereotypes. A qualitative study including a focus group and individual interviews was conducted to gather data from people with psychiatric disabilities/labels regarding employment disclosure. Major findings include the significant impact of disability identity (does the participant think they have a disability), and the importance of appropriate job matching as a disclosure strategy.